Hi All,
Building a T-REX 450 XL, I have a Futaba 7CHP TX (PCM). What would be the best receiver to get for this setup ? and will it need a crystal and should I choose same channel I already have(11) or do I need to choose a new one ? this radio stuff is a little confusing. Thanks in advance.
Tone

Well a 146iP is the best choice but its single conversion and I dont know that they sell crystals for SC recievers below channel 15 or so, check with Tower Hobbies, if you can get it you would need a channel 11 single conversion short crystal.

BarracudaHockey

I did check out Tower Hobbies and it looks like they do have short crystals even below channel 15.
I think I will go with another channel, say 17? Will I have to do anything to my TX or will it just pickup the RX and work? [sm=confused.gif]

Thanks again
Tone

You would need to have your transmitter changed to the new channel, in the US its illegal to just change the transmitter crystal, just orde the reciever and a channel 11 crystal.

BarracudaHockey

I understand, I must stay with same channel, so nothing
has to be done to TX ? Sorry I sound so clueless but I've never
used the same TX for another Heli so I'm not sure what's involved.

Thanks again
Tone[sm=confused.gif]

Just program up a new model in another memory location and get a reciever on the same channel as your transmitter.

Make sure before you turn on a receiver, especially with an electric heli, that you have the correct model selected in the transmitter, I've seen it, its not a pretty sight.

I will remember that!
Thank you for your help!

Tone

I would not go with a single conversion. I like the Hitech Electron 6 negative shift, it works great with Futaba's. But it is not a PCM, it is normal FM. It still works with yours, you just set the TX to the normal FM mode. I think it is called PPM.

You see there is a trade off on the way the receiver reacts to glitches, on a PCM it ignores the glitch and locks into the last good signal it had, on normal FM, you may get a servo that twitches to full something. On a heli, a locked up receiver is going to hit the ground just as fast as a servo glitch.

Others will give you a different opinion.

The Futaba R146iP PCM receiver is excellent. PCM ignores the glitches that will ground a non-PCM receiver. It's true that you should rid your heli of glitches the best you can before switching to the PCM receiver. I flew with an Electron 6 for quite a while. Though, after grounding the tail boom, I didn't have a problem with glitching from interference generated by the heli, I often experienced "hits" at the local field in certain areas. I've not had a problem at all since switching to the R146iP receiver.

The 146iP is the reciever of choice for micro helicopters. Also, many of JR's best recivers are single conversion, they just use other techniques to filter in band noise.

DSM is the way of the future. Worry about channels and whose on what, hassle for no reason. (my DX7 is paid for and in the mail, hehehe.)