The cheapest radio 2.4 GHz

[Devon Flyer]

Oops - double post.

Edited By Devon Flyer on 04/02/2012 12:57:42

[Paul Marsh]

Why risk it?

[Devon Flyer]

It's not a question of 'why risk it' - it's a question whether it is legal to use a non CE marked piece of equipment in this country.

Some on here have suggested that it is actually illegal to do so.

I was only pointing out that it is not.

Edited By Devon Flyer on 04/02/2012 13:04:04

[Steve W-O]

Posted by Paul Marsh on 04/02/2012 12:48:41:
Why risk it?

 

 

 

Deleted my post, we've had all this before, a dozen times too many

 

 

Edited By Steve W-O on 04/02/2012 13:05:47

Edited By Steve W-O on 04/02/2012 13:06:34

[Paul Marsh]

I goes on two things, Transmission power and the part of the 2.4 band that is reserved to aircraft use. Sets sold in US have a much higher output, and sets used in the UK have a higher output, than France which is very low compared to the US. Using equipment that isn't approved for use may or may not be ok to use, but unless you have the specs, how would you know? If an incident happens, the non-compliant radio would be first cause for investigation. 

Edited By Paul Marsh on 04/02/2012 13:18:33

[kc]

The BMFA handbook says " you should take care that the equipment you are using carries a valid CE mark otherwise you become personally liable for the legality of it's operation" quoted from the 2010 handbook page 78 ( is there a newer one yet? )

BMFA say RC equip has to have Type Approval which means CE mark for new equip and SMAE/MHTF for older gear. 

So if RC gear doesn't have Type Approval  (CE or SMAE/MHTF ) it seems to be illegal 

Somewhere in the BMFA handbook it says the importer is responsible for seeing radios comply with our laws and if you import from abroad you are the importer.

 

Obviously insurers will wheedle out of any claim given any chance to find any loophole!

 

Edited By kc on 04/02/2012 15:29:07

Edited By kc on 04/02/2012 15:33:08

[Frank Skilbeck]

Posted by Paul Marsh on 04/02/2012 12:39:07:

It's the same at the shows. At Weston park, they check the tx, ensuring it's got a ce label and FCC test mark. If it hasn't the tx isn't allowed to be used and banned from use. Same if a club official checks your TX, and it isn't legal - have the power to enforce a ban, as it makes your insurance invalid, therefore if an accident happens you get the wrong end of the law.

In other-words, don't buy grey items - it isn't worth it!

FCC is the US authority so isn't required over here, note Multiplex 2.4 gear which isn't imported into the US does not have FCC certification.

[Adrian Day]

So in conclusion then it would be best to buy something thats marked in the first place rather than find out the hard way ..

so what i put in the first place is about right ok its kind of up to you if you buy something none marked as such but for the cost of £15 - £20 difference .. safety comes first in any thing i life.. and insurance is the one thing that will not be covered if your seen not to comply with health and safety .. in the uk.. BMFA or Otherwise.

Ok you may only be flying in a field not in any shows or club but as many of fliers have found even the best can come unstuck with models flying off into the sunset .. who it hits when out of control is your liability .. I agree with:

Posted by Steve W-O on 04/02/2012 13:05:28Posted by Paul Marsh on 04/02/2012 12:48:41

:
Why risk it?

 

 

i thank those who have agreed with me ..Im new to this hobby and Im not a know it all just going with whats been said before.. and what i was warned about when i first started hobby..

Regards Adrian.

 

[Paul Marsh]

Thanks

The best computerized budget sets at the moment are:

Spektrum DX6i. Pros: Cheap, variety receivers, and allows to use Park Zone BnF models. Set is £135 for tx/rx combo

Futaba T6J: Pros: Cheap, good value receivers which start from £36 Set: £130 tx/rx combo

Hitec Optic Pros: Cheap, easy to use system. Receivers start from £26. Set: £126 rx/tx combo.

[Major]

Which one could be better - Futaba or Hitec??

[Adrian Day]

i like the look and the quality of the hitec kit .. best and depending what one you get .. they are pretty good .. as for the futaba one they have been going years and they know what they are doing in the world of rc.. but Im a would go with the Hitec out of the 2

[Frank Skilbeck]

BTW I've seen Spektrum Dx6i's with Rx for under £120 i.e. here and you can get compatible Orange recievers for under £10 for parkfly planes.

 

But I would say if you are planning to join a club, see what they fly with then you can buddy with them to learn.

[kc]

The Futaba 6EX 2.4 should be considered too They come with NiMh, charger and switch harness if you buy the full set.

The Spektrum and T6J are dry batteries only in the price, I think.

[Paul Marsh]

Problem is that the FASST RX's with the 6EX are £55+ each, and not much choice either. Even the "cheaper" indoor FASST Rx is the same price. Not really a budget set.

[Frank Skilbeck]

Posted by Paul Marsh on 04/02/2012 21:55:22:
Problem is that the FASST RX's with the 6EX are £55+ each, and not much choice either. Even the "cheaper" indoor FASST Rx is the same price. Not really a budget set.

You can get FAAST compatible Rx's though for less than £30.

[Devon Flyer]

Why spend top end money on a known brand transmitter, then use a cheap non standard receiver?

Sort of defeats the argument about buying budget transmitters in the first place.

