Futaba R114F receiver - adequate for 2M thermal sailplane?

[aeajr]

Friend is looking at this radio for his 2M Spirit sailplane.

4YF, 3108 servos, r114F receiver
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXGAE8**&P=7

The receiver is only rated for 650 feet. I think that is too short for a 2M sailplane. What do you think?

[Guz]

650 feet is WAY to short for a 2m sailplane. Get an alternate Rx, preferably a full 1+ mile range Rx.

[Mike K]

650 feet is WAY to short for a 2m sailplane. Get an alternate Rx, preferably a full 1+ mile range Rx.

How would you know? I looked at the Futaba web page the other night to see what the range was on my old receiver and it doesn't look like they have this information on ANY of their receivers...

Mike K.

[Guz]

How would you know? I looked at the Futaba web page the other night to see what the range was on my old receiver and it doesn't look like they have this information on ANY of their receivers...

Mike K.
I was just going on what aeajr said, I'm guessing that he found the information somewhere (where, I don't know). But I just went throught the 'range' question on 2m craft. Everyone basicly said to get a full 1+ mile range Rx.

[rscarawa]

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/WTI0001P?&I=LXASY3&P=V

They are claiming 650 feet range. I would not risk it. For training, you need 1500' minimum. If you are doing serious thermalling, then you need full range/dual conversion.

Scot

[Mike K]

For training, you need 1500' minimum. If you are doing serious thermalling, then you need full range/dual conversion.

Scot

Again, how would you know if a given Futaba receiver meets these criteria?

For example, I have an older one, R114H - 4-Channel AM
R114H - 4-Channel AM
72MHz High n/a FUTL48**

Short of range testing it, how would I find out the specs on it?

Regards.
Mike K.

[Sparky Paul]

I have several R114H receivers. I use them in everything..I have never flown one out of range in any of my 2M gliders.. I've never flown -any- receiver out of range.

[aeajr]

The H is a different receiver with a greater range.

Futaba publishes reanges on many of their current receivers, especially any that have less then 1 mile ranges.

GWS publishes ranges

Others do as well.

Hitec too. All of their receivers have published ranges. That is one reason I like them. I know what I am buying.

[aeajr]

Let me ask this a little differently. What would you consider to be the minimum range receiver for a sailplane?

Here are my thoughts:

1.5M - about 1500 feet, about .5 KM or about 1/4 mile

2M - 1/2 mile, about 2600 feet, or about 1 KM.

3M - 1 mile, about 5000 feet or about 1.5 KM

[arukum17]

114F is a superb Rx and more than adequate for a Spirit.
Dont listed to what the radio "experts" warn you about range. The stated range is an absolute minimum and you will actually achieve far more than that.

The proof of the pudding is in precedents and lots of modellers have used the 114F in sailplanes and have never had a problem...

[aeajr]

114F is a superb Rx and more than adequate for a Spirit.
Dont listed to what the radio "experts" warn you about range. The stated range is an absolute minimum and you will actually achieve far more than that.

The proof of the pudding is in precedents and lots of modellers have used the 114F in sailplanes and have never had a problem...

Sorry Arukum17. Not true.

That was the R114H, an old AM receiver with lots of range!

http://www.futaba-rc.com/radioaccys/futl26.html

This is the R114F, a new FM micro reciever with very limited range. Differnet product! In the manual for hte R114F it specifically says that this receiver is intended for parkflyers and other small planes and is not to be used in larger planes due to its limited range.

[Miami Mike]

I was researching this old thread because of a new one about the same subject (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=549348), and I'm confused about these links you guys posted. I checked them all and none of them says a thing about limited range. Are you guys nuts, or did they edit the web pages since then?

Even the manual (http://www.futaba-rc.com/manuals/2fr-3fr-manual.pdf) says nothing about this.

[aeajr]

I was researching this old thread because of a new one about the same subject (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=549348), and I'm confused about these links you guys posted. I checked them all and none of them says a thing about limited range. Are you guys nuts, or did they edit the web pages since then?

Even the manual (http://www.futaba-rc.com/manuals/2fr-3fr-manual.pdf) says nothing about this.

