Im lookingin to getting my father a radio for a gift to get him started, is it safe to buy off ebay? and is 99.3 a good rating? the radio is a really good deal but I dont want to br ripped off....and if I do get a radio...should I spend a little bit extra money and get a higher end? or will it just go out of date? If it will should should I just get the basic 3 channel? (keep in mind hes just learning)

Srry for all the questions at the same time, but thanks guys!

Matt

The only time I buy radio gear is when I know the person that is selling it. a person can say it's in perfect condition but lose their memory about that oh so minor crash that it was in. If you can buy a new one and even though he is just starting out I would go with a 6 channel so he can grow into it and it's not that much more.

There is virtually no point in buying a radio system off E-bay unless it is guaranteed to be NEW and have NEW NiCds.

You buy a 4 channel radio system from e-bay for $30... then pay the $12 to $25 shipping...

When it gets to you you are likely to find that it has bad batteries. The replacement batteries are going to cost you appx $35 to $55.

You have now spent... $75 to $110 for a used system and you haven't even found out if the servos work yet.

You don't know if the RX is functional... you don't know if the crystal is broken ($12 just for the crystal and they are easy to break in a crash..)

You don't know how it was cared for... and if it was poorly cared for its very likely that the whole system is useless even after you get the new batteries and the replacemnt crystal and a new switch harness...

A new 4 channel set with NEW NiCds can be bought for $100 and you get a 1 year warantee....

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Now do you still want to buy a radio off e-bay?

It doesn't really matter how honest the seller is... He can THINK he is trying to give you a bargain and you can still end up worse off than buying new. He may have paid $200 fo that 4-channel setup a few years ago. (because they cost that much a few years ago.)

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99.9% chance that a 3-channel system will prove inadequate within 3 months. there is no point in getting the 3 channel system either... the ones that cost much less than the 4 channel systems don't come with NiCds. Obviously... a 4 channel system will do everything the 3 channel will and then some.

Wow thanks guys...this rc universe is really a big help...anyways do you guys think that a Futaba 6EXA -6-Channel FM/4S3004 BB servos (eeks, long name) would be a good stater radio, I'v been running r/c trucks for a while now and from what I can tell it looks good but hey, can never be too carefull.

Thanks for all your help!!,
Matt

Matt,
The 6EXA is an excellent introdutory computer radio and will serve you (your Dad) very well.

Welocme to RCU, great bunch of people here!
Dennis-

Ok thanks for the help, and you are right, a great bunch of people are here!

Thanks again,
Matt

Yup EXA's would put a sparkle in your Pop's eyes. It is an excellent choice and a smart move on your part.

Mark Shuman

go for it!!!!!!!

wow sounds like a good radio!! ha ha thanks guys!!

Matt

Hmm I was looking around on the internet andsome guys said that the EXA was not a good radio, I just dismissed him and his opinion but he did recemend a Hitec Flash 5, should I choose the Futaba or the Hitec, I'v always kinda liked the Futaba but now im all confused[&o]

Thanks again,
Matt

Matt,
There's nothing wrong with the Hitec Flash 5X, I used to have one. I now fly mostly with a Futaba 6 XAS (similar to the EAX but with a couple more mixes.)

Keep in mind, everyone has an opinion, and some people take their own opinions much more seriously than others, but if I were making a choice I'd go with the 6EXA. An extra channel, easy to program....

That's MY opinion.
Dennis-

I like my 6EXA. It does more than a beginner needs with room to grow. My 2 cents worth of advice. The first advice is free. After that I take PayPal.

Yes Hitec radio's are nice. They work very well. But I will stand by my initial reccomendation. The EXA is just fine for a beginner. The programming is simplified for a first timer. Yes it lacks some of the sophisticated stuff. But a beginner does not need it. Even later on, this would make a dandy radio for the bunches of sport fliers we all seem to accumulate. I still say the EXA will work just fine. Your father will be proud to have it.

Mark Shuman

I will second the vote for the Futaba 6EXA. My first trainer (HobbyTown RTF 40, same as Hobbico SuperStar, except for the decals ) came with the Futaba Skysport 4 channel. I quickly outgrew that as I started building my 2nd plane. And now that I have an UltraStick 40, I definitely needed the 6EXA. The Skysport 4 channel is good for a starting radio, but it is essentially good for one plane. Trying to fly 2 planes off of that transmitter would be difficult at best. The 6EXA can store 6 different planes in memory. As my trainer has 3 of the 4 channels reversed, it is nice to have that 6EXA.

But that being said, it depends what you really want to do. Do you want to get your dad a radio that he can grow with, or just one that he can get started with? Do you think that he will stick with it? Do you want to spend the money for a computer radio? If you are unsure that he will stick with it, then pick up a 4 channel radio.

As for the EBay question, there are a lot of threads here about EBay purchases. Some were good, some were not. If I remember correctly, one guy bought an engine in "like-new" condition. When he got it, he said it looked like it had been dropped on a concrete floor from at least 6 feet up. Personally, I do not buy RC equipment on EBay. I usually buy from the local hobby shop. They match Tower Hobbies prices, give a 10% club discount. And we have already had one hobby shop close in the last 2 years.

Umm he will most likly stick with the hobby, he would probably want tog row into a radio instead of buying new ones later on and yes I am willing tos penmd the money on the computer radio, with that said I am guessing the I should just get it?

Thanks,
matt

Then I whole-heartily recommend the 6EXA. Like was stated, it is relatively easy to program, and will take a while to outgrow. With my Ultra Stick and the 6EXA, the only thing that I can't do with it that I could do if I had an 8 or 9 channel radio is to use the ailerons and flaps together as strip ailerons. Other than that, I can do the flaperons, airbrakes, flaps, etc. I love mine!