R/C Gliders... Any Plans and Recommended Radio/Servos?

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majordude

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Back "in the day" there were tiny Kraft servos and then Cannon. I used to own a Futaba system but their servos were too big for what I needed so I had to swap them out. What is the preferred plan. radio and servos for R/C boost gliders nowadays? I have NO understanding of modern radios... the last one I used was 1982!
 
You could start with Rob's https://edmondsaerospace.com/RC.html page. Although that is analog RC stuff. Digital systems, such as the https://www.spektrumrc.com are becoming more popular. The combined radio/servo systems, look at https://www.horizonhobby.com/products/night-vapor-bnf-PKZU1180 as one example, are exceedingly cool.

What Will said.

I've used a Spektrum DX6i for 5 years now and LOVE it. I bought a second one a year or two later when I filled the 10 model memory. I just picked up a DX8 a couple of weeks ago. Tiny receivers and servos of good quality can be found everywhere for VERY reasonable prices.
 
I think that his point about the Night Vapor is that it uses a a RX&servo unit that would be likely a good candidate for RCBG.

Spektrum is a good brand - they are imported but so is everything else. To my the quality seems on par with what I'd expect but then again, I am a clueless newbie. I will say that Horizon Hobby has really, really good customer service so any issues you might have with a Spektrum RX they'll take care of you.
 
Spektrum is one player in the 2.4 ghz field. Futaba also has their own 2.4 system that is not compatible. Futaba also doesn't have much in the way of the micro gear that would interest folks doing lower power RC rocket powered gliders.
It's very easy to take just about any D or below RBG and convert it using one of the Spektrum all in one bricks.

kj
 
Spektrum is one player in the 2.4 ghz field. Futaba also has their own 2.4 system that is not compatible. Futaba also doesn't have much in the way of the micro gear that would interest folks doing lower power RC rocket powered gliders. It's very easy to take just about any D or below RBG and convert it using one of the Spektrum all in one bricks.

Ah. That makes sense. Back in the day, Futaba didn't have any micro servos either. Kraft and Cannon were the go-to solutions.
 
majordude,

It's going to be difficult to bring you up to speed from 1982 without writing a book. Heck, it would be hard to bring you up to speed from last year because of all the advancements in R/C gear. It seems that major advances are happening almost daily. Jason just bought a radio that talks to him and tells him the voltage of his flight pack in the airplane while he is flying.

Just know that radios have gotten better, components have gotten smaller, and everything has gotten cheaper. Pretty much all servos are compatible with any system. Hi-Tec servos are all the rage in our area and just a few years ago they were considered unreliable. Now they are about the best.

Don't purchase any 72mhz stuff. 2.4ghz is more dependable and there is less worry (none, I would say) about interference. I would recommend Spektrum due to the availability of the small bind and fly models that can be converted for RCRG use. I am flying everything from micro-lite to 40% scale airplanes with Spektrum and I flew Futaba for 40 years
Tactic from Great Planes also has come out with their "Tx ready" micro stuff and prices are low on these as well as the Tx's to fly them. JR and Spektrum Tx's and Rx's are compatible. Every other manufacturer is pretty much exclusive.

There is a lot to digest. Feel free to ask specific questions. There are a lot of smart folks here and I'm willing to try to answer them too.

By the way, Kraft and Cannon are both out of business. :(
 
To echo what Joe said - it is OVERWHELMING the amount of information on RC stuff. Every day I learn at least one new thing - it makes sorting out the alphabet soup of tocketmotors look easy (remember when that seemed foreign?!)

I find it fascinating and I am really getting interested in trying to build a plane (deciding on an electro glider or a small backyard.indoor plane to mess with over the winter months). Much like rockets, the kits are not that expensive, the additional hardware and electronics are what puts a dent in the wallet.

I have not had any regrets about investing in Spektrum thus far. The DX9 radio is VERY nice and even the less expensive DX7 "feels" good. The cheap receivers from Hobbyking (orangerx) and elsewhere (lemonrx, etc) are reliable and very cheap! The only trick is that they all are sent via airmail from Asia so you can't be in a hurry to get them. I have not had any experience with servos but the guys I fly with say that the micro and mini ones at hobbyking are usually a great value for the price. For the price it seems that you can at least give them a test without breaking the bank. I am sure that others with far more experience and knowledge will share what they know.

The talking radio? Pretty cool although I don't have the full telemetry set installed to have it give me really useful info. I think that it has some really cool application use - I just have not done much with it yet. I will say that programming these modern radios is a snap even for a beginner.

I look forward to hearing your questions and learning more about this!
 
Well, this is an old thread but then I'm an old man. I am just getting around to ordering a radio. Was going to get the Spektrum DX6i but there is a updated version coming out in May (DX6: https://www.spektrumrc.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdId=SPM6700) that Horizon said was worth waiting for if I can hold off for a few months. I've waited almost a year so why not. So now I am standing in line waiting for my new radio. (It's like buying an iPad 2 on launch day all over again!) :p
 
Yeah I ordered on of those too, I'm told to expect it in April. It's bad-ass, though. And for r/c gliders the sailplane functionality seems essential


Sent from my iPhone using Rocketry Forum
 
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Back "in the day" there were tiny Kraft servos and then Cannon. I used to own a Futaba system but their servos were too big for what I needed so I had to swap them out. What is the preferred plan. radio and servos for R/C boost gliders nowadays? I have NO understanding of modern radios... the last one I used was 1982!

I just finished building an Estes AstroBlaster and an Aerotech Phoenix kit this week - I have several old Futaba Attack -4 channel radios I used for years in RC Sailplanes...the old Futaba FP S-133 micro servos fit the tight space just fine.

I eventually switched to JR gear when the full house sailplanes required computer programming for mixing and crow landings.
I haven't seen a need (yet) to spend the money on Lipos and modern gear when my old stuff still works.

I may feel differently sooner than later but not yet.
 
Well, this is an old thread but then I'm an old man. I am just getting around to ordering a radio. Was going to get the Spektrum DX6i but there is a updated version coming out in May (DX6: https://www.spektrumrc.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdId=SPM6700) that Horizon said was worth waiting for if I can hold off for a few months. I've waited almost a year so why not. So now I am standing in line waiting for my new radio. (It's like buying an iPad 2 on launch day all over again!) :p

Well, it isn't quite that bad. The 6i has been the entry level Spektrum radio for better than 5 years now, so they don't go through the same rate of attrition as an iPhone. But yeah, definitely wait for the DX6. The "Airware" programming is much more intuitive than the old 6i programming, though even that wasn't bad. Granted, you probably won't be using most of it on your first couple of aircraft, but it is nice to have to grow into. Better to have it and not want it than the other way around.
 
I haven't seen a need (yet) to spend the money on Lipos and modern gear when my old stuff still works.


I've been using my JR 9303 for the past 9+ years now. I've got at least a dozen recievers three or four still brand new. After getting shot down twice last year at the RC aiplane club field being on the old frequency channels, I went out and purchased a Hitec 2.4 Transmitter Module and 7 Hitec recievers for the JR 9303. Couldn't be more happy. The old radios work great, may favorites were the old Futaba 6FGK series transmitters. Nothing fancy they just worked.

So I would say there is NOTHING wrong with old STUFF, it just depends on where you are going to be flying your models and if anyone else is there to shoot you down.

John Boren
 
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