If using a buddy box, does the students tx have to have charged batteries ? Thanks guys

On JR radios yes.

On Futaba/Tower no. In fact I remove the battery, antenna, and you must remove the crystal. You won't even turn this one on. It will be powered by the instructor's Transmitter. Your instructor should also check that the reverse and trim switches are all in sync.

Hello Skippyspad. I am just inquiring not being a smart @$$ know it all like some of these glorious individuals. I trained with a FUTABA 6 exp and I never took the crystal out when I was trained. What is the reason for doing that? Again, I am asking for knowledge. Thanks

Joe

You don't have to take the crystal out of it to use it as a buddy box. Some clubs/fields like to take the batteries and/or crystals out of the buddy boxes so that they can't accidentally be turned on while being used. If the buddy box is on the same channel as another plane in the air it could cause the plane in the air to lose control.

Ken

The manual says to. I believe it's so that if you turn it on you don't shoot someone down. The trainer box is only powered when the instructor box allows it and the transmit side doesn't get power when in training mode so you don't have to use a trainer box on the same freq. as the Receiver. The instructor however must be on the same Freq. I would say it's just for safety. This came from pg. 17 of the Tower 6XM manual which I believe is the same as the Futaba 6EXP.

Well TYVM Ken and Skippy. I learn something new everyday. I read that manual over and over and over again and just don't recall seeing that at all. But I can see the point.

Hitec transmitters do not require the student transmitter to have batteries. Do not power on the student transmitter. You do not need to remove the antenna or crystal.

You will need to set the channel reversing and trims on the student transmitter.

Stan

If I remember correctly, the 'student' battery has to be somewhat charged if you're using a mixture of Hitec and Futaba transmitters and are using the Hitec one way trainer cord.

When I started flying we had a Flash 5 master and 6XAS student and I think my battery had to be charged (or at least not be totally dead).

The OP does not say what brand the master transmitter is. If both student and master are Hitec, not battery is required.

As I am typing this, it occurs to me that it might make a difference on which Hitec transmitter. I am referring to Prism and Focus series.

Stan

True, and somehow the discussion went to crystal removal and other topics.

I guess the right reply would have been, "Please provide more information about the specific equipment you will be using. Different brands and combinations work differently."

No, you do not have to have a battery in the buddy box but you must use the Hitec trainer cord if mixing Hitec and Futaba and then make sure the cord is plugged in correctly - trainer end on buddy box, master on the other end.

how do you tell which is the master end when its not marked. does anybody have the schmatic for the hitec buddy cord michael

Both tx's are Futaba

There is a label on each end of the Hitec trainer cord telling which one is the master.

Then you do not need a battery, antenna nor crystal in the trainer (buddy box) although you can leave them all in as long as you DO NOT TURN ON THE BUDDY BOX SWITCH.

Unless someone removed them, the Hitec cord has stickers on the ends to note master and student.

Edited to fix spelling and add photo of Hitec cord