Radio requirement
 

What is the lowest number of channels needed for a Raptor 50. Like will a Futaba 6EXH work? I realize that it would be limited, but do I really need anyting better, if Im not going to upgrade for years.

RE: Radio requirement
 

You need something that has got throttle curve and pitch curve adjustment. 3 point will do but 5 is better and you might want something that will have gyro gain adjustment. I have a hitec optic 6 which is quite cheap and works fine for beginners.

RE: Radio requirement
 

Yes, the EXH will work fine as an entry level heli radio.

RE: Radio requirement
 

So, a Futaba 7CHP is good? Now whould you need anything better for lets say a 60 or even a 90? I wouldnt think so. It ussed the same servos and mixing, but some people say you need a 8 or 9 channel.

RE: Radio requirement
 

5 channel minimum
6 with a 401 gyro or a gyro with remote gain
7 if you want to add a governor.

Thats before you get into any toys like camera trip, scale lighting, retracts and the like.

The 7C is an excellent helicopter radio for entry to mid level.

RE: Radio requirement
 

Great, so I would only need like an 8 or 9 channel if I was to take advantage of the helis size and add lots of goodies on it. So I dont plan on doing that, so 7c is good.

One more thing, What is governor?
And another... I have plans of what I need to get and the 401 gyro is on there, because I hear its great, but what is remote gain?

RE: Radio requirement
 

Gain is essential the sensitivity of the gyro ... too low and you get little gyro input ... too high and the gyro will outrun your helis ability to respond to it (heli gets jittery).

Basic gyros have an adjustment at the gyro ... which means you land, stop your rotor, tweak, and fly again.

Remote gain uses a channel on the RX (channel 5 for Futaba) which can be controlled by your TX ... which means land, tweak the transmitter, and fly again.

Think of a governor as a gyro for your power (throttle). It's used to maintain a specified head speed as your load (pitch) varies. Without a governor, you have to be somewhat proficient at the previously mentioned throttle and pitch curve settings in your TX ... which is not that major for beginners or basic flying.

good luck,
d.tipton

RE: Radio requirement
 

So the remote gain is good. And the govorner is not needed for a beginner.

RE: Radio requirement
 

Correct. A governer is not needed if you setup you throttle and pitch curves correctly . But they are useful. I believe that you can get a governer that doesn't require a rx channel it just turns its self on when the throttle gets above a certain %. 25 I think

RE: Radio requirement
 

Ill save my money and set the radio up correctly.

RE: Radio requirement
 

A governor is nice when you get into more advanced flying. There's some things a heli can do today that you simply can't say "set pitch and throttle curves" for and yet maintain a constant head speed. Don't get me wrong, guys have been flying without them for years, including me, but I got one with a used helo and one day at the field and I was on the phone with Ricks on my way back ordering one for each of my other helis.

RE: Radio requirement
 

I use the hitec 7 with spectra, I think its about $179 on sale, then you can get the qcpm receiver for $100.
its a nice radio.

it uses channel 7 for gyro sensitivity and one of the toggle switches turns it on and off.

RE: Radio requirement
 

I agree. When your heli piloting skills and flying style gets to an advanced level, you'll know for sure your power and pitch curves are simply not sufficient. At that point, you either fly with these limitations (yuk) or you get the govenor and advance your skills and flying style to the next level(s).

My flying skill and style is not high energy or challenging (someday maybe) so I have simply no need for a governor because my heli and settings can outperform my skill level even without a governor.

I do understand the limitations of the TX controlling the RPM as opposed something on the heli controlling the RPM. My flying style has not reached those limitations (yet).

I am not an anti-governor advocate. I will simply tell you my style of flying governorless and barracudahockey will tell you how he flys with a governor and then it's up to you (or whoever) to make your own decision.

Good Luck
d.tipton

RE: Radio requirement
 

Like stated before, The 7CHP and the 6102 would be great choices for a beginner because of the 5 point throttle curves. You can fly around with 3 point, but if you want to do aerobatics it would be nice to have 5 points so the helicopter is able to fly up-side-down to get out of a possible mistake and keep the headspeed up.

