16ch Hitec TX under development

[Steve Houghton 1]

For those Hitec radio users amongst you, particularly those who are struggling with only having 9 channels to play with, here is something that was posted yesterday by Hitec Customer Support on another forum.

We understand the lack of channels with our 9 channel system. I of all people get that being that my 35% is maxed out with all 9 channels being used (4 aileron servos, 2 elevator servos, 2 rudder servos, and a throttle servo). We are working on a new transmitter with 16 channels that will solve that problem, but I don't have any further details about it to give out, other than we may see it sometime within this year as far as testing goes.

The Aurora 9X, Flash 7, and Flash 8 transmitters will let you control 2 Maxima receivers at the same time which is what I am doing on my giant airplanes for better redundancy. Optima you can only use one at a time due to the telemetry interface.

[MattyB]

This has been rumoured and hinted at for some time on RCG, but there is never any date. It is a shame as the Aurora is a nice and highly usable bit of kit, but I fear by the time this new set emerges it will stand little chance against the latest offerings from Spek, FrSky, Graupner SJ and at the top end Jeti; I know a number of Hitec users who have already given up and moved elsewhere for more channels and functionality.

[Steve Houghton 1]

Being a glider guider only, I have no need for more that 9 channels. However, for me an improved telemetry system, similar to Spekky or Graupner that speaks to me telling me my height as well as the rise and fall beeps is what I am looking for.

I believe the Taranis does this also and I had been looking to by a used tx for this purpose, but maybe I'll hang fire until next year and see what Hitec come up with.

[Frank Skilbeck]

Posted by Steve Houghton 1 on 18/05/2016 12:07:49:

Being a glider guider only, I have no need for more that 9 channels. However, for me an improved telemetry system, similar to Spekky or Graupner that speaks to me telling me my height as well as the rise and fall beeps is what I am looking for.

I believe the Taranis does this also and I had been looking to by a used tx for this purpose, but maybe I'll hang fire until next year and see what Hitec come up with.

Yes Vario is a Hitec weak point (which is strange as Multiplex have a very good vario), I know one Hitec user who's gone to Jeti and another who's bought a stand alone vario.

[Andy48]

Posted by Steve Houghton 1 on 18/05/2016 12:07:48:

However, for me an improved telemetry system, similar to Spekky or Graupner that speaks to me telling me my height as well as the rise and fall beeps is what I am looking for.

The Taranis does exactly that. The high precision vario costs under £20, and no telemetry module is needed. It is easy to swap between models.

[PeterF]

Posted by Frank Skilbeck on 18/05/2016 12:14:36:

Yes Vario is a Hitec weak point (which is strange as Multiplex have a very good vario), I know one Hitec user who's gone to Jeti and another who's bought a stand alone vario.

Yes, that hit me to, I found a reasonably priced second hand stand alone vario on the BMFA classifieds to get something for the short term rather than making a large change in radio kit to see if something better Hitec does come along in the next 12 months or so. I still find the Aurora amazingly easy to live with in terms of setting up models.

[Former Member]

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[Andy48]

Is it really that strange? If we all worked and thought the same way, we'd all be buying the same model planes, and even driving the same cars. We are all unique, and what a good thing it is too.

[Ian Jones]

This is the Hitec Vario:

Priced at around £21.00

I know Hitec had a vario quite some time ago. I have a vague recollection that Hitec pulled it after a few months for reasons I can't recall. J Perkins currently list the vario with a "New" flash next to it, so perhaps it's a new version.

The voice module is a bit steep but one does exist:

Back to the 16 channel Rx though, I can see it's uses but I wonder how many people often need so many channels. If there's a demand though, well then it's got to be a good thing.

Ian

[Steve Houghton 1]

Yes Ian, but the voice module doesn't work with the vario

[Frank Skilbeck]

Ian, from the Hitec users I know the problem is that although they have a sensor you can't get rising and sinking tones like with other varios.

Edited By Frank Skilbeck on 19/05/2016 18:44:29

[Ian Jones]

Oh, that the voice module doesn't work with the vario is a bit of a surprise but that it doesn't return any rise and sink tones sounds pretty useless. That being the case I wonder what he vario does do.

