Can I fly a 2M sailplane on a Focus 3 with feather reciever?

[Iguana]

I am completely new to this hobby, but All I have is an old Hitec Feather reciever and some mini servos on a Bobcat 2 meter sailplane.

Can the hitec focus 3 and feather reciever work with this plane? Will It have the range?

[CyberPilot]

I wouldn't do it. I think the Feather was designed more for indoor or close in flying. I think your radio will be OK, just swap out that receiver.

Since you're new, I would ask around for some help in your area....just a thought.

Dave

[Iguana]

The feather can get to 670 ft on the ground before it starts to twitch out. What I was really worried about was the focus transmitter because it is a single conversion. I don't know if you can extend the range of a focus SS transmitter with a new reciever.

[sierra-gold]

I wasn't aware there was such a thing as a "single conversion" transmitter.

There are AM and FM transmitters and many threads have debated the significant differences there of.

I have flown an EP 2M glider on an FM Focus no problem. But I wouldn't use the Feather on a glider that I cared about. However, I would use a single conversion Berg receiver. :)

SG

[Iguana]

I was looking on ebay for another but no one has any cheap 2 or 3 channel ones. Plus all the item descriptions suck.

[Radian]

The feather can get to 670 ft on the ground before it starts to twitch out. What I was really worried about was the focus transmitter because it is a single conversion. I don't know if you can extend the range of a focus SS transmitter with a new reciever.

"Single conversion" is only for the receiver. Most single conversion receivers are rather short ranged. (The exception are Berg recievers) The feathers also have earned a VERY bad reputation as being a poor receiver. More then likely you can use your transmitter but you should consider replacing that receiver. Also, 670ft for a glider is WAY too short a range. When you catch a good thermal you are likely to fly way beyond that range.

Radian

[Iguana]

Which of these will work on a 3 channel Focus 3 SS Fm?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5950719366#ebayphotohosting

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=34056&item=5951997758&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=19164&item=5950718952&rd=1

[xtc]

hitec .negative shift 6 ch electron reciever will fix you up! the radio is fine! the problem with buying a used reciever is that you dont know its history
there are also mini and standard size,some may not fit??
xtc

[MDM]

"Single conversion" is only for the receiver. Most single conversion receivers are rather short ranged. (The exception are Berg recievers)

FYI: Most JR RX are single conversion

Iguana, go to servocity.com and get an HS555

MDM

[ejett]

Also, be aware that the Futaba receivers (new or used) are either high band or low band with the break point at about ch 35, so if you need channel 45, for instance, you would need a high band receiver. This info is generally left out of an eBay discription, so you might get a low band receiver that would not work properly with your high band channel (in my example).

The Hitec receivers will take any crystal. Electron 6 or HS 555 are good recommendations.

EJ

[Michael Heer]

Hi Iguana:
There will be guys flying gliders this morning at Beyer high school (in back field) in Modesto. If that isn't too far from you there will be people there to answer your questions and check over your glider for you and show you how to do a range check with your radio. They also will have a winch out there for launching gliders into the air. 9:00-11:30 should be good today. I unfortunately will not be there today. Mike
Several club members have flown gliders to specs with the Focus II and III transmitter including me but not with a Feather receiver.

[oracle_9]

FYI: Most JR RX are single conversion

Iguana, go to servocity.com and get an HS555

MDM


--------------------------
Hitec 555 is good

Just to comment on the JR rx, they are not single conversion. They use a different system called ABC&Z. This is not single conversion and it is not dual conversion. Some have said it to be somewhere in the middle. Though, some have reported to have interference problems

[Tandberg]

Don't use the feather. This is exactly how I started. Every time I caught lift, I flew out of range and crashed. give it to someone who flys park flyers and get a hitech 555 or electron 6. Get some help from your local club.

[Iguana]

I got my heart set on a hitec 555. Peeling the money out of my wallet to get it is hard.

[sierra-gold]

Hobby People has the 555 on sale for $40.

SG

[Iguana]

Do I have to have a dual conversion crystal? How do I tell if my crystal is dual conversion?