Perhaps this will help:
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXASY4&P=ML

This is a R114F 4-Channel HI 72MHz FM Receiver "Without Crystal" from Futaba.

FEATURES: Narrow-band spacing and superior signal filtering combine to provide
exceptionally clear, interference-free reception and
amazingly smooth, accurate control.
Perfect for Park or Slow Flyers.
Range of approximately 650 feet (200m)

If you read the manuals for the radio packages that include this receiver, they advise the same thing.

[Miami Mike]

So they edited the other web pages and the online manual since then, but forgot that page (and this one) (http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXASY3&P=ML)? I wonder what happened.

[cfwahl]

So they edited the other web pages and the online manual since then, but forgot that page (and this one) (http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXASY3&P=ML)? I wonder what happened.

The link you referenced has the same Technical Note at the bottom that includes the statement about range limitation.

[Miami Mike]

Right. That's why I wrote "and this one". They forgot to edit the range limitation note out of that one too.

What I'm suggesting is that maybe they decided there wasn't a range problem after all, or maybe they fixed it. I've never heard of anyone experiencing range problems with any Futaba gear.

[Johnnie Paul]

ground testing is free, so I guess I'll round up my gear and test some distances...otherwise I will drop some $$$ on a receiver that will work for my 2M plane I was inquiring about in the newer thread.

thank you

Johnnie

[jfrickmann]

Futaba admits that R156F and R114F ar not suited for sailplanes here:
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4271729/tm.htm
When I asked them why they advertise a package with R156F as "great for sailplanes", they simply deleted my post. And I quit my account on RC Universe!!

Jesper

[aeajr]

Futaba admits that R156F and R114F ar not suited for sailplanes here:
Jesper

You make it sound like they were hiding something. They state clearly that it is a limted range receiver suitable for parkflyers. They never suggested it was good for sailplanes.

[Miami Mike]

No, I don't think they state that clearly at all. Maybe they did at one time, but you need to take a fresh look at those web pages and the online manual (http://www.futaba-rc.com/manuals/2fr-3fr-manual.pdf). You'll find the range limit mentioned in some places but not in others. For example, check the link you gave in post #11 (http://www.futaba-rc.com/radioaccys/futl26.html). I don't see any reference to range or to park flyers anywhere on that page. Do you?

You're right about the sailplane recommendation referring to the AM version though. It's in this catalog (http://www.futaba-rc.com//sellsheets/futz2004-catalog.pdf), but I couldn't find any mention of a range limit there either.

[aeajr]

Perhaps, since I often use Tower as a first reference point, I spotted this limitation early on.

BTW, I probably buy more from Tower than any other web source, partly because I find their documentation to be very good, so I trust what I buy.

The second place I ran into this receiver was in the Futaba 3FR manual were it says, on page 8, that this receiver can not be recommended for long distance applications.

To me all Thermal Duration sailplanes of 2M or greater, qualify as planes that would normally be flown at distance. My friend's Spectra sailpalane came with this receiver and I challenged Great Planes on the use of this receiver. They have since changed their packaging.

[histarter]

ground testing is free, so I guess I'll round up my gear and test some distances...otherwise I will drop some $$$ on a receiver that will work for my 2M plane I was inquiring about in the newer thread.

thank you

Johnnie
Rx range increases with altitude (better signal to noise ratio). If you are happy with reception from a full radiation ground test (Tx antenna extended), it is a safe assumption you will exceed that range in the air. :D

I built about 1/2 doz 2 trans (fet) recievers for myself and friends (for sloping), and they shocked us with their ability to range out in the air. Selectivity was poor, so we never used these units at a contest site - but they did just fine in my 'lone eagle' Shuttle 120 test bed - never flying out of range. :eek:

[rdwoebke]

1.5M - about 1500 feet, about .5 KM or about 1/4 mile


I don't know that range is really related to how a RX will handle "rejection", but in hand launch having a quality RX is very important if you intend to contest. Contesting generally puts 5-10 or more TXes in a small area and the models in many cases are closer in proximity to another flyer's TX than your own.

So food for thought on that.

Ryan