Originally Posted by Jim Buzzeo

+1 so far... and there may still be hope for your 'old' 72Mhz Futaba system...
if it's modular, (has the tx crystal in a removable plug in module on the back of the tx)
you can get a 2.4 ghz module and move forward
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXBHZT&P=7

That is pretty cool and my Skysport 6A does have the crystal on the back like that. However I just don't see the point to dropping $100 on that and then another $80 on a Futaba receiver to get an old radio back up and running when I can get a Hitec 6 channel 2.4ghz with TWO receivers for $200 or the Airtronics 8 channel programmable TX for the same $200. The only reason I dropped the $50 to get new batteries is because... well its $50 vs $200 and I've got 3 sets of crystals so if someone at the field is hogging a channel I'll just swap on the spot and run one of the other channels. I MAY get another of the old 72mhz units up and running but that will probably be it. When I get my B-25 once I get good at flying again I will not want to trust it to a 72mhz and the chance of having it shot out of the sky by some noob or park flyer. Heck I've seen a guy with YEARS of experience turn on a TX in the pits before without even looking at the board. Lucky for him nobody was flying, I would have a very hard time not throwing a punch at someone who shot down a $1000+ model honestly. I wouldn't because I have a family and career to think about but it would take some willpower...

Also the Tunigy Chinamen system has great reviews and is $54 for a 9 channel and the receiver lolol. I think maybe I should have gone with them but those things are hard to find in stock. Apparently they sold out on Hobbyking in 7 hours last time they got a shipment... email notification is on.

http://www.hobbypartz.com/79p-th9x-r...nel-radio.html

even though its a few dollars more, its here in the states, and only 5 bucks shipping!(they just up'd free shipping from 50$ ta 100$ )

its what I use on most my models, including my 50cc extra 260! and if you get a couple extra recievers, you can get your order over a c-note! and get ya free shipping!

I have had no problems with hobbypartz or any of there sister comps! usualy get your order in 3 days if you order tue's afternoon

Hmmm that is a pretty good deal too. If you load it up with NiMH batteries can you recharge them via a plug on the TX and if so what charger is good? If not then what you just get a AA recharger or just buy new AA Alkalines every week for it? I can get 36 Rayovacs for $12 but I'd rather have rechargeable. Or can you throw a LiPo into it?

Thanks for the link... I might jump on it. And to think I wasted $50 Futaba batteries from Tower for my old Futaba before I knew any better. Oh well I'll make a good bench radio if I don't wind up using it.

Those 9x turnigy whatever radios sound interesting. A guy at work is looking at getting one because he likes the fact that they can be modded with different boards and stuff. I think they have a pretty big following of geeks.

I just put in aa ni-cads, and use the radio plug from my futaba charger!

and yes you can easily mod the board ta back-lit and make it easier to program!

I havn't done it yet! yes they are a lil tricky to program, but once you get the hang of it, its pretty simple!

and the gimbles are actualy better then the old futaba's!

P.s. the turnagy 9x and the flysky are the same radio, you can use either recievers with either radio!

Originally Posted by whiskykid

http://www.hobbypartz.com/79p-th9x-r...nel-radio.html

even though its a few dollars more, its here in the states, and only 5 bucks shipping!(they just up'd free shipping from 50$ ta 100$ )

its what I use on most my models, including my 50cc extra 260! and if you get a couple extra recievers, you can get your order over a c-note! and get ya free shipping!

I have had no problems with hobbypartz or any of there sister comps! usualy get your order in 3 days if you order tue's afternoon

Oh, one other question, is Flysky radio they are selling now the newer one that has the nub on top and the antenna as a removable module coming out of the back or is it the one they show in the video? I dont' want the one they show in the vid, I want the newest one and I see it at a few other places for a little more... Could you please let me know if the ones you got from them are the newer ones or the one in the vid?

Thanks

edit:

The part number ends with R9B so I'm assuming it is the latest version but I've learned not to assume lol...

Also, what receiver batteries get used nowadays for these newer radios? Still 4.8 nicads like my old Futabas or is it some crazy LiFe battery? Or either?

I got one of the first ones, mine is just like the one in the vidio!

