T6EX or T7CP

[AWM]

Hi All..

 

I have 2 radio sets  - A Futaba T6EX and a T7CP

 

I am going to sell one of them not sure which. The T7CP is 35Mhz and the T6EX is 2.4Ghz. I know the T7CP is the better radio, but would it be better to get rid of that one and move to 2.4Ghz. Do the benefits of 2.4Ghz make it more worthwhile than the extra features on the T7CP?

 

What do y'all think??

[Clive Matthews]

Yes

[BB]

2.4Ghz.  But, if your happy with the 35Mhz and suffer NO glitching/interference ever! stay with that.  Theres no reason why you can't use both systems.

[David Ashby - Moderator]

I'd ditch the 35meg set but to some extent it depends on the models you fly?

[AWM]

Ah... the consensus seems to be that the benefits of 2.4Ghz outweigh the extras on the FF7. I fly mostly glow engines, fw and a heli. This year I am tryng an electric plane and have read there is no countdown timer on the 6EX. So I have a little clip on timer, I can use. Problem solved.   Or should I sell both and get a FF8 2.4Ghz... No!!  Stop it!! 

[Gavin Livsey]

I have a 35 meg 6EXA and have used it for glow and electric models for three or four years now. The only time I ever had any problems was when I dabbled with EDF a few years ago. A significant glitch during a low level pass caused a pretty major crash, although the model was repairable. Having said that I see no reason to ditch the radio, it has enough bells and whistles to fly the average sport model, and seeing as most of my club have changed over to 2.4 there is less chance of being shot down.

 

In the last month I have acquired a 2.4 FF7. I needed to upgrade because of the limited model memory in the 6. I'll still be using the 6 for the models that are currently 35 meg and will gradually convert over to 2.4 as these models get replaced.

[Clive Matthews]

Posted by AWM on 14/02/2010 10:02:58:

Ah... the consensus seems to be that the benefits of 2.4Ghz outweigh the extras on the FF7. I fly mostly glow engines, fw and a heli. This year I am tryng an electric plane and have read there is no countdown timer on the 6EX. So I have a little clip on timer, I can use. Problem solved.   Or should I sell both and get a FF8 2.4Ghz... No!!  Stop it!! 

 In that case you should definately stick with 2.4Ghz. In my experience, if you fly a brushless plane on 35Mhz, it will crash!

 

Edited By Clive Matthews on 14/02/2010 10:59:11

[AWM]

Thanks everyone for the information. I think I will go 2.4Ghz!

[ken anderson.]

hello AWM.........go on then pop the radio you dont want in the post -i'll find a use for it...

 

 collector anderson ne 1. 

Edited By ken anderson. on 14/02/2010 20:35:51

[001]

Personally I would keep both. Because 35 mhz equipment sells for much less than it is worth, the T7CP has more memories, which you might need  and you also might want to use it with a flight simulator.

[AWM]

Thats exactly what I am going to do, I see the 35Mhz kit sells for pennies, so there is no great incentive to sell it. So I will keep it for the sim, and as a spare should somethng silly happen with the 2.4Ghz. But thanks for the advice, I will be using the 2.4 on the models for now.

 

Sorry Ken!  lol 

[Graham King]

I must take up on the point raised by Clive regarding 35Mhz and electric planes.  I have flown many electric planes on 35MHz and have never had one crash as a result of glitching   / interference.   I only own 3 electric models ( an old Twinstar II and Easystar both used for photography and the excellent little Seagull Edge 540 that was bought solely because I had an AXi 2820/10 motor gathering dust!)  these days as I much prefer larger 4 stroke glow models, and have no intention of "upgrading" to 2.4, as I simply dont see any reason to. Glitches never happen to me, and with everyone in the club rushing to buy the 2.4 technology, the chances of being "shot down" by someone else is virtually nil.   I will admit to buying a very cheap 2.4 module and 8 ch receiver recently for my son's electric 250 and 450 heli's, as in such a confined space, the electrics do glitch a little sometimes.  We test flew using the Twinstar to check range and suitability and found it superb.  HK special ( Corona 2.4 DSSS V2) - great value for money - full range, easy set up and, importantly, easy and quick to change back to 35 MHh for his 50 sized heli's and planes.

