ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

You asked what I was flying. Here is my new ride. She is a Meister 102" P-47, all wood construction, covered in aluminum foil, 3W 80xi for power, and controlled with a JR 10X 2.4 with an R922 and 4 satellite RXs monitored with the on-board Data Log. Two 3200mah A123 batteries (6.6V). Never an issue with control. It took 14 months in construction, and initially was being set up with 72mhz, but I converted before she was maidened.

BTW, we have had absolutely no problems with the 2.4 radio inside an aluminum covered airplane.

Here is a fly by, gear and flaps down, and landing.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XWPwX3Z5tk

Fast fly by.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1N1dbc_Jrw

modelflyer5

A very good friend of mine once told me that he has not had an issue with his 72mgh. One week later, on it's seventh flight, he watched his Giant Scale p-40 go straight in out of control.

With in two weeks he was completely converted to 2.4.

Lock outs can be cause by "brown outs", but they also can be caused by over heating the reciever. I have also heard, you should hold up your transmitter when you first turn it on. I have heard that your transmitter locks on to the first open channel that it finds. If you don't have it sitting up, It might not sence somebody else on the channel it wants to be on.

Good luck out there with whatever you fly.

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

I fly only warbirds in the 20-35 pound range. I am on the east coast and go to WOD annually. Next year I will go to Warbirds over Geogria with my 72mhz. I use up to 12 channels. There are not many transmitters at the impound so I can almost always fly when I want. Lots of 2.4 at my field so flying there is not a wait either. It will only get better! I only use glow and don't have problems with interference, other problems yes.

Augie11

This thread is the first I've read about JR changing technology. Heck, I'm still changing over the fleet to 2.4 (I think it's great). Oh well, another new radio and 18 more receivers. I'll just hope that I can still use my JR Tx case and somehow remove the DSM logo : )

Aint progress great?

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

I am going to Giant Planes USA next month in Lakeland (35lb minimum). It is 2.4 ONLY. Unfortunately, this is what we can expect in the future at events. I think you will find that 72mhz will keep you out of more and more events as time goes on. Impounds will become a thing of the past eventually, as they have already at many events. Really though, once you the "feel" the 2.4 linc to your planes, you won't want anything else. I have. To me, 72mhz feels like it has a lag time to it now. It is only the expense that prevents me from being able convert everything right now.

rambler53

My Feedback: (494)

I guess that's important to people who fly at events. I fly in an open field, been doing it for 15 years, and you'd never know what the outside world is doing while we're enjoying reliable flights year after year, without incident. I read people switching to 6v batteries, suffering brown outs, and total failures. I missed it. I get a glitch or two a year, and within a second if I even detect it, it passes.
These days receivers for 72mhz second hand go for $20. I saw 2.4 Futaba clone receivers going for $29, but they're always out of stock.

I have the 8FG and 10C sitting in the box the way I bought them. Still holding on to the 9C. Programming is done. Radio feels very comfortable. The 8FG feels like a cheap Skysport 4, I'll probably dump it for $350 fast and call it a lesson that newer isn't always better.

91zulu

My Feedback: (2)

This is why I`m afraid of 2.4.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfcpn...eature=related

Warbird Joe

I fly Spektrum 2.4 only. I absolutely love it and have never had one singel issue with it. I used to get hit all the tim with my 72MZh and got tired of having to wait to fly my plane because 46 was being used by 5 others. Our field is probably 70% 2.4 now.

I have noticed up here in Ohio that the Warbird guys are about 90% 2.4.

Joe

mistermnkim

My Feedback: (153)

i just got my first 2.4 a futaba 10c so far so good? but like alot of people i have a ton of the old stuff that i will use for years to come.

gene6029

I fly both 2.4 & 72 mhz. Im starting to see a trend building that some people dont want us useing the 72mhz radios anymore. I hope that doesnt become the norm. Those that are against flying the 72mhz stuff are either too lazy to run and maintain an impound or just blame it on being a safety issue. We flew for years on 72 mhz & respected other pilots by not turning on transmitters unless you had the frequency pin, now it seems to be a big issue to some people. I've heard of more problems recently w too many pilots flying together on 2.4 than i have with shoot downs on 72mhz. Just my opinion, and we all know about opinions........Gene

F4u5

My Feedback: (81)

