Hey guys I need some help. I need a decent quality6 channel 2.4 Ghz radio for under 200 $. does anyody have a suggestion)s. thanks

[link=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXAVSW&P=SM]With 4 Servos[/link]

[link=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXARLD&P=SM]Without Servos[/link]

If you are a member of a club, go with what is the popular one there as you will get more reliable help should you need it. Fortunately for us, nearly all are quite good, even some of the off shore cheaper units. You can hardly go wrong if you go with Futaba, Airtronics, Hitec, Spectrum, JR or even Skyfly. If you are into Bind and Fly then you will most apt go with Spectrum although there are a few others out there.

One more question, will any servo work with 2.4Ghz? because I have a bunch of servos that I know work with FM.

There are a few oddball mismatches out there, but for the most part, any FM servo will work with 2.4

The only suggestion I usually offer is not to "mix and match" different servos. In other words, don't use a Futaba on one side of the wing (ailerons) and a Hitec, for instance, on the other. For that matter, don't even mix different models from the same manufacturer... standard bushing type with a high torque ball bearing. Keep them the same. There is some differences in resolution that make things difficult when you do that.

CGr.

But you can mix brands and models, just not on the same controls as CG mentioned. I may have two JRs on my elevators two Hitec on my ailerons and a Futaba on my rudder then some odd ball on the throttle. I have that Futaba that Mike showed you in my shop right now. A friend loaned it to me while my radio is in the shop. It's a very nice radio and a pretty good deal.

I highly recommend the Airtronics RDS8000. the eight channels and programming give you alot of room to grow and experiment. It always seem to be on sale for $199 or less. Just keep an eye on the sale flyers online. Best bang for your bucks.

http://www.hobbypeople.net/index.php...1-rx-only.html

If your really stuck on getting only 6 channels there is the Airtronics SD-6G for $179.

http://www.hobbypeople.net/index.php...o-w-rx600.html



skeeter

+1 for the Airtronics SD-6G. a great mount of features for an entry level 6 channel.

In most cases yes but there are exceptions. Some of the older servos require a higher amplitude on the pulse to the servos, the DAD's for sure. Since the magnitude of the signal pulse from all the 2.4GHz units I have check is typically 2.4 +-0.1, this can be a problem on some of the older servos especially when powering the servos with a 5 cell battery. Some of the old designs required that the pulse amplitude be at least 50% of the supply voltage in order to properly respond.

Get A Futaba System!!!! You wont regret it!! For 2.4 GHz Futaba CANTBEBEAT!!!!!!!!!!

unless of course you are a Spektrum man, or maybe a Airtronics person and could be a JR buff. I guess at one time or another I have used most brands. I settled down with airtronic 2.4 and DX-7. Nothing against Futaba had 2 7 channel hi-band. Still use them on the club trainer.[8D]

Get A Airtronics System!!!! You wont regret it!! For 2.4 GHz Airtronics CANT BE BEAT!!!!!!!!!

skeeter

Just be aware that if you go this route, you will need to purchase a transmitter battery. So add $30-$35. If that is still ok, get the 4 servo one, $20 for these four servos is a savings $30 bucks. This is a pretty nice radio, several of the new members at our field have picked them up and really like them. Otherwise, I would recommend getting the same brand as a majority of the fliers at your field; that way you have some help with programming, mixes, and other associated tricks we have already figured out, instead of spending time at the field reading the manual. Field time is flying time!

I too would say that the Airtronics RDS800 would be a great choice. I have (2) of them. They have been perfect from day one. They do everything I want and more. There is just one small issue I do have.

It is nothing against the radio, but it just kills me to put a $60.00 Rx into a $20.00 plane. So, for my small foam planes I have a 9x Tx and (8) $9.00 6 channel Rx's I have been using it now with 3 planes and it too has been glitch free. Now the programming is no where as easy as the RDS. It took me about 45 minutes of button pushing to figure out the basics like end EPA, reverse, stick mode, it comes with (4), type, it does helicopter, glider and planes. I was surprised at how smooth the stick are.

We have 5 of these in our group and all have worked very well. They are easy to bind. There is a couple of very long threads about them on RCG. They can also have the firmware flashed to an open source from the net. I have not ordered the program board with back lite yet. After you reprogram it, you can assign any switch to any function and the model memory goes up to 16 from 8. There are a lot of other feature to the new firmware too.

Will this radio replace my RDS8000, no way. But for my small planes it works great. I am setting up a 25 sized "E" powered plane with this radio. It is the largest plane so far. I will use it as a glider tug for smaller gliders. I think that will give it a good test.

Here is the radio, they are all pretty much the same one.

https://www.leaderhobby.com/product....=9394001220455

http://www.hobbypartz.com/79p-th9x-r...nel-radio.html

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...dProduct=19673

Here are the Rx's

http://www.hobbypartz.com/79p-r6b-receiver.html

A similar 7 channel radio

https://www.leaderhobby.com/product....=9394001225764

Buzz.

6 Channel ???  for the long haul?     I would not do it!!!   <div>Please go for 8 Ch. </div><div>
</div><div>For Example :  My 71" Gas Slick I filled a 7 ch. rx .  wishing for another port , </div><div> I was forced to y ailerons , to enjoy a smoke pump.</div>

<font size="2" color="#00265e">blvdbuzzard</font>   Why are all the links you gave me so cheap? Are they going to break after the first use? Tower Hobbie's cheapest 2.4 Ghz 6 channel radio was $179.