35MHz may be out of fashion, but it still performs superbly for many of us and will continue to do so for a long time to come.

[Clive Matthews]

I concur that some people have had no problem with 35Mhz equipment at all. Indeed, I would happily continue using it and see little advantage in 2.4Ghz were it not for brushless motors. I'm curious Graham when you say 'have never had one crash as a result of glitching   / interference.' Are you saying that you never experienced either or that any problems were manageable? As I say, some people seem to have evaded problems and there seems to be no pattern as to why. My statement that if you fly brushless on 35Mhz, you will crash, was on reflection a little over dramatic.

 

I flew only electric for several years with no problems whatsoever. At the point that brushless motors became available, promising much, I joined the then exclusive club. Every brushless model I have ever had has suffered to some extent from glitching with 35Mhz equipment. The pattern always seemed to be reduced range at low to mid throttle. In order to reduce the problem to an acceptable level took a lot of experimentation and advice. Recently, I installed a brushless motor in a model car running 27Mhz equipment and experienced an identical behaviour.Maybe I have been unlucky, but many others have similar tales. Too many to ignore I would suggest. Hence my opinion that if you fly brushless electric, go 2.4Ghz.

 

The other advantage of 2.4Ghz equipment was brought home to me whilst flying at an event over the weekend. TX control and setting up was so much easier. 

 

Edited By Clive Matthews on 22/02/2010 23:39:13

[Graham King]

I've always flown slightly larger electric planes ( Twinstar, Acromaster etc) and found that by placing the various electrical components as far apart from each other as possible glitching is reduced to an almost non existant level.  The Twin Star has glitched a few times ( usually aileron) , but it seems to happen in 2 particular areas of our field, so is probably caused by external sources.  ( This is why I chose the Twinstar to test the budget 2.4 system I bought)   My Easystar is updated to brushless inrunner ( for more power to carry the camera) and is still glitch free.  My Edge 540 runs with AXi motor, CC ESC and Futaba PCM receiver and has never glitched.  I only use PCM Dual conversion receivers, so perhaps they solve the problem?   My son's 250 heli is currently running PCM and , so far has been glitch free despite everything being jammed into a tiny space, but his 450 has had a few glitch problems - its using a PPM receiver.   The 450 has now been changed to 2.4 and is waiting for decent weather to test fly.  If anyone is flying smaller electric models, then I agree 2.4 is probably the answer, and if anyone is buying a new transmitter, then it makes sense to buy 2.4, but changing from 35MHz to 2.4 , for me, is changing just for the sake of it.  I have far too many models to change them all to 2.4 - the cost of replacing all the receivers would be astronomical!

[Clive Matthews]

The interesting thing is that our experiences are almost identical, although I have never had glitching on a Twinstar or Easystar as they were on brushed motors. I'm willing to bet that the areas of glitching in your field are near the downwind corners?

 

I also tried seperation, shielding, RF chokes and opto isolators. A very expensive Futaba PCM receiver certainly masked the problem but was rejected due to cost and size. At one point I built a high gain receiving di-pole using a balun . This worked well but was a little too ungainly (pun not intended). In the end, the solution for me was to use a Schulze receiver. These have a circuit which rejects signals with a value outside of previously received values. This succesful solution served until I switched to glow engines.

 

The Schulze connection is an interesting one. Their electronics were developed for electric car racing. In a 1/10th car, there is very little room for seperation and although range requirements are less, control resolution is much more critical. An electric racing car must be manouvered millimeter acurate each lap, and the driver notices every loss of control resolution. I believe that car racing is also the birthplace of 2.4Ghz equipment. Nearly all electric car racers agree that 2.4Ghz equipment gives them greater control resolution. This has also been my experience with electric aircraft.

 

Whilst I agree that 35Mhz equipment still works extremely well, your experience with the 450 might persuade you that electric models are improved with 2.4Ghz control. I switched from Futaba to JR when I switched, mainly due to the cost of receivers. The one for my 450 heli cost £32. A side benefit has been much more intuitive programming. Either way, this is a fasinating discussion.

