Hi Brian,

I expect they are as good as any of the other brands on the market ? but you have to say why are the owners selling them? they must be cheaper but your not getting a guarantee . I find the new cheaper radios are as good as any the Planet 2+2 is a good non computer set for £40

Regards Ray

It has model memory so you can bind a particular Rx to a memory and all the setting for that model are retained and you can't operate the wrong model by mistake.

Tim

Please can you confirm this? My understanding of programmable model memory – as featured in my Hitec Optic 6 and Aurora 9 sets – is that the model settings are retained only in the transmitter so that any receiver bound to that Tx will respond to any of the different memory settings which are called up. Maybe the Spektrum is different.

Brian

I can concur with Tim and Ray about the Planet 2+2. It's well-built, has two very useful extra channels and is exceptionally good value. I bought one for my grandson's SLEC Police Launch.

Dave M

Hi All,

Yes I did buy a Spectrum radio a good few years ago, but as Tim says there seemed to me at the time no way of putting the throttle on the right hand stick as I fly mode 1 so I sold it !!On

Brian, have you had the Brit in steam yet this year ??

Regards Ray

Edited By Ray Wood 2 on 21/06/2020 11:27:20

There seems to be some confusion over the use of the model memory function. Please can I explain it – at least as far as I know it from practical experience of my Hitec and Futaba sets?

The required parameters for a given model [e.g. servo directions, throws, differentials etc] are programmed into the transmitter and then given a model name. You can set up as many as ten or more different sets of parameters on the same transmitter and give them all different names.

When you wish to operate a particular model you select the corresponding name on the transmitter when you switch it on. The receiver in the model will then respond to those settings. If you were then to select a different model memory on the Tx then that same receiver would follow the new settings i.e. the memory is set up in the transmitter, and any receiver whose frequency has been bound to that Tx will respond. No model memory data is 'held' in the receiver.

In practice then you would set up Yachts 1 – 3 [assuming that they all require different settings] and Locos 1 and 2 as model names on the transmitter and then select whichever model-memory name corresponds to the model you've chosen to run.

Dave M

And the usual rule as I understand it is that if you select the wrong model, you wind up using it with the wrong settings. Receivers don't bind with settings, they just bind, and it is up to the operator to ensure that the profile selected is the one for that model. Sometimes a big ask.

I try to stick with nice simple radio and adjust my model to fit what the transmitter is going to give me. This thinking was validated by one of my members have a sail arm punch its way through a bulkhead at switch-on.

Brain

I'm glad to have been of some help. I had a Spektrum set once. I bought it for compatibility testing with ACTion stuff but I didn't like it much and sold it on. I'm now standardised on Hitec but that's become increasingly hard to get hold of. At least Spektrum has a UK service agent.

Colin

I also try to set my models up with the rudders in the same "sense" and the throttles all the correct way round. The throttle fwd/rev is easy but it's not always possible with the rudder, though. I've found that some models are better "tamed" by reducing the rudder servo end-points while others are OK at 100% each way. That's where the model memory really helps.

Malcolm

Very true but, as my late friend Craig Talbot said, "there's nothing you can realistically do to prevent the damage that can be caused by a truly determined idiot".

Dave M

"So many toys – so little time…."

DM

Hi Brian,

I have shares in Duracell 😄 and I bought a Dymo label maker £3.99 in Aldi 👍😄 is brilliant all tx's labelled and when the batteries were new, my Radio Link set for my sailing barge are 2 years old. Interesting to note the Dymo machines are £32.00 in WH Smiths ???????I

Regards Ray

Tim

I have to confess that my explanation took a lot longer to write than I thought it might – and I wasn't very happy with it at the end of the process. If it made some sort of sense then I'm content.

Dave M

Thanks for that, Gareth. I've not heard of that feature on any other brand of radio, but Spektrum always did things their own way. It does make sense when you think about it, but it means that if you move a receiver from one model to a new one then you need to rebind it with the Tx. It won't affect Brian's choice – he still only needs the one transmitter.

As regards failsafe it's a royal PITA for a model boat – unless it's powered with an I/C engine. It doesn't help that manufacturers all seem to have a slightly different way of settling into failsafe mode. Some will revert to a preset position for every servo; some will freeze all the servos at their present position except the throttle, which is returned to dead-slow or stop; some will centre all the servos before setting the failsafe position of the throttle. The only way to find out is to switch off your Tx and see what happens. It would be useful if one could simply turn it off. After all, modern electronic speed controllers invariably stop the motor if no valid signal is received.

Dave M

Tim and Gareth are right!

Just found my DX6i handbook.

Quote:

Model Match

With patented Model Match technology you'll never mistakenly attempt to fly your model using the wrong memory again. …..

During binding the receiver actually learns and remembers the specific model memory that the TX is currently programmed to. Later, if the incorrect model is selected in the TX and the RX is turned on, the model simply won't operate…..

We live and learn…

Colin