I’m new. Bought the Senior Telemaster. Bought the O.S. 65LA engine. Any suggestions on a radio I can grow with?

Welcome to RCU friotex. The 7 channel Futaba 7CAP is a nice radio with memory for several models.

Thanks TimC. Do you use Futaba? I have been to a couple of local hobby stores and they seem to lean towards JR.

If you are going to join a club and get instruction on how to fly, you may want to meet with your instructor and find out what brand of radio he is using. Having the same radios will allow you to use a buddy box setup for flight instruction. As for which is best or the one for you, it is like the great debate, Chevy vs Ford. I personally fly Futaba. Good Luck, Dave

Yes, friotex, I have an older Futaba 6 channel and a newer 7CAP. I also use Airtronics and HiTec radios. They all fly the planes. I would like to own a JR. I'm radioed up now and can't justify buying any more. I don't think you can go wrong with a JR. The JR owners here at RCU say good things about them.

Just getting started? Money not to much of an object? Get a Spectrum DX7 and never worry about someone being on the same frequency as you. The for mentioned 7CAP is nice as well but you will have to make sure noone around you is on the same frequency. I am not familiar with the models of JR transmitters out there but have seen several in use at my feild and I think they have some very nice features that would make them a good choice as well but again you have to watch that frequency. This is a much debated topic and it is like arguing Ford vs. Chevy. I think the ability to not have to worry about frequency channel makes the DX7 superior to all models available now reguardless of features because when it comes down to it your thumbs control the plane and it really does not matter which radio is in your hands as long as it is one of the major brands.
JR
Futaba
Hitech
Airtronics
Who makes the Spectrum DX7???

Anyway obviously I do not own a DX7 and the reason is I have 12 planes and after buying the radio I would have to buy 11 more receivers at $100 a piece.[:@]

I agree with Stang.

Anyone looking to begin in this hobby should begin on a 2.4 GHZ system. There are 2 currently available, one (DX-7) is in general use. There is one from Futaba now, and there is a system on the horizon which will allow us to convert our old transmitters to 2.4 GHZ.

I don't think anyone should be starting this hobby on 72MHZ these days. 2.4 will allow more growth in the future.

(DX-7 is made by JR for Horizon)

TimC & Mr67Stang thank you for your input. DavidAgar, I lived in Bellevue from 1989 to 2000, but moved back to the Lone Star State because needed to be close to aging parents. Would love to move back there some day.

I have a JR XP6102 and it was my first computer radio. It's a 6 channel computer radio which is very easy to program and if your computer savvy it shouldn't take long at all. It's a great entry level radio that you can grow with.

Welcome to the great sport of RC airplanes I started out with JR only because when I asked at the field I started up with that was what the majority of the guys were flying and the LHS had more JR's to choose from them all others. My brother started out with Futaba and so we get to compare and like the guys said, it's more of a personal choice. Both offer the same options, just a little difference in the programing screens and methods. I would suggest a radio that you can store mulitple planes in and program. I just switched over to the Spectrum DX-7 due to some heavy interference we experienced this summer due to an FM station somehow being re-broadcast across a bunch of the 72Mhz channels. But that's another discussion. If your just starting out I think you would like the 2.4 GHz system as well. I think before to long it'll be the standard, and once again all of the majors will be coming out with their version of it.

By the way, great choice of planes. This will be a really nice plane to learn on[8D]

This would be Futaba's 2.4 GHz intro system
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0161p?&I=LZ2504

My two cents (you can give back change if you deem it appropriate.) I like the 7CAP Futaba over the 6 channel simply because it does have more that you can grow into. My dad purchased the 6AEX or something like that and when I fly or set up his planes, I'm always wishing that his radio had some of the stuff that I'm accustomed to on mine. I agree that anyone looking to get a new radio should seriously look at the 2.4 units just coming out like the DX-7 or possibly the new Futaba. Only problem is that the new Futaba 2.4 is based off of the 6 channel radio like my dad's. If it was the 7CAP, it would be a home run for me (IMHO). I'd like to step up to this new technology but I feel that while the transmission of the radio would be better and safer, the actual unit I'd be doing it on would be inferior to what I've got now. Once again, IMHO.

I've got little or no experience with the Spektrum units but more and more guys at the field are using them.

Welcome to R/C and enjoy that Telemaster! I've still got my trainer and in fact, have been flying that more than most of the others lately.