Newbie - kinda

On Tue, 08 May 2007 20:47:27 GMT, "Craig C." wrote in :

LXJDG0 is Tower's inventory number. I think the model is 9CAPS.

LXKTU5 = 9CHPS

I can't pick up the difference from looking at Tower's website.

These are excellent.

They are in the top rank. "Best" is in the eye of the customer.

Marty

Modern technology being what it is, the radio of today may be supplanted by the radio of tomorrow in an instant. My suggestion would be to get your hands on a copy of any major modeling magazine of 10 or more years ago and see who is still in the radio business today with support for those 10 year old radios.

In other words, take that magazine to your local hobby shop and ask them for a receiver, servos and etcetera that are compatible with each one from that era that strikes your fancy. See who still supports that radio and give them higher marks than a company who only supports their most recent entry into the marketplace. At that point, you should have a short list of companies who are in the business of long term support without orphaned equipment.

In my past lines of business, I always found that the old Yellow Pages of 10 plus years ago (found at the local library) provided me with a list, just like the one mentioned above, of reliable companies to deal with. If a company survived that long, chances are they were an honest, hard working company and would like to remain in business. If they were still in today's Yellow Pages, they got my business over the new, flashier companies just starting out.

None of that is meant to imply that a new company is bad but I did and still do shift the odds in my favor by using that practice.

-- Ray

What he said about the Tower numbers. The Futaba 9CAPS is a 9 channel radio designed for airplanes, hence the A in the model number. I have this radio and love it. The 9CHPS radio is very similar, but is designed for helicopters. Mode 1 and mode 2 refer to which transmitter sticks control which flight surfaces. Mode 2 is most popular in the US. In mode 2 the rudder and throttle are on the left stick and the ailerons and elevator are on the right stick. With mode 1 , the throttle and elevator are reversed from mode

1. If you are in the US, I'd get a radio in mode 1. Another thing. The industry has started to produce what they call spread spectrum radios. They have some real advantages over the FM sets and may well become the wave of the future. If you think you will be in the hobby for quite some time, you might do yourself a favor and consider one of these radios. Talk to someone at a GOOD hobby shop in your area or ask questions on some of the forums at RCUniverse.com. Sorry, but I can't comment on surface craft radios. Remember, ALL your takeoffs are optional, NONE of your landings are. Paul

Oops, fingers got ahead of my brain. If you are in the US, I would get a radio in mode 2, not mode 1. You'll find mode guys familiar with that and able to help you. Paul

9CAPS & 9CHPS both have the same internal software (acro, sailplane, heli) so it's a wash there.

Some of the switch types/functions are swapped sides on each TX ... minor difference.

So basically, if you have any inkling that you might try flying a heli or maybe even sell your TX to a heli pilot ... I'd go with the 9CHPs. It will fly all of your airplanes and sailplanes and heli's ... without having to open the case and mod the throttle stick movement (as you would probably end up doing with the 9CAPS).

If you stay strictly in airplanes/sailplanes ... and start off with the smooth throttle movement of the 9CHPS ... you'll never know the difference anyway ... and then someday, done the road, you may feel the urge to test your heli piloting skills ... you'll already have the TX set up for it.

Even some of the 3D airplane pilots who like to hang on the prop use the heli versions because of the smooth throttle movement.

IHTH

Did you mean to say that you would get Mode 2 in the US since it is the most popular.

Ummm, yup. Eye'll blaim it on meye phingurs thish teyem

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Paul:

Thanks for bringing up the subject of spread spectrum radios. I have a question about spread spectrum and radios such as the Futaba 9CAP.

If I'm not mistaken, this radio is capable of using modules which change the frequency on which it transmits. That means one can buy a module which will allow it to fly planes with receivers of various frequencies. However, I think if you have a 9CAP radio that, as purchased, transmits on channel 58, you can use the transmitter to control a plane on channel 44 if you buy a synthesized module which allows you to change the transmission frequency via a dial.

