barlowe

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXSBX0&P=7
Would this Futaba be a good radio to start with? I can spend no more than this. Also, what is the difference in spread spectrum, fm, etc.? Which is best?
I currently fly a Hobbyzone Super Cub but will be upgrading that as soon as possible.

Thanks for the help!!

P.S. I will only order from Tower Hobbies. Don't ask.

BuschBarber

My Feedback: (2)

I am sure that the 7C is a fine radio. Futaba was a little behind JR/Spektrum in jumping in to the 2.4 market, but they have caught up. Besides JR, Spektrum, Futaba, Airtronics. and several others, there are many radios to choose from.

For years, RC aircraft radios were on the 72Mhz band. There were also the Ham Radio bands at 50 and 53Mhz. The 72Mhz band was divided up into 60 channels when Narrow Band Rx's were introduced. Each channel was associated with a frequency.

Until a few years ago, no matter what Band or Channel you were on, two radios with the same channel could not be turned on, at the same flying field, without one interfering with the other. Hence the need for a Frequency Pin and some rules governing the use of those pins at each flying field.

When the Spektrum company first introduced the first implementation of the Spread Spectrum 2.4Ghz technology, all that changed. There are a number of implementations of Spread Spectrum technology.

If you look at the Futaba FASST system, when you turn on your Tx, it grabs two frequencies, on the 2.4Ghz band, and keeps switching paires of frequencies, every so many milliseconds, until you turn off the TX. There is a process, called Binding, that links Your Tx to Your Rx and ensures that no other Tx can interfere with yours. Thus, you don't need a Frequency Pin and you can't be interfered with by another Tx. These radios are also very resistant to interference from many sources that used to plague flyers on Non-2.4Ghz systems (RF noise from electric motors, electronic ignition, metal to metal contact, unshielded wires, etc,).

The JR/Spektrum implementation of Spread Spectrum technology picks two frequencies, when you first turn on your Tx, and holds on to them until you turn off the Tx. It does not constantly switch pairs of frequencies as you fly.

There are other similar systems.

After 30 years of flying RC on 72Mhz, switching to 2.4 has been like heaven. There have been some problems that have popped up, for each of the Mfg's, but so far, it has not affected me and I have been on 2.4 for the past year.

Pathous

My Feedback: (12)

That would be an great radio to start with. Spread spectrum is the way to go. There is very little chance of getting interference unlike 72mhz FM radios.

BuschBarber

My Feedback: (2)

There was AM, FM(PPM), PCM, and now NonoftheM!!!

MikeL

My Feedback: (3)

There really isn't any "best" when it comes to today's spread spectrum radios. "Best" has to be determined by the individual, based on what their particular needs are. What kind of models do you want to fly in the future? What will your budget for receivers look like? If electrics the size of your Super Cub are where your interest and budget are, you may want to look for something that includes smaller servos and a smaller receiver.

I went to SS technology this summer. I ended up going with Spektrum/JR because their mix of receivers/receiver price-points was appealing to me. I've used gear from all of the major brands, and it all works well.

The one downside to the SS market is the proprietary nature of it. I used to use receivers of all different sorts of brands with Airtronics and JR radios. Now I'm limited to Spektrum/JR for my receivers. I still mix and match servos and other radio gear, and I don't ever imagine myself not doing that.

airbusdrvr

MikeL wrote in the above post: "If electrics the size of your Super Cub are where your interest and budget are, you may want to look for something that includes smaller servos and a smaller receiver."

If you plan to fly a larger plane in the future, just use the servos that come with this combo in a future plane. Also, do you have available in your area a club where you might talk with operators of the Futaba radio and the Spektrum DX-7? As mentioned above, both are good systems. You might find you like one better than the other. I use JR/Spektrum. Others at my field use the Futaba. We are all happy with our choice.

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

I've been flying the 72Mhz version of the 7C for four seasons now. It's a terrific radio that is easy to program and it offers a nice feature set for the price. Futaba has apparently improved the 2.4Ghz FASST version's ability to work with dual elevator servos, which is a nice enhancement. I think the 7C FASST 2.4Ghz radio system would be a great choice.

Don't overlook the Airtronics RDS8000 radio system which is also available from Tower Hobby:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXVMG9&P=0

Folks seem to forget there is a third major supplier of 2.4Ghz radio systems, as Airtronics was even later to the party than Futaba when it comes to 2.4Ghz systems. The RDS8000 is a terrific initial offering, and additional radio systems and receiver choices are on the way.

barlowe

Thanks for all the replies!

One more question. Would it be possible to get a radio such as the Futaba I am looking at (above) that would be the exact frequency as the HZ Super Cub so that I wouldn't have to switch out servos? I think what I am asking is 'can I order a radio and use it to fly my HZ super Cub right out of the box?'

Thanks again for all the help!

BuschBarber

My Feedback: (2)

From what I can see of the Hobby Zone Super Cub, it comes with it's own radio on 27Mhz.
The radio you showed above is a Futaba 2.4Ghz radio. You would be stripping out the Rx that came with the plane and replacing it with the new Futaba system. I do not know what kind of connectors are on the servos in the plane, so it may be necessary to change the connectors or the servos.
The Futaba 2.4 system is not compatible with 27Mhz, so you cannot use the Rx that came in the plane.
The Rx connector on the ESC, that came with the plane, may have to be changed, as well.

Other than that, you are good to go.

MikeL

My Feedback: (3)

Objectively speaking (and I know that can be rare, as people attach emotions to their favored brands), Airtronics isn't a major supplier of 2.4Ghz radio systems. They have one transmitter and one receiver on the market. If a person's needs don't match that model, Airtronics has absolutely nothing to offer.

Airtronics really hasn't been a major player in a long time. The brand has a rich history of innovation and high-quality products, but the word innovation no longer applies to Airtronics. Their parent Sanwa brand hasn't produced a truly innovative transmitter since the Infinity series. The Stylus was a high-quality, innovative radio that was way ahead of its time in many regards, but that's been replaced by a radio that has its roots in the low-end of the market. The RD6000 and its derivatives (which includes their current RDS8000) brought some higher-end features to the low end of the market when they were released in 2000, but that was over eight years ago. Sanwa just doesn't have either the resources or the desire to be a major supplier of radio equipment anymore. Airtronics/Sanwa turned their back on their rich history of innovation over a decade ago, and haven't done anything since other than to faintly hang on to the back end of the market.

I love the old Airtronics stuff. My first radio was a VG4R, which was head and shoulders above its competitors in build quality and feel. The Infinitis and Stylus were my RC lust objects during their time. I love my RD6000, even though I haven't used it in years. Though I have great affection for these old systems, I can't pretend that Airtronics is what they once were.