Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

Just wondering if anyone has used this thing enough in pattern world to comment on it. I'm between this and the JR 9303. The Atx radio beats the JR in features, however the quality and feel of JR radios is very appealing.

cdodom

YES, This radio was basically designed to be a full on competition radio. The radio has all the mixes you would ever need in pattern and much more. Every switch is 3 position, and every switch is assignable. Even the Sticks are assignable. very simple to program.

This radio is probably the best bang for your buck out there right now.

Maybe Mark Atwood can come in and talk more about the radio. I have yet to mess with mine enough to give you a full review.

hope this helps.

cap10b

All,
Yeah I use mine for IMAC and yes Mark Atwood is the man for pattern.

JDS
Dallas, Texas

Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

How do you guys like the feel of the radio? Quality, size, switches, etc.

CustomPC

I used my SD-10G for the first time today. It was a maiden flight for the radio and my Venus II and both went very well.

Personally, i think the SD-10G the most comfortable radio i have ever used. The menu and programing functionality is excellent. I'm really happy with this radio.

cdodom

The quality of this radio is great. The feel of it is really good. also the radio comes with an extra set of heavy duty springs if you like to fly a stiff stick

petec

My Feedback: (58)

I really like mine.

The switch spacing is wide enough to let you put your fingers between the ones on the top. It comes with a set of heavy springs so if you like a heavier feel to the sticks you can swap them in, everything is assignable, and you have multiple flight modes.

After having a Multiplex EVO any radio had a lot to measure up to and this one makes the cut, the only thing it doesn't have that my previous radio had is rotatable gimbals but the SD-10G does have ball raced gimbals where the EVO did not.

cap10b

All,
The radio feels good in my hands although I have a friend that uses Futaba 10CGA he hates the way the radio feels in his hands, sold his SD10G and uses Futaba and Spectrum only. Oh well he looses out on any new updates coming and I was told soon for us SD10G users.

jds

AmericanSpectre505

I flew Airtronics Spectrum 7 PCM for years and went to the Stylus which I really love and still have. The only reson I switched was it became more and more difficult to buy stuff for it and a anther I won't mention. Overall the quality of the equipment is fantastic and I nearly switched back before I was given a great deal on a 14MZ and switch from my pain in the *ss to program 9Z,..still like the radio.

Airtronics has some of the best servos on the market,..not many people know about. I would switch back to Airtronics, but it would take one heck of a deal to pry the 14MZ from my hands (my last Futaba radio also).


cdodom,....congrats on the Team Airtronics,..if I hadn't been screwed back in 1998 I'd still be an Airtronics guy.

Bottom line,.....you can't go wrong with the radio,...easy to use, easy to program if it's anything like the Stylus programming.


Regards,

Bill Holsten
FAI/F3A Dist#2

ArchNemesis

Appears that I'm supposed to jump in here, though it sounds like everyone else is doing a great job of endorsing the radio.

Yes, it's extremely capable for pattern. I flew it in FAI all season with no shortcomings or complaints. All the custom mixes use 9pt curves, there are stock mixes for all of your "normal" trimming needs (Rud > Ail, Rudder > Elev, Throttle > Elev, Throttle >Rudder, and more) so you're not using up all the custom mixes just to trim.

The direct model select is a handy, simple feature that allows switching between primary and backup airplanes quickly. Long battery life is great for practice (I was routinely getting 10 GLOW flights (read that as 14 min per flight) without even thinking about recharging.

Quality is/seems to be very good. Gimbals are ball bearing, solid. Switches are all solid. My only complaint would be the sliders, which work fine, but don't seem to be the quality that the rest of the radio is. Really my only small complaint.

It's light, balanced for the 2.4 antenna, Rx's are light (14gms for the 10ch), and everything is affordable. Sanwa/Airtronics wants back into the game badly, and they're gameplan is affordable quality. They know they dropped the ball after the Stylus, and have been working VERY hard the past 18months-2 years to get back on track. There is a lot more coming too. As someone already stated, they're well known for their servos, and that line should be expanding.

If you have any specific questions on the radio, just ask. I'm fairly versed in both the aircraft and heli side. The Glider capabilities are immense (after all that was ATX's bread and butter group) and I'm not a glider guider, so I may not be able to help there, but I can direct you to those that can.

All in all I think you'll be very pleased if you choose to go this direction.

-Mark

cdodom

Thanks dude, Im really enjoying this radio so far.

wattsup

My Feedback: (1)

Mark, I recently purchased the Airtronics SD- 10G from Hobby People and have approx 6 flights on it so far. You mentioned above that you routinely fly 10 glow flights of approx 14 minute duration before recharging. My question is are you using the stock 1500 mah/6cell pack that came with the radio or are you using the lipo/2cell pack that Hobby People is offering? BTW, you are right, the SD-10G is UNBELIEVABLE! Regards___TNWalker

Anthony-RCU

My Feedback: (2)

Hi Joe,
Shouldn't you be studying? Have to be quick with this group they sure have covered a lot here. I got mine a week before the Nats and haven't flown anything else since. Wasn't planning on a full jump to FHSS but I am really enjoying it. Programing all four of my planes was very easy.
The feel is very customizable. The Tx comes with two sets of springs and both the throttle ratchet and tension are adjustable. Mine was very soft right out of the box and I didn't like it. Since I use a tray first I lengthened the sticks then changed the springs and spent a few minutes playing with spring/throttle tension and now I really love it. If I had the budget I would get a second for foamies and stuff and sell my Stylus.
If you get the chance to head down my way your welcome to try mine. I know Airtronics is planning a 14 channel next but really don't know what else I would want.

