New Spektrum DX18

[Peter Miller]

Do I need it (or even a DX8)

 

NO!

 

Can I think of better things to spend my money on.

 

YES!

 

Still, there will be lots of people who will buy it and fly four, five and six channel models on it. We used to have a club member who had top of the line txs and only ever flew three channel models...didn't even know how to program in a V tail. Now he would have been a customer.

 

Yes, I am a cynical old man.

 

 

[Frank Skilbeck]

Good to see Spektrum have addressed us glider boys though with some decent inbuilt mixes, also the remote additional channel module might appeal to the large model guys, you could have 2 sites to connect the servos too (a bit like a simpler and maybe less expensive S Bus system). Still wish they'd put the display above the sticks though.

Edited By Frank Skilbeck on 01/02/2012 19:01:28

[Josip Vrandecic -Mes]

Uhhhhh,nice,very nice.....every year, the exhibition in Nuremburg ,make me crazy ,nervous ,and the worst ...make a mess in my wallet......lol

Cheers

Jo

[Hugh Coleman]

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ...

Sorry, just counting to my self to see how far I get before the first service re-call.

 

Hugh

[Tony Richardson]

If This is right it does not look like it is going to be too exspensive at least not this side of the pond, can't see it being too much more in the UK most often the numbers match it is just the currency that changes.

 

18 channels mmmmmmm just think of the possibility's on scale models.

[CTB]

Posted by CTB on 01/02/2012 15:22:55:

Posted by Tim Mackey on 01/02/2012 14:03:46:

Be interested to see the price - anything sub £2k and its direct competitor for 18MZ -

Try £700 list. So about £630 on the street?

Looks like I was slightly off - £560 including a 9 channel RX

http://alshobbies.com/shop/lookupstock.php?pc=48971

 

 

 

[Hamish]

I am impressed by the technology but how is it used. There are 18 channel so what is attached to each and how much control of each?

 I am a simpleton on this aspect so it is a serious question.

Edited By Hamish on 11/02/2012 20:53:09

[CTB]

Posted by Hamish on 11/02/2012 20:51:25:

I am impressed by the technology but how is it used. There are 18 channel so what is attached to each and how much control of each?

I am a simpleton on this aspect so it is a serious question.

Edited By Hamish on 11/02/2012 20:53:09

 

No you're not a simpleton! There is an old adage about the only fool being the person that doesn't ask questions.

 

Yes the radio has 18 channels. But rather than think of it as 18 separate functions imagine that it really means that 18 servos can each be controlled independently.

 

Take a wing on a STOL type aircraft. That might have 6 servos (3 per side) each linked to a portion of the hinged rear part of the wing.  

 

When the pilot requests "left roll" then the mixing is set up to move all the left hand servos to bring their control surfaces UP and the right hand ones send their surfaces DOWN.

 

Select down flaps and maybe the centre two servos only push the surfaces down.

 

Crow braking and some go up and some down.So for 3 functions you might use 6 servos and a whole string of differing mixes. And that needs 6 channels.

 

Similarly the simple command of up retracts might need 6 channels to move the wheels and close the doors all in the correct sequence.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Chris

 

Edited By CTB on 11/02/2012 23:14:56

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited By CTB on 11/02/2012 23:16:21

[Hamish]

Thanks very much for that info Chris. The next question is how you manage to grow extra fingers for all these switches?????

 

Thanks again

[Paul Marsh]

I've found with the DX8, ran out of mixing, and had to go back to the JR DSX 9. For example, I wanted two flap servos, two aileron servos, twin elevator servos. Then wanted to mix the rudder with another channel, which is the steerable noseleg (I couldn't get both servos going the right way - as I could've used a Y lead).

The DX18 might be on my shopping list this year...

[James M]

Nice!

Do I need it ? Possibly not!

Do want it ? Yes!

Why - Glider mixing!