For me, switching to 2.4 was more of a fear/comfort issue. Having used 72Mhz for 25 years, and numerous AM radios, I always found it to be immensely reliable; I found PCM to be utterly reliable. I can only recall 3 airplanes lost to radio failure (none of them Airtronics, which is why I have stuck with Airtronics my whole RC life). Even then, one of the losses was due to a design flaw in the Futabe 8UAP Tx antenna mount (poor components, some may be familiar), so I can't really call that a 72 Mhz failure. I find that many people, locally anyway, call out radio failure way too often and quickly, without analyzing the problem and finding the root cause, and I dare to guess the same may be happening with 2.4. Typically, if you have a radio issue, it will manifest itself on the ground test run-up and range check. Often times, the failure is a component within the chain, leading to an event, and not purely a loss of radio. 2.4 is still relatively new, and I have found that there are some new things to be learned n using the system....battery selection, for example, to avoid the heard of "brown-out". For me, I have found 2.4 to be very reliable and use it in many of my big planes, with no fear now (can't say I was not scared the first few times I flew 2.4). But, I keep my 72Mhz around, and still use them to flyin several airplanes. It's funny how all my friends keep telling me I better change to 2.4 before I lose the airplane on 72Mhz, but some of those planes are 4, 6, and 7 years old. I'll continue to use 72, and I will until it is "banned". The 2.4 is more of a change with me as I know that is the direction we are headed. Even today, I would have no problem continuing to fly on 72Mhz until I "retire".

tfarmer96

I was at Warbirds Over Tulsa this weekend and at the pilots meeting we did the normal stuff. They ask whos on 72 and about 12 guys raised their hands. 72 is not dead by a long shot.

91zulu

My Feedback: (2)

I lost a plane due to low rx battery about 12 - 15 yrs ago. It was my fault in many ways. Not checking the battery before that flight after I had about 4 - 12 min flights before that. Now as I was flying the radio was giving me the signal that there was a problem. The controls were getting sluggish and I was having to move the sticks more off center to get a response. I so much enjoying the flight that I paid it no attention until it was too late and the plane flew off and went down into the woods. It was a good flying plane too, I was in the groove that day. My Mag 80 4s was running like a theif that day, guess because it had finally broken in after about 2 gals. You know the feeling.
Point is on 72Mhz I still had control even though the battery was going dead. Now from what I`m hearing on 2.4 it would be lights out from the time battery goes below a certain point with no warning. No glitch no sluggish controls nothing just lights out. Now explain to me again how 2.4 is safer when 72 would give you a signal in the form of glitches or slow control movement that your battery is low. I don`t like that. There can be sudden battery loss especially with digital servos, thats why I don`t use them. Still don`t get why people use them. Not too long ago they didn`t exist and small and large planes flew very well with out them ON 72Mhz. As for the holding power argument. Ask the former aerobatic , Top Gun, Superman champs what they used in their airplanes in the 90s early 2000s Not even going to ask about the 80s. Please let me know the one you find that had the super SAFE radio system. There is no such thing.

Thunderbolt47

My Feedback: (8)

I beleive your just trying to convince yourself not to switch. All the things you mention are NOT real problems. Your letting poor setups (in most cases)and hear say form your opinion.

If your voltage was that low, you shouldn't have been flying with any system. A voltage tester would have prevented that crash in the first place.

91zulu

My Feedback: (2)

Thats what I stated. I fail to check the battery before I flew for the fifth time that day. So are you telling me the stories about brown are not true ? What exactly did I say that is not true.
Because:
Fact. 1 - You do get an indication when you have low batteries, glitches slow control movement on 72 MHz
Fact. 2- Digital servos do draw more power.
And there are other things that I said.

91zulu

My Feedback: (2)

And another thing. I like many others don`t see the need to switch. 72 Mhz works very well and I personally do not think 2.4 is better. There are a few important features that I like in 72 MHZ. So therefore when there are some that start to bet the drums of "SAFETY" . It rubs me the wrong way. Because these same people convince others and next thing you know you go to your club or somewhere else to fly only to find out your equipment is baned at that location. It already started at the shows next is the flying clubs across the country. No one would like if there was a mandate for all of us to drive Volvos instead of Chevys.

Thunderbolt47

My Feedback: (8)

Not saying brown outs are not real. With proper setup and testing you will never have them, whether you use digital or not. Nothing hard or magical about it.

Just because 72mhz lets you "get away with it" does not make it safer.

If I set up a 72mhz system wrong, will it cause a crash? What if I run the antena wire down beside long servo leads or long metal pushrods? What about coiling or cutting antena wire. too close to ignition, metal to metal vibration? There are many more "no nos" I can do with 72 mhz. We learned what not to do and 2.4 is no different.

Proper setup is key. Regardless of frequency.

Not pushing anybody to 2.4. But there are lots of myths about it that need clearing up.

BTW, Someone mentioned lossing bind. My Mustang has been flying for 3 years on 2.4 and I have rebound my TX/RX once in that time. only because I added a choke servo.
Kelly

91zulu

My Feedback: (2)

Yep we learned the proper way to set things up. As for the antenna wire and EMF noise . Thats what I`m talking about. You would know on the ground when something is wrong with your setup. When you start your engine and things start jumping around you better stop the engine and find out why. Same when you flying. There are times when things seem good on the ground then you go up and things start to go crazy. Have you ever seen a situation where someone is flying and they shout " I GOT NO SIGNAL" and they run out towards the plane and regain signal then bring the plane in. That happen countless times on 72MHZ. What ever cause the signal loss quite often you have a chance of getting signal back. Another thing it seem if you loose with 2.4 while you are flying you`re toast. We could point out flaws in both systems.