CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Swamp.. if your radio falls into the model number and serial number of those with the problem, you should contact Futaba Customer Servicve for instructions on what to do with it. You should not use it until you either get it fixed or find out that it isn't one of those affected.

Pub.. I have both Airtronics and Spektrum. My first radio was the Airtronics RD6000 followed by the RD8000. I moved up to the Rd8000 because I wanted more channels. They both still work great and are highly recommended. Now, the RDS8000 is the 2.4 GHz version of the RD8000 radio, which, as I said, is a fine system. Ken is right. If you can wait a short time, perhaps a couple of weeks, it will be available at Tower Hobbies. Their price is very.. VERY competitive for this fine radio.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXTZU7&P=ML

I have nothing against the Spektrum DX7 except the price. It is about $100 more than the Airtronics. It has a few advantages, larger model memory capability, and more 'letters' for model naming. When Ken does the review, I'm sure that you will be impressed with the quality of the radio and the quality of Ken's report.

CGr.

vmsguy

I stopped at the LHS today, and they checked my transmitter. It was a pretty simple test. They powered on a special receiver and my transmitter. The receiver didn't sinc up. Check complete, my receiver passed.

The guy at the LHS said there were probably only a handfull of transmitters that were actually affected. Don't know how valid that is. Anyway, I don't need a new transmitter, luckily.

While I was there, I bought an additional receiver. R617FS. Took it home, sinc'ed it up. Works good so far.

bruce88123

Now you did it. You could have used the new RX to check your friends radios out or kept it until needed as a test RX of your own. Oh well, too late now.

vmsguy

Two points:
1. Futaba has probably made more than the one RX I bought.
2. My Transmitter has 6 model memory, and that was my 3rd RX.

draftman1

two out of three transmitters I have went to zero GUID. I discovered it when my boy was flying his plane and I was getting another plane ready. my controls were going crazy on flight prep. I trurned everything off, then checked the radios, sure enough they both worked on the same plane. I checked the futaba site and sure enough, there was the alert. I called them and they promptly send a pick-up slip and I returned them for repair. they have them now, just waiting on the outcome and my radios back

Alex7403

The most important question:
Does one of these other mal functional transmitters/ZGUID will control my bound receiver?
I’m a good scout boy and I will check my radio, but what about those who don’t know they have a problem?
They can come to the field thinking their transmitter controls only their receiver, switch on and everybody around them begin to fall down…

Alex

draftman1

yeap. I checked all of my planes later and both worked on all of them. there has to be a whole club radio check at the same time to see if there is any problems. well all of the flyers that has 2.4 need to check before a flying session, every 2.4 need to turn on radios and planes at the same time to see if there is any interference. then if ok then safe to fly

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

See my post above regarding Airtronics RDS8000... or buy a Spektrum.

bruce88123

The only way they can bother your RXs is if YOU have a ZGUID system. If your system is operating in a normal manner you are safe from malfunctioning units. The ONLY time you will be bothered is if BOTH of you are ZGUID.

vmsguy

The way I read everything, is this is no different if you had the older 72Mhz and identical frequency crystals.

BUT... If you have a non Zero ID TX, your RXs bound to it, you RXs won't "listen" to Zero ID anymore. So once your RXs are bound to your TX, if someone else shows up with a faulty TX, your RXs won't care.

Alex7403

Thanks vmsguy now im calm, what was bothering me is the rc cars that operates 100 meters away, seems to me the spread spectrum tech is much more common there.
I don’t care if they interfear each other their toys don’t crash.

thanks CGRetired I see your point, if to switch to airtronics better sooner then later, I wish I knew this 2 months ago before I got the futaba, besides are we sure the new RDS wont have other issues…

Thanks a lot guys.

bruce88123

How many things in life do you know for "sure" won't have problems? This is why warranties exist.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

If you guys don't send your radios back for checkout, then, well, what can I say. You know that trash bag we talk about RC'ers putting in the fuselage of their planes? Well, you ought to do that because you are asking for just that.

Send them in for a check out!!! Get'em fixed.

Suppose this happens while you are making a fast low level pass over the center line and the plane take a quick turn toward the pits while you are trying to figure out what happended? Who is to blame for that?

That will open up another thread about 'Who is to blame' and I would bet that some one would try to shift the blame over to Futaba.

CGr.

vmsguy

Every technology has its issues and bugs. Futaba found one with their new 2.4 systems. OK.. So they found one. We as consumers did (or will do) our part and get the problem fixed.

But here's a caveat... Who's to say tomorrow, next week, or next month, Airtronics might find a bug in their technology as well. I don't think it's fair to panic and run away from Futaba just yet. Maybe this is the one and only bug Futaba will ever find. And Airtronics will find dozens in the next year. We don't know. Nobody does.

Only time will tell. As far as I'm concerned, I'll stick with mine, but if there continue to be difficulties with it, I'll switch to another brand and go from there...

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Fine. But, while the guys are trying to fly their radios with known problems, who will fly with them?

It doesn't matter if it's a Futaba, Airtronics, Spektrum, Polk, whatever.. if it has a problem, get it fixed. That's all I am trying to say.

dignlivn

CG Retired



Hey just a follow up on my 2.4 Tx. I sent it in and got it back today.
To my surprise the invoice said my Tx was replaced, and to re bind
with my Rx. I did just that and all is working on the bench. I am
curious as to why the Tx was replaced ? I did receive fasst service however.
Can we trust these now,since there is No way of identifying that it is
not "One of those" that slipped through the cracks ? Or some else has one
they did not "send in". JMO and concern.



Bob

Villa

Our LHS in Wilson. NC has the test equipment. We have 4 of the Futaba radios plus one module conversion in our club membership. All have been tested and all passed.

draftman1

I sent in two of my radios in and they were ZGUID. they sent me back two brand new radios

bruce88123

From what I understand there are some TX's with boards that can have the new software installed and others having boards where the software can NOT be updated.

ARA-Jet

My Feedback: (8)

All,
I tried using my new Futaba 12 channel 2.4 GHz radio with jet tronic valves and sequencer and the valves and the sequencer are not responding. The valves dont work at all and the sequencer is erratic.
I emailed Jet Tronic and apparently there is a problem with Futaba. The receivers output is a consistent 2.7 volts and many electronic devices and some servos dont work properly with this output. Also, apprently there was a study and they are saying that at some temperatures, the servos may stop functioning. here is the body of the email that states this:

Hi Amir,



the reason is the new reciever of Futaba, which has stabelized output pulses with an amplitude of 2.7 Volts. This is not enough for some servos and also accessorie stuff like sequencer and powerboxes. It also depends on the supply voltage if the device will work or not depending on how they function.

Even all servos work on the testbench you must be aware that on temperature changes they suddenly do not work anymore.

Please see the link below.



Best regards

Horst



http://forum.robbe.com/viewtopic.php?t=389


Some one from Futaba needs to address this issue ASAP...

Any one else have any issues with their system?