I've been following Goirish's misfortune with Hobby People, but I couldn't help but notice this new deal:

http://www.hobbypeople.net/gallery/438140.asp

The RX alone is worth $49.99, so it seems like a pretty good deal for a beginner. It also looks like the RX would be compatible with the Airtronics RDS 8000 if you wanted to upgrade to a computer radio in a year.

wow, nice price tag.

Does anyone know if they do wholesale? Not just for one item but as in so I can sell in my shop?

That looks like one of those "too good to be true" prices.  I personally have never heard of the radio maker.  And I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for.  At 51 years old, I have learned that lesson too many times in my life.  But since you stated something about being for a beginner, it may be a good choice.  Oh, and I have only dealt with Hobby People once.  I bought my Airtronics thru them and had zero problems. 

Why would ANYONE invest in a 2.4gHz TX that is NOT computer controlled, like that Aerosport?

You must always purchase the same brand of receivers with 2.4gHz ( exception: Spektrums and JR's work together ).

If you go to 2.4gHz you may as well bite the bullet and get a decent TX that is computer controlled.

It will save you the difference MANY times over because of the available mixes, model memories, etc.

Decent 2.4gHz TX's are available for good prices now, which you will not feel like tossing out after you've recognized the above mistake.

Hobby King also has a 2.4 GHz rx/tx system. 7 channel and 5 model memory for $59.99 click here. I would be a little leery though without knowing the quality.

I wouldn't waste my money on it. For a flyer doing it on the cheap, the RDS8000 at $160 at most places is really cheap. Sell the $100 reciever and buy some of those 6 channel ones available now about you only have just over $100 in your whole system. The upshot is that you'll have a radio you can trust from a reputable manufacturer. The cheapies aren't a good value when they cost you an airframe.

I'd be really dubious... just because it's broadcasting in the 2.4ghz spectrum doesn't mean it has the error checking & dual frequency ability of brands like spektrum, JR, futaba etc. Maybe for a cheapie park flyer that you didn't really care about, but for anything more I'd get a decent radio.

I also noticed this bit of information at the bottom of the ad:


When you get an Aero Sport 5, you get the following: Airtronics/Sanwa FHSS-1 Full-Range 2.4GHz Technology
5 channel 2.4GHz transmitter
4 Proportional Channels
1Toggled Channel
Battery Output Indicator Lights
Servo reversing for the 4 proportional channels
Delta/Elevon Mixing
V-Tail Mixing
5 Channel Mini Receiver (Full Range, Dual Antenna)
Receiver Battery Holder
Receiver Switch
Detailed Operations Manual


Please note that this radio does not have a trainer/buddy-box function.

So much for it being a good beginner radio.


What's the phrase I'm looking for? 'Oh well, never mind'

I'm sure it works and if it's Airtronics compatible then it has the same TX operation as the good Airtronics radios. But all the TX is is a set of sticks basically. You have to supply your own battery pack, and there's no computer functions. Even on a trainer the basic programming like ATV and expo surely saves a few airframes. It doesn't take many avoided mishaps to pay for a decent radio.

I have heard a lot of good about the RDS8000. I have been thinking of making that my first radio. Does that have the buddy box ability? Is that also pretty good to start with?

I think it would be great for a beginner needing a radio for a park flier. Until one of the other manufacturers come out with a cheap 4 channel 2.4 system it would be fine for a foam plane that was not RTF. It would be handy for some of the small PNP or RR planes.-BW

Well I have a Nextstar that I just got and I want to get an Easystar also for another project I am working on. So I considered getting the RDS8000 with two Rx's for each plane.

I have the RDS8000 and I only have 1 complaint -there is no dual rates on the rudder. Other than that it has worked flawless.-BW

The RDS 8000 would be a great radio for you to get started with. Yes, it can be buddy boxed. I had a RDS 8000 since they first came out and it's a rock solid radio that will serve you well. The only reason I don't have it any more is because I gave it to a buddy after I got the new Airtronics SD-10G.

Ken

Don't let that steer you away from Hobbypeople. I also have one of their Airtronics rds8000 and it is a great radio. Probably the person that I talked with in the beginning is not in the tx section.

Well then I think the RDS8000 it is. Thank you all for your input. Hopefully this thread can help others that are in the same boat as mclina and I when choosing a good started Tx,

The thing I think is missing from when I first started out in the hobby (3-4 years ago) is the availability of good, inexpensive, complete radio systems. I started out with a JR Sport S400 system, which you could buy complete with TX, RX, servos, batteries, chargers, switch harness, etc., for about $100. All the other brands had similar products. After my third plane, when I got tired of carrying around 3 TX's, I was able to get a complete 6 channel JR Sport SX600 computer radio with servos, etc.. for about $150. This radio has served all of my needs now for several years and I see no need to upgrade. These kinds of complete systems just don't seem to be on the market anymore.

I realize that there are advantages to going to 2.4 ghz systems, but it seems like it has really raised the cost of starting out in the hobby for those who aren't 100% sure they are going to stick with it. My $150 radio system is all I need for flying sport planes, combat, training, and my growing fleet of Mojos. I wish I had more than 10 model memory, but other than that, I'll be using it until it either breaks or the FCC takes away the 72 Mhz channels.

Ok guys, back on the original subject. I fired off an email to to Mike Greenshields at Global Hobby (Hobby People) about this radio. Here is what he had to say on it.

Global licensed the 2.4 Ghz technology for this radio from Airtronics. The group effort to produce a quality customer-direct economy radio designed to compliment what Airtronics is doing rather than compete directly with they. Since they are licensed from Airtronics this radio will work with the curretn Airtronics FHSS-1 receivers. Their goal was to produce a quality low end radio so they worked very hard to find manufacturers that would produce this. It's not made by Airtronics/Sanwa, but it is made in cooperation with them.

Personally I like to see a low cost radio like this. There are certain things that I'd like to have a low cost radio to use for. For instance, the RC Skydiver I'm working on getting. Since the drop plane I will be using is on my SD-10g radio I can't put the skydiver on it as well. So I need a cheap radio to use for the skydiver. This fits the bill perfectly!!!

Ken

I think there is a place for it. I know a few "casual" RC pilots who fly simple electrics and stuff at school grounds and parks and a couple guys that have older glow planes that they might drag out 1-2 times per year. They have no need for the more expensive computer radios but upgrading to 2.4GHz would be a good idea. Something like this makes sense for them. Or say someone has a kid who wants to fly. You wouldn't want to go out and buy them a Futaba 12FG to fly around a 4-channel trainer only to have them lose interest in a few weeks. Get them something like this then upgrade later if it turns out they are serious. It will work fine for their trainer and probably second and third airplanes.

I know it is off-topic but those skydivers are cool. A group of people at my club flew them pretty regularly last summer. I'm probably going to get one myself.