Alternatives to spektrum

[gazmk2]

Hey guys

I've been using my dx8 now for just over 3 years and in fairness it's never put a foot wrong. Most of my models fly on dsm2 with only my 700e using a pair of dsmx sats.

I'm soon to be in a position to change what radio I use and because I do get the odd issue with sats not behaving and loosing bind on a cold day I am looking for an alternative to spektrum.

I keen on switching to futaba, I like their sbus system and the way the telemetry is built into the reciever, I'm not sure could stretch to the 14sg so was wondering if it's really worth the extra 200 quid over the 10j?

Another system I've spotted is the graupner mj24, at about £320 it's right on budget, has 14 channels and the tx looks a nice bit of kit. Can anyone tell me if these are reliable? Are they nice to use and have telemetry etc?

Like I said before I've got nothing against spektrum as such but I feel like my recievers are getting on a bit, I have no telemetry and the loosing bind problem is enough of a reason to change.

Cheers guys

Gary

[Bob H]

You may be interested in this thread then. Ignore my later remarks regarding switches, etc. Those issues appear to have been sorted out since then.

http://www.rcheliaddict.co.uk/sponso...ansmitter.html

As I've said on a couple of other threads about this, it's difficult to make any good recommendations as at the end of the day, which Tx you go for is going to be extremely subjective. The Graupner HoTT and Mikado V-Control sets are excellent bits of kit but you need to recognise that you're liable to be locking yourself into those companies FBL/ESC systems as well as their radio sets.

The only constructive thing I can say is to go for a drive round to some of the larger RC shops or go to one of the big RC shows (AIR this weekend) and pick up and play with as many Transmitters as possible then pick the one that has the features you want and most feels 'right' to you.

[gazmk2]

Thanks for that reply, I came across that thread while searching about for reviews. What is the model match all about? One of the guys I fly with mentions this is a feature that is missing from his futaba 14sg.


Is the transmission mode for the graupner reliable?

Thanks again.

[gazmk2]

One other thing I've been reading, I've read that the "shfss" transmission protocol for the 10j is lower grade and shorter range than the "fasst" protocol used by the 8&14sg? Can anyone shed light on this?


Gary

[DaveG]

Thanks for that reply, I came across that thread while searching about for reviews. What is the model match all about? One of the guys I fly with mentions this is a feature that is missing from his futaba 14sg.


Is the transmission mode for the graupner reliable?

Thanks again.

Model match is a feature of spektrum that is for lazy people, what it does is if you fly one model but then go to fly another model without remembering to change the model in the transmitter first it will not connect to the new model when everything it turned on. Technically if you do your pre-flight checks this will not happen anyway.

One other thing I've been reading, I've read that the "shfss" transmission protocol for the 10j is lower grade and shorter range than the "fasst" protocol used by the 8&14sg? Can anyone she'd light on this?


Gary

The fhss is frequency hopping spread spektrum, it is still full range but not as good as FASST.

Futaba FHSS (Frequency Hopping) 2.4 Gigahertz (GHz) Radio Systems
Futaba FASST 2.4 Gigahertz (GHz) Spread Spectrum R/C Radio Systems
Futaba FASSTest 2.4GHz Technology

[Bob H]

I'm not really the one to be asking as I don't have a Graupner radio set - I have a DX9. Model Match is the Spektrum system that allows you to have multiple discrete setups and different Rx's bound to only one of those setups rather than one Rx to one Tx or multiple Rx to one Tx and selecting setups separately. I'm unsure how Graupner systems as a whole organise binding but the unit I was shown was a bind on use affair. Probably your best place to ask those kind of questions is on Helifreak.

[Peteski]

Is the Spektrum sats losing bind a well known inherent problem with the design or just a problem with your specific setup? I'm asking because I'm using a DX8 with a single sat setup and I hope it's not going to be troublesome.

[Grumpy]

There seem to be a lot of very good systems out there at the moment. The one thing that would stop me personally from going to Futaba in particular is the ridiculous number of non-compatible 2.4GHz protocols that their radios use. I'm at a loss as to why they cant just settle on one protocol? And if they have some reason for supporting more than one then at least make them compatible so you dont find your transmitter at an evolutionary dead end.