Hobby King is a dealer with mixed reviews. Many people order from them and have no issues. Then there are the horror stories. Credit card charged and item is backordered for 6 months. Defective product arrives (happens with all brands no matter the cost) and cannot get it replaced. Multiple reports of poor "after sale" support.

Hobbypartz is part of the XHeli/Nitroplanes/NitroRCX group. Many people order from them and have no issues. Then there are the horror stories. Credit card charged and item is backordered for 6 months. Defective product arrives (happens with all brands no matter the cost) and cannot get it replaced. Multiple reports of poor "after sale" support.

Every dealer, including Tower and Horizon, has customers who are totally dissatisfied. That happens in every industry. But we read more horror stories about the ones listed above than we do about Tower or Horizon.

I had no trouble with my Futaba S3003 and Associated S1903MG servos when I popped a Spektrum 2.4 unit into my touring car. I've also had no issues with the Futaba and JR servos in my airplane getting along with that same Spektrum 2.4 unit.

99% of servos on the market today don't care what modulation you use, nor do they care about the brand of radio. The receivers all send the same signals to the servos, and while some may move backwards in relation to others they'll usually work fine.

As far as the brand goes...it doesn't matter so long as it's a name brand. I'm a Futaba fanboy myself, but I've had absolutely no trouble out of my Spektrum DX5e and AR6110e combo, which I'm using in my touring car. I plan on stuffing an AR600 into my trainer here real soon and using the same DX5e on it.

As Carrellh said. I have many orders from Tower Hobbies without issue, I also have a few that were not very good. The radios are not main stream to say the least. They are low budget Chinese radios. Yet, even the main stream radios have stuff made n China inside them.

I was very skeptical of the 9x radio. I read a lot about it. I searched for as much as I could find. So, I had to decide if I could trow about $80.00 bucks out the window and not worry about. I am glad I took a chance. The radio has been really good so far. If you get one, please put a flame suit on when you go to the field for the first few times. People can be very negative towards some things that are not name brand.

I can remember way back and I do mean way back when. The guys at the club were saying all sorts of things about this new radio. They put it down because it had of all things a "PLASTIC" case. How cheap can you get right? They were so used to seeing the stamped and bent aluminum cases they figure it just had to be junk. They also had trouble saying the name correctly. The radio in question was a Futaba. See how times have changed. Kraft was king.

When I ordered from Leaders, Two of us went together because the shipping for two was about $3.00 more then one. So that brought down the total price for each. My brother and brother in law did the same thing when they ordered from Hobby King, USA warehouse. Some times buying two is cheaper shipping then one.

http://rcmodelreviews.com/turnigy9xv2review.shtml

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1035575

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1338412




Buzz.

Man, save yourself some money...stay away from Tower Hobbies.

Why would he do that? Tower's never done me wrong. Always good prices, rocket fast shipping, and their service is so good I've never even needed customer support. Can't think of a better e-tailer of hobby stuff.

Yeah, I gotta agree with that. Tower is one of the better on-line RC sources. There are others, of course, Horizon Hobby is another. But, I must say that I really endorse supporting your local hobby shop. Many will match the mail-order prices. Unfortunately, when this recession started, and without being political, as far as I can see, it's still going on, the only two local hobby shops went out of business. The owner of the best one we had around here told me that when all that started, his business dropped to the point where he was making just enough money to pay the rent. He had to pay expenses out of his own pocket (electic power, water, and so on). He did this for a year and finally closed the doors. The owner of the other hobby shop retired and closed the shop.

The closest one now is about a 45 minute drive, and they have mainly car and electric plane RC stuff. So, it's mail order for me and I keep it with the two big ones, Tower and Horizon. And, they give me what I want at a very competitive price.

As far as radio systems is concerned, I tell folks that what steered me was what my instructor was using when I learned to fly. That happened to be Airtronics. I now have two Airtronics and two Spektrum radio systems, and love them both. I have had Futaba and one other system that I can't remember the name.., both basic four channel radios that came with RTF aircraft, and they were adequate for their purpose but not very expandable (not computer radios so on model memory or any other electronic variable controls that computer radios provide).

If I were asked directly for a specific recommendation, I would say "Ask your instructor".


CGr.

Tower is a goods place to shop. I do spend money there. If you watch the sales, use the promo codes or join the super saver club. Tower has something that the other places just do not have. Service. If you order enough, you will have an issue sooner or later with any of them. It comes down to how the matter is handled.

Buzz.

I always send my new students to Tower. Do they have the best prices, NO, but they do have most of everything a new to the hobby person needs all in one place. Do I use Tower myself, NO, over the years I have found better places/prices. Tower isn't the only one that sells the name brand products but they have a very helpful staff and there sales service is second to none. I still have a great LHS that stocks almost everything I need. Big ticket items I have some outlets I use that have great prices.
I bought my Hitec radio from Tower but I got my Futaba from Buckner's in NY at a much better price. They were having a big Xmas sale at the time.Tower is still a good place for new people. I do have a problem with one of there devisions but I no longer need there service.