Spektrum to Futaba

[scallybert]

iphone vs android etc etc

There's nothing like a reasoned argument - and this is nothing like a...

[scoobystig]

working at the flying school and building for customers i get to see and handle a lot of TX's
i have never been involved or witnessed an issue with a Futaba TX, in fact the whole school runs Futaba and believe it or not on 35Mhz, and i can garrantee that the school fleet does more hours in a year than anything else

i have had issues with spektrums and seen planes lost because of them,

we have had some UAV's tested at the school which have been atrocious with spektrum, some not even passing range check, we have then put a futaba RX in it and had no issues

from my experience i simply wouldnt use anything but Futaba and so my main radio of choice is now a 12FG, no telemtry as yet but i am sure that eventually there will be an update, but to me reliability is is more important

if i could find one i would have a 12Z

i know the customer service with horizon is top notch, but then as they say the more practice you get the better you become !!!

i have used the ripmax service centre before and it took a week to return the TX, but maybe it took the 2 days to come to terms with a faulty futaba TX (incidentely caused by a sim lead and not the TX) lol !!!!

and as for Model Match - this is unessacary if you carry out a proper pre flight check

remember be SMART

S - Switch on
M - Model Memory / Battery Monitor
A - Antenna correctly position or extended
R - Rates correctly set
T - Trims

[Tim Procter]

Really thinking of crossing over to Futaba, and since the 14sg has been released it got me wanting one.

Andy answer me a question honest and truthfully.

Has Spektrum ever caused you to crash any of your helicopters.

If so I haven't read about it so if that has happened I don't blame you or anyone else for wanting to change.

Surely it was blatantly obvious where this thread was going from your first post and of course it has once again.

I run a flying club here at Stainburn and also hold three annual flyin's every year and never ever in 5 years have I seen or witnessed a model crashed due to a Spektrum radio system.

The likes of Rob Turnbull, Richie Clark, Mattie Lodge, Steven Gerrard, Matt Long, Pete Gray who recently returned to Spektrum from Futaba, Tony Stevens and thousands more fly Spektrum without issue.

I fly Spektrum radio's and never "DISS" the Futaba products and still are not "DISSING" them in this thread as I believe they are ok but everytime a thread like this starts the same old Futaba fanboys come out with the same old sh!t blasting Spektrum.

*BORING YAWN*

If you fancy a Futaba because you would like a change that's fine apart from the cost of changing of course.

What bugs me is the slagging from the same individuals who "probably" have never even owned a Spektrum.

[panosg]

i know the customer service with horizon is top notch, but then as they say the more practice you get the better you become !!!

If the HH customer service wasn't "top notch" there would be no HH!!

[Rctintin]

I took the leap of faith, and not had a single problem since.

I still have 2x Dx7's, one for the sim with a sim stick, and the other for the Horizon bind and flys.

I had the very first batch model of the Dx8, and it went back to HH 4 times, and then the guy who bought it off me destroyed his 550 on its second flight due to no signal 30ft from him. Also, when setting up Gasheads Diabolo, his DX8 was appalling!! It needed over 30 points of trim in the V-Bar to get it to read centre. Some other channels required as much as 20 clicks. My 12FG has a max of 3 clicks on one channel.

At this point I changed to a Futaba 12FG, and I have just got myself an 18mz. Not because I NEED it, but because I wanted it. I have never had a single problem since I went to Futaba, and that includes flying hot liners and gliders to a dot in the sky!

I would be the first to admit the Futaba manuals are not the best, but there are YouTube vids on programming, and also a great resource is Futaba/Hobbico website. JR radios are much more intuitive to program, but once you get your head around how the Futaba programming works, it good.

Ben, the reason the 14SG looks cluttered compared to the 11x etc is because the size of the screen. This is one reason I chose the 12FG over the 8FG, but now have the huge coloured touch screen of the 18mz. I bet within a year you will have the 18mz as well, because you like the best!!

