chewytm

P-51 fan,

Why not try the A123 cells, a 2S 1100mAH will most likely last for a whole day's flying. Unless you have many flights, in which case, recharging it in the field only takes, like 15mins max. You don't have to worry unless you are using all current hungry digitals. If you do then use the 2300mAH instead. Then you won't have to worry about the batts voltage being pulled low. Anyway, in order to use the A123, all your servos must be 6V capable. If they are not, then you can drop the voltage using a pair or 20A Schottky diodes in parallel to give you a total of 40A or 20A with redundancy in case either one dies. These diodes can be found for a drop from anywhere like 0.4V to 0.8V.

I also use this twin (parallel) diodes when I have a twin drive plane with 2 esc with their built-in UBECs. Then I get a total of double the rated amperage for each bec. With a low drop diode of 0.4V, the voltage will usually drop to only 4.8 or so with a 5.2V supply. With the Turnigy Plush which is switchable between 5v/6v, then the voltage will drop to above 5V. With becs or ubecs, some of them don't work if you parallel them in directly. An example of of one such would be the "Big Boss" ubec from Hobby-King, where only one will work if you parallel them directly.

chewy

ps. unless your servo (or something else) short-circuits, brown-out is not a problem with A123 as they can supply current at 20C - 30C without a significan drop in voltage.

MikeMayberry

My Feedback: (1)

There is one in the works. Hopefully, we'll see it very shortly.

Everyone I've done so far has worked properly; just take care to make the notch in the center. I've done it without disassembling the slider unit, but as you see in the pic it's easier to line it up if you do.

One advantage you have with the Hitec system is that the voltage telemetry is in real time and easily shows how the loaded servos affect the pack voltage, so any potential voltage/amperage issues will show up on the display and an audible warning will sound. Yes, the warning will adjust to either a 4 or 5 cell pack and in the future with the HPP-22 you will be able to set a custom warning for A123's or Lipos.

There is however, still the same issue that the RX needs at least 3.5v to operate and if there are high power servos used and the pack is weak... the voltage could sag below this threshold later in discharge cycle (or possibly with an older weaker pack) in a hard maneuver for example.

Hitec RX's however, provide another unique option that allows you to power the RX independently of the servo call the SPC (Supplemental Power Connection) which would completely eliminate the possibility of a brownout due to the situation I described. Using this will guarantee the RX has power no matter what the servo battery does. Granted if your servo battery completely dies then your servos won't operate and you will still crash... but that would be your fault! You could simply plug another 4 cell battery into it, or use a small 2S (up to 6S possible) Lipo into it for a lighter solution. This can also be used in electric models by tapping off the flight pack to prevent a brownout if the BEC's voltage sagged.

So, there are many more levels of safety with our system and you are no excluded from using a 4 cell pack, but since there is less headroom to work with, a 5 cell pack (or A123 which are typically okay with most servos unlike lipos) means you don't have to pay as close attention. Our competitors don't have these safety features I mentioned so their solution is that you should use a 5 cell pack.

Mike

Prop_Washer2

My Feedback: (26)

For those of you that have A9's on backorder with Tower, they have lowered their price to $399.00 with the 7 channell Optima receiver. I called them to ask if I need to cancle my backorder, and re-order at the new price, and they said no, they would adjust it automatically so I could keep my place in the backorder line. Using a Super Saver code, knocks of an additional $60.00, so for $339.00, it sounds like a pretty good deal, plus the two extra receivers for $40.00. Just a FYI for you guys...

adaptabl

$339 for a high end radio with 2 receivers (and extra $40.00 for an extra) is an amazing deal. No wonder few are in stock. I bet the marketing guys at the other companies are not impressed.

hoppyflyer

Is there any plans to come out with small 4 channel receivers for small electrics such as foamies and parkfliers?

chewytm

Good price, but Towers won't send to Malaysia either?[:@]

chewy

MikeMayberry

My Feedback: (1)

Yes, in the future but the current RX's are perfectly suitable for such and if you want to get the weight down even further you can remove the case and booster on the antenna to get the Optima 7 down to about 8 grams as shown below.

Prop_Washer2

My Feedback: (26)

I think they are pi$$ed....

boothg-3

you bet they are
after owning futaba for the last 30 years i ordered an A9 instead of the 10c
i,ll get the radio with one reciever then the deal for two additonal recievers and order three more when they are available.
and i will have switched over my 6 giant scale planes for less than the price of the 10c with one receiver
plus i will not have to deal with switching the transmitter back and forth between receivers like the futaba requires

boothg-3

BTW Mike i too want a transmitter case so tell hitec the market is here

gsc1161

My Feedback: (1)

Mike when is the 72Mhz Spectra module for the A9 expected to be released?

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

There is no doubt that these products from Hitec are going to really shake things up (telemetry). Everything that the competition offers has now become obsolete. It has been worth the wait. Thank you Hitec.

