Your Transmitter History

[Stuart Z]

Not so many as some

Digifleet FM x 2

Digifleet PCM x 2

Futaba Challenger x 2

Futaba FF7 (4 model memory)

Futaba FF7 (single model memory)

Futaba T8J

All Mode 1

Thinking of getting the FrSky modules to get the FF7’s back in service.

S

[John Stainforth]

Home-made single channel 72 MHz

Ditto Galloping Ghost

Futaba 6-ch 35 MHz

Spektrum DX7

DX8

New DX7

New DX8

[gangster]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RCME AM.

Micron Pl7d AM

 

Sky leader Custom 5 AM

Futaba M 6 AM

Sky leader Custom 5 FM

RCME FM ( with all options)

Sanwa Black Custom 6

 

Hi tec Prism X 7

JR 378

Currently using

Futaba 8j

Spectrum DX8 ( old model)

J R pcm 9x with frsky module

So which is best? Well all were good and I have never crashed a model due The the radio.

The Sanwa stands out as the highest quality such as we may never see again

The Hitec deserves a comment because it was at a time when so many modellers still regarded Hitec as Chinese cheap rubbish when in fact it was so better made than the Japanese radio it cloned

Edited By gangster on 08/04/2018 21:51:20

[Geoff S]

Posted by Devcon1 on 07/04/2018 22:13:45:
Hi Josip. I hope not to need another transmitter any time soon but looking at these posts I think the writing is on the wall no matter how brilliant, cutting edge, bees knees, the latest etc there will always be something better and thank goodness for that..

... and to be fair, excepting the conversion from 27 MHz to 35Mhz (and AM to FM) and 35Mhz to 2.4gHz, mostly totally unnecessary. I say that having just a couple of weeks ago adding a Horus X10 to my Frsky stable which already has a couple of Taranis in it.

My Mux3030 which I converted to 2.4gHz with a Frsky DiY module would certainly do as much as I'm capable of but I do like the voices in my head and the pictures of my model the Frsky transmitters provide

Geoff

[i12fly]

Macgregor single channel

Roberts reed set (2nd hand), part ex for

Simprop Digi 5

(35 year break)

Sanwa 6, dubious range, part ex for

Futaba 6, now relegated to occasional use on simulator

Futaba 7C 35MHz, relegated to sitting in a cupboard but in perfect condition

Futaba 7C 2.4 GHz

[Martin Dance 1]

My first Tx was a Macgregor s/c the hammer finished grey one with an RCM&E Cotswold Rx, home built.

Next came the RCM&E Galloping ghost TX and RCM&E superhet RX again home built, I was an impecunious school boy!

RCM&E are doing well here, next was their original proportional system.

Followed by a once again home built Harry Brooks 'Sprengbrook' system, worked really well.

Next Skyleader get a look in with first a Clubman, followed by an SLX and finally a TSX system these were the first radiois that I hadn't built myself.

I then changed to JR with their original system, aluminium extruded case and open gimble sticks. wonderfully reliable.

35mhz arrived and i bought a Sprengbrook system made by Brand Electric in Germany.

My next Jr set was the Apex computer radio, able to afford it as the result of some scrote stealing all of the previous Slyleader and JR tx's from my shed.

I had always hankered after a set of Kraft radio and eventually bought a 5 channel Sport outfit. We 'enjoyed' mixed fortunes with this set.

My first 'toe in the water' with 2.4 ghz was to fit an FrSky module to my Apex Tx. improved latency and much better battery life from the Tx.

Finally Spekrum DX8 followed by a DX6.

[Engine Doctor]

First Tx was Tri-ang single channel carrier wave with 10 ft aerial and galloping ghost pulsed signal .

REP Tritone three channel with home made Hill Rx

RCM&E 4 channel micro tx . A DIY tx that fitted in a tobacco tin . Sort of worked ish .

Long break

Sanwa 6 channel

Guyana Challenger 6

FF 7

FF7 with 4 model memory

FF 8

FF9

9 Zap

FF 9 with FrSky module

I have used others breifly but the FF 9 does everything I want and I have a new one ready if this one goes faulty.

[Cuban8]

Interesting to see how we've all upgraded over the years as tech has improved. I wonder if the same will still apply in future? A current mid-range transmitter is so stuffed with capability now, that I imagine most flyers hardly use the full range of functions - will we see upgrade fever akin to the mobile phone industry? I doubt it.

