Hi,
I was wondering if anyone's managed to get a cheap Tx like the HobbyKings to work as a trainer box for Futaba radios? I'd really like a cheap student box so I can let some mates have a fly of my plane (and hopefully get them hooked on the hobby) without all the nasty crashing...
Thanks,
HC

Your best bet is to find a cheap modern Futaba on ebay like the 4yf http://www.futaba-rc.com/systems/futj40.html

I'm running late on this, but thought my experience may help somewhat.

I bought a turnigy 9x for use as a buddy box with my JR. When I got it they talked to each other fine (apart from having to remove module from turnigy-trap for young players!), but the channel outputs were different. The turnigy was the same as futaba I believe, something like ailerons on JR were throttle on turnigy etc. To get around that I flashed the ER9X custom firmware and the radio is awesome with that on it. SO many tricky features-custom low batt alarm so can use 2s lipo, mixing is heaps easier than JR (maybe similar to futaba) etc. Another feature is the ability to set whatever channel to whatever output for each model in memory, so I could then set it up the same as the JR and use it as a buddy box.

Anyway, this is all moot if you know that a JR and futaba can't talk to one another via buddy cable. I don't know that myself, and don't have a futaba to try on. If you know that they will, then I think the channel set ups are the same so you could probably use it out of the box. I still recomend the custom firmware though

Wow that's great! I don't know if the Futaba and Tournigy can talk to each other but if so, you'd have a buddy box setup and you could still use the Tournigy as a separate controller when you wanted as well.
Having the Futaba I haven't bought any other controllers but I'd like to give the 9x a go sometime, it looks like great value.
I ended up buying a dedicated trainer box for the futaba - it's pretty crap with analog trims and no smarts (why would you need trims on a buddy box that you have to mix through the master transmitter, as it doesnt have any programming?).
HC

Never mix different brands of master TX and student boxes; also never use trainer cord of different brand, or you are likely to end up with burnt radios.

Always be wary of people using the words "always" and "never"

Of course it is possible to mix radios of different brands. Simulators are also compatible with different brands. The de facto standard for simulator/buddy signals are a PPM signal.

However John K has a point that there is a risk of damaging the radios, as some may expect a 3V signal and will not accept a 5V signal. Furthermore the cable may supply power to the buddy box from the instructor box, which may use different voltages.

As always: RTFM.

All there is to know about buddy box:
http://users.belgacom.net/TX2TX/tx2t...h/tx2txgb1.htm