In the market for a new transmitter

[brutus]

Looking to upgrade my radio,leaning toward a DX8. Would like some feedback on whether the JR XP9503 is worth the extra cost and why. Also are the Futuba offerings a better choice? All my experience has been with an older XP9303 and a Spectrum DX6I.

[crxmanpat]

Are you stuck with Spektrum, or would you be willing to switch to another 2.4GHz technology?

If so, XPS has a new radio coming out soon. It will be 16 channels, and will retail for only $249. I have been using XPS in my old JR XP9303 for several years and love it! And their 6-ch Nano receivers are only $30!

The radio will be available for sale in another few months (they just got their FCC certification).

www.xtremepowersystems.net

[kyleservicetech]

Originally Posted by brutus

Looking to upgrade my radio,leaning toward a DX8. Would like some feedback on whether the JR XP9503 is worth the extra cost and why. Also are the Futuba offerings a better choice? All my experience has been with an older XP9303 and a Spectrum DX6I.

Can't go wrong with the DX8 transmitters. We have a number of them in our club, and everyone really likes theirs.

Also, as you know, Spektrum/JR has the "Model Match" feature, that makes it impossible to take off with the wrong model setup in your transmitter.

[Fentonflyers]

Save your money and keep your 9303. Get a DM9 module if you don't already have one. As far as I know the only difference with the 9303 and the 9503 is model memory and a back light. Horizon says they should have the DM9 in soon and since it comes with a $90 receiver, the $109 you will pay for it is a good deal.

Jay

[brutus]

The reason I'm contemplating a new radio is becouse JR has been promising a conversion for over a year and it still is not available. Plus my local hobby consultant claims.
1. there is a lag time.
2. JR will soon quit supporting the XP9303.
The only reason I bought the DX6I was becouse of the promise of a 9303 upgrade.

[kyleservicetech]

Originally Posted by brutus

Looking to upgrade my radio,leaning toward a DX8. Would like some feedback on whether the JR XP9503 is worth the extra cost and why. Also are the Futuba offerings a better choice? All my experience has been with an older XP9303 and a Spectrum DX6I.

Take a look at my recent experience with retesting a 4 year old Spektrum DX7 and a hand full of AR7000 receivers:
http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65573

This was mentioned to a bunch of club members, and they've all had similar experiences with Horizon.

Not true with another very popular brand. One club member destroyed a $5000 wet turbine model two years ago with a total 2.4 Ghz transmitter shut down in flight. He sent it in, the factory found nothing wrong with the transmitter, and charged him $$$$. That transmitter cost near one thousand dollars. This club member went to the top of the line JR 2.4 Ghz transmitter, and a few top of the line JR receivers, and never looked back.

The club member let me take it home. I powered it up, and the transmitter shut it self off after about 10 minutes. The battery was still in excellent shape. It had no Radio Frequency output, it was totally shut down. Did it about five times in a row. The shut down time varied between three or four minutes to some 15 minutes. It was pretty obvious the factory didn't do much of a test on their transmitter.

[crxmanpat]

XPS has long had a conversion module for the XP9303 (which is what I'm flying). But as soon as their new radio comes out, I'm buying it and keeping the 9303 as a backup.

[brutus]

Spoke with my local hobby consultant regarding the XPS module and he strongly advised against it. Instead he recommended an FR-sky unit, anybody have experience with their products? Went on their web site but couldn't find anything that resembled the module I'm looking for.

[crxmanpat]

Why did he recommend against the XPS? I have had flawless operation of my system in my 9303, where several Spektrum guys were having problems. And I would certainly take it over a FR-Sky system any day.

[spad]

Well, I use a JR X9303 and Hitec A-9: I love both, and each manufacturer/seller provides outstanding service.

[Fentonflyers]

I don't have any experience with the XPS product so I wont comment except to say that I think it is a product produced by one of the Chinese manufacturers. I don't know if its just a private labeled product or something that is actually engineered by the folks at Extreme Power Systems.

The private field my son and I fly in is very close to a communications tower that has a host of transmitting devices on it. There is actually an area that is off the North end of the flying area that I call the Wall of Death. When I fly 72mhz through that area the plane twitches each time you make a pass as though there is a flat wall of disturbance. When I fly Spektrum through this area the system often loses link and results in crashes because of the slow reboot time. When I fly FlySky through this area the system almost always loses link and has often led to crashes. We recently acquired the FRSky product and in several different planes(including a large 4 stroke fuel model) the FrSky product has flown glitch-less.

For the money and flexibility with telemetry I feel FlySky is the best for us. There is a great place to purchase their product from here in the States. http://www.alofthobbies.com/
The price is competitive with HK and the shipping/wait time is much better.

I have also heard great things about the Fly Dream system an recently purchased a used module and a few receivers. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet but hear it works great and the product is very reasonably priced.

Hope this helps,
Jay

[crxmanpat]

XPS is NOT a Chinese manufactured radio system that has been relabeled with the XPS brand name. It is fully assembled in Lake Havasu City, AZ using existing 2.4GHz chip technology. I have been to their warehouse and seen it for myself.

However, the new radio system was fully developed by XPS right here in AZ, and they just got their FCC certification for it.

[Fentonflyers]

Originally Posted by crxmanpat

XPS is NOT a Chinese manufactured radio system that has been relabeled with the XPS brand name. It is fully assembled in Lake Havasu City, AZ using existing 2.4GHz chip technology. I have been to their warehouse and seen it for myself.