I just bound the one my son-inlaw got for x-mas, and I believe it is the same one as mine!

as for batt's I still use good old fashion ni-cads, as I still use all my old futaba chargers! I bought one nice futaba radio, then several 4 channels cuase it was cheaper then just getting the flight packs! so I have several chargers.

although I do have a lipo charger, and yes you can get the newer batts, and from what I hear you put a life batt in your trans and only hafta charge it once maybe twice a year!

but I don't have my hobby room set-up or a garage, so in order to charge my lipo's I need to go open the hood on my F250 and charge lipo's! so I only use them for my jets and heli's which I don't fly that much!

so I just buy what my LHS sells which right now is mostly sanyo's! 4 and 5 cell! depending on the app.

P.s. the R9B refers too the 8 channel reciever that comes with the radio!

Hmmm crap... Might order one from another site then OR get the Tunigy Tx from HobbyKing that is just the unit and no module. Then upgrade right away to telemetry via the frysky module.

Gah, there is NEW one out? The 9XR, and it has all the stuff you had to do to mod the 9TH already done to it like USB and a backlit LCD... also has 16 model memory, programming and omfgwtfbbq features... on backorder but I've just backordered it along with a battery, FrSky Telemetry module and a FrySky receiver. I'll use my old 72mhz Futaba stuff till it arrives. This setup is under $150 and honestly looks like it beats out stuff costing nearly $1k... wow...

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the "old" 72 mhz stuff. If anything it is more "reliable" now as a lot of folks have switched to 2.4, therefore less chance of being shot down by somebody else. As far as park fliers are concerned, I'll bet 99.999% of them are using 2.4 so that would be the least of my concerns. 2.4 is not without problems also. Don't get me wrong as it is a good format. You just need to be a little sharper on where you put antennas and orientation of those antennas.

I bought a new Hitec Aurora 9 late in the season after my 20+ year old JR X347 bit the dust. I am very happy with the A9 and I see Hobby King has a couple of RX's for it now at a pretty good price. The A9 is a breeze to program after doing it a couple of times. I made a mistake when programing my DLG and it took me about 10 minutes to redo the whole program which included mixing elevator to flaps, three flight modes for flap settings, flaps on the throttle stick and a rudder aileron mix. In my simple mind it he price is reasonable also. Just a little shopping on line will get you a deal with extra RX's too.

Ken

the one thing besides cheap labor the chinese have going, is they are getting really good at copying things!
the materials they use, may not be of highest grade, but if you pick and choose what to buy! you can cut the cost of this hobby in 1/2!
and still enjoy having a few bucks left ta snack on when your flying!

just an added point!
most of the oldtimers at my field, that still fly wet fuel planes, all use 72mhz

and of course all the newbs that fly electric, mostly use spectrum!

I have seen, and heard of poeple loosing more planes from spectrum blackouts than all other systems combined! could be due too the fact there are so many out there!

Well I have an entire cart queued up on HobbyKing but have not pulled the trigger just yet... still going back and forth in my head. I know that most of the guys in the club I'm joining ARE old timers and a lot of them do use 72mhz still. I also know that a $200 purchase to get a radio that we could only fantasize about back in the late 90s PLUS batteries, PLUS chargers, PLUS other misc stuff is ridiculous.

Problem is that added to the fact that I have no idea how good my 14 year old glow fuel is and that its $30 per gallon around here... my small investment of basically just an ARF and a few receiver batteries might turn into alot more than that if I decide to go get an Evolution 10GX to make it a $400 total purchase for everything. I was kicking around going electric but 7ish minutes of flying time even on a LiPo is kinda meh. If it was just glow vs electric then its a no brainer but I can mix up a 20:1 gallon of gasoline for about $7.

Or I suck it up, drop $30 on fresh glow that'll last me 16 flights and I'm up in the air next weekend...

I don't know how much glow you have left, but I just last week, pulled an old 1/2 gal. I had in my hobby room for last 8yrs I'd say, and flew my cub with it!

glow fuel if kept at rm temp and out of sunlite, from what I have been told, last a long time!

but if your worried about the cost of fuel in the future, you should just go gas now!