Beginner transmitter

jangodog

Member
Hi. Thank’s for membership in this nice forum. I’m new with rc hobby and i’m stuck on what transmitter i should go with. A lot of RTF beginner planes like Apprentice mini take advantage of the bind and fly thing from Spektrum radios. Others say go with Futaba. I know it’s a religion on the brands but i think the fly and bind and SAFE technology is a good learning curve for beginners. Please, help me?
 

rockyboy

Skill Collector
Mentor
Welcome to the forums! :D

There's a great thread with lots of info for buying that first transmitter over here:

https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/which-transmitter-you-should-buy.37966/

Generally, spending a little more money on the stuff that stays on the ground (transmitters, battery chargers, tools) and saving a little more on the things that go in the air (and get damaged in crashes) is a good idea - especially when starting out. But there are good options in every budget when it comes to transmitters now!
 

Merv

Site Moderator
Staff member
If you are mostly going to fly store bought planes, you should go with Spektrum. If you are going to mostly build you own, there are much cheaper options, that are just as good. My favorite is Flysky
 

jangodog

Member
Oh, and if i go with the Mini Apprentice can i then go with larger batteries then the 1300mAh-3s that come with the plane?
Can you recommend some from Hobbyking as the are a lot cheaper then the ones i can buy here in Denmark? And thank’s for quick respons , guys:)
 

FDS

Elite member
You don’t need to spend Spektrum money to fly DSMX or DSM2 bind n fly. If you don’t want unlimited programming but do want a TX with more features than a second hand DX6i for under $80 then the Orange TX6I by Hobbyking is excellent. It binds fine with DSMX and the global version supports DSM2 as well. It’s really easy to program, including for SAFE mode. Mine has been excellent. It has a better screen and bigger model memory than the DX6i and is superior to the DXE, has easy dual rates and expo plus doesn’t need a complex computer/app interface to change settings on the go.
If you want one transmitter that will do EVERYTHING ever, right up to 32 channels and allow you to fly ANY protocol, including FRSKY, DSMX, DSM2, toy quads and other RC devices, then the Jumper T 12 or T12 plus is hard to beat. You can even get Hall effect gimbals on the black version for under $120. It comes with a multi protocol 4 in 1 module that does all the common receivers, plus can be updated via usb.
Open TX is what the Jumper runs on. That is a steep learning curve. It’s taken me 2 weeks to get my Sport Cub dialled in right on the Jumper, it’s a serious piece of kit to set up, but has huge potential and can do more than most $150+ set ups.

If you want something that’s quick to set up, not too expensive and will get you flying fast but only within the DSMX/DSM2 protocol then I would recommend the Orange. I am not really very technical, I had this working with all my planes in an evening.

I was making the same decision 4 months ago, glad I bought the Orange first. I looked at Spektrum but their similar product was twice the price and no better. I am sure they are fine but the price was not.

You can’t go much bigger on batteries in the pre made planes, space is limited. If I was starting again I would have just bought a Tiny Trainer and started flying that higher up in the sky at a bigger field instead of starting with a SAfE/AS3x plane in a smaller field.
Get the battery measurements for the Apprentice pack, then buy similar from HK, I got my Cub batteries there, plus all the ones for my FT planes.

I see you are in the EU, you need the DSMX only version.
https://hobbyking.com/en_us/oranger...le-6ch-radio-system-mode-2-eu-uk-version.html
 
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Kendalf

Well-known member
@jangodog Last year I got a $60 Turnigy TX thinking it would allow me to "test the waters" with RC planes. Now I wish I had jumped straight to the next tier ($100+ range) of transmitters. Range seems to be the biggest problem with the one I got, whereas the higher tier TX seem to do better.

@FDS First time hearing about the Jumper T12. Very intriguing! I've been strongly considering the Taranis QX7 but the T12 plus has Hall effect gimbals for just a bit more than the base QX7, plus the T12 comes with the multi protocol module, which would be an added purchase for the Taranis. I already have Flysky and Spektrum/OrangeRX receivers and was considering Frsky, so the fact that the T12 can handle all of them out of the box sounds great to me. Plus, the one big issue I had with the QX7 is how wide it is; the T12 appears much more compact.

How is the build quality? That would be my biggest concern.
 
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bracesport

Legendary member
I rate the FS i6s - it's pretty - its cheap - its programmable for mixing - and setup any stick modes you like!

if all goes well you can step up to a higher spec with the i6s as a backup or in my case a startup for my 5yr old son!
 

