Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

Getting back into hobby and I need a Transmitter and have $500 to spend.... I will probably fly large scale... telemetry not important to me at this time... I may also look into flying electrics..... I kinda narrowed the field to the Spektrum DX8, JR XG8 or wait for the Hitec Aurora 9x..... Any feedback would be appreciated....

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

Several of our club members including myself have purchased the Futaba 8fg HS. ($479.00)I don't think I will have to purchase another radio for a long time if ever. And yes I am a futaba guy. I own and fly my MICROS with a spectrum dx6i. But, I have had a couple of odd glitches with the spektrum??? Note I am flying MICROS in a double basketball court with as many as 14 MICROS in the air, flouresent lights, score boards, ect. Alot of things that could possibly interfere with our radios. The Futaba 8fg HS is expandable to 14 channels and has a High Voltage RX.

Good Luck And May All Your Landings Be Shooooooth

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

I think you are fine with any of those choices. I have had many radios over the years. The DX8 is my latest. It is reasonably priced and very easy to program. Itis compatible with any Spektrum Rx, including all BNF models. I have a JJR XP9303 with a Spektrum DSM2 module since 2007. No issues with either radio. I have no experience with the XG8. I have helped a friend with his Hitec Aurora 9. It has many features and is very affordable. It is modular, so you Tx an use other manufacturers modules.

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

If you aren't focused on BnF or TxR aircraft and you aren't concerned about telemetry, why not consider the Airtronics SD-10g? It's a powerful, flexible 10-channel radio system with a huge array of programming and mixing features! Airtronics offers a wide variety of receiver options from the tiny RX-40 all the way up to the incredibly responsive FHSS-3 6, 8, and 10-channel receivers designed for ultra-low latency.

The best part? The SD-10g is on sale right now for as low as $299.99, so you can get a world-class competition radio system and still have almost $200 in your pocket!

http://www.airtronics.net/index.php/...-rx700-rx.html

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

+1 On the Airtronics SD10G.. Great Transmitter, Never had a Problem with mine.. Awesome Flexability and programmability..

Love Mine!!

Craig.

P.S. with that $200 extra dollars that Bigedmustafa mentioned, you could buy several extra Rx's, and still be within your $500 dollar Budget!<br type="_moz" />

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

+2 on the Airtronics SD10G

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

I'm an Airtronics man too. I don't have an SD-10, but my RDS8000 has been a good value. Of the ones you originally mentioned, I'd go for the Hitec. You get more channels, telemetry if you decide you want it later, and cheaper receivers. All that's not to mention that Hitec has had outstanding reliability since they entered the 2.4ghz market, a claim Spektrum can't make on any of their models at their initial launch. Even the DX8 had reliability issues (do a search), and it came out several years after Spektrum had launched its 2.4ghz technology.

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

My First Airtronics System was an RDS8000 too!! I loved it so much, I moved up to the SD10G.. although I still have the RDS to keep for Buddy Boxing.. <div></div><div>Just to clarify, I haven't always been an Airtronics man, over the past 30 years of flying RC, I have had Futaba, Hitec and JR systems, all good systems, Just fell in love with the Airtronics systems once I used them! <div></div><div>Craig...</div></div>

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

Not much to go on here Foxbat.

What do you think your channel count will need to be. A lot of giant scale pilots like 10+ channels. You only seem to be looking for 8, so what do you mean by "large scale?"

All electric? gliders? Glow? Gas? Turbines?

Scale aircraft with lots of scale features you control from the radio? Takes a lot of channels.

Thinking about gliders? You want to make sure your radio has glider programming.

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

In the $500 range I would include Futaba latest 14SG. I believe You can find it for under $500 if You look around. Tower Hobbies have it for $550 but with discount coupons You probably can come below $500.

/Bo

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

If you are going to be flying giant scale, either aerobat or scale, you will want more than 8 channels for programming flexibility. For under 500, you would be looking at the 8fg (which is actually 14 channels), SD10G, or the Aurora. I don't know if Spek is going to release a radio to bridge the gap between the 8 and 18.

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

They already have. The DX10t. It is, however, a Tray radio and may not appeal to those who fly with their Thumbs.

