Hey,

I'm getting back into the hobby after about a 30 year absence and am boggled by the changes. This time I intend to stick with scale and will start out with a J-3 or L-4 Cub. I purchased a good used Futaba T7C radio and will be picking up servos and reciever to match. I assume the systems still have matching crystals in the transmitter and reciever, right?

Russ

It depends.

If you new, used radio is on the 72MHz band, then yes, buy a crystal for the receiver that is on the same freq as your transmitter (You should never change the crystal in your transmitter). If its one of the newer 2.4GHz radios, you will need a Futaba 2.4GHz receiver.

And welcome back!

Welcome Back Russ

Hey minnflyer,

Thanks. The radio is 2.4MHZ, so I will be looking for the correct reciever.

And gorish, it's good to be back. I've been following threads on this forum and on RCSB and am amazed at what's being done by others. can't wait to get something back in the air.

Russ

crystal?

whats a crystal?

30 years, wow your going to be like Tim Allen in a tool store. Welcome back. NOW GO BREAK A WING !!!!

Regarding servos, with most modern radio systems, you don't have to be to concerned about the manufacturer of servos as most of the major ones will work with just about all radio systems out there... you can put Futaba on Airtronics and vice versa, in other words. That also means Hitec, JR/Spektrum, and so many othes.. will work just fine.

You will find that modern servos are pretty strong and reliable.

Welcome back to the hobby!!

CGr.

Okay, 'splain to me how the reciever will only recconize one transmitter. What happens if I have a transmitter and buy a used reciever? Will the reciever work with the transmitter?

Russ

One of the steps that you take to use a 2.4 Tx &Rx (speaking from Spektrum DX7 technology) is to "bind"the Tx with the Rx. The Rx is powered up with a bind plug inserted. The Rx's software (firmware actually)has code that recognizes that the bind plug has been inserted. It is now in a receptive state to receive a bind command from a Spektrum-enabled Tx providing the Rx with the Tx's unique identifier and model number. The Tx is then turned on while simultaneously holding the "bind" button on the back of the Tx. The Tx's software/firmware recognizes that the bind button is being pushed and transmits its unique id and model number. The Rx receives the bind message and stores the Tx's unique id and model number in non-volatile memory. I'm guessing that there may be a couple of back-n-forth communications between the Tx and Rx during the bind process to attempt to ensure an accurate connection, but that's just a guess.

Ican bind my Tx to 20 different Rx's (20 different models). Ican give that same Spektrum Rx to someone that has a transmitter that will work with a Spektrum Rx. He can then bind that Rx to his Tx / model. After he binds HISTx to the Rx my Tx can no longer communicate with that Rx (unless, of course, I rebind the Rx to MYTx).

HTH - clear as mud, huh

Futaba has a much simpler binding process.

There is a tiny button recessed between the two Receiver antennas.

Turn on the Transmitter (Tx), bring it to within a meter of the Receiver and turn the receiver (Rx) on - A green LED will be flashing on the Rx. (Note: if you turn on the Rx with no Tx turned on, the LED will be red)

Push and hold the tiny button on the receiver for about 5 seconds (You will need a toothpick or something similar to push the button with).

When the LED on the Rx stops flashing, your Rx is bound to your Tx.

Since you're also from Fl. I'll send you my reply. You have already gotten the pertinent info on the 2.4 radios. Therefore I shall add only this which to me is worth a lot. Since the present Tx. hold about 20 aircraft in memory I find that " modelmatch", available on Jr /Spectrum to be invaluable. It's not possible to attempt to fly the wrong aircraft, won't work. Welcome back.

Hey minnflyer and seamusg,

Thanks for the tutorals. Pretty neat! We don't need no stinking closepins!

Russ

Howzit, welcome back to a fantastic passtime.

Youhave a Futaba T7C which is a Futaba Advanced Spread Spectrum Technology Transmitter. It transmits a coded signal across around 30 odd channels within the 2.4GHz bandwidth.
In the hobby they call this a hopper or frequency hopping transmitter.

If the Tx is frequency hopping, the Rx needs to know where to go looking for it so it too needs to be a FASST Reciever but needs to know to look only for the coded IDof the source Tx.

Myunderstanding of howFASST works is that it sends out a burst of information containing,
1) the Tx ID so the Rx knows to respond only to it.
2) the command so the Rx can distribute to the correct channel (this much hasn't changed)
3)where to go looking next

each control input initiates the above cycle. It creates a robust solid link between pilot and aircraft.
In order to enjoy this monogamy, a receover has to be bound (married) to the Tx. To do this with a Futaba Tx and Rx is simple.
First make sure there are no other Futaba FASSTTx operating close to your Rx.
Switch on the Tx.
usng the little plastic screwdriver provided, press down the tiny button on the Rx thats labelled "LINK".
Now poewr up the Rx and hold the "LINK"button down for 2seconds and release. The LED will blink red for a few seconds then switch to green. Your Tx and Rx are now married.

If only marriage were this simple...

A - Men!

Alright, I hear I should have a special kind of charger that will charge/discharge the transmitter and Reciever batteries to prevent the dreaded "memory" thingy from happening. what make/model do you guys reccomend?

Getting lots of good advice from this forum.

Russ

there are many programmable chargers available. I use a Turnigy Accucell 6

Not really, that "memory thingy" only happens in a worst-case scenario. I never cycle by batteries. In the winter, I may give them a charge while they are idle, and I make sure to give them a good charge when the season comes around, but that's about it.

The wall-wart charger that comes with your radio will do fine until you start going to higher capacity batteries - Even then it will work fine, but you might want to get a better charger just so it won't take 2 or 3 days for a full charge

The Only time I cycled my NiMH or NiCAD's was when they are new.
First charge on the provided charger for around 10C Hours (10x capacity).

Then use the battery and run it through a charge/discharge cycle in the week when its not in use.
After 3 or 4 cycles (about a month) I don't bother cycling them anylonger. I do this more for peace of mind that the battery is delivering the capacity its rated for. I had some really dud NiMH and NiCAD packs in the past and switched to LiFePO4 batteries thereafter.

40 size is now 50<div>60 size is now 90.</div>