Go to the swap meets. I was at an informal swap at my club field and found 4-channel radios for $20.00, .40 engines for $25.00-$50.00 and the airplanes were all very affordable. I've bought a lot of used equipment and saved a ton of money. BTW, I have 6 radios, 2, 4, & 6 channel, and not a computer to be seen, and I don't feel particularly deprived. All I'd use the computer features for is the multiple plane memory anyway, so I wasn't trimming each time I flew a different plane on the same transmitter. Just find out what kind of transmitters are compatible with the instructor's radios at your local club. Some clubs even have a club trainer that you can be learning on while you put your own rig together, and can possibly steer you onto some good used equipment.