However, the new radio system was fully developed by XPS right here in AZ, and they just got their FCC certification for it.

Thanks for the info. Perhaps they may be something worth looking into. I wish they weren't so expensive. I see a Graupner radio on their site. Is that they transmitter you mention? I don't see anything else or mention of an upcoming product.

[spad]

I'll watch the XPS system for the "new" transmitter, but remain a bit skeptical-I truly hope it is produced, and superior!

[crxmanpat]

No, that is an older radio that is only 8-ch (even though it's called an MX-16).

The new radio is not on the webpage yet. They just got FCC certification ofr their new in-house developed 2.4GHz system, and production of the new radios just got started. We should start seeing them in a few months.

There is a huge thread on this radio over in the XPS forum on RCGroups, but a basic overview of the $249 radio is:

- Full 18-channels, expandable to 32 or 64 channels
- Intuitive programming
- Unlimited model memory (with SD card interface)
- Telemetry capable
- Backlit screen
- Audio voice alerts
- Model matching technology

This is just the basics. But you get a full-blown radio for just $250! For a USA brand, this is unheard of (have you seen how much the Futaba 18-ch radio goes for?).

[crxmanpat]

Originally Posted by spad

I'll watch the XPS system for the "new" transmitter, but remain a bit skeptical-I truly hope it is produced, and superior!

It is in production right now, to hit the shelves in the next 2-3 months. I don't know about it being "superior". I can say it's a far cry above the Chinese stuff, but on the level of Futaba FASST. I'd say it's superior to Spektrum, but I'm biased.

And the reason the cost is so low is that XPS actually developed their technology for the commercial market other than radio control models. That's where they are going to make their money, not off this radio.

[solentlife]

My respect to "owner of Nico Hobbies" and hopefully you know your biz .... but I dare to suggest that FrSky has shown itself to be one of the most secure ... stable ... reliable 2.4's on the market. They listen to market and develop their gear to suit what we need.
They are leaders in Telemetry ...

AND to cap it all - the price of using their gear is simply economic ... makes others look daft with their prices ......

You may choose XPS every day over FrSky .... but that's your choice. I'd be interested in some real life incidents / reasons for such a statement ...

[crxmanpat]

True, I have not flown a FrSky system, so I can't say for sure how reliable it is over other brands.

"They listen to market and develop their gear to suit what we need."

Which is exactly what XPS does as well, and why I stick with them (other than the fact that my system has been totally reliable too ).

[Nitro Blast]

My XPS stuff has been the most reliable radio equipment I have owned.
Pylon racing, glider competitions and more, I put my stuff through the ringer all the time and it is solid as a rock.


San Diego is 'frequency hell' and unless you fly 2.4, you are gonna get glitched.

I have seen Specktrum's fail time and time again, and the prevaling attitude is the dreaded 'brown out'. I feel for those guys who continue to use a system that proves itself with a high failure rate.

[kyleservicetech]

Originally Posted by Nitro Blast

I have seen Specktrum's fail time and time again, and the prevaling attitude is the dreaded 'brown out'. I feel for those guys who continue to use a system that proves itself with a high failure rate.

Interesting:
I've got two DX7's and six AR7000's, with a LOT of flights on them. Never a single issue with brown out or similar item. Of course these receivers are powered with a very solid Castle Creations 10 Amp uBEC. Local club members flying 2.4 Ghz are over 90% Spektrum / JR. As usual, your clubs will vary.

Me thinks that "brownout" issue is more due to the receiver power system than the receiver itself. I've stopped several of my local club members trying to power large scale model airplanes with receivers that were powered by a simple 5 cell "AA" Nih battery. One was with a wet turbine model worth thousands of dollars. That guy was lucky to get his turbine back without loosing it, since it had 8 or 9 high powered servos in it.

[planedog]

I am still using an old "Hitec Prism 7X" (bought it in '99). Still works fine, but I need to update. This XPS TX sounds worth waiting for. I just hope figureing this XPS TX out isn't over my head!

[solentlife]

For others like me who've been around a few years ..... the "glitch" terminology gets renamed again and again ...

We have "brown-out" now ... wonder who coined that phrase ?

I'm still after all these years of the opinion that loss of control can be for many reasons but often gets lumped into the "brown-out" / "glitch" bracket ... Trouble with it - very difficult to prove what actually caused it.

I don't say it's not possible ... what I suggest is maybe many of the so-called b-o's may be other factors.

I also suggest to those who say "rock-solid" ... "never a problem even in areas of strong interference".... etc. etc. ... sorry but I regard them as justification for buying that set .... for anyone flying in a serious strong interference area is IMHO playing a russian roulette with their model ...

Not trying to upset anyone - just putting a POV ...

[SigMan]

isnt the DX7s basiclly the same radio with just one more channel?

[kyleservicetech]

Originally Posted by solentlife

I also suggest to those who say "rock-solid" ... "never a problem even in areas of strong interference".... etc. etc. ... sorry but I regard them as justification for buying that set .... for anyone flying in a serious strong interference area is IMHO playing a russian roulette with their model ...

Not trying to upset anyone - just putting a POV ...

Agreed:

Anyone who states "Something can't possible happen" will eventually find someone it happened to. (44 years of working in the Service Department of a company that mfg high voltage circuit breakers)

As for interference on 2.4 Ghz, probably depends in your area. As for the Racine WI area, radio "noise" on the 2.4 Ghz frequencies at our club field is near zero.

Take a look:
http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63497

[Mtrchs]

I love the futaba 7c