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The Futaba FF8-8FG


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Well, I decided some weeks ago to bite the bullet. My tranny was getting a bit long in the tooth - a replacement was needed - so I might as well "go 2.4".
 
I had been looking at a DX7. But, I don't know, something about it just didn't seem right to me. I know its a good transmitter and lots of people speak highly of it. But for me it "feels" wrong, and brown&orange are far from being my favourite colours! But, I was going to take the plunge as it seemed to be the only really viable option in my price band.
 
Then this months mag came out and I fell in love. The review of the new Futaba FF8 2.4GHz system looked just great - but at £499 (RRP) more than I wanted to pay - pity. I've always flown Futaba and a Futaba 2.4 system would have suited me nicely.
 
So I beetled along to Webbies - to have a look at the Specktrum - and while I was there I thought I might as well have a look at the FF8. It was fatal. A deal was offered for the Futaba (sans servos) and I was hooked!
 
 

 
So far I've put the receiver in my WOT4 and set up the throws etc. All seems fine. The setup was easy, binding first time etc. The programming is straight forward for anyone familar with Futaba (and even if your not, the manual isn't bad). There's now a funny looking hole in the middle of the WOT4's fuselage back where the 35MHz aerial came out!
 
The "touch sensitive" programming wheel feels great - it will be interesting to see what its like down on the field. Anyway, I'm hoping to fly it next weekend and I'll post my impressions here.
 
BEB

Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother on 31/01/2010 21:31:27

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Hi Ulty,
 
its got a touch sensitive wheel "thing" but the screen is conventional. So far the wheel has proved very easy to use (in the workshop and sitting in my armchair playing with my new toy as the missus would say!!) but I will be interested to see how easy it is to use down on the field when its freezzing cold, I've just started an engine and have fuel on my fingertips!
 
BEB
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Hi Stephen,
 
what I did was forget all that dead boring stuff in the begining - go straight to the section called something like "Basic Plane Set up" and work through that. For me that got one model in and taught me enough about how the menus worked and that to do the "extra" bits like expo etc. Then I was OK. Still haven't tried mixing or anything like that yet.
 
Give out a shout if you having trouble and we can learn together
 
BEB
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Well its had a very brief "test run". I woke up this morning - brilliant sunshine, absolutely no wind. Went to the flield, got one flight in, then down came the fog . With the viz at less than 50metres that so the end of the day.
 
Still I did get that one flight.
 
Verdict?
 
Well, on such a short acquaintance I'd say I was very favourably impressed. Range checks went off OK. The Tx feels good to me in the hands. I had worried that I would miss the weight of an aerial up front. But no, Futaba seem to have taken that into account - the smaller battery pack than normal in the bottom seems to compensate for the lack of aerial weight.
 
Through out the 15min flight control always felt crisp and positive. The springs are set quite stiff at the moment - which I prefer - but the throttle rachet is very soft - I might look into just stiffening that a notch or two.
 
The particular model I had tried the system in (a WOT4 Classic) hadn't flown for a little while and ,as sometimes happens on a plane that been "resting", it needed a little trim. I found the digital trim switches easy to locate and very easy to use. Two years ago I might have struggled with them, but the recent wide adoption of these "toggle type" trims on most indoor models has prepared me well for the trim levers and they were no problem.
 
I'll reserve final judgement until I have a bit more experience - but its definately a case of "so far - so good"
 
BEB
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i have used mine i was lucky enough to get one of the first ones they are fantastic i haven't experienced any faults or problems typical futaba  high quality and the unlimited model memory via an sd card meant that i can increase the size of my hangar (maybe thats a bad thing).
finger scroller unite and praise futaba for a superb piece of kit
colin
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Hi Stephen,
 
late into on this one sorry - been in the workshop working on the Pup!
 
At the moment I only have one receiver - the one that came with the Tx and as you say that's already bound. So don't have experience to help. But what has been said is true - it does have a "multi" mode and a "7 channel" mode. Maybe it wont bind if its in the "wrong" one. Have you tried changing the mode and rebinding?
 
I'll have a read through my manual see if I can see anything.
 
BEB
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Yes you are right it is bound on channel 7,what is Multi ,all of my model positions start on multi but I cant find any reference to it with reference to linking/binding but thats where I was going wrong.The Rx that comes already is oworks on MULTI ,do I leave it on that or go channel 7,IM pleasedto be making progress, but also confusedAt least I can go flying tomorrow now .Just taking 2 floaties so I can get used ti the TX
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  • 9 months later...
I usually use a free mix on the transmitter - slaving a spare channel to the elevator channel - that way you can control the direction and throw of each servo separately - to ensure they are both synchronized exactly.
If you use a gear channel - set the gear channel throw to 0% in both directions to prevent accidental operation of one elevator half by use of the gear sw.
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If you're using an 8 or more channel receiver then plug one into Ch 2 and the second elevator into Ch8 and switch on and set up tailevators as per the manual. The other way to do it if you're using less than an 8 channel R/X is to use a free mix ie one elevator into two the other into a free channel then set up a mix with Ch2 as the master and the other channel as slave, and follow the manual to set up the mix. 
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I have a prog. mix,and  there are 5 settings all reading INH   AIL  ELEV..If I go on one I can change to INH  ELEV  ELEV,I caich of the 5 I can select froms number ann then go to the next section it shows  linear, ,then when I go further to the next page it shows Elev/Elev  and next to them  OFF..If I change the off,I get + or -.But I cannot see how I can select a channel,any ideas.
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I can't really make sense of what you are describing Stephen, have you not got a manual for your 8FG ? If not try looking HERE and see if you can sort it 
 
 
P.S. if you don't have a manual you can download it from Futaba's site 
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