[Brian Spearing]

Macgregor 27 Mhz single channel

(Time passes)

Futaba FF6, pre-expo model. Various makes of Rx

Mulitplex Evo 9 - an early one with rub-off lettering, but a grownup Tx. And several makes of Rx.

Mpx 3030 - bought at a good price. Very solid. Used later with a Mpx rubber ducky aerial when I was using 35 and 2.4, to avoid forgetting to extend a 35 telescopic aerial (once bitten...)

Mpx dragging their heels over 2.4, so bought a Frsky module for the Evo

Spektrum DX6i - to get into 2.4 - kept for buddying.

Hitec Aurora 9 - bought partly for its novelty, but a really good system. Sold when Hitec lost interest.

Frsky Taranis, early one. Later a Plus, now my main Tx.

[MattyB]

My list...

• ACOMS 2ch 27MHz (adapted with servo reversing and rates on adjustable pots by my Dad!)
• JR X347 35MHz (shared with my Dad)
• Hitec Prism 7 35MHz
• Multiplex Evo 9ch 35MHz (converted to FrSky in later years, now mothballed)
• Frsky Taranis (original batch non-plus variant, now upgraded with Hall effect gimbals and a Spek DSM2 module for indoor and cheap foamies that don't need telemetry)

Interesting how few JR TXs there are featured in these lists, either recently or in the more distant past. It's not difficult to see why they struggled based on this thread.

Edited By MattyB on 09/04/2018 10:51:35

[Robert Welford]

MacGregor Single Channel with minimite servo (1971)

Sprengbrook 6 (red case) (1973)

Skyleader TSX7 (1979)

Multiplex Royal Expert MC (1985)

Multiplex 4000

Multiplex Evo 12

Multiplex SX Pro 16

Multiplex SX Elegance 16

Multiplex Profi 16

Multiplex Cockpit SX Elegance

Multiplex Cockpit Sx Action

Multiplex Cockpit SX 9

I still use the last 6 transmitters. I think I have too many ...

Edited By Robert Welford on 09/04/2018 11:10:08

[The Wright Stuff]

Acoms 27 MHz 2 channel

Hitec Focus 4

Futaba T6J

I've been flying since 1995, so 23 years. Is there a prize for fewest number of Tx's bought per year of aeromodelling?

[Peter Christy]

Posted by MattyB on 09/04/2018 10:47:22:

Interesting how few JR TXs there are featured in these lists, either recently or in the more distant past. It's not difficult to see why they struggled based on this thread.

JR were very popular in the helicopter community - indeed, until their recent problems, they were used exclusively by the top F3C pilots. I think two out of three of the current team contenders are still using JR.

I think this was because a few years back, Futabas were absolute pigs to program for helis! Eventually they saw the error of their ways and followed the JR style of presentation for their programming.

Helis - and indeed all models - are much more easily set up when the interface describes what you are actually tweaking (eg: Aileron, Elevator, etc) rather than just seemingly random channel numbers....!

--

Pete

[Nigel R]

JR 5 channel - can't remember the model number, very basic job with just reversing switches.

JR 347 - fabulous in its day, would still be plenty usable now if I still had it.

...fast wind a few years of being out of the game...

Speccy DX6i

The next one will very likely be one of the FrSky TXs, with a Spektrum module to run my existing RXs. But I could be easily be tempted by a decent condition second hand DX8 or DX9 if one came up.

[Russell Hawkes 1]

1. Second hand 2ch twin-stick 27mhz built from kit, previously used for boats – zero range for gliders.

2. McGregor Digimac III, bought new for £85. Nice matching blue brushed aluminium Tx/Rx. Couldn’t get replacement arms for servos. Sold with Tamaya R/C electric car.

3. Sanwa Conquest Mk II. Non-standard servo connectors, sold with Kamco Kloudrider.

4. Futaba 6EXA, digital rudder trim lever broke, now used for simulator

5. Futaba 6EXAP – from Ebay. As with 6EXA the NiCad won’t last for a full session.

6. Hitec Optic 6 Sport 35mhz – from Ebay. NiCad lasts all day!

7. Hitec Flash 7. Four alkaline cells last for weeks! However, 2.4GHz causes me Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (as does Bluetooth signal), which gives some discomfort in the workshop, but it’s OK in the field. Anyone else suffer from EHS?

