Phoenix - which RC Transmitter to buy?

[crispy2]

I'm just starting out with flying, and have got bored of FMS and a USB eSky transmitter I bought for it. Eventually I'd like to buy an electric helicopter and fly it in my garden and maybe at a club.

In the meantime, I'd like to buy Phoenix RC as a more advanced sim, and a TX to work with it. I'm disappointed that I can't use my eSky USB controller with it (is there any workaround or hack to get around this?)

So that leaves me with needing to buy a TX for Phoenix RC. I either want to get something v.cheap and essentially throwaway, or buy something I can move on to use with a heli for the first year or so. The other option is to buy a cheap RTF heli like the Walkera Dragonfly 4 that includes a tx with sim cable.

Everything 6ch+ on eBay goes for £50+ and doesn't really seem good value compared to what can be bought new.

Does anyone have any good ideas about what I should do to get up and running with Phoenix RC?

Thanks

[fergus]

I think you have to just bite the bullet and spend the money for a half decent radio. This hobby likes one thing and thats -CASH. The low end radios are really quite plastic, will have a ratchet on the throttle and are not ideal for starting out in my opinion.

I have always used Futaba and found them very good. Other makes include Hitec ( I set one up for a friend and it wasnt for me to be honest ) , JR or maybe you could consider the Spektrum 6 if you just want to use a micro size Heli to start. Its new so you should have no problem selling it on in a year or two plus you dont have to worry about crystals or frequencies.

If you have not already purchased Phoenix maybe your local hobby shop could give you a deal on both as a package.

fergus

[Philimon]

Hi Crispy2

Welcome to the forum!

One of the biggest challanges with this hobby is about defining whats value for money - just about everyone here has a slightly different opinion, but the general consensus is buy the best quality that you can afford.

With regards to Radios, one can get a JR 2610 for around £60 from www.inwoodmodels.co.uk - which will last you many a moon. Others will recommend the futaba FF7, for around £100 from inwood too. If you're the sort of person that likes to spend money wisely, then few here would argue with buying a DX7 with only receiver from www.revolutionmodels.co.uk for around £200. All these radio's represent good value for money, will work with Phoenix and will last you quiet some time should you take the hobby up seriously.

[Philimon]

Oh, and about your interest in getting an electric heli:

There are really only two options you should consider:
1. The Trex-type family, in which I include the Raptor Titan 325, all TRex's etc. These heli's generally come with airframe, blades, motor and speed controller and retail from £150 for the Raptor/Trex 450S, to £320 for the top-of-the-range Trex 450SE v2.
2. The Ready-to-fly beginner models, which include most Walkra's and the Century mini-pred.

1. Trex-types:
All of these will require the addition of a receiver (£40-£50), servos x 3 (cheap ones for £7, excellent ones for £17 each) and (except for the 450SEv2) a lipo or two (£30). Add on a decent gyro (from £60 to £100) and a servo to go with that (£10 for a cheap one, £50 for the best), a lipo charger (£20-60) and you'll start to see why the hobby can become expensive. Its not unusual to spend £600-£800 on a small electric if its your first radio controlled aircraft, which comes perilously-close to the cost of a .30-sized nitro machine, which is a much better learning tool.

2. Ready-to-Fly types:
The alternative is to look at a toe-dipping exercise and consider somethingh like the mini-pred. For £180 new, you get everything needed to fly, including everything mentioned above, plus training gear and even another copy of FMS! Of course, buying down to a budget does have its disadvantages: The quality is not great and the product is best used only as a stepping stone to greater things.

Me? I learnt to fly on a simulator and then bought a mini-pred to see if I could/would be interested in the real thing. When I knew that I was, I got a big nitro (Raptor Titan 50) and have recently spoilt myself with the 450SEv2 mentioned earlier.

A word of advice, though: the small electric heli's are much more difficult to learn on. In fact, I'd say that, from a beginners point of view, they're only good for putting into practise that which you've already learnt on the sim. Honesly, I believe that applies to all small electrics - even the mini-pred and the 450SE. No fears, though, one can use it as a first - many here have, including me and Cralis.

[ed_vh]

You can use your Esky controller

I purchased phoenix RC from buzz flyer and they included a free E-sky adapter to connect it. Seams to work fine for me.

Cheers

Ed

Edit - Sorry just realised you have the USB controller rather than the True Tx, I guess that dosen't work? Sorry