Also sign up to the Futaba Owners Club. I believe you received an application with your radio. All information and download details can be found there.

As previously stated you cannot do this on a 12FGA without voiding the warranty. You can do it on 14MZ.

Bye the way, if you choose to do the swap anyway your programing software will not be correct as relates to the switches. Once the hardware has been swapped there is a special Futaba Mtc. software program that must be run by a tech to change the internal software of the radio. As a end user you do not have access to that program. It's not as simple as you would expect.

Not sure what you mean Pat. Right at the top of the page, under the title "Software Updates" is a link to a zip file that contains all you need to update your 12FG to version 1.3. This includes manual pages on how to set the radio to work with either the 8 and 14-channel FASST RX's or the 6 and 7 channel FASST RX's...

Bob

There is a note stating they are still working on the software and will "further optimize". A new version is expected around the 8th, you may want to wait until then to update.

Hey Bob

Something is very screwey.

When I open your link there is nothing at the top that says "Software Updates"? I even went into my explorer internet settings and deleted all my cookies and web files and then clicked your link and same thing, nothing that says software updates?
Thanks for trying to help.

Pat,
Just looking at the manual and the radio, it seems to me that you can swap SH and SF without having to change the internal software. Both switches are two position except the snap roll switch is momentary. The manual lets you select which switch will be the master snap/trainer switch so you would just select SF I believe. This obviously would entail soldering and mechanically removing the switches. Being a new radio, I would probably let the service center do it anyway to keep the warranty valid. I guess since I've never competed, I never used that switch for snap rolls and as far as using it as a trainer switch, I'm a thumb flyer so my third finger could reach it easily. Just out of curiousity, wouldn't programming your radio to perform a perfect snap roll off of a switch defeat the purpose of competing? I mean using a switch to perform a required manuever doesn't really show ability other than you know how to program your radio. Why would that be allowed in competition? Thanks.

Marty

Pat,

This is what my screen looks like when I open the link in Firefox. Is this not what you see? Try clicking on the "downloads" tab at the top...

Bob

Boy, this whole firmware update leave me cold.

It looks to me like the hardware was ready and the software got rushed out, and when the new download says there will be a newer version next week....well let's just say I know how this works!!

Let me know how the flying goes!!

Downloads can be found here.
http://2.4gigahertz.com/downloads/downloads.html
http://www.futaba-rc.com/sellsheets/index.html
http://www.14mz.com/forum/login.php?...ct=ffchome.php (this site requires you to log-in)

Waiting for update doesn't bother me I already waited 6 months for module whats another 2 weeks. I don't blame them for getting a quick update out right away to be able to use FASST do to all the sh*t they were getting from all of the perfect people in the world on all of the RC forums. Just imagine if all of those people had to wait until the 8th for update (all Futaba employees would been put infront of firing squad).

Matt,
Have you ever bought a piece of software or anything that is firmware updateable that didn't have a newer version released soon after the hardware is available. At least it's a two minute deal on my PC. Wish I could do that with my ECU's. They pushed back the FASST stuff so many times, I guess they decided once it was running stable, they could update later. To me, as long as it's stable and won't cost me an aircraft, I don't mind the updating. Back in the day before firmware updates, engineers were forced to make it work right the first time and the company was forced to wait until it did(most of the time).

Marty

Matt,

I know what you are saying. However, I think that this is actually a significant benefit. There is NO WAY, with as small a customer base/profit margin inherent in the RC market, that ANY radio manufacturer can exaustively test software for their top-end radios such that no new updates are necessary. In fact, if the new JR 12X comes out and it has anywhere near the programming capabilites of the 12FG, I would be very hesitant to buy one, knowing that bugs ARE going to showup as users get it in their hands, if it did not include the capability to easily update the software.

That being said, I *will* update my radio to version 1.3 for the FASST module and will likely do the next update as well because it promises more TM-14 capabilities. Once that is done, I *will* freeze my updates to the 12FG and test them out with lower cost models before I put them in my jets. After that, unless I have a very compelling reason, I will not update my radio again - at least during the flying season and when I do, I will test fly the software on a low-risk model until I'm comfortable with it...

Note also that I don't fly Futaba radios with Windows on them - Windows is crap for real-time applications, pure and simple...

