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Originally Posted by bradymartin

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Not sure, as its still tied in the box. I use a DX6I on that model.

Originally Posted by North_of_49

It doesn't have much range... I almost put my Champ into my neighbor's back yard a couple of times when I lost contact. This was during the first couple of days I had it... wised up, got off my lazy azz and programmed it into my DX6i and permanently shelved the toy transmitter..

I forgot to mention yesterday when we were discussing the Eneloop issue...

For charging my ultra micro 1S lipos I picked up a little Thunder Power 4 port pocket charger. I know you don't want to go back to buying alkalines.... this little charger can't even use them anyway... but you can use a wall adapter or a 12v battery like your car or small AGM sealed lead-acid battery to power it... I usually use the latter. It also comes in a cheaper DC only version. (I won't be using it anymore though, now that I have a Hyperion 1S 6 port parallel adapter to hook up to my "real" charger)

TP103CQ-ACDC
Attachment 5468309


PS - I usually take 4 batteries with me to go fly my Champ. I like to give the motor and electronics a rest after that.

if i can get 500 feet ill be happy with the range, i think.

hey thanks for that recommendation. i think that charger would suit me better than to keep buying alkalines to charge the scouts lipos. so this comes with an ac wall adapter and will charge both the champ and the scout lipo batteries? i dont want to keep buying alkaline batteries for the scout. the savings in the long run would be worth it plus i have a 10% code at hobby zone going right now.

Originally Posted by bradymartin

hey thanks for that recommendation. i think that charger would suit me better than to keep buying alkalines to charge the scouts lipos. so this comes with an ac wall adapter and will charge both the champ and the scout lipo batteries? i dont want to keep buying alkaline batteries for the scout. the savings in the long run would be worth it plus i have a 10% code at hobby zone going right now.

Yeah, it'll charge any of the small 1S lipos. To get the one with the wall adapter you have to get the one that specifically says ACDC in the name... there's a cheaper version without the adapter.

You might come across a post in one of the Champ threads where I was having issues powering on my Champ without its brick going into fast flashing LED mode and not initializing. During that discussion I hadn't ruled out that maybe my little charger wasn't charging my lipos even though it said they were ready. It was this TP pocket charger I was using. At the time, I also said that, until I could rule it out, I couldn't recommend it. I never did investigate it... I broke my Champ shortly after that and haven't fixed it yet. I'm not saying the charger was the problem... even if it was, looking back now, it's entirely possible that my little 12v sealed lead-acid battery I was using to power the TP charger needed charging itself.

... just wanted to give you full disclosure in case you come across that discussion and are wondering... why is he recommending this to me then

TP is good stuff and they stand behind their products... my issue was probably, as I have always suspected, a brick going bad in my Champ.

Having said that, though...

If you plan on staying in the hobby, your money would be better spent on a "real" computerized charger and a multi-port ultra-micro parallel charging adapter.

The Thunder (not Thunder Power) AC6 sold at hobbypartz.com is cheap and many guys here are using it. The upgraded 80 watt version AC680 is only 5 bucks more when it's on sale.
http://www.hobbypartz.com/thac6smbachw.html
http://www.hobbypartz.com/73p-ac680-accharger.html

The Hyperion parallel adapter can be bought for around $8... I just received one I bought on ebay.
http://media.hyperion.hk/dn/g3lipo/lgum6p.htm

brady,

forgot to mention... I don't think you'll get 500ft with the toy transmitter... I was having cut-outs at less than that. I remember others experiencing the same.

damn dude you are giving me LOTS to think about.

originally i was just thinking, buy a cool little rtf heli to fly around the house. then maybe buy a cool little rtf airplane to fly at the park, then maybe the dsm rtf supercub to fly in larger areas. now im thinking about upgrading transmitter, chargers etc.

this hobby its like home theater, upgrade after upgrade after upgrade

I know

I went through the same dilemma. Some of my purchases are obsolete now that I have better versions of some of the support items. Some of those purchases were made on impulse because I could get them locally and wanted them right away. If I could afford to wait for shipping etc. I would probably have done some of it a bit differently... like the charger.

Originally Posted by North_of_49

brady,

forgot to mention... I don't think you'll get 500ft with the toy transmitter... I was having cut-outs at less than that. I remember others experiencing the same.

Its been brought up many times here, don't fly far away with the "toy" tx or you will fly away much farther than you intended. The throttle will remain at the last setting when control range was lost and it will only stop when it hits something or LVC, whichever comes first . The stock tx also has a pretty large cone of silence if you point the antenna at the plane during flight. Only recently did I ever try the stock tx thinking it would be good for letting a noobie fly it but quickly discovered the dead antenna cone. Too bad they didn't make the antenna angle off to one side. If you lose control of your Champ quickly turn your body away from the plane to not point the antenna at it, if that fails, run fast in your planes direction and hope you regain communication with it .

Originally Posted by North_of_49

I know

I went through the same dilemma. Some of my purchases are obsolete now that I have better versions of some of the support items. Some of those purchases were made on impulse because I could get them locally and wanted them right away. If I could afford to wait for shipping etc. I would probably have done some of it a bit differently... like the charger.

ok i just had a few thoughts.

can the champs stock charger use eneloops?

does the champ stock transmitter have range for a football field? i think thats 300 feet?

lastly can the champs stock charger charge the blade scout lipos? if yes to all 3 i dont have much to worry about.

fellasi wont be flying the champ in an area larger than this.

Hobby Zone Champ Flying Review (5 min 9 sec)

Not sure about the Champ's charger and Eneloops. I only used it, with stock alkalines, for the first few charges then started sticking the stock lipo, along with other lipos previously bought for my helis, on the TP pocket charger.

Football field. About 300ft. Hmmm? That might even be pushing it. Hard to say.

Any charger that can charge small 1S ultra-micro lipos will take the 70mah Scout lipos... they're just shorter.

Originally Posted by bradymartin

fellasi wont be flying the champ in an area larger than this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPbIRGqiHkU

I can't judge the distance in that video... but he's obviously doing it

yeah what i meant by posting that video is it looks like hes flying the champ in an area thats around 300 feet and thats plenty for me so i dont need to upgrade to dx6i

Originally Posted by bradymartin

fellasi wont be flying the champ in an area larger than this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPbIRGqiHkU

in the Video, looks good, I feel the DX5E will give you better range and better control, and a smoother flight, better yet the DX6I will just put an end to the stock tx, and you be set, in the hobby?

Enjoyed the video,