Does the second transmitter need the antenae up or even on? There a several transmittors on the auction site, and I starting to wish I kept a transmitter to buddy box my kids on or 4H project. Your thoughts.

Thanks

Jim

According to Futaba's 7C manual here's what they say ( I imagine it's similar for any system):

-Never Use the Student Transmitter Power
-Always set the Student Transmitter modulation to PPM (if using conventional system)
-Be sure the student and instructor transmitters have identical trim settings and control motions. Verify by switching back and forth while moving the control sticks.

-Fully extend the instructor's antenna. Collapse the student antenna (if using a conventional system)
[/b]-Always remove the student transmitter RF module(if using a conventional system)

Jim,
Here's the info on buddy boxes. For Futaba, Hitech and Airtronics the box is nothing more than 2 sticks and some switches. The buddy box does not need a batter or an antenna, heck you can even remove the antenna from the buddy box. For these brands the master radio does the transmitting and the antenna needs to be extended on it. When the trainer switch is pushed on these radios basically what is happening is that the sticks on the buddy box are given control and the master radio still transmits the signal.

Missing from the above list is JR/Spektrum radios. This is because they are a little bit different. For these radios the buddy boxes must have a charged battery in them, but the power switch is left in the off position. They still have the antenna down as the master radio does the transmitting. If the battery is not in the buddy box it will not function to control the plane.

Hope this helps

Ken

Thanks Ken and cappaj1. I'll check my futaba manual also. Duh.

Jim

Ken...ran into a situation a while back with a JR system (might have been Specturm). where the only way the slave would work was with the master and slave on.....2 different radios...this was back when there was a rash of bad cords