Headbang

Master member
In my club I suggest spectrum. Reason is there is tons of local help available. Open TX based platforms are hard to beat value wise, and if your main source of support is here, then it would be my recommendation. I have heard nothing but good things about the Jumper T12. Do NOT get a spectrum dxe, they have very little features. If you have someone helping you locally, get what they have. That way you can buddy box easily.
 

pressalltheknobs

Posted a thousand or more times
I rate the FS i6s - it's pretty - its cheap - its programmable for mixing - and setup any stick modes you like!

if all goes well you can step up to a higher spec with the i6s as a backup or in my case a startup for my 5yr old son!

The i6S is not a good first TX unfortunately. It just looks that way. It is only good for multi-rotor use since it has almost no mixing and no delta/vtail mixing ...unless they have changed it.... hadn't last I looked

The i6 has those things as does the i6X and so are better choices if you have small budget and want something inexpensive to get started.

The i6/X do have all the basic features you need but are a bit on the cheesy side with plastic bushed gimbals, wobbly switches and terrible programming buttons.
 
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jangodog

Member
Hi. A lot of usefull info from you guys:) But i think i'll go with the ones the majority members in my feature club has, Spektrums.
So, i'll follow Headbangs advice. What multicharger would you recommend for the Apprentice mini? Heard a little about Hitech charger?

Thank you guys, it's priceless.
 

Headbang

Master member
I personally have a hitec 4x multi charger for my bench, works great on 4s batteries and under! Has all the features you will need. Has a great fire and forget storage charge/discharge function.
I use the hitec 2x 700w DC charger in the field. It can charge everything, can handle high amps, can handle up to 30v input, and is completely overkill unless you get into large 6s batteries.
 

Brett_N

Well-known member
If I did it all over again? I'd do exactly the same and go with a Jumper. They work with EVERYTHING. (Well, except some of the really cheap eachine quads, but hey...)

I have the T8SG with upgraded gimballs, additional switches, and DEVIATION software. Complicated at first, but then you sorta figure it out, and it's pretty much the same as Spektrum.

The T12 comes with OpenRX which I cannot comment about.
 

Headbang

Master member
Fire and forget, or forget and fire, may not be the best phrase in reference to charging lipos! ;)
LOL
But if you do forget, the charger either turns off after a few hours or when the batterys reach 33%. Of course never do it unattended, but if you do walk away and forget while in storage mode, and come back 3 days later realizing oh crap I forgot about that, the charger has potential to save you from being human.
 

kdobson83

Well-known member
The i6S is not a good first TX unfortunately. It just looks that way. It is only good for multi-rotor use since it has almost no mixing and no delta/vtail mixing ...unless they have changed it.... hadn't last I looked

The i6 has those things as does the i6X and so are better choices if you have small budget and want something inexpensive to get started.

The i6/X do have all the basic features you need but are a bit on the cheesy side with plastic bushed gimbals, wobbly switches and terrible programming buttons.
I have and i6x and it was able to mix Delta and v-tail, very easily. My only qualm with the i6x is the cheap gimbals, had to replace one that went bad. They have GREAT range, good battery life, decent mixing capabilities, easy to use, super cheap receivers, lots of people use them so tons of support, less common on flying fields so you don't run into spectrum issues, small and light (good for longer flights), dual antennas, easy to sell, and ability to bind to lots of begginer quads. Really, the only down side of it is the gimbals. For a $50 transmitter there really is no competition. Gets you good and deep into the hobby. Plus, you can upgrade to the Flysky i10 for touch screen and way more funtionality for $100 and still use all your cheap receivers.
In short, I recommend the i6x all the way for a newbie.
 
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Bricks

Master member
I vote for Spektrum that being said for the charger you need to answer a few questions for yourself how fast do I want to charge and what does my future look like. Going to bigger planes larger batteries have enough batteries so it does not matter if it takes an hour to charge one battery. Answer these and it will help you pick a charger that fits your needs.
 

Antioch

Member
Thanks folks.... been an interesting car nversation to watch. I inherited a spectrum 4 Chanel radio which I think should get me started.... but what to get for a cheaper charger -balancer that I won’t blow up is still a bit of a question.

Pardon for camping on this thread.... any recommendations.
 

kdobson83

Well-known member
Well, a lot off inputs, thank's guys. I'll go for Spektrum for sure. 6 or 8 channel is my choice:)
I have the Flysky i6x but i wanted better gimbals and 4axis gyro receivers so I got a Spektrum dx8e. Pretty nice radio. Way more features than I'd ever use. It's not as "pro" as the dx8 or the newer ix12 but the dx8e is only $200. Might be able to find em used now since they've been out for about a year or so now. It has most if not all of the features a novice or even a casual hobbyist would need.