[BMatthews]

Just buy the crystal for the receiver at the same time. They should have a link on the site to the correct crystal. The chances are excellent (unless someone says otherwise) that the crystal from your Feather is NOT the right one for the 555. Besides, with a new crystal you can use the Feather for something that works close in.

You won't regret the 555. It's great receiver.

[xtc]

Just buy the crystal for the receiver at the same time. They should have a link on the site to the correct crystal. The chances are excellent (unless someone says otherwise) that the crystal from your Feather is NOT the right one for the 555. Besides, with a new crystal you can use the Feather for something that works close in.

You won't regret the 555. It's great receiver.

hitec crystals,unlike others,,use the same size crystal for both single and dual conversion.

purchase a crystal from your L.H.S that matches your tx ch and keep your feather for later!

the hitec 555 is a great rx for the money but to be honest with you the electron 6 is the near same but one extra ch and its lighter ,better size for sailplanes [long/skinny] and only about 5 bucks more

i have both and feel that the shape ,size [square] of the rx make it a little harder to manage into tight narrow spots

xtc

[CyberPilot]

hitec crystals,unlike others,,use the same size crystal for both single and dual conversion.....


xtc

Let me help clarify something. Although the crystals (single & dual conversion) may be of the same physical size they should NOT be used interchangeably. The actual frequency, the harmonics of the crystals, are different for the same RC channel. The single conversion crystal will be 455 Khz offset from a dual conversion crystal of the same channel. This is due to the way the final frequency is derived after the receiver mixes (converts) the signals received from the transmitter.

From Hitec's support FAQ....
Q. Can I change the frequency on my receiver?
A. Hitec receivers are center aligned so you can change the frequency easily. When changing the frequency, be sure that you change it with the same type of crystal (dual or single conversion) and that it is in the same band (27, 72 or 75MHz). Use only Hitec crystals.



So how do you tell them apart?
The color band on a Hitec Dual conversion crystal is different than on a single conversion. Blue is dual conversion and Green is single (for 72Mhz band).

You can check out the Hitec color chart here:
Hitec Crystal Color Chart (http://www.hitecrcd.com/Support/Faqs/new_FAQ_Gen_RX.htm)


Hope this helps,
Dave

[xtc]

thanks for that dave ,i guess what i meant to say is that hitec crystals are hard to tell the differance from size alone

xtc

[CyberPilot]

XTC,

I thought that's what you were saying. I have both and they are hard to tell apart; I'm glad you mentioned it.

In any case, I didn't want Iguana or anyone else to get the wrong idea. ;)

Dave

[Michael Heer]

In recent years blue has been the dual conversion color for Hitec but for those of us who have been flying a long time it used to be a light purple color. They work the same as the blue for Hitec dual conversion receivers.

[Iguana]

Do you have to have both the TX and RX crystal, or can I just get a RX dual conversion and keep the stock TX crystal. The TX crystal is white, does that mean it goes both ways, like I'm hoping?

[aeajr]

I wasn't aware there was such a thing as a "single conversion" transmitter.

There are AM and FM transmitters and many threads have debated the significant differences there of.

I have flown an EP 2M glider on an FM Focus no problem. But I wouldn't use the Feather on a glider that I cared about. However, I would use a single conversion Berg receiver. :)

SG

That transmitter is fine for a 2M sailplane. In fact it is included in the RTF Great Planes Spectra select and Spirit Select. Has about a 1/2 mile range. The feather'r range is too short. Switch to:

Hitec HFS-04 - about $39
1 mile range - single conversion - Good
http://www.hitecrcd.com/product_fs.htm

Hitec Micro 555 - About $55
1 Mile + range - dual conversion - better
http://www.hitecrcd.com/product_fs.htm

Hitec Supreme 8 - about $48
1Mile + range - dual conversion - may be too large
http://www.hitecrcd.com/product_fs.htm

[barefootbass]

You can interchange your transmitter xtals. I have a Focus 3 as well as a Flash 5x and interchange the transmitter xtals depending on which plane I am flying. The park flyer has a feather receiver, the 2 meter an electron 6 (great receiver) and the hotliner has a FMA fortress (also a great rx). Like others have said the rx xtals are not interchangable but the tx are. :)