Shame about the DX9 - I've been quite impressed with them to date.

 

Yeah me too. - to date. I mean I wasnt hitting the sticks like a horse. When I look at Alan Szabo's stick movements.. He hits much harder!

 

Can't fix it with a new spring? or even a new gimble?
The DX9 is nice and small for the easy fit in the hand...

 

It can be fixed for shure. But after that I will sell it and have a look at the new DX18. The 18 fits even better for thumb flying. The DX8 and DX9 are pretty fat IMO.

 

Well I have the DX8 and I got a bad one. I have had it for about 2 years and I have to disassemble and clean the pots every 3-4 months. Its a hard job to get to the pots as well. This transmitter has been responsible for 3 crashes before I retired it due to frustration. I know spectrum can be good - ie the dx7 are fantastic and i dont know to many people with DX9s. My choice now is Futaba due to the feel of the gimbals. Its much faster for me.

 

Well I know for sure you wont regret the DX18, although you might have to forgo a date night or two with the Mrs when she realises how many shoes she could have bought with the same sum
Kyle raves about his!! Looks pretty spec too

 

That is a good point @smakmeharder . I'm a futaba man myself and have to say the feel is quality all the way, even in the cheaper models.
Might be worth trying the Futaba's @iggy You'll get the quality and at half the price of the DX18 you'll get a damn good Futaba.

 

Wow @ZEN RC i had a look at the price of these... roughly 1000.00 so it must be a quality unit! Certainly looks the part. Have you actually felt the gimbals? looks impressive thats for sure.

 

Hahahaha Im lucky that Mrs doesnt even know the prices of all that stuff!!

The new 18 is sweet. But I have to hold it in my hands first and have a feel.

@smakmeharder - how do you mean the futaba feels faster? This would be an option too. Which one is the best? What about S-Bus and FBL connections? Is it complicated to program?

 

No haven't used one to be honest - only seen Kyles. Have held it and drooled over it a bit and felt like a damn good unit to be sure.

 

I got myself a Futaba for pretty much the same reason, Never looked back ..

 

I am glad you asked @iggy. I like faster style flying and that demands that everything feel fluid. The spring tension system in the Dx8 felt as if there was uneven pressure from center stick to outside stick and it felt tighter as well. Also the structure of the dx8 made my hands stretch more and this resulted in more difficulty trying to lock in certain maneuvers - ie the piroflip.

When i felt the futaba sg14 in my hands i was sold. the edge of the transmitter is closer to the center of the stick gimbal and this means that you don't have to reach as much when you push the stick towards the center of the transmitter. I dont have huge hands either by the way. If you had huge hands the futaba may actually be worse for you. You have to do exactly as you said. Pick up the transmitter and hold it.

I would recommend going to a store and feeling each model transmitter that you are interested in side by side. So put a spektrum, jr and futaba on the counter, pick each unit up and hold the unit exactly as if you were flying - this may involve the use of a neck strap if you use one. Which one really feels better for you?

The next thing is the transmitter/receiver combination. Because you use spectrum, you have spectrum receivers. If you were to buy a futaba you need futaba receivers. This is usually not a big deal. If you use a beastx, check that it will bind with a futaba or jr. IMO the futaba has a more reliable and steady signal connection. I never had an issue with the 14sg but i did with the spektrum dx8 and so did @The Dude

The only disadvantage of the futaba is the model select. If you use the futaba with the wrong model selected on the menu there is no fail safe. But with spektrum there is. I never had this issue but others have. All it means is you make sure you have the right model selected when you fly and this is shown very clearly on your LCD screen.

Re the programming of the units, futaba is harder to understand. But the reason it is harder is mainly because it allows you to do more things. For example you can assign any switch to do anything. There is a lot to like about the futaba. I have had my unit for 2 years now. And it has never once let me down. I was using my dx8 for one year and i had all sorts of isssues. Like i said i probably got a dud one. But even to this day using my dx8 soley for sim work. 3 months and i have to pull it apart and clean the pots.

I hope this helps...

 

Thank you very much @smakmeharder. This will help me to find the right one.

I never felt comfortable on the DX9. Its just to fat for me as a thumb flyer. So Im focusing now on the Futaba T10J and the DX18 V2. I think I will get the Futaba. The programing on the new software is something I will learn quickly. Im not affraid about this.

Is is possible to screw the sticks in on the Futabas to make them shorter? And how can I use my AR7200BX with the T10J?

Kind regards,

 

Futaba sticks are completely adjustable so no issues there. However i believe the AR7200BX uses an in-built spektrum receiver. So i do not think you can use a futuaba radio on this flybarless unit.

However there is a version of beastx where you can use any unit.

 

JR 11x Zero, perfect and you won't have to change your receivers. Just bind and fly to you existing models. Two big thumbs up for this.
Simon

 

Just updated to the JR XG14 . $550 with metal gimbals nice and light 800g . Very happy

 

Hi @simon

There ia no imformation about compatibility with dsmx satellites or receivers with the 11x zero.. Just dsm2?

Kind regards,

 

Dsmx is a upgrade from dsm2 and is backwards compatible. Dsmx can run a dsm2 reciever

 

G'day Mate
I'll check that, I run DSM2 exclusively, my brother (@Andrew R , runs the Jr11xZero as well, and I'm sure he runs DSMX protocols on some of his helis. I'll ask him, (or you can chime in here Hooks) and I'll dig up the manual and check there too. I'll get back to you later in the day. The gimbals are great and silky smooth, easy to program, and switches seem in the right place with good spacing (for me). What ever you get, hold it first and feel it, visualize yourself flying with it - radios cost lots of money and all the mixing is done in the FBL (well nearly all) so we buy a radio now for feel, not features so much , get something you love to hold - you'll fly more.
Simon