F.Imbriaco

My Feedback: (56)

Flying mine about a month now in my BRIO. Like it ...So much so that I sold nearly all my Futaba stuff and it's as almost as though I never owned a radio from another manufacturer.

Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

Well this is all great to hear. And yes, I should be (and am) spending much of my time doing school work. Don't really fly much once September rolls around, but I do want a new radio for next year. I was ready to go the JR route - I really like their radios, but I also like the intuitiveness of my Airtronics radio and the fact that I already have 3 FHSS receivers. I just wanted to hear other people in pattern world that had this radio and liked it. It's good to know there are at least a few of them now in my district for questions/solutions down the road. I wasn't sure how people would like the size and shape of the radio and the switch locations, but seems like all that is OK. I also remember the trim buttons feeling 'loose' during the brief time I held one of the radios, but sounds like it functions fine and is not worth passing the radio up over. The radio I have is nice for what it is but I've been having issues with the screen turning black, the antenna breaking, and the lack of programmability. Sounds like none of this is an issue on the SD10G.

I'll shoot for buying one of these in January =) Thanks for all the replies, and by all means keep the thoughts coming in for others to hear about.

ArchNemesis

Regarding Battery life I am using the supplied 1500mah NiMH battery for all of my flying. I have not seen a need to use a LiPo in this radio, though I know the glider guys do for their extended flying time. I do recommend charging the battery a few times with a more robust charger than the included wallwart. After you condition the battery a little though, the wall wart works perfectly. I have used nothing BUT the wall wart since May and it's been great.

-Mark

wattsup

My Feedback: (1)

Mark I really appreciate your reponse/info. Wish there was still a contest at Rough River,KY_ie, with the likes of Jeff Coombs and Dave von Linsowe. Those were the days! I know you remember. Regards___TNWalker

Jason Arnold

Michael,

Good to hear your maiden went well.

Are you bringing the Venus to the Camden Valley comp?

Cheers
Jason.

Jason Arnold

Pete,

The Multiplex Evo does have ballraced gimbals... Well my one does anyway.

Cheers
Jason.

rt navi man

My Feedback: (3)

Great topic, following this one closley. I am planning on purchasing this radio in the next month or two, can you guy's recommend any Airtronics brand servos that are great for pattern flying with this TX/RX. I am a beginner so nothing to expensive, hope to be a Pro later

P.S. I am looking at the following Futaba digital servos, S9155 rud, S9252 ail, S9254 ele, I am rebuilding an (old) Patriot 2M, for use in learning pattern flying.

THanks rsb

Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

+1 for Airtronics servo recommendations - are there any with full nylon gear trains?

It is worth saving up and buying the right servo once, rather than buying inexpensive ones now and better ones later.

CustomPC

Hi Jason,

Don't think i can make it to Camden. I have the kids that weekend and i'm also supposed to be flying to Singapore sometime around that date.

I'll probably debut the Venus for it's first comp at Pitt Town in Nov.

CustomPC

I tried to find a nice Digital Airtronics servo with Nylon gears but they all seem to be metal gears.

My radio with Futaba Digitals is very fast and precise. It's impressive to flick the stick so that it rebounds on the springs and watch the control surfaces follow the stick movements exactly.

I'll probably go with JR servos next time around mainly because they use the same plug and neutral as the Airtronics. I'm using a DS821 on throttle and it works well.

RC_Pattern_Flyer

My Feedback: (1)

Still playing with my new SG10 and loving it as well. I had some issues with some servo extensions with filters... but after some time and trying a few other brands it even caused interference with them as well so I have been delayed in getting some airtime with the radio.

Chuck Hochhalter
Team Airtronics

ArchNemesis

Rough River... LOVED that Contest. Still trying to get Geoff Combs back out to a contest. He just finished building a full scale RV-10. He's gone over to the full scale side (as has Von).

Servo's. Ok, a few things. One, any of the new 2.4 systems basically need fast servos. They don't necessarily require digitals, but almost. I have some of the older really fast Analogs and they keep up ok, but some of the older analogs (and current analogs) do not. The radio gets ahead of them and they just stutter.

So you need to get digital servos. That's the first point. As for Atx servo's there are several I would recommend. They are NOT all Nylon, but I need to know why you want all nylon. Yeah, I know the song about a tighter gear train, but that's no longer valid with ATX, JR or Futaba servos. All of their all metal servos are very tight. And with the larger control surfaces we're flying, the gear strength can be an issue. If you absolutely insist on all Nylon, I will see if nylon gears are available.

Ok, Servos. Basically for pattern there are 5 to consider.

3 of them use the same basic board and motor, with different gear ratio's for speed vs torque
94771 - Best standard high end servo. Approx 100oz/in at .12sec
94772 - Faster, but weaker - Aprox 80oz/in at .10 sec
94773 - Slower but stronger - approx 180oz/in at .15sec

For super torque

94780 - HUGE torque. 400+oz/in at .15sec

These 4 are all in standard size cases. All are Metal Gear, Ball bearing.

and finally, a great mini servo 94761 - Mini with approx 60oz/in at .11 sec

BTW, THESE SPECS ARE FROM MEMORY. You can check all of them at the www.hobbypeople.net web site.

Anyhow, I use the 773's for Ailerons, 761's for tail mounted elevators, and 780 for Rudder.

-Mark