New Tx - Which One?

[Steve]

I fancy a new transmitter - the JR 9X2 and the Futaba 9C fit my sub £300 budget. Both come in with synthesesed modules and decent battery packs at that price.

I currently use a Sanwa RD8000 for my helis and a Multiplex Profi 4000 for my planes (and a some heli use as well). The Sanwa is easy to use, has been deadly reliable, but I'm now out-growing it as my need for extra programmable swithes and mixes increases. The Multiplex is the most programmable transmitter out there, definately got miles more flexibility than I'll ever need, but for some reason it doesn't quite control the rudder correctly on helis. It's only a minor complaint, but it's annoying, and the person who had this tranny before me got rid of it for just this reason too.

I never intended to use the Multiplex for helis so this wasn't a problem, but now I'd just rather use one Tx for everything, planes and helis.

So what are your opinions on my two suggestions, given the background to the decision to buy a new one, and are there any others that I should consider.

It's a shame you can't try before you buy at the field really?

[ChrisB]

Im sure other members of your club would let you have a play if you asked them nicely,i prefer JR but the FF9 and the 9X are a good choice.The 9X feels quite good in the hand compared to the FF9.I think either one is worthy of your money,i also started with a Sanwa but mine was only the 6000 sport,a good radio though but limited...

[Ade_Law]

I own a 9xII and setup others models on 9c all the time.

Firstly mechanical differences.

JR has smoother gimbles, case is a nicer shape with more distance between the top switchs. I find stock location of throttle hold (far top left) difficult to get to you can reassign it but that brings other issues.

Futaba has 3 pots in the centre above the sticks, JR has 2 trimmers.

Software menus and navigation:

JR has one page, everthing on one page just scroll round them with the scroller. Nice and simple and easy. Allows for some reassignment of switches but very limited and some functions share switches are are forced to be flight mode dependant. eg "Rudder dual rate switch" can be used as gyro gain and throttle hold. But when you put that function on that switch you loose that function forcing you to use it per flight mode... bit of a pain. Timers cannot be start/stopped on throttle position.

Futaba has 4 pages, sometimes can be a pain to remember which page you want. it has cursor buttons which sometimes swap pages and sometimes moves though the menu. jog dial scrolls through menus sometimes and other times changes values. Complete assignability of switches other than flight mode and throttle cut/trainer and throttle hold. You can assign multiple things to one switch such as ail/ele/rud Dual rates. Timers can be start/stopped on throttle stick position and postion of switching on the stick can be adjusted.

think that just about covers it.

personally for me there isnt much in it. However the timer thing on my 9x is REALLY getting on my nerves.

Ade

[Steve]

Unfortunatley, noone has either of these Trannies.

We've got 14MZs, 9ZAPs, 7Cs, 6Cs and a couple of old JRs (3810 is one I think).

I asked Dave in Inwoods this afternoon if he'd let me try before I buy, but strangely enough, he said I could play with them both all day long..... in the shop!

I must admit that the JR, although a tad more expensive, has a much better feel to it than the Futaba. In comparison, the Futaba feels light and plasticky, and the sticks feel imprecise and uncomfortable.

However, the one thing that I can't tell them apart for without your guidance, is which one has the better functionality and programmability.

[Thomas]

Never used Futaba but I've had a few people tell me that my 9X11 is better quality than their Futaba radios. I've always been happy with JR stuff and a big bonus is that Macgregor are very good at sorting out problems and will turn a repair around in the same week.

[ChrisB]

I use a JR PCM10 and sent it in to a repair shop for a service last year and the man who does the work is ex Futaba and he reckons that JR internals are at a much higher standard than Futaba use,whether this is true or not i dont know but Futaba does feel light and cheap in your hand.Even the 14mz does nothing for me,i wouldnt waste that sort of money on a radio like that even if i could afford to,it wont make the model fly any better or make me a better pilot by using it

[Steve]

Thanks for that Ade, I think we crossed posts.

One specific question if you don't mind.... Can either or both of these trannies control 2 seperate elevator servos on a plane independently from each other.

i.e. on my Multiplex, if I have a plane with a seperate servo for each elevator, I can flick a switch and make them work as ailerons as well as elevators, which is dead handy when you're trying to hovver, as the only thing holding the plane in the air with no air speed is the prop wash, which of course is concentrated around the fuselage, and hence the more control surface you can utilise in that small area, the more control you have.

[Ade_Law]

the both handle dual elevator servos. I cant find aileron input to them on the 9x. 9c has aileron input but it doesnt seem to be able to switchable

i think that is 12/14mz teratory and maybe 10x?

remember the 4000 was, when it its prime a 550ukp radio.

Ade

[Steve]

Ade

Just downloaded and quickly scanned the manual for the 9X. Looks like it's possible by using both of the two multipoint prgram mixes which appear to allow any one servo to effect any other one servo, either permanently or by using flight modes. So, right aileron could control right elevator and left aileron could control left elevator.

This is quite important in my decision to buy (or not and stick with the quirky Multiplex).

[Ade_Law]

Not had a problem countering torque with ailerons alone, and i hate flicking switchs!

Cant say i miss my 3030 whilst it was powerful it was relatively long winded setting models up and had some wierd quicks with helis.

Must say.. the 14mz is a class radio. it managed to be very versatile but in stock form its almost as simple as setting up a 9c/x.

Ade

[Fixxxer]

I was under the impression that JR are dedicated heli radio's with the plane setting tacked on and Futaba are dedicated plane radios with the heli settings tacked on ( maybe the wrong word but ya get my meaning ).

Anybody know the truth ?

[Ade_Law]

maybe in the old days. these days theres really not much in it.

Ade

[Raptorite]

I am a futaba user through and through, my first radio was the original FF7 a few years ago, then I went to the 8U Super, then the original 9C. From there I went to the 9ZHP WC2 and now I have a 14MZ and a 9C Super.

I agree with Ade, the 14MZ is a class radio, there has obviously been allot of thought put into it at design stage, as there are some lovely little functions on there especially for helis. To my mind having flown with the 9ZHP WC2 previously, when I changed over to the 14MZ it just felt so much better, the faster receiver makes the models seem far more lively and responsive, and I find smoother in the air.

The 9C Super is equally good, the programming of it is nice and easy, there are one or two gotcha's in it, things like to enable idle up 1 and 2 which are inhibited as standard, you need to go into the normal mode throttle curve and enable them there. That part could be clearer I admit, but other than that, you can have a model setup to a good standard within a couple of hours on a 9C Super having never seen one before or picked up a manual.

I have flown models with the original JR 9x, but didnt look at any of the menu's or anything. It did feel like a nice radio to fly with, as I use a neck strap usually anyway I am not supporting the weight of the radio in my hands. The feel of the controls was from what I can remember, very good, it is true that the switch positions are a little better on the 9x perhaps, but unlike the 9C Super the switch assignments are limited.

The best thing about the new 9C Super over and above the original 9C is that they have changed one of the LED's, the transmision one I think to blue, now that makes all the difference!

Cheers,
Pete.

[Ade_Law]

damn it forgotten about the blue LED... thats just so cool!!!!!

lol

Ade

[Steve]

JR definately make a heli and a plane version of the 9X, but my sources tell me that ther is also a third version (the european version apparently) which is fully geared towards both diciplines.