golfingguy27

Hey Guys,
Looking for opinions here. I am getting back into some more serious flying. I have flown for 15 years or so, but for the last several years it's been nothing but electrics on the baseball field across the street. I am building an Extreme Flight Yak and planning on picking up a .50 sized helicopter. When the JR 9303 first was coming out (wasn't shipping yet) I put a deposit on one. When they got delayed in shipping I had to tie up the money I ws going to use to pay it off. Now I'm in a position to finally get my radio, but I'm debating if I really need the 9303 or if I would be happy with the significantly cheaper DX7. I had a a DX6 before for my park flyers and loved it. Can anybody make a comparison of the two or make any suggestions? It's so hard to compare features and decide what I really want. I don't like to "settle for less", but if thr DX7 will be all I ever need, I can save $300. What do you guys think?

Thanks,
Todd

rmh

Up to a 50cc gasser you bet th DX7 is fine and it is a very good heli radio
actually nobody offers a similiar value - my opinion after using a DX7 for a year

golfingguy27

Why do you say up to 50cc?? I have flown 33% before and there is a distinct possibility within the next year or two , I may go back 33% or 40%.. should I just bite the bullet and get the 9303?

Eplane65

My Feedback: (16)

I have a 9303 in 72mhz and debated whether to get a module system for it or buy a DX-7. I finally decided on the DX7 because I would rather not keep switching modules to go back and forth between 72 and 2.4. The DX7 does everything I want it to do and I doubt that I would use all the capabilites of the 9303. The size of the aircraft makes no difference. Actually, you could fly one of those 1/3 scale planes using a cheap 4 channel radio.

rmh

actually any size model
I see more and more larger model buyers who can't figure out how to balance two servos without a radio which spells out everything for them
so I said 50cc-
I can setup a DX6i on a forty % model

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

I use a dx7 on my big yak. Just get the helicopter version, the throttle stick is better for 3d'ing airplanes anyway.

The 9303 is a nice radio and worth the money though but the dx7 is adaquate.

airbusdrvr

I bought the X9303 after debating the same question you had. That is whether to buy the DX7 or the X9303. With the exception of one model that needed eight channels(three for just the dual rudder and nose steering), the DX7 would have been fine. Several guys at my club fly the DX7 and love it. However, it is nice knowing that I will not likely come across an airplane setup that the X9303 and a nine channel receiver can't handle.

Airbike

My Feedback: (6)

I have both and I would really suggest the 9303. Especially if you like to to explore different aspects of this great hobby. It will take care of your needs for at least the next 10 years.

I set up a twin engine plane with independent idle adjust trims, and also can mix one slider switch to increase or decrease the throttle on one of the engines, a single flip of a switch can kill both engines at the same time, + separate flaps etc etc.

Heli mode has more capabilities than the DX7, althought the DX7 works really well for this.

Sailplane mode in the 9303 is awesome, I can set up a timer to count up only the motor "on" time on my hotliner and have another timer to time the flight duration. I only set up the basic sailplane modes launch, land, cruise, speed, and thermal. there are more advanced stuff that I haven't used yet. (more flight modes[X(])

For scale aircraft (heli or fixed wing) the 9303 is far superior than the DX7 in terms of its flexibilities.

I use my DX7 for my parkflyers, pylon racers, and even my Double Vision 50cc biplane.

Remember that you never crash your transmitter (unless you throw it in digust or rage) so the investment is pretty safe.

If you think you might get into IMAC, then go for the 9303 just to make things easier to setup and adjust.

golfingguy27

Airbike,
You bring up a good point that I should have asked more specifically about. I have flown IMAC before and intend to get back into it. Does the DX7 have sufficient mixing capabilities to mix out bad habits of planes? (ie, rudder/elevator mixing for knifedge, or throttle/elevator mixing for downlines) Basically I never want my transmitter to be the "weakest link" or limit what I am capable of doing. If there is a chance it will do that, I better go with the 9303 even though my wallet would rather go with the DX7.

Airbike

My Feedback: (6)

The DX7 has 6 mixes, same as the 9303 so no real difference there. You can take care of: rud to elev, rud to ail, throt to elev, maybe throt to rud for uplines if R thrust is not perfect. But you will use up one of the mixes on the DX7 for dual elev servos unless you use a power-expander or powerbox or matchbox or something like that. The 9303 has a separate throttle curve so you could set up the power output the way you like it. The DX7 will take a throttle to throttle mix.

The differences will be in flight modes and how you like to use them. Some pilots use several modes during one sequence (perhaps normal, snaps/ spins , rolling circle manuevers, etc. The 9303 is better suited here.
The DX7 can group the dual rates into one switch but no flight modes.

Ask yourself this: If I buy the DX7, will I always be wishing I bought the 9303 instead? My opinion: price is quickly forgotten if the quality and features are there for you, and you are not left wanting for more. (well, we always want something, but you know what I mean).

golfingguy27

Wow Airbike... you have made me think of two very good points in a row... I now remember why I decided on the 9303 in the first place.. My old IMAC radio was a Multiplex 3030 which had flight modes. So I am very used to them. Now that you mention it, I remember reading that the DX7 didn't have flight modes. I still need to decide how critical they are to me, but I think that may have made my decision.

CustomPC

The DX7 is a very capable radio for the price. It would service 80% of pilots needs.

I just upgraded from DX7 to DSX9 (Aus version of the 9303).

The features that made want to change were the ability for triple rates plus the flap delay & servo speed options. The later two things i wanted for a scale warbird which just looks so much better when the flaps lower slowly.