Doug Cronkhite

My Feedback: (34)

It definitely follows the 'kitchen sink' philosophy Futaba has had with their flagship radio for as long as I can remember.

klhoard

My Feedback: (10)

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I'd like tilt / acceleration sensors like my iPhone. . . so I don't have to use the sticks. . .
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bjr_93tz

So you've seen the guys out the field leaning their TX's from side to side as well, thinking that it's going to make a difference... :-)

So shaking the TX is going to load up a random model memory???

Gulliver

Here it is !!

http://www.futaba-rc.com/systems/18mz.html

bem

My Feedback: (1)

Some more info from robbe (Germany) about T-18MZ (translated from german to english).Some new (to me) info about the telemetry and long life new potentiometers for example.

www.robbe.de/de/robbe-erleben/news/2011/2011-05-20-T18MZ.php#


The new flagship of the robbe / Futaba boasting an elegant design. The transmitteris flat and acts with its smooth surface almost a little European.

It is equipped with 18 servo channels and the new bi-directional system for the transfer of 32 (64 if using two receivers) telemetry channels. The telemetry data are both shown on the display output as well as sound or language. As an option is also a vibrating alarm available.

Of course, the radio is fully backward compatible with the FASSTsystem, and also to the Futaba FHSS system.

New is the brilliant 6 "HVGA display with touch screen and LED backlight, which is in bright sunshine very easy to read. The picture looks much sharper thanprevious display. Improvedis the reaction time of the touch screen, by using a faster microprocessor. The new display is more economical in power consumption, while the battery capacity has been increased to 3500 mA. The result is a long operation time, which should be enough, according to Futaba for the whole day. Electronics takes over the battery management while charging the transmitter.

The internal memory is so large thatpictures of models can be stored in the internal memory. An integrated 0.3 megapixel camera enables the easy creation of images of the model to assign it to the model memory. Besides the known storage on SD card via a standard USB port, a USB stick plugged in a storage device, or the data via USB cable to the PCfor storage. The USB port can alternatively be connected tokeyboard and mouse to make the menu control. On the transmitter there is a socket, for programming S-BUS servos and registration of telemetry sensors on the system.

It hasmaintained the best navigation of the T-14, which of course was extended to the menu, S-BUS-power, S-BUS-gyro, camera and telemetry display.

The T-18 is equipped with new, extremely precise control stick. Industrypotentiometers areused, which have more than 1 million cycles of life.

Supplied with the new telemetry receiver R7008SB, which shines with the small dimensions of only 47.3 x 24.9 x 14.3 mm and weighing only 13 grams.
To this 8 / 18 channel receiver can 8 conventional PWM servos and / or 18 S-BUS control servos be connected.
The integrated transmitter transmits on the S-BUS2 connecting adjacent telemetry data to the transmitter. Automatically when connecting the receiver is receiver battery voltage, an external voltage (up to 60 V) and the antenna signal strength the main telemetry data radioed to the ground.


Production will begin in September this year, withexpectedshipment in October 2011.

bjr_93tz

WOW, thanks BEM.

Looks like Futaba is transitioning from "simple" radio control units to what could almost be described as a flight control system...

Given the lack of backward capability with XXMhz (non-modularised) it looks like I'm stuck with the 14MZ, which I have a TM-14 modul and 2 RX's for 2.4 only events. With the en-mass switch to 2.4 I have no more problems on XXMhz except for the odd fool at the club who thinks he's the only one still on XXMhz and doesn't bother to check the keyboard or what length antenna is sticking out of my set while I'm flying in the pilot station...

bem

My Feedback: (1)

bjr_93tz,

Any special reason You prefer to have also the old 35/72 MHz etc supported? Do You fly something that can not use 2.4 Ghz?

/Bo

bjr_93tz

No special reason BEM, just got too many 36Mhz RX's and I don't want to be unplugging and plugging mudules.

The ONLY thing I worry about is some other pilot powering up on my channel but my club is fairly rural so it's easy to keep an eye on what's happening. I'm the only bloke not on 2.4 at pattern comps but I have the wireless frequency select RX's in my Pattern planes so I can change if there's a clash. I've still got the old "big" 7 channel PCM RX's that came with my 7UAPS 18 years ago that work fine for sport planes.

The 2.4 RX's are lighter (which is a plus) and do the high speed thing with digital servos. If I had to walk into a shop today and start from scratch I wouldn't even consider not going 2.4

I skipped the 9ZAP and jumped to the 14MZ so I'll skip the 18MZ and give it another 6-10 years and see what's out then, I'll probably be 100% 2.4 by then.