About the talk on the GV-1, you can have perfect curves and still need a governor. The purpose of a governor is to keep the RPM constant. If you give any cyclic or give it enough of any control then your headspeed is going to go down. You can program throttle-cyclic mixes, but the governor is easier and does it so much better.

I use about 9 channels with my helicopters, and would like to hook up #10 for in flight needle adjustment. I can fly 3D with 6 channels, but I like my 10x and its extra bells and whistles.

RE: Radio requirement
 

So... since I'm looking at purchasing a new radio anyways and am currently in the final stages of building an X-Cell 60 S.T. and I'd like to NOT have to buy another radio for at least a decade or so, how many channels optimally should I be looking at for the following (future) wish list:

Gy-502 Gyro (ok already got this actually)
Gv-1 (or equivelant) govenor
Retracts (future 60 size Airwolf fuse is sitting at the foot of my bed already... hehehehe!)

I keep thinking 7 channels, but then I'm not sure if 8 wouldn't be better over the next decade or so. The Futaba 9C super radios are damn fine looking but the tag is a little higher than I'd prefer personnally.

Recomendations?

I have my 502 already plugged into Channel 5 on my rx (which since 5 is usually for retracts I'm now at a loss what channel a heli should use for retracts....grrrr!). Since I don't have a Gv-1 govenor I'm not sure how many rx channels it would take-up.... help! :-(

Thanks!

- Michael

RE: Radio requirement
 

A governor will use one channel so with a gyro and governor you've reached 7 channels already.

The 9c while pricey will last a long time and if you shop around there's some good deals to be had. Also the 9c allows you to assign switches so you could set your retracts up however you were comfortable.

The CSM revlock is alot cheaper than a gv1 and reacts faster and is very easy to setup. I can but doesn't have to use a channel on your radio but it makes things alot simpler.

RE: Radio requirement
 

Nobody ever seems to recommend JR radios.........why?

RE: Radio requirement
 

Well for better or for worse, I learned to fly planes from my uncle who *swore* by Futaba's quality... most pilots at the club I belong to use Futaba radios today even. At a guess I'd say that Futaba radios are pretty much the Rolls-Royce of of model aviation.

I'm sure JR and Airtronics and others make great radios also of course. But I don't know anybody that uses them in my area. [8D]

Anyhows, guess I'll have to save my spare change for awhile.... those 9C's seem to be pretty pricey compared to the 7C's. Grrrrrr! [:o]

- Michael

RE: Radio requirement
 

Pull up, pull up!

You don't want to start the Futaba vs. JR war do you? Some people love JR. Some people love Futaba. It all depends on who you ask. FWIW, I use the 7C and chose it over the 6102 for a couple of different reasons. First, JR's receivers are not dual conversion and at our field, that doesn't work. They even admit that their receivers are not dual conversion on their own webpage. They use some proprietary technology that supposedly lets their receivers act like dual conversion w/o actually being dual conversion. Even so, I have seen several guys get glitches, interference and lock outs b/c of them and I won't use them and neither will most of the guys at my field.

Secondly, their 6102 is the same price as the 7C and you get an extra channel with the 7C.

In my case, I couldn't use their receivers where I fly. For 99% of everyone else, it's just a matter of personal opinion.

RE: Radio requirement
 

Derek is pretty accurate in this regard. Most of the mid-end radios are all good, it just depends on what appeals to you personally. The Futaba 7C/9C, Airtronics RD6000/8000, Optic 6/ Eclipse 7, etc. They're all good radios. They all do more or less the same things, it just comes down to what feels good in your hands, and what has the specific features you're looking for.

RE: Radio requirement
 

And I feel it has alot to do with who originally trained you to fly and what their preference was... especially since buddy cords only work between same radios (as far as I know at least). My original instructor had Futaba FG radios and required that I purchase the same for my 1st plane so that he could use his buddy/training cord to teach me to fly. Ergo, I've stuck with the Futaba's ever since as a result. I guess for me it boils down to "if it ain't broke don't fix it". LOL!

Make love, not war! I need a girlfriend dangit. Grrrrr!!!!! [&o]

[>:]

- Michael