jayrzmra337

Gentlemen,

I fly, or used to fly quite a bit,, and as I assemble a few of my favorites I used to fly I see that my radio gear is all out of date being its several different channels of 72 mghz FM Futaba gear.

I will be flying a Four Star 60, a Sig Kavalier, a Sig Something Extra and a Couple of Topflite 60 size Warbirds.

Which modern (up to current art) Futaba radio do you all reccomend? Obviously I will be needing 5 flight packs as well.

Thanks in advance

Jay "RZ"

rgburrill

None. Stay with what you have. Just get new batteries.

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

Well regardless of what rgburrill has to say, there are some other considerations. Some clubs, in fact I'd guess most of them, will not let you fly 72MHz radios anymore.

Next is the totally different range of capabilities of the new 2.4GHz radios compared to your old stuff. Then is the difference you will feel flying with the new technology; it is so much faster that it feels like you have a better "connection" or "feel" of the model due to the way it responds to your control inputs. Sort of like the difference between dial up Internet access and Broad Band Internet access.

As for which brand? I'd stick with one of the two major players which are Futaba and Spektrum. Spetrum has a TON of different tx's, rx's and both RTF and BNF models that no one else even comes close. I'd suggest a DX9 if you go that route.

https://www.horizonhobby.com/dx9-bla...y-md2-spmr9910

Futaba used to have a few service issues and still do to some extent, now they do good work but the turn around time is ridiculous averaging six weeks. Nice radios with lots of features and the lower price range radios all have telemetry and such. A Futaba 10JH should do the job nicely for you.

https://www.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...p?I=LXDWZE&P=7

jayrzmra337

Zeeb,

ah now I was unaware many clubs have dis-allowed 72mghz gear.

looking at the Tower site I see they have a package deal on the Futaba 6J radio.... so it does come with 4 servos and a receiver.

Thought on that radio?

I see it comes with a 4 Double A battery pack in the Transmitter which makes me think I would want to replace that with a Nicad like my old radios have.

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

Compared to other radios in that price bracket, I'd take this one I linked to below, which is actually an 8 channel setup, comes with an 8 channel rx rather than 6 channel, no servos but really, those 3004 servos are really starter stuff for very light models and you cannot even use them on nitro powered heli's due to the vibration. Might do the job for you right now, but you should still be able to use the servos you have. You'll need to double check that question.

This is the radio set I'd go for, it's the same price but 8 channel, more features but no servos;

https://www.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXFKKU&P=0

We don't use NiCD batteries anymore for several reasons, one of the biggest being that they are basically not made anymore. They were replaced by the NiMH chemistry which worked pretty well initially until the EPA got involved and made the manufacturers change the chemistry. Now they do not put out much power (amps) false peak when charging leaving you without a fully charged battery when you fly and last, the self discharge rate on them is not good. There is also a new low self discharge type NiMH generally referred to as an Eneloop or Eneloop type cell, or what's most popular for now is what they call an LiFE. That is just the first four letters of the battery chemistry of Lithium/Iron/Oxide. A two cell version of that battery will replace a five cell NiCD or NiMH and they make great tx or rx batteries.

Now the tx I linked has the AA cells just like the one you talked about but there is an LiFE replacement battery available. Futaba wants $55 for the thing which is pretty typical, but you should be able to find something that will work for maybe a 1/4 of that price at Hobby King. Here's a link to the Futaba battery so you can see what they look like and get some information on them;

https://www.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...p?I=LXHDJC&P=8

Truckracer

My Feedback: (19)

Hobby King offers the same basic LiFe transmitter pack for something like $15 and they are reliable. There are also other sources and you will also need a LiFe compatible charger. You'lll need the charger anyway for airborne battery charging. I know its a cost thing, but I really dislike the use of dry batteries held in place with spring clips in RC transmitters. A friend recently crashed because of this setup. Every transmitter regardless of cost, other than cheap toys should have a quality rechargeable battery.

Its been said many times but it always rings true: Buy as much radio as you can afford or maybe a bit more than what you think you can afford. Going cheap on radio equipment is always false economy. Zeeb's suggestions are sound advice.

gnirwin

My Feedback: (25)

I would not own a radio without "model match". Futaba does not offer this.

tedsander

Well, 72Mhz is still a totally legal frequency set to use (in the US). I am unaware of any clubs in my state (or nearby ones) that don't allow it. Even 27mhz is allowed (if not a very good idea). The only time you may see restrictions in my region would be at contests, where they don't want to deal with frequency control/impounds/etc.

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

Nobody said it wasn't legal, what I said was that many clubs now ban 72MHz equipment and do not even have frequency boards anymore. Been to any big contests of late held up there in the far north? How about Joe Nall, AMA Nats and such? Show up there with your vaunted 72MHz antiques and you will not fly.

You need to get with the program and stop advising people to use that old technology stuff in view of the fact that many clubs, and EVERY contest or fly in I've been to in the last five years, bans anything but 2.4GHz radio equipment.

Dick T.

My Feedback: (243)

No, we don't need to get with anybody else's program. 72Mhz is still very usable and there are some darned good radios still owned and used in the pipeline. There are a lot of areas in USA where 72 is still heavily used. A visit to Ebay will see a lot of equipment on 72mhz being sold (not just listed, but SOLD.)

Certainly contests and fly-in events can set their own rules for radio usage but are precluding some people from attending. Furthermore not everyone in RC gives a hoot about competition, Joe Nall or the NATS.

Any club that denies potential membership to anyone who may want to use 72Mhz equipment is being plain stupid. If our local club banned 72Mhz a third of the membership would walk. How does that fit the budget.

My own stable of radios includes early 72Mhz Futaba Single Stick and two stick 512 PCM, JR PCM 9, Circus Hobbies Century 7 single stick all in flying use. Upscale includes dual 72 and 2,4 systems including Futaba 14MZ, Futaba 12Z and Futaba 12FG. Pure 2.4 reside in Futaba 6J, 10J, 14SG, 18MZ plus JR XG8.and Spektrum iX12.

Suggesting someone ditch a good 72Mhz system to be replaced by a low cost 2.4 can be fatal. I am a radio nut and have tried many low cost 2.4 systems with mixed results. Many are low end quality with equally low dependability. Mid-range and up are the best ways to enter 2.4 territory but many getting into, or back into, the hobby may not have the $$$ to spend.

Use what you have if it works for you.

My Five cents.

tedsander

As I noted, contests/events are one thing. Old equipment at a club for general use is completely something else. The original poster would be advised to check with his local clubs to see what their stance on this is, if he is thinking of using his older equipment. There are obviously big differences from one region to another, or from club to club. A bit over the top to say the "most" clubs ban 72. Maybe "most" of the ones that you go to. But none of the ones I go to.
No question that 2.4 is a huge advancement. But 72 works as it always did, and in most instances better than it did, due to the chances of 3IM being moot with so few people using it any more. So if the local flying site has no issue with it for normal day-to-day use, it is an option for someone looking to get back in and get their feet wet before moving up to all the advantages of a modern 2.4 system.

mub369

jayrzmra337: Check out Frsky. Worth a look if you are re-equipping, For price/functionality they are streets ahead of the "leaders" . Solid low cost transmitters at $80 and 6 channel RXs with telemetry as standard at $26. You cant beat it. High end TX functionality is fantastic again at low $. Lots of people (like me) have switched.