Anyone using Polk Tracker III for FH Sailplanes?
 

A friend asked me for advice on a radio upgrade to take him into full house and scale sailplanes.

I offered several, but realised that I did not know if the Polk was appropriate. It uses a different programming model from other radios. I don't see 4 wing servo, crow, camber control or many of the other common mixes used in sailplanes. But perhaps you build them in the user mixes.

So, I am asking for use reports from anyone flying sailplanes with the Polk Tracker III.

Thanks for the help guys!

RE: Anyone using Polk Tracker III for FH Sailplanes?
 

aeajr,
I've looked into the tracker III as my next radio but have found it limited in it's ability. For a sports flyer it's great but it can't do fancy mixes. If your friend is looking for something that will handle scale sailplanes and full house setups that call for all the mixing bells and whistles I would suggest going with a mutiplex profi 4000. After much research and comparisons I have found this to be the radio for the buck to beat all others. Everything is assignable and the mixes are almost endless. I realize that the unit is a bit pricey but If one can afford it up front you will not need another, so you save by not climbing the function ladder you know one unit leading to the next to the next ad-nauseum. I have just ordered one and can not wait to start programing the radio to do what I want as opposed to what the manufactures think I want.t.

RE: Anyone using Polk Tracker III for FH Sailplanes?
 

The mid'fancy JR setups have a glider specific mode that supports the whole enchilada. It's on my old JR347 so I'm sure it's on the follow on descendants. The instruction manual leads you through the steps of programing the fully featured 4 servo wing.

My newer RD6000 Airtronics also has a rather large chapter in the manual about sailplanes but I admit that I have not read it yet. When I was looking at the radio I scanned the manual just enough to know that it was "fully featured sailplane friendly" and stopped there.

Sad to say I found out it uses digital trim levers. These are toggle switch types rather than positional trim levers. If I had bothered to ask I would probably have steered clear of it. On any glider the elevator trim should be considered a major flight control and as such a positional lever is a must in my books. To emphasise this all my Tx's that are used for glider flying have the elevator trim lever extended by drilling and threading in a 1 inch 2-56 screw to extend the lever and make it automatic to find on demand. THAT is how important I think a readily used elevator trim is for gliding.

RE: Anyone using Polk Tracker III for FH Sailplanes?
 

Kamakasi,

Thanks for the input. Where does one buy a Profi. I have never seen them anywhere?

BMatthews,

Thanks for the tips. Personally I have two computer radios, one with digital trims and one not. I prefer digital trims, but this is a very individual thing. Whatever works for each flyer.

Tracker III seems not to have what I am looking for in a sailplane radio.

RE: Anyone using Polk Tracker III for FH Sailplanes?
 

try hobby horse. about a grand depending on options.

RE: Anyone using Polk Tracker III for FH Sailplanes?
 

Page 23 of the Tracker III manual is titled "For the Glider Pilot". Mix instructions include Butterfly, Crow, V-Tail with flaps, and something called flaps on throttle stick, with elevator mix for landing. Looks pretty simple to me.

I don't do sailplanes, but I use one Tracker for big warbirds, little ½A planes, sport, aerobatic, whatever, and it sets up quickly. Lots of different plane memory slots.

Good luck,
Dave Olson

RE: Anyone using Polk Tracker III for FH Sailplanes?
 

OK, that covers most of it. Thanks!