 

I have the DX8 and trying to run a 4 channel wing looks to be a nightmare! I'd have gladly sacrificed 10 model memories for more mixing options! Thinking about it I'd pay a token fee to have it upgraded by HH, like they are offering to do with the DSM2 DX6i to DSMX.

 

Here's hoping that something will change, it is sorry state of affairs when you have the Hitec Optic 6 being able to do things like Crow Breaking but "the worlds most advanced 8 channel" radio can't!............Ok it can but not with the same simplicity!

[Paul Marsh]

Probably the same dilemma you've got with your wing mixing, as I had with the elevator/ail/flap mix. When I enabled twin elevator and twin flap, along with the aileron, it deleted the elevator half, and the rudder started to move. Why? In the end I used a Y lead with the flaps, but had to put a servo reverse unit into one flap section - as it was reversed.

[Tim Mackey]

TBH, I had pretty much got to grips with the DX7 mixes etc, but am still playing around with my relatively new DX8. I had been thinking about how I would set it up for my new B52 glider, and thought that a 7 channel rx would fit the bill.

Flaps, ailerons, rudder, elevator, tow release. Five channels right? OK, so elevators are split, and because of layout, require two channels. Six channels right ?

It would be good to have ailerons split too, so we're up to seven now right?

I should even be able to use crow brakes too.

I select wing servo type as 2 ailerons, one flap, and tail as two servos.

However.......the tx automatically assigns certain channels as fixed mix, and one of them is gear for aileron number two - thats a problem, cos I wanted gear as tow release. Doh!

Also of course, one of the rx seven channels is throttle ( its a glider remember ).

I guess Im gonna end up not using the preset wing mixes, and do it all with free mixes, that way I can decide what channel I want allocating to what function! I think I will have to have flaps on the throttle stick too...which is fine, as it gives me propo flaps - will have to have a think about a switched crow actin when my brain is better geared up.

If I had known about the release of the DX18 last year, I would have gone straight to it, rather than the now, somewhat lacking by comparison, DX8.

I really dont see me getting an 18 so soon after this purchase - but of course, never say never.

[Steve W-O]

Posted by Tim Mackey on 12/02/2012 10:53:50:

TBH, I had pretty........................................

............................................ever.

 

 

 

I think It is time you bought a TH9X, and upgraded to ER9X firmware

[ntsmith]

Cant wait to get my grubby sweating mitts on one of these. Looks great but lets hope there are no issues like we had with the DX8 - not that I would consider uding anything else - have done, got the tea shirt and gone back. Just cant beat it but perhaps this just might

[Peter Miller]

Just what can you use 18 channels for?

So there we have an 18 channels tranny that you are trying to use all the controls while flying plus concentrating on the telemetry.

Can I come and watch the crash please?

Anyone care to try and list what they could usefully use all 18 channels for?

Its getting a bit like modern cameras. There are more functions than anyone needs and some of them don't really work but the manufatcurers put them on because they can.

[CTB]

Peter,

I'd hazard a guess that you drive a car that has way more than 18 different controls and far more telemetry feedback than this TX offers. I'd also hazard a guess that you crash it very, very, very, rarely - it at all.

As for a use for 18 channels. I mentioned in a previous post that another way to look at is not as 18 channels but rather 18 servos.

On a scale plane I think that people could easily see how to use 30 servos! Just correctly sequencing the retracts and doors could easily take 6 servos.

Have a look over any modern airliner and you'll all many of controlled flying surfaces on the wing. Of course the pilot doesn't control each one individually. But they each require an actuator.

Here's my not very OTT list for a single engine plane. Make it a multi or a bipe and many of these double up. I don't fly scale and am unlikely to ever have a plane with retracts. But I certainlly could imagine a setup where I'd have 1-13 on a 3D/Aerobatic/Freestyle plane. And probably a couple more control surfaces as the aerodynamists start thinking about the possibilities!

