the AR6100e is park flyer... what will its range be compared to full range like the AR500?

Usually, what I've read, is about 1000 yards maximum for the park flyer radio receivers. I would consider that a bit of an over statment and would not trust them further than several hundred feet, certainly not more than about 600 feet, which is 200 yards.

The full range receivers are not that much more expensive, say for the DX6i or DX7 so why bother with a reduced range and the possibility of ruining someone's day.

For 72 MHz receivers, Berg makes a full range micro receiver. Very nice 7 channel units.

CGr.

If you are asking because you want to use the receiver in a plane larger than a parkflyer, then the answer is "not enough". Buy a full range receiver for a larger plane.

Ken

I kinda wish Spektrum would just make full-range receivers only. They aren't much bigger or heavier than the park flyer versions, especially the AR-500. That way there is no question and nobody is tempted to use an inadequate receiver in a plane.

Actually chances are the OP got a 6100 (Park flyer RX) free with a warranty repair or repair on his TX. Horizon sent them out as an apology for the delay time to many of those who had repairs in during the recall. So many of these are out now, people naturally want to save money by using them.

Futaba is the only company that lists any specific range numbers, and they only list them for a handful of their receivers. The ones that are described as "Park Flyer" models, and list a range, say approximately 650 feet.

When the original DX6 & park flyer receiver was released, people were posting on RCU that they were flying large gasoline powered models with it at very long range. You can still find the threads by doing a search.

I would not risk using any "Park Flyer" receiver in a model that might be flown more than 650 feet away.

Until the AR500 came out, all of Spektrum's "full range" receivers had at least two separate units, a main receiver and a remote receiver, each with two antennas. All of the DSM2 park flyer receivers were much smaller, lighter, and had only a single unit. It sounds like the full range units had two antennas AND a separate receiver for each of the DSM2 "channels", while the park flyer units simply have two receivers in one unit, with a single antenna & receiver for each DSM2 "channel".

I've read that Spektrum's main concern with using DSM2 park flyer receivers in larger planes was the lack of signal path diversity. The full range receivers placed a receiver for each DSM2 "channel" in two separate locations, so the likelyhood of both channels being blocked by the engine, battery, etc., was very low. The park flyer receivers have both "channel" antennas right next to the main unit, so they are more easily blocked by engines, batteries, etc.

Now, with the AR500 receiver, it seems they've discovered they can get this signal path diversity for a full range receiver with a single unit and only two antennas, one short antenna, and one longer one that can be place remotely via coax cable.

I'd bet that the internals of the AR500 are almost the same as the AR6100, except for the remote coax cable antenna.

Anyway, with the AR500 being only $10 more than the AR6100, and not much larger, I think I'd prefer to get the AR500 for a little more range & piece of mind.

yes by all means don't use a 6100 in a plane send it to me instead


[size= 1] I use the ar6100 in everything and haven't had an issue, when I asked horizon what is the difference I never got a response [/size]

people flip over radio range a lot. heres a story im not proud of but here it goes.
i build a th fun 51 and i didnt run the rx wire out of the wing like i should have. so instead just put it out of the wing and ran it back the length of the fuse (its a profile so reciever is in wing). it ranged checked fine, not great, but flyable. i thought the hell with it ill keep it close, so i maidened it and it flew great. i was flying it all over the place, seeing how it flat spinned (aka climbed high), checking knife edge (going far away). i keep seeing the plane twich when i turned it twards me. i thought my reciever was bad and was curseing myself for buying the cheap 22 buck 5ch hitec reciever. so i landed and cut the covering to check out the reciever. the reciever wire was less than TWO inches long (its about 3 feet at normal length) , it had split before the strain relive (part of a servo arm).
point is, if i can fly 400 feet high and 300 feet away on TWO inches of a rx antenna you can fly a park flier reciever on a airplane. ( but its a spektrum so who knowes )

i was thanking the hitec reciever as i walked back to the car. doesnt hurt to be lucky [8D]

I have mounted my AR500 guys, so dont stress... was planning on using the 6100e in my Showtime but it seems to be broken... the LED doesn't work anymore and it doesn't bind at all... thanks for all comments...

Well, you asked for the advice and you got it.

Morning CG on my way to the field to test my range (see I didn't hijack the thread).. Flying my UpRoar. Breakfastone, egg basted soft, another homemade crumpet, coffee by chock-full-of-nuts. Had my dr. checkup yesterday. PSA 3.0-Sugar 98, cholesterol 200. Not to bad for a senior citizen. Been flying almost every day in the morning. Really thinking about the beginners pattern.

I'll still fly my AR6100 & AR6100e receivers in the park flyers they are in, not planning to pull them and replace them. I'm just saying when it comes time to by another receiver for another park flyer, I'll most likely spend $10 more for an AR500 instead of buying another AR6100.

The only problem I've ever had with a plane using a 6100 receiver was with one of my Styrkers. The plane range checked fine, and had 30+ flights on it with no problems. Then one day at the field (this time with a few other 2.4GHz pilots flying), during my 3rd flight that day, I flew 3-4mins and then had no control whatsoever. It nosed into the corn and broke into about four pieces! I recovered all the pieces, glued them back together, and now it flies just as it did before w/o even having to trim it out! But I digress. The battery, receiver, servos, and motor all checked out fine after the crash, in fact I was wiggling the ailerons to help me locate the plane by sound in the corn field. After rebuilding and checking it over, it range checked fine, and I've flown it 6+ times since with no issues.

In this application (my Stryker), there is very little room for the ESC & receiver and they are right next to each other with the ESC & servo wires bundled up in between, so it's not the best environment for an RX with just two short antennas to begin with. An AR500 would let me get at least one antenna out of the electronics compartment so it would have less obstructions.