[Frank Skilbeck]

Not really, we all used to do it with 35 mhz, I've a whole load of none OEM recievers which never let me down. The FrSky FAAST receivers even have a better failsafe than the futaba ones and the orange DSM2 receivers for parkfly planes are excellent too. So you get a brand name Tx and can use the manufacturers receivers if you wish, but have a lower cost option too.

[Pete B]

Posted by Paul Marsh on 04/02/2012 13:18:00:

Sets sold in US have a much higher output, and sets used in the UK have a higher output, than France which is very low compared to the US.

 

I'm afraid I'm going to have to disagree with you about equipment again, Paul. It's a common misunderstanding about use of the 2.4Ghz band in France.

 

The 2.4Ghz setting for France permits output of 100mW in the lower half of the waveband from 2.400 - 2.4535Ghz. From 2.454 to 2.4835Ghz sets are restricted to 10mW for use outdoors, which may be adequate for surface models but is not sufficiently powerful enough for aircraft.

 

Thus, on the French setting, my DX8 radiates at 100mW, same as UK, but on only the lower half of the band. Never been a problem in practice - there are still plenty of channels to go round! The reason for the restriction is that some French military equipment uses that part of the band. That equipment is being retired this year and French modellers will be able to use the full European bandwidth once it's out of use.

 

Pete

 

 

 

[Andy Green]

I've just jumped ship from JR to Futaba, so have to upgrade all my models to Futaba.

 

I have just bought Futaba R617FS FASST for £49.50 a Futaba R2006GS FHSS for £31.99 and a Fry Sky TFR4-B FASST for £23.

 

I agree with Frank that it was common practice in the 35 Meg days to swap Rx's but only because all manufacturers used the same technology. You couldn't use another manufacturers PCM kit.

 

I took a punt on the Fry Sky Rx, and it is quite good, build quality is fine and real coax for the aerials, but because the FASST technology is Futaba's, what have Fry Sky missed by just reverse engineering it.

 

For the price difference of £23 for Fry Sky 4 channel against a Futaba 6 channel at £32, I'll stick with Futaba in future. The Fry Sky Rx will be going in my Alula.

 

Andy

 

[Myron Beaumont]

Andy

There seems to be an inherent slight doubt about "clone" Rx's doesn't there ? Just like you,I have two 617s and three Fryskys . Not flown with the copies yet but feel inclined to use them in something I'm not that concerned about.Only normal I suppose -just 'cos they're cheaper and for no other logical sensible reason .They either work or they don't -isn't that the main criteria .Of course if we could see inside chips etc we could come to a better informed point of view based on facts .

Fitted to my Optic 6 I have the Corona module and three cheapo Rxs from GC. From day one I found a problem with one Rx .It takes several goes at binding .So,I am tempted to not use it at all .Would you say that is sensible even though it does work once bound ? If only we knew just what is going on inside those magic beans ,as I say we could come to a difinitive conclusion about reliability ,not just based on price

Maybe some one out there does know how they differ (the Rxs internally) and help us digital numptys to make up our own minds without predudice

Have even considered reverting my Optic 6 to 35 Mhz !

[Andy Green]

I think its sensible not to use any kit that is not 100% reliable. I have even stopped using cheap servos, after opening a couple up to extend the wires.

 

I have too much time spent in building to risk it.

 

In your case you only need a brown out and you might loose the binding.

 

I have a Corona 35Meg synthesizer Rx, it was in my e Blaster sat just behind the speed controller, and in 3 years I never had a problem, so it just goes to show.

 

That said 35 Meg is an 'Open' technology where as 2.4 is proprietary.

 

Andy

 

 

[Paul Marsh]

I bought a FASST Orange rx from ebay a while back. Couldn't get it to bind to my FF7 tx. Sent it back and got my money back. The vendor did say it was the first one he had faulty, but after that never trusted it and will not buy another. I tried, and it failed. Did try the DSM Orange, but they will never be used in a proper model. Just don't trust it..

[Myron Beaumont]

On reflection I havn't heard of a single complaint about futaba equipment re;617s failing since perusing this forum and others ! Says it all really doesn't it

Reminder to myself----Build a disposable model ready to destroy to find out what I can rely on!

[Tim Mackey]

Posted by Myron Beaumont on 05/02/2012 11:27:28:

Andy

There seems to be an inherent slight doubt about "clone" Rx's doesn't there ?

 

Im not sure thats a logical truth there Myron - after all, they are not advertised as "clones" - indeed the HK site specifically remind us that these are NOT spektrum units, or copies of said. This really leaves them in the same category as the cheap frysky etc receivers - EG cheap. This in turn suggests ( to me anyway ) that they are likely to be as good or as bad as those are, yet you and others quite happily use these with no concern .

I would suggest that the quality control etc is the common factor in both the cheapo frysky, planet etc units and the so called clones. If a new radio brand appeared under the orange label, just as these other new kids on the block have done over the last couple of years, I bet you'd be just as happy with them as you are with the fryskys etc.

 

Its because people have branded the orange units as clones of spektrums or fubys that has raised peoples suspicions.

[Major]

This thread became so intresting!! Thanks You all.

 

And what do You think about Turnigy 9x?? Price in UK is far less than 100, and have heard some voices that it's of good quality, works with no problems etc...

 

Cheers

Tom