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

And it is a LOTmore than $500. :(

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

Futaba 14SG - 14 channels - $550 with receiver
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...XCVPZ&amp;P=ML

Futaba 8FG - 14 channels - $450 with receiver
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...XAVCN&amp;P=ML

Airtronics SD10G - 10 channels - $380 with receiver
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...LXZKS8&amp;P=7

Hitec Aurora 9 - 9 channels - $390 with receiver
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...XXCZ5&amp;P=ML


Spektrum Compatible

Spektrum DX8 - 8 channels - $429 with receiver
http://www.horizonhobby.com/products...servos-SPM8800

JR 9503 - - 9 Channels - $550 with receiver
http://www.horizonhobby.com/products...ode-2-JRP2930X



This is written about sailplane radios. A sailplane radio is just a radio with lots of features that also includes features specifically for sailplanes. All of the above would be considered sailplane radios.


<div dir="ltr" style="FONT-FAMILY: ; COLOR: "><font style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">L</font>ow cost sailplane radios – RC Soaring Digest
</div><div dir="ltr" style="FONT-FAMILY: ; COLOR: ">
Two part series – July and August 2012</div><div dir="ltr" style="FONT-FAMILY: ; COLOR: ">Upgrading 72 MH Sailplane Radios to 2.4 GHz</div><div dir="ltr" style="FONT-FAMILY: ; COLOR: "><font color="#0066cc">http://www.rcsoaringdigest.com/pdfs/RCSD-2012/RCSD-2012-07.pdf</font>

Low Cost Sailplane Radio based on open software</div><div dir="ltr" style="FONT-FAMILY: ; COLOR: "><font color="#0066cc">http://www.rcsoaringdigest.com/pdfs/RCSD-2012/RCSD-2012-08.pdf</font> 
</div>

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

I did not realize the DX10t was more expensive than the DX18. I supposed that it was priced between the DX8 and DX18. That definitely puts the 10t out of the OP's price range.

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

DX10t is $1100

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

Hobby People has been selling the SD-10G for very good prices, lately. They are shortly coming out with a "new" model that seems to be principally a change in cosmetics. I can recommend both the older series and the SD-10G.

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

You won't go wrong with any of the radios mentioned. Some are a better value than others, but all will most likely function just fine. I own radios from each one of these manufacturers and there are only minor quality differences between them. I will point out that the JR radios seem more cumbersome to program than the others. That being said, JR puts a lot of quality into their products. My personal favorite is the Airtronics sd-10g because of the feel and over all value. At $300 right now, it has to be the best value for your money. More money for extra receivers or aircraft. Just my thoughts.

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

I always tell people, go to your local flying field, find out what brand of radio most are flying there, and purchase the best one in your budget. That way you can get help programming.


Good Luck

Bill

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

Excellent advice!

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

I wonder if the OP has made a decision, or if he has even been following this thread, SInce he hasn't made any additional posts other than his Orignial post and that was made almost 20 days ago.
<div>
Things that make you go Hmmm...</div><div></div><div>Craig..</div>

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

Here is a link to the special sale price of $299.99 on the Airtronics SD-10g at Hobby People:

http://www.hobbypeople.net/index.php...-rx700-rx.html

Hobby People is a fine retailer and a loyal advertiser here at RC Universe. As aeajr will attest, the SD-10g is extremely popular with not only nationally competing RC pattern and helicopter pilots, the SD-10g is a favorite among champion glider and sailplane pilots as well.

You can spend a lot more money to get a few more bells and whistles, but you simply cannot buy a better radio than the Airtronics SD-10g.

http://www.hobbypeople.net/media/cat.../751747_13.jpg

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

Stay away from "new" models.. as one who tests code and things run by code.. i can tell you.. you "are" the beta tester. The bleeding edge is not the place to be with planes you've spent a lot of time or money on.

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

Another good point, KitBuilder. The Airtronics SD-10g was released in the summer of 2009, over three years ago now, and its reputation for bug-free reliability is extremely well-established.

RE: Need a Transmitter and $500 in pocket....
 

Thanks for all the input.... and based on your comments, I am leaning towards the Futaba 14SGA 14-Channel Transmitter at this time....