A quick question...

As I am moving on to my second plane, I'm wanting to upgrade my radio from the one that came with the trainer. my plan in a few years is to be flying warbirds, but not sure if i really need 7 ch.

I realize flaps and retracts, maybe even smoke but just wondering if i should just hold up save a little more and get a better radio instead of using it for the plane!

I am looking at either a dx6 or dx7?

Thanks guys

If your goal is warbirds then you are going to want to get as many channels as you can afford. One thing that's a constant on warbirds is that you never seem to have enough channels for what you want to do!! [:@] Things like smoke, retracts, gear doors, front wheel steering, bomb drop, multiple engines, etc ... all seem to eat up channels in a hurry. I did a review of the Top Flight B-25 and when I added a bomb drop to the plane I used up all 9 channels in a Futaba 9TCAP in a heartbeat. I would like to have had another to be able to do a controlled top turret, but I would have had to give up one of the throttle channels to do so, and it's more of a benefit to have seperate channels for throttles on a twin engine plane so I gave up the top turret.

Your best best is to buy as many channels as you can afford to

Ken

I would go for the DX7 over the DX6i. The DX7 has 20 model memory versus 10 for the DX6i. I've looked at the features and I think the 7 has enough extra capabilities to make it worth the smalldifference in price. If you add four DS821 servos to the DX6i you are within $20 or $30 of the DX7 with the same servos.

I agree with Ken that having a lot of channels is a big deal if you really start to "scale out" a warbird.

Thats what I was figuring... spektrum worth it or is JR a bit nicer? still a noob, and i know people have their preferences... just more concerned about functionality over fancy options

I have a DX7 AND a DX6i. The advantages, of course, are 20 model memory and a seventh channel on the DX7. The advantage with the DX6i, of course, is the price difference. You can use any servos that you wish with either one, so if you already have servos, well, you're good to go.

Servos are always on sale somewhere. I read that one place had Airtronics 94102z servos on sale for $9.99 You can find out where by doing a little research here on RCU. I saw it in this forum (Beginners). So, for 40 bucks and the DX6i, you can get pretty much the same minus one channel.

But, again, as Ken and others have said, if you want to do warbirds you will need channels. Spektrum does have a 9 channel RX out which sort of makes you think that somewhere along the line they will have a TX to go along with that, but I don't know.

CGr.

Your better off buying a used 10x. The more channels the better. I dont fly warbrid but i sure can burn up channels. Two for ali two for elv one to two on rudder, flaps, throttle and retracts.

More channels, I use a 9C and on some of my bigger planes I run out and wish I had 10 or 12. I end up using match boxes sometimes. This gets me around a lot of problems but starts to cost money. Bigger is better!!

Without any doubt more is better as has been said but guess we all have to make consessions at times. Cost usually is a big factor. Regarding that I would opt for the 7ch DX7. It's really not that much more money than the 6 but has a lot more to offer. If in the future you find you really do need more channels the DX7 is a very marketable unit.
Jr and Spectrum are the same. One huge factor in my mind over all other radios is their model match and servo sync systems. Especially when flying high cost aircraft don't want to try flying with wrong airplane in TX. The major manufacteres all ma ke very good systems so you have to sort out what suits you.

Do not get less than a 7ch radio. I have the Airtronics RDS8000 and like it a lot.