I also understand a spread spectrum module is available which would allow you to use the 9 CAP with spread spectrum receivers. It would appear that this would give the owner of the 9 CAP the ability to fly any of his planes with any Futaba receivers (and maybe other brands) as well as move to spread spectrum receivers with the purchase of two modules (the synthesized module and the spread spectrum module). I'm not sure any of this applies to PCM, but I understand it applies to PPM.

It would seem to me that this might be the way to go for folks who have a lot of planes on different frequencies and wish to move into spread spectrum. They could use the 9 CAP to fly on "standard" frequencies and then buy spread spectrum receivers for any new planes. Of course, assuming the modules cost about $100 each, it isn't the cheapest way to get into spread spectrum, but if you already have the 9 CAP it might be cost efficient. I'd like to hear the comments of the group regarding this.

Harlan

Blimey..is that the way to start these days? I'd personally purchase an electric parkflyer for a 10 year old..

Mode 1 has throttle on the right stick, elevator on the left. Mode two is the opposite.

Ain't no such animal. I thought a Royal Evo 12 might be it, but now with

On Wed, 9 May 2007 00:32:00 -0500, "H Davis" wrote in :

Yes.

Yes.

PCM is a method of encoding signals sent over FM.

I doubt very much that there will be any remnant of the "PCM vs. PPM" distinction in the 2.4 GHz world. By its nature, you need an encoding/decoding system to avoid intereference from other devices using the same band.

I'm hoping to avoid buying into SS for a while. I want to let things settle down. Frequency control has been working OK for me at our flying field. It is rarely a big deal to take turns with those on my channels. If and when I make the move, I'll probably try to get a cut rate on six or eight receivers and change everything over all at once.

Marty

Picky, picky......... there is a remnant when this particular Futaba radio is converted to 2.4 GHz. IIRC, channel 9 is only available while in PCM mode. Plug in a SS module and only 8 can be used, same as for PPM.

Abel

Respectfully, I think if you re-read what I wrote, you'll see that *I* am also trying to get back into the hobby. The .60 Trainer and high end radio will be used by me (to knock the rust off) while teaching my 10 year old about the hobby. After I have mastered flying again, I will move on to nicer and larger airplanes and hand the .60 Trainer over to my 10 year old (if it survives me learning). If she takes to it, then I will purchase a separate (but same model) radio for her at that time.

Got it. Mode 2 is what I want.

Perhaps you are correct. I'll rephrase: I would like a radio that can run more than one plane (I'm assuming synthesized radios are best for this) that will last more than a two or three years.

I believe the Futaba 9CHPS Mode 2 sounds like the best choice based on the responses to my original post.

Thanks, Craig C.

On Wed, 09 May 2007 07:10:33 -0700, Abel Pranger wrote in :

OK.

That's an argument for waiting until Futaba produces a all-SS TX, I guess.

Marty

Craig, I think your heading in the right direction. You are leaning toward the Heli TX. I think you should be absolutly sure of the differences between the 9CAPS and the 9CHPS. I don't know the differences myself even though I just bought a 9cap with pcm and digi servos, it's still in the box. Can anyone tell me how the throttle hold works on the 9CHPS as opposed to the 9CAPS mk

Well, I wish I knew for sure. After talking with the prez of the local club in addition to some negativity here about Futaba, he indicated that spread spectrum would be the way to go. I did a bit of research and a JR - X9303 2.4 with the Spektrum DSM2 seems to be a good candidate.

Any opinions?

Craig C.

If I were buying new, now, I'd buy spread spectrum. Id buy JR because I prefer the way they do the mixing and programming, to futaba. I have 3 futabas already..and thats their weakest feature.

I HATE push button trims with a passion..I want movable KNOBS.

Throttle hold function would work identical in both TX's (both TXs have the identical programming) however the switch to activate throttle hold might be in different locations between the two TX's