There appears to be Climb and Sink tones on my Tx though, not that the manual mentions them, I think that's because the Tx firmware is newer than the V2 manual. I tried using these with the GPS module which didn't do anything so thought they were for the vario, I must be mistaken.

[Ian Jones]

Looking at other threads, here and elsewhere, it appears that this vario does produce tones. Perhaps it's the poor instructions that's causing confusion?

[Frank Skilbeck]

Ian, is your radio an Aurora? also are these just an alarm for climbing and sinking or are they proper vario tones. Proper vario tones have one pitch for climbing an one for sinking, the tone increasing in intensity the faster you are climbing or sinking. On my set you can also set a natural sink rate so the sinking tones only come on when you are sinking faster than that.

But if Hitec do have new radio coming along with inbuilt voice they will most likely have addressed this. Maybe the new flash series have already covered this.

[Steve Houghton 1]

That looks like the Eclipse 7 Pro screen.

[Ian Jones]

Posted by Steve Houghton 1 on 24/05/2016 14:46:58:

That looks like the Eclipse 7 Pro screen.

Yep.

Frank, as far as I can tell , it's the same tone for climb and sink, the sink "beep" being longer. As the rate of fall or sink increases the speed of repetition of the beeps increases. So perhaps not strictly a vario as you describe.

[Frank Skilbeck]

Ian, that doesn't sound far off a normal vario, just that the 2 Aurora 9 users I know couldn't get vario tones out of their sets.

[Ian Jones]

Frank, I wonder if the A9 users you know where affected by the problems with the earlrlier versions of the vario? I know they were withdrawn in the US and became unavailable here (because I was going to buy one at that time).

---

**LINK** :

...."07 March 2013: Update:
. HTS-VM - Variometer Sales Discontinued in USA
Hitec USA has chosen to discontinue the Vario and any combos including it at this time until its implementation can be improved.
If you have purchased one and are unhappy with it then please contact us and we will swap it out for something of equal value. -
Mike Mayberry, Hitec/Multiplex USA
. The hardware is valid, it's the ability to get the data to the pilot that is lacking. - Mike."

---

I don't have an A9 so I can't suggest make any solutions other than to contact the suppliers (perhaps already done?).

I'm conscious that all this vario stuff is a little off topic so I apologise for that.

[Frank Skilbeck]

It was the beginning of last year my friend bought a stand alone vario, and that was after he spoken with the Hitec UK support.

[Ian Jones]

Well that's me stumped!

Hopefully this new Tx will fix any erm, "features" but that's not a lot of help to those already experiencing them.

[Mark Reynolds]

Bump! Has anyone got any more info re this? I have been chasing up Hitec but they are keeping their cards close to their chest!

[MattyB]

Sadly I think it's vapourware. They have been promising a more advanced higher channel count TX for years, but even if they came up with it tomorrow they have lost so much ground and so many customers I would think long and hard before investing in a system whose future was uncertain. I would recommend you look at another player with a more certain future, be that FrSky, Spektrum or Futaba (JR and other smaller manufacturers like Graupner and Multiplex may make great products, but IMO none of them are certain to exist in the RC market in 5 years time).

[Steve Houghton 1]

I think it'll come, but it appears to be taking a while, and then when it is out, it may still be behind the latest offerings from other manufacturers.

I'm very happy with my A9 and I only really miss not having a talking vario telemetry for when I'm thermal soaring, otherwise it's 9 channels and excellent programming functions are perfect for me. I certainly don't want to be changing manufacturer, not with the number of receivers I have, it would cost me a fortune.

[MattyB]

I am not saying you have to change your existing A9, just that I would think long and hard before investing a large amount of money in a new system from Hitec given how far behind they have slipped and the rate of change in the RC marketplace. If the new set were not a commercial success getting RXs a few years in could be very difficult (remember it is already known Hitec will need to update their RF protocol in order to get more channels). As an example look at JR right now - with DMSS RXs hard to get hold of at present and JRs future in the air 28x buyers must be getting very scared that their expensive investment could be a paperweight in a year or two.

[Former Member]

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