Bob

OK ALL

The problem was an AOL cashe problem.

The download page I was getting was a page 48 hours ago that did not have the downloads on it!! For what ever reason I could not get my AOL to update the page so I went to Internet Explorer loged on to Futaba's web site and got the same download page but this time it had all the 2.4 FASST Updates listed just as everyone said they were.

Thanks to all who helped on this especially Chris & Marty. and Bill Baxter at Hobby Services. BTW Marty, the aerobatic/pattern SNAP switch is all about timing. Try coming out of a square loop inverted and do a 3/4 snap to knife edge and you will understand everything you need to know about the complexity of doing snap rolls. I flew AMA FAI Pattern Aerobatics Nationally many years ago.

Now I have the download but no radio as I had to send back to Futaba and they are sending me another with the snap switch relocated to the left side. In the mean time I will purchase a 1Gig SD card and maybe by this time next week I will have a 12 channel 2.4Ghz FASST Radio with three FASST 12 channel Receivers for all my toys

Hi
I have asked this question on the RC forum and not got an answer so i will try again here. To me one of the best features of the MZ and the FGs is that each Rx has a unique ID number which the radio has to send before the RX will respond.( note this is different to the TX ID number which the RX stores during the binding process) This to me was a great function for preventing you trying to fly a plane with the wrong model memory. I know that the low end spectrum gear has it but can anyone tell me if they have retained it on the Mz and FG FASST modules. Or has Futaba taken a gaint step backwards?

M

Pat,
I understand the complexity and skill(of which I don't have) needed to fly pattern. I was just curious why it's ok to use the switch in competition. Was there ever any controversy on using the switch during the time you flew competetively? Just curious.

Marty

The id number on the 5014 and 5114 is only for changing the frequency. If there is another mz on the same channel it will operate your rx. I thought the same as you.

Hi Quist
If that is the case and unfortunately i cant do a simple test myself as my G3 rx is with a friend right now, then that is a major bummer as i thought for once Futaba had introduced something the market had been crying out for years Also as the folks at Spektrum have what they call "Model Match" which does just that and does tie a rx to a model memory and therefore does reduce the chances of you trying to fly ith the wrong model loaded than Futaba are again behind the ball.

Mike

I was bummed also. You could try this at home, I have not, change the code on a model in the tx and see if the rx still activates.

Marty

No controversey that I can recall and I go back to the Phill Kraft & Ted White Days!

The two biggest controverseys were "Contestant Judging & Use of Gyros. I have not flown competitively in over 10 years.

I think you guys are talking apples and oranges. The 5014 and 5114 are 72mhz Rx's. The Spektrum being 2.4Ghz. The FASST being 2.4Ghz, should never have a frequency conflict just like the Spektrum. Maybe I'm missing your point.

Marty

Yes , i am confused as well...?

Model match is actually a reverse link between the RX and the TX where the RX tells the TX who it is transmitting to. You store a unique RX ID for each model and when you turn on the RX and TX, the TX tells you if you have the wrong model selected. I've dinged a plane before flying it with the wrong model selected on the TX [&:], but I don't think that the fact the the Futaba stuff doesn't have it is a big deal - and it might come out in the future because the capability is there...

Bob

Actually, no, your explanation is incorrect.

The transmitter tell the Rx the model number it is transmitting from (essentially appended to the GUID), and the Rx remembers what model number to accept. NO reverse flow of information required.

Will Model Match work with the Module System?
No. Model Match is a patented feature that prevents a model from being operated using the wrong model memory. Model Match can only be integrated into a dedicated Spektrum transmitter such as the Spektrum DX7. The programming necessary to make Model Match functional must be embedded into the transmitter´s programming.

http://www.spektrumrc.com/DSM/FAQ.aspx

This cannot be supported in normal generic retrofit modules because the model # is not in the PPM data stream.

Have Fun,
David

Ok
Now I am not confused, but as you say, in principle, that is not hard to do a different way, so we may see it at a later date. Or something similar.

The truth is, I would STILL check!

Paul

Me too

We all know that Spektrum module/Rx for Futaba 14MZ only 8 channels availible because there are only 8 channel availible in 14MZ's PPM mode. But with Futaba FASST system, you can get all 14 channels, how dose Futaba do?