At last count I know of FHSS, SFHSS, FASST and FASSTest... and i could be missing some?

[Grumpy]

Is the Spektrum sats losing bind a well known inherent problem with the design or just a problem with your specific setup? I'm asking because I'm using a DX8 with a single sat setup and I hope it's not going to be troublesome.

To be fair to Spektrum remote/satellite receivers operated direct from a FBL controller is not a Spektrum design and is not supported by Spektrum. The official Spektrum solution would be to use a 'full' receiver with a satellite attached to the receiver (messy i know but that is the Spektrum supported solution). It would be a lot neater if Spektrum introduced a compact single line receiver into their line up like all the other manufactuerres have. the stupid thing is that the 'Spektrum compatible' manufacturers 'Orange rx' and 'Lemon rx' both do single line Spektrum compatible receivers, so they are actually miles ahead of Spektrum themselves!

Having said that I've never had an instance of loss of bind on a Spektrum satellite and I've been using Spektrum for many years, so as far as i'm concerned it's not an inherant problem.

[Bob H]

Is the Spektrum sats losing bind a well known inherent problem with the design or just a problem with your specific setup? I'm asking because I'm using a DX8 with a single sat setup and I hope it's not going to be troublesome.

The usual culprit for this kind of thing is broken wires on the sat Rx cables and not the receivers themselves. The wires have a tendency to break at the connectors, especially on frames with high vibration issues, due to age/fatigue. There is no specific problem with Spektrum sat Rx's or Tx's, just that the sat Rx cables are prone to wear and tear breakage. a spot of hot-glue or similar on the connectors to support the wires plus regular checks on the wires where they attach to the connector pins for signs of breaks has always been a normal pre-flight check for Spektrum sat Rx's. Otherwise Spektrum receivers are just as reliable as any other brand of receiver.

[gazmk2]

the loss of bind only occurred in winter, I'd remove the helicopter from the warm car and the sudden temperature drop would cause the ar7000 receiver I was using at the time to lose its bind. I now use a pair of dsmx sats in the vortex which now and then do not show a steady orange led and so I have to power off/back on again.


I've also had the smaller parkfly receivers lose reception and cause the helicopter to go to failsafe and drop out of the sky. Luckily I only ever used these in 450 size and below.

Like I said, in fairness to spektrum I've not had any major issues in 3 years of constant use.

[tomatwalden]

Is the Spektrum sats losing bind a well known inherent problem with the design or just a problem with your specific setup? I'm asking because I'm using a DX8 with a single sat setup and I hope it's not going to be troublesome.

A single sat, if placed correctly in clear air shouldn't be a problem for a small model that you fly close. For example, I've just put a VX1e on my 300CFX and only intend to use a single sat with it. But for anything larger, you really want two sats, placed as clear as possible from any CF and following well published rules on orientation.

A sometimes misconception about spektrum is that satellite switching - seen in FBL logs is indicative of a problem. It's not - it's normal and how they are supposed to operate. Futaba shod systems don't show the same logs in the FBL unit as the antenna switching is taken care of in the receiver, so not seen by the FBL unit.

[tomatwalden]

.... which now and then do not show a steady orange led and so I have to power off/back on again.

....

I think the sats flash if they've seen a power-cycle but the TX hasn't. They interpret this as a potential brown-out and flash to warn you?

[Dannyyy]

How about a Taranis? Ive just one and I'm totally impressed with it, The range dumps all over a Spektrum, the amout of stuff that can be done on it is crazy and you can fit a dsm2/x module in it

[Martind]

Well I've just got a mz18 and its been working well with just one fault that is on a nitro the throttle trim won't work but there is a way around it. The gr18 receivers have a 4km range, I got 120m in range test mode and work on a single wire mode with the fbl. Had a taranis and it was a too handset and was easy to program with an electric heli but you have to tell it to do everything from a timer to capacity warnings.
There are a few graupners going cheap on the bay