1. Throttle
2. Mixture (or choke)
3. Ignition kill
4. Rudder (right split) (for use as an airbrake)
5. Rudder (left split)
6. Elevator left
7. Elevator right
8. Aileron left
9. Aileron right
10. Flap left
11. Flap right
12. Airbrake left
13. Airbrake right
14. Sterable nosewheel
15. Wheelbrakes
16. Retract main
17. Retract nose
18. Retract doors main
19. Retract doors nose
20. Canopy open/close
21. Lights (numerous!)
22. Lights.....

YMMV.

Chris

 

 

Edited By CTB on 18/02/2012 13:42:50

Edited By CTB on 18/02/2012 14:02:49

[CTB]

Just thought of a few more for the 3D crowd

101. Variable pitch
102. Vectored thrust - yaw
103. Vectored thrust - pitch
104. stabalisation mode pitch
105. stabalisation mode yaw
106. stabalisation mode roll

Actually as stabalisation systems become more and more common I'm sure we'll see some better system integration for their control. Both manual and automatic.

 

I hope that Spektrum are working on their 30 channel TX even as we speak...

Edited By CTB on 18/02/2012 14:44:29

[Peter Miller]

Counting servos is not the same as 18 channels. I could run 30 servos off one channel. I use 7 servos on some of my five channel models. I nearly decided to use 9 servos on my current design which will be a five channel model.

Actually I am not bothering with flaps so it will only be 4 channels.

[Alan Cantwell]

Mixers Peter, and lots of them, at present, we are just putting the finishing touches to a 120"B25 bomber, we tried to set it up with my DX9, and have switched to a DX12, even then, its barely enough, granted, a standard model can be controlled with a 5 function set, even using a matchbox (got you there, eh) can enable a standard set to be used, but its much easier setting up with mixes, and channels to spare,

[CTB]

Posted by Peter Miller on 18/02/2012 19:28:30:

Counting servos is not the same as 18 channels. I could run 30 servos off one channel. I use 7 servos on some of my five channel models. I nearly decided to use 9 servos on my current design which will be a five channel model.

Actually I am not bothering with flaps so it will only be 4 channels.

If you want the servos to all do something different - even if it's only to go the other way then you need 1 channel per servo (or some other electronics onboard).

Yes you can fly a rudder. elevator, aileron, throttle plane using 4 channels and either extra linkages or y leads. However adjusting the differential on such a setup becomes a mechanical task. Not an electronic one that could be done in flight.

No one NEEDS an 18 channel set. Infact no one needs to fly model aircraft at all. However there are cases when a complex plane could easily use more than the 10 channels available on Spektrum's next TX down (or 8 channels if you don't fly a pizza box....).

No one is forcing anyone to buy it. However there will be plenty for whom its extra functionality made it easily worth the investment. And there will certainly be those you buy it just to have the latest bit of bling. Good luck to them. After all they are subsidising the hobby for the rest of us....

[Peter Miller]

And of course there is an even bigger market. Probably the most important market of all.

We had an ex member who would definitely have bought one.

Of course he never flew a four chnnel model, only three channels but he had to have the biggest, best, most complex Tx he could lay his hands on. I think he ended up with a top of the line eight channel set and that was when that was top of the line.

The funny thing was that he couldn't even program in a V tail set up because he just didn't understand it.

[CTB]

Exactly.

Which is why I said this in my previous post "And there will certainly be those you buy it just to have the latest bit of bling."

You shouldn't complain about those guys. In fact you should encourage them. They are helping to keep the model trade afloat in these turbulent times.

If that's what they want to spend their money on then good luck to them.

[Peter Miller]

Oh I am not complaining. As you say they keep things cheaper.

Even better, the club mebers are still laughing at our ex member and anything that povides laughter has to be good.

[Myron Beaumont]

Correct me if I'm wrong ,but I'm pretty sure I've seen very large models being flown with two pilots and two trannys.Presumably one to do the usual 4 or5 channel stuff and the other pilot doing U/C 's / doors/flaps and the like . Doesn't that say to you that no matter how many fingers you have ,then it's better to spread the "work load"

(I'm only jealous by the way -but no-I don't really want 18 channels do I ?)