TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

Finally 85% decided to join a club. The 15% is some of the question I'm still not sure about.
Such as, will R/C hobby consume lots of your time beyond your free will or it's up to you whether to do it anytime you want as time permits?

Also, for radio, I'm thinking to but one that are able to switch between plane and helicopter as I plan to fly a helicopter in the future when financial situation allows (after getting full time job). Hence currently I'm interested in JR XF-387 or JR X-2610. Well, I haven't really look around for TXs, i just saw it on online shops that are in Australia.

Again, the purpose is to have 1 TX that will last me for sometimes (measured in years hopefully).

Need some thoughts.... more questions to come. Ta!

RE: TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

The hobby rarely consumes more time than you can afford.

Club meetings aren't mandatory, but it's a good idea to go to as many as possible (Which is usually only 1/month). About the only thing you may be required to do is to attend a yearly field Clean Up Day.

As far as your Tx goes, If it's not going to break the bank, get the Tx you think you will need later on, but don't go spending a fortune on something you may find you're not good at .

RE: TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

How do I know that something I'm not good at? What did you mean by that? At the moment, I'm not good at anything R/C, even the basic one.:D

RE: TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

Because of the relative cost of a "Flite Pack" and a 4 channel basic system... its not a bad idea to start wth the basic system... even if planning to get the computer radio later.

Basic 4 ch systems are available at $95. (Tower System 3000... "on sale" almost constantly at that price.) Futaba 4 servo Flite Pack... $99. (the TX and charger are free in the 4 ch system... heck... they pay $4 for you to take them!)

You never have "too many" servos and RX''s when yuo are into the hobby... just buy the 4 ch system that will be compatible wth your planned future computer radio.... and then get the computer system on the same frequency... now you have the stff for 2 airplanes... add a cord and you own a buddy box too. :D

RE: TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

How do you know unless you try. A club is a good place to start to
see if you might like/good at it. At our club you can fly with an instructor
3 times before you have to join the club. This way it gives the person
a chance to see if they might like the hobby. Some people get hooked and
some after there 3 times decided that it wasnt for them. Good Luck :eek:

RE: TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

He means that a lot of people quit the hobby and wish they had never bought the $1,000 radio sitting in the corner. It's best to start with entry level items until you know the hobby is for you. Once you're sure, spend away. :D

- Paul

RE: TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

Thats not so with our club. You dont have to own nothing to fly 3 times with an instructor
at our club. We use our equipment. All the person has to due is show up and fly.
We also use our equipment to train with. Which means the trainiee dont have to buy
nothing until he is trained. And more clubs need to do this if you ask me.

RE: TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

I like clubs like that. They make it easy for people to see if it's something they want to do or not with no investment. It doesn't give them the opportunity to build something though. Some folks build models because they like model-building. Other people like to fly. Most of us are in between some where.

RE: TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

Our club is working on a club owned trainer for this purpose.:D Its built... we have the engine and radio... waiting for the guy working on it to get the radio installed. (it should be at the field this spring.) PT-60. (One guy donated the kit {which is how this got started}... I donated the engine, covering and glue... I was tasked with construction to ARF stage.... another member donated the radio... another was assigned to installing the radio and the engine. Truely "built by committee." :D)

Right now... any visitor is 80% likely to be offered an introductory flight on somebody's model. (gotta have an appropriate model available... and that's not always the case....)

RE: TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

Well: Our club dont supply the equip. The instructors has there own
equip that they train with. Either ways is nice if you ask me.

Cafeenman: Its just the opposite of what you said. I have found it over the
years for people that are taught first are more inclined to build because
they already know how to fly and feel they have a better chance of being
successful with there own plane. If they want to use there own plane to train with
than thats ok too. But most dont they use our equip.
Thats just my experience over the years.

RE: TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

That's probably true. If I said the opposite I didn't mean to. I was just talking about people who buy the stuff the pros buy (planes, engines, tools, etc.) could be making an expensive mistake if they decide they really aren't into model airplanes. Same thing applies to anything. Entry level stuff is made for a good reason and too many people bypass it. I know a lot of people who have quit the hobby. A few of them have a lot of nice stuff going to waste under piles of boxes in their closets.

RE: TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

We have four instructors in our club and all bring there trainer when flying.
There is always a instructror at the air field. Me mostly cause i fly all the time.
Iam single and the other 3 instructors has family and dont have quite as much time.

RE: TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

Ok; I see what you ment.;)

RE: TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

THanks all, yea last night I've given another thought and decide if I join a club I'll buy the 4ch TX first, the Quattro one most probably (that's just because I don't know other TX :))
And if I'm not mistaken, in the club I'm thinking to join, they offer 2 free lessons or 2 free visitor pass to try fly the plane.

It's good that this hobby is not time consuming. Now Another thought, where do you keep your planes? Even if it's a scale model, it sure does takes some spaces

RE: TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

If the club charges for lessons, look around for other clubs. 99.9% of us were taught for free.

RE: TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

Wow! You really are a newbie! :D Just wait...

Do a search for storage. There are a lot of good and current threads about it. Don't know where they are though. Probably questions and answers or tip.

RE: TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

I know some of the guys has a better way but i got one whole room of the house that
has nothing but planes stack up and sitting on the floor. Yea i know its not tidy but
after all it is my house. LOL:D

RE: TIme Consumption and Radio TX
 

LOL I got a 2 bedroom apt... airplanes all over the place...:eek: Heck... I get any more models (without getting rid of something...) I won't be able to get to the fridge :D

As for taking up tme... that depends on the person. You can spend ALL of your time on the models, or in the forums dscussing models, or flying the simulator... or... [&:]

They don't call the wives of avid R/C flyers "Modeler's widows" for nothing... :eek: