Hi group,
I'm soon to be in the market for a new radio, and I'm looking for a feature I can't seem to find anywhere.
Are there any Txs out there that either have assignable channels for flaps, or the flaps on Ch 5? I'd like to fly some of my small electric birds with the FMA M5 receiver (very light dual conversion) and be able to run flaperons.
It would seem to be an easy feature to add to computer radios, but none of the Tx manuals I've read online seem to offer it.
Thanks, PCPhill
Heck, you can program a lowly Brand-F 8UA V1.0 to do that. Ch5 is usually the main gear channel, but you can disable the gear function and use it for your flaps.
You could then use a PMIX mapped to whatever switch or knob you want for basic flap control and have the output show up on channel 5. Then use an elevator ->
flap mix to fine tune the flap behavior and you're good to go...
/daytripper
I know of no computer radio that assigns flaps to Ch.5 as a matter of course. If any channel was considered a standard for flaps, it would be Ch.
6... Ch 5 is generally assigned to retracts...The Futaba 9C allows you to assign just about any programmable function to just about any switch.. The possibilities boggle the mind, and are practically endless..
Using the one of the two "Slider" pots to operate flaps is great.. With just a bit of finaglin' you can have the flaps respond in direct proportion to the amount of movement on the slider, from no flaps all the way to full flaps, giving a "feel" that was unattainable before.
Futaba got it right with this transmitter......
Cheers,
The futaba 9C has sliders on the sides you could assign to flapperons.
Craig
PCPhill wrote:
Phil...
I must admit I missed the part about you wishing to use Ch. 5 as your flap function.. I guess whether or not that will work depends on whether or not Ch. 5 is a proportional Channel on your FMA Rx...
On the old Hitec 535 it was NOT; but the 535 Rx actually has a six channel chip, and the sixth channed can be "tapped" and put to use...
Cheers,
Bill
Thanks for the input. I did a quick scan through some Futaba manuals, but didn't realize I could move the flaps by disabling the gear switch. As a side question, I don't suppose any of the Futaba rigs support pos. and neg. shift? All my current gear is JR :(
I wonder why the radio mfgs put gear on 5 anyway. I know many more people using flaps/ flaperon than retracts, not to mention the electric heli flyers who could use a 5CH receiver if they were switched...
PCPhill
| Thanks for the input. I did a quick scan through some Futaba manuals, but | didn't realize I could move the flaps by disabling the gear switch.
Basically you do it by disabling the gear switch, then mixing the knob (usually channel 6) into channel 5. The Futaba 9C and 8U can do it, and I think the 6XAS can as well. No idea about the new Futaba 6EXA channel computer radio, but I suspect it can as well.
Using that little round knob for flaps really sucks -- there's not really tactile feedback telling what it's set to. The sliders on the left and right of the 9C are *perfect* for flaps.
| As a side question, I don't suppose any of the Futaba rigs support | pos. and neg. shift?
No, they dont.
| All my current gear is JR :(
Neither does any of the JR equipment that I'm aware of. The Hitec Eclipse 7 *does* support selectable shifts, and while I've no expereience with it myself, everything I've seen about it has been very positive. And it even supports the Spectra module (without worrying about the FCC and AMA bitching at you for using it in a Futaba transmitter) allowing you to use it with any channel.
I'm not aware of any other radio made by the `big 4' (Futaba, JR, Hitec, Airtronics) that has selectable shift. All of these manufacturers make extremely good stuff, so you won't go wrong with any of them (as long as you pick something that has the right shift to work with what you've already got, of course.)
If you want selectable shift, I don't think you'll go wrong with the Hitec Eclipse 7. It's probably cheaper than comparable radios by Futaba and JR as well ...
| I wonder why the radio mfgs put gear on 5 anyway. I know many more | people using flaps/ flaperon than retracts, not to mention the | electric heli flyers who could use a 5CH receiver if they were | switched...
Does Futaba even sell a 5 channel receiver? They'd probably prefer that you buy one of their 7 channel receivers for your helicopter. Of course, it costs 2x as much as your FMA M5 and isn't nearly as good.
(That FMA M5 receiver really is an excellent receiver. I have three I think and love them ...)
Airtronics makes a couple that are shift-selectable. Both Airtronics and Hitec are generally considered "second class" radio systems, so they have incentive to be as compatible with the "big boys," JR and Futaba, as they possibly can.
PCPhill- Peter Berg, a savvy designer/supplier of RC Rx's, noticed that too. That's why the Berg 5 CH Rx has channels 1-4 and 6.
Abel
Oh my goodness! Mitch, ya rascal, have you flown said 17 yet?
Heard about Bob Perreault. Say hi if you see him soon...
/daytripper
Bingo!
The Berg receiver actually sounds like the easest solution to my needs. It's the same weight as the FMA to boot.
I've been able to use mixes to simulate the flaps on CH 5, but it's a major hassle to get everything working as it should, vs a simple set up on Ch 6.
I'm going to start a new thread to ask for input on the Berg, I haven't met anyone who has used one.
Thanks to all for the input, PCPhill
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