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Tim Ballinger]

Futaba codemac single channel. (Joystick plus blip button for throttle)

Horizon 4ch - not very dependable I seem to remember.

Wind on 40 years...

Hitec Flash 7.

Tempted by Frysky if I buy again.

Tim

[Old Geezer]

2nd hand Skyleader Clubman on 27, limited to 'Red'

World Engines on 27, folded blue tin case, built by Mick Wilshere, interchangeable crystal - so more flying time !

Futaba Skysport 6A - not sure why, just couldn't get on with it, so it went.

JR on 35, initially with a XP 652, and then latterly with a 2610 ( a bit of a favourite ) which I would be flying with it still, but went electric and had to change to 2.4 when I suddenly became glitch-free.

In rapid succession I acquired a Speckie DX5e (Urgh!), then a DX6i (works ok, not worth selling, just kept for sloping) and then a DX8eu. - kept for the foamies

Fanfare - Roll of drums ---- and now - my all time favourite, the Multiplex Cockpit 2.4, very different from anything coming out of the East, but once you get your head round programming each servo in turn, utterly reliable AND the case feels perfect in my small arthritic paws - just the Rx's are a bit pricey.

[Pete B]

Digifleet 4ch AM

Digifleet 6ch FM

Hitec Optic 6

Spektrum Dx6i

Spektrum DX8

Spektrum DX9

Pete

[MattyB]

Posted by Peter Christy on 09/04/2018 12:44:24:

Posted by MattyB on 09/04/2018 10:47:22:

Interesting how few JR TXs there are featured in these lists, either recently or in the more distant past. It's not difficult to see why they struggled based on this thread.

JR were very popular in the helicopter community - indeed, until their recent problems, they were used exclusively by the top F3C pilots. I think two out of three of the current team contenders are still using JR.

I think this was because a few years back, Futabas were absolute pigs to program for helis! Eventually they saw the error of their ways and followed the JR style of presentation for their programming.

Helis - and indeed all models - are much more easily set up when the interface describes what you are actually tweaking (eg: Aileron, Elevator, etc) rather than just seemingly random channel numbers....!

Yep, unfortunately for them the bottom fell out of the heli market 5 or so years ago when multirotors became popular, and being so heavily invested in the heli market cannot have helped them. Heli programming is now done almost exclusively in the FBL controller anyway, so any setup advantage they had has gone. It's all a bit of a perfect storm for them, but rather predictable - many of us predicted this as long ago as the HH split.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Posted by Cuban8 on 09/04/2018 09:58:20:

Interesting to see how we've all upgraded over the years as tech has improved. I wonder if the same will still apply in future? A current mid-range transmitter is so stuffed with capability now, that I imagine most flyers hardly use the full range of functions - will we see upgrade fever akin to the mobile phone industry? I doubt it.

One of the major factors in my choice of transmitter (self-justification for the high cost probably!) was the prospect of it lasting me both technologically and physically for at least a decade. This has, happily, been the case over the first 5 years with it having been upgraded regularly with many added features including (although I'm yet to use all the original 16) an upgrade to 24 channels.

Posted by gangster on 08/04/2018 21:44:30:

The Sanwa stands out as the highest quality such as we may never see again

Not a transmitter I've ever come across (I suspect my Sanwa 6 was a previous generation) but I find it hard to believe it could have bettered the current Jeti range.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Never suffered from radio failure, have rarely set models up and found glitches present, I still use my JR9X 35 mhz set but it now has a Frsky module in, also use a Taranis, question has never been about the "best" brand for me, I got fed up shelling out lots of money for RXs, I don't buy used or from iffy sources, once Frsky proved it's reliability, I moved.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Ron Gray]

RCS Guidance System with Elmic Conquest, Compact, Commander and Corporal escapements.

Break from the sport for a few years.

Sprengbrook proportional system sold to me by the man himself, Harry Brooks at his shop in Portslade.

Futaba (can't remember which but used it mainly for R/C cars)

Futaba Challenger

Break from the sport for a few years.

FrSky Taranis

FrSky Horus X12S