The radios that come with most of the Ready-to-Fly trainers aren't junk, they're just free.

The flight pack costs as much to buy seperately as the full radio system with transmitter. The Futaba 4YBF that comes with the Nexstar is a good example. Tower Hobbies sells the 4YF with tx battery, charger, freq flag plus full flight pack (4 S3004 servos, R168DF receiver, rx battery, switch harness, and 6" servo extension for ailerons) as well as crystal for receiver all for $119.99. If you buy just the flight pack and the receiver crystal without the transmitter, tx battery, and charger it costs $122.98. You're getting the transmitter for free and saving three bucks.

These are good sport radios, but they lack the programming and mixing functions that the more advanced computer radios have. They also lack the ability to remember setups for multiple models like the more advanced radios do. While you'll eventually outgrow them, these entry level sport radios are good radios and ideal for training; simple is better.

When you're ready for a fancy computer radio next year or the year after, your trainer radio will be handy as a backup to your main radio, as a buddy box for when you want to teach your friends how to fly, or as a flight sim controller.

I bought a Futaba 7C after soloing on my Nexstar so I could use it with more advanced planes. I still have my 4YBF and I still fly with it. It's a good radio.