Which Radio System Is Best?

[Spats]

I just experienced something that scared the hell out of me. For years I watched guys crash and blame it on the radio usually yelling black out/lock out bla bla bla but when we walked up to the plane everything was working great. I never lost a plane due to radio even in the old 72mgh days, always dumb thumbs. I started flying with Kraft radios in the 70's and when they went away I went to Futaba and I now have the 18mz. Last year at Nall I purchased a Spectrum DX8 for some bind and fly foam, gliders ect.

I was flying with the Dx8 last week when all of a sudden I had nothing. The plane was in a slow turn to the left and continued to circle until it snapped over and crashed in the pits. Thankfully it was a weekday that only three of us meet to fly so no one was near the crash. It was a small foam plane so not so bad but that feeling in my stomach was hard to get rid of.

Most of the big name brands are good radios and with thousands of flights things are going to happen. I think Spectrum is a good radio and for some it makes the hobby affordable. It's a personal choice based on many things and I fault no one for what they buy but for me I need more confidence in my system and I just don't get it from other brands as I do Futaba.

 

[ryan_m]

Spats, I had similar things happen with a DX9, and also with a JR9503. Over the last year I had about five spektrum planes fall out of the sky. I have been flying Spektrum for about 5 years now with no problems until this last year. After the first three on my 9503 happened I switched to a DX9. Had the same thing happen there, and then had another where the dx9 rebooted itself while in mid flight. There is more to that story... the trainer ports on DX9's have issues. But the radio actually rebooted causing a crash. That was it for me. Switched to JR DMSS and bought an XG11. No more DSM2/DSMX for me.

 

[Spats]

I have always wondered why exactly JR split from Spectrum? Wish I had the inside info. We have had couple problems at our field with newer Spectrums it seems.

 

[ryan_m]

Story I heard on the spektrum/JR split is this. Back when 2.4 was starting out JR had good hardware, Spektrum didn't. So they partnered up on a 3 year deal. JR developed their own solution for use in Japan as their regulations required a full frequency hopping system, and DSM2 only picks 2 channels (DSMX wasn't out yet). So they developed the DMSS protocol, and initially it was only available overseas. Then as the three year agreement ended and JR was free to market their DMSS here in the US, they began to do so. I expect that they can make more money on their own stuff.

 

[Spats]

Story I heard on the spektrum/JR split is this. Back when 2.4 was starting out JR had good hardware, Spektrum didn't. So they partnered up on a 3 year deal. JR developed their own solution for use in Japan as their regulations required a full frequency hopping system, and DSM2 only picks 2 channels (DSMX wasn't out yet). So they developed the DMSS protocol, and initially it was only available overseas. Then as the three year agreement ended and JR was free to market their DMSS here in the US, they began to do so. I expect that they can make more money on their own stuff.

That's the most rational story I have heard so far.

Thanks for that.

 

[Decal Dennis]

I did have a strange thing happen with my DX7 earlier this summer on the maiden flight.......All checked out on the ground ok, took off, made several laps around the field trimming the plane as I went, plane was reacting normally to inputs, then 3/4 of the way thru a big banking turn, total loss of control, plane went into the dreaded death spiral and crashed. When I got to the plane, all surfaces were functioning. Hmmmmmm, first issue I've ever had regarding the tx/rx!!!

100% tx/rx issue....NOT dumb thumbs!!! I think I might be the only person in our hobby that would admit to a "Dumb Thumb" lol

 

[TazmanianDevil]

Went thru them all.
Sanwa, JR 72mhz dsm2, Futaba 73mhz Fasst, and now JR dmss.

Except for Sanwa all are great.
I find the JR sticks much more responsive then all the others.

 

[sailr]

Airtronics all the way.

 

[Hoosier06]

Story I heard on the spektrum/JR split is this. Back when 2.4 was starting out JR had good hardware, Spektrum didn't. So they partnered up on a 3 year deal. JR developed their own solution for use in Japan as their regulations required a full frequency hopping system, and DSM2 only picks 2 channels (DSMX wasn't out yet). So they developed the DMSS protocol, and initially it was only available overseas. Then as the three year agreement ended and JR was free to market their DMSS here in the US, they began to do so. I expect that they can make more money on their own stuff.

Hey Ryan, would appreciate if you kept in touch. I am anxious to hear how the DMSS works out for guys using it.

 

[ryan_m]

Hoosier, so far my DMSS has been great. Only been using it about 6 weeks or so, and with the weather lately I haven't flown as much as I would have liked. But I've got about 10 models converted over to it, and have about 100 flights on DMSS with my XG11 and all have been excellent. I love the rx voltage telemetry and alarms you can do on the voltage, as well as alarms on a signal loss condition. However, the voltage drop/loss or signal loss needs to be for about 3-4 seconds before it squawks about it.

About to install a Unisense unit into a glider to get even more telemetry, those are nifty little units that give you an altimeter, vario, and voltage/mah used telemetry all in one little unit. The unit works with about every radio system except Spektrum