RR24

February was the last I have seen mentioned

Chancho

I Just got off the phone with Tower Hobbies to check on my back ordered 9 channel from Early November.  I had a sneaking suspicion that they’d already received their shipment and distributed them.  I was right.  They had a few in that all went out to others in the line prior to me.  She checked with her supervisor who told her that he is expecting another shipment at the end of the month.  But they couldn’t tell me how far in the line I am or how many radios they’re expecting.  My LHS had two in 9 Channel Auroras in stock this last Friday for $399 (Same discounted Tower price only I'd be supporting my LHS and paying an additional $24 in state sales tax - totally acceptable.) But I was headed out of town and wanted to make sure I could cancel my backorder from Tower Hobbies.  The owner, Matt, told me they’d been on the shelve for more than a week so I wasn’t anxious.  I called Matt from The Prop Shop on the phone this morning with Tower’s web page open on my PC in order that I could tell Matt I’d be on my way to pick one up and I could cancel my back order from Tower.  Unfortunately Matt told me he sold all his 7 & 9ch Auroras out this past Saturday.  So in-line I stay with Tower Hobbies.  For who knows when is the real mystery here.  I was hoping to charge up the Piper Cub with the new radio for some 38 degree Michigan winter flying this weekend…  I almost don’t want to fly with my old worn out Futaba 6EX in anticipation for the Aurora. 

 

For now I can fantasize about putting my 6EX under my front right tire when I back out to the field with my New Aurora sitting in the seat next to me…  Or I’ve got some extra Turkey loads for the 12 gauge that I can have a buddy throw my 6EX in the air and see how it comes down.

 

Better yet, If anyone has the new Aurora and isn’t using it, please ship it to me and I’ll send you mine when I get it.   Uli, you’ve got two - send me the one you’re not using.   Even with the shipping from Germany, it’d still get here faster than my back order. 

 

I fully expect Tower to bump out their out of stock message to March – April.  “Hell, just put July on there, Tower.”

OldRookie

My Feedback: (13)

Has anyone received an Aurora 9 with either the 7 or 9 channel receiver from Tower recently? This would give us a better idea of stock at Tower. Are they sending any radios out? If we knew when a person receives a back ordered A9 and when it was ordered, we can get a better handle on the back orders being filled. I ordered mine Dec 21.

Mike Mayberry said that "they" would be receiving an order in mid January, and that smaller distributors would be receiving the A9 in 1-2 weeks following the main shipment. What does he mean by "they". Servo City doesn't even list the A9 on their web site?

Greg

adaptabl

This is starting to remind me of the Wii. Soon there will be lines at the hobby shop waiting for the A9 to go on sale at midnight.

huero123

HEY GUYZ HOW YOU DOIN I KNOW IM IN THE WRONG FORUM BUT JUST WANTED TO TELL U GUYZ IM ALWAYS CRASHIN MY MCX AND NEEDING MONEY FOR SPARE PARTS I FOUND A SITE THAT I DO OFFERS AT AND PLAY GAMES FOR SOME QUICK EASY CASH TO SPEND AT MY HOBBY SHOP....... A OFFER TAKES ABOUT 1 MIN SOMETIMES 2 MIN ....A OFFER IS WARE U TELL THE PEOPLE THAT SELL A PRODUCT IF ITS GOOD OR NOT IF YOU HAVE TRYD IT BUT JUST LETN U GUYZ IN ON SOME EASY MONEY FOR THOSE SPARE PARTS I HATE PAYN FOR THAT STUFF SINCE IM ALWAYS CRASHING LOL.......IM KINDA NEW TO FLYIN CANT WAIT TO GET THE BLADE MSR.....THANKS GUYZ TRY IT U HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE SIGHN UP .....CLICK ON THE BANNER.................GIVE ME AN EMAIL IF U HAVE ANY QUESTIONS [email protected]

Gringo Flyer

My Feedback: (18)

This one will last about 5 minutes

Gringo Flyer

My Feedback: (18)

I called Tower today and had the priced changed to the new sale price for the aurora without having to cancel and reorder. I asked about how long until the backorders will be filled and the operator just chuckled. She said they didn't know since they were waiting on the manufacturer but that I would receive an email when they were in stock.

Her laugh wasn't very reassuring.[]

dszydel

I also called Tower yesterday and they said they would correct the price for me but as of today it still shows $429 when I look at my order status. Does your order status show $399 or $429?

They did tell me that they had around 100 people on back order so hopefully they get more radios than that !

wpmcnamara

My Feedback: (9)

I checked with my LHS regarding availability. Their minimum retail price was $429. The Tower site shows $399. I expect they won't update your backorder with the new price until they actually fill your order and bill you. My LHS' supplier was expecting another shipment of radios on Feb 3rd.

bmustang

My Feedback: (4)

I posted this info previously but it would probably take longer to find the old post than to just write it again. I ordered my A9 w/ 7ch rx on Nov 4. It was shipped Dec 18 and delivered Dec 22. Meanwhile, on the Tower site, the "Stock Status" just kept showing expected arrival dates being pushed back. Another poster reported calling Tower and being told they were getting A9s 2 or 3 a day and shipping them out to fill backorders. I concluded that Tower was not able to report a status of "In Stock" since they weren't getting enough to put any on the shelves; they were just shipping them out as fast as they came in, so it would be prudent for anyone waiting to hold their place in line. In other words, don't interpret the constantly changing expected arrival date to mean they were not getting ANY units in. They're shipping all they get but we will not see a status of "In Stock" until they catch up on all the backorders.

Prop_Washer2

My Feedback: (26)

Go to your accounts screen and click on the actual invoice, you should see the new price there, I did...

4*60

My Feedback: (41)

So you guys should be getting the price of 399 minus the 60 super saver deal = 339. Wow! Good price.

Gringo Flyer

My Feedback: (18)

There is no way that there are only 100 of the radios on backorder. There are countless guys in just this post waiting. 100 folks would only be 2 per state. I bet there are many clubs that have more than that on backorder!

The fact that they knocked $30 of the price has made it easier to wait though.