[cupracing]

Spektrum to Futaba

Hi Tim

I did have a brown out in my 6hv where i lost control for a split second and the motor cut, checking the vbar log confirms this.However this isn't my reason for change at this present time, my dx7 just feels a bit worn out and no backlight is getting a pain. Every time I use other people transmitters I prefer the feel of them. Of course it would be easier to stick with spektrum and go for the dx8 but i fancy trying a different brand. Although this thread wasn't mean to be a vs thread, I did want feedback from both sides especially those who have made the switch. It's not a big deal to have a debate on both manufacturers really. I'm sure most people when buying a product will read up on reviews/comparisons etc so they spend their money wisely. It's only the die hard fanboys that get all irate about other people's comments which is a bit childish really.

[Andy from Sandy]

I don't (think I) knock what people purchase from the mainstream suppliers and manufacturers. It is not my place to tell anyone how to spend their money. If someone wants to change all their models or radio gear or anything else for that matter what difference does it make what it costs? Why does anyone need to question or worry about it except the one doing the purchasing?

[Disc]

Okay so cost is always an issue so check these out Futaba Fasst Compatible and the 14 channel one people reporting 3000ft out so thats around 1km range...

so 14 channel RX
Corona R14FA 2.4Ghz Fasst Compatible Reciver

8 channel rx
Corona R8FA 2.4Ghz Fasst Compatible Reciver

and for Futaba S-Bus option:
Corona R6FA-SB 2.4Ghz FASST Compatible S.BUS Receiver

[Mark_T]

Personal choices as ever, but although I agree, cost is always an issue, this is one area where I'm happy to spend the full price.

When I've got the best part of £2K or more invested in a heli I don't see the point in going cheap on the receiver.

If it is for a Simstick or a cheap foam plane perhaps, but with the 14SG you now get the ability to use the cheap but genuine FHSS receivers so that is another option.

[Disc]

I do kind of agree but stuff like small planes or quadcopters then there not a bad choice

[TheDarkPassenger]

Out of interest and having checked the HH webiste for recalls, the last radio recalls I found were in 2011.

So there's no doubting that there have been issues, however the question now is; are there still issues with Spektrum or are these older issues?

Having just invested in a DX6i I don't want to see future purchases fall out of the sky...

[LipolyGone]

I've just bought a second hand 8fg from panos. I've been spektrum for the last few years I've had one unexplained crash on my 450x but I think that was mechanical. Futaba was my prefered choice only because I've used their sets in the past & found them to be very good in the mixing for planes & gliders. It's a shame the 8fg can't make use of those cheep rx 's mark

[Disc]

I've just bought a second hand 8fg from panos. I've been spektrum for the last few years I've had one unexplained crash on my 450x but I think that was mechanical. Futaba was my prefered choice only because I've used their sets in the past & found them to be very good in the mixing for planes & gliders. It's a shame the 8fg can't make use of those cheep rx 's mark

It can the 8FG will work with any of them.

8FG in S-bus mode (multi channel mode) will work with the S-Bus one

8FG in Multi channel mode will work with the other 2


Although I will say an original futaba 14 channel RX I have been 1.5km out

[jamiem]

Spektrum to Futaba

Spektrum is **** poor IMO, constant bugs, even in their flagship model, aerials falling off TX's, and I personally had numerous unexplained crashes over the years, a couple of which were proven to be my old god awful DX8 (and HH even paid for all the damage, but that's hush hush so don't tell anyone). HH have gone on the offense by offering very good customer services (in most cases), and by sponsoring loads of cool kids, so it's understandable why people like them. Personally, moving to Futaba was the best decision I made. Not one unexplained crash, I've never had to send an rx back because the aerials fell off, and my TX still looks like new 18 months on, unlike any of my Spwktrum TX's. I also concur ref the vbar centring etc, its bang on first time with the futaba, no messing about with sub trims and end points to get the vbar to read the correct centre and end points.

[scoobystig]

my TX still looks like new 18 months on, unlike any of my Spwktrum TX's. .

my dad still has a Futaba M Series kit, that works and is in fairly good nick, stick gimbals still smoove and fully functioning, this set is Circa 1976 so getting on for 40yrs old,

even has a mix of red and black label servos

for those young enough not to know, in them days you bought the servo depending on which direction you needed it to travel - no servo reverse back then