Edited By Clive Matthews on 23/02/2010 09:58:34

[A.A. Barry]

My thoughts AWM, yep keep the 2.4g in a few years it will still be in the vogue, and down at the club ....no problems

A few yrs ago, I purchased about 6 Fm / syth. rec, 5,6,9 ch, cost a few $'s. 2yrs later "clone "2.4g  module sets , Now I have both Trannies set up,  and the others now are just collecting dust , any one want rec's (36meg's)

A.A. Barry

 

 

[Delta Whiskey]

Funnily enough, I am in the exact situation as AWM and have the same two Tx's.

My Raptor 50 Nitro Heli, using the T7CP on 35mhz suffered two serious tail kick outs on my last flight, and always at the same end of our strip. TBH, I have always had a couple of very minor glitches in the tail, but nothing as severe at the last outing which made me cut my flight short. It was recommeded by another flyer, that it could be a static build up caused by the tail belt in the metal tail tube, building then discharging and either going straight into the tail servo, or the gyro causing the tail to kick out. It return to a straight line or the direction I was flying in immediately, but it was not nice to experience.

Over on fixed wings, I lost my Utlimate Biplane 50 size, to what I put down as loss of control. After smash inspection found a aileron servo dead, but I was not sure if that was the result of the crash or radio glitch down at the same end I'm having glitches with the Raptor.

I thinking that with everyone else on 2.4 at our club, (everyone else there at the time of the raptor glithces that is) that there is no 35mhz conflict or need for the old peg board anymore, and with no houses or other building anywhere near, so what's the point of moving over all the complicated setting of a heli, to the 6EX?

I am now seriously considering it though, as I cannot have the tail kicking out like that again, if indeed it is a radio glitch. I've been advised to try grounding the tail boom to the engine, and using anti static spray on the belt or even changing the RX battery??

If that fails, I guess I will have to try 2.4, I'm using 2.4 on a 450 heli, and in my extra 300s nitro already with no problems at all radio wise.

[Erfolg]

Is it not possible to buy a 2,4 module for the 35 Futaba set?

 

If so, now may be the time to purchase one, it is possible that in a few years they may not be available in the same numbers or price, if as predicted 2.4 becomes the norm.

 

Erfolg

[Delta Whiskey]

No, not with the T7CP !

 

Would have been ideal though !

[Clive Matthews]

Would have still been a Futaba then though......

[Bladerunner]

Posted by AWM on 14/02/2010 10:02:58:

Ah... the consensus seems to be that the benefits of 2.4Ghz outweigh the extras on the FF7. I fly mostly glow engines, fw and a heli. This year I am tryng an electric plane and have read there is no countdown timer on the 6EX. So I have a little clip on timer, I can use. Problem solved.   Or should I sell both and get a FF8 2.4Ghz... No!!  Stop it!! 

 Yes, do that   

[Delta Whiskey]

I was thinking of selling both, albeit for small amounts on the 35 at least, and getting a FF7 2.4, need to look at prices first......the FF7 look identical to the T7CP?

[Clive Matthews]

The 2.4Ghz is very similar to the 35Mhz version in operation if not identical. It's an excellent radio (as you already know) and is probably all the radio you'll need. If you decide to go gliding or get into helis, you might find some limitations.

 

Just be aware that the Spektrum DX7 is also very highly thought of and has the advantage of a more comprehensive and cheaper receiver range.

[Allan Bennett]

I was in the same situation a while back, with a 7C 2.4GHz and a FF6 35MHz.  I originally got the 7C instead of the 6 channel version because I preferred the way the menus worked.  But I got fed up having to charge two trannies every week because I didn't know which model I was going to fly next day, or because I was going to fly two on different systems.  Plus I was running out of model memories, so I sold both on eBay and got a 10C 2.4GHz and a 35MHz module.  That'll last me the rest of my life ...

 

As for electric models, I never had any interference when flying on 35MHz because I equipped them all, except my Twinstar, with opto ESCs and separate receiver batteries after initially having some issues with BECs, both internal and stand-alone, causing interference.  Since I've gone over to 2.4GHz I've replaced all my receiver batteries with external BECs, so now I don't have to charge any receiver batteries.  In fact, apart from my heli, all my electric models now fly on A123 packs, which can sit fully charged until I'm ready to fly.  So, I just charge my trannie the night before (and my LiPos if I'm going to fly heli), and then pick a model on the day, and grab the appropriate A123 packs.

[Bri.]

The FF7C has got a great "flick roll switch" which you can set to your own requirements