Hi, I'm Noah

BoogieFL

New member
I have been watching flite test for little over a year now and I just decided to join the forum because just recently, i have started making my own planes out of cardboard and cutting them out. My problem is, is since I am 13, I don't have any money and I was really hoping to get into the hobby. If anyone has a controller that still works but they don't use it anymore, please contact me because I was looking at a DXE and if I have to, I will be purchasing that. Just wanted to say hello.
 

FDS

Elite member
There are other, cheaper transmitters you can buy. You don’t need to buy new either. Look at the Flysky FS6i.
DXE has no screen or way to change settings at the field without the app, which can be annoying. Personally I don’t fly Spektrum and my first TX was $50 and had all the features you would need to fly well like dual rates, expo and solid range.
You also don’t need a radio to get into the hobby. Build a simple soarer as a chuck glider, or you can use a servo centring tool to set up servos that need to be put inside a fuselage then build the whole kit and add the motor, receiver and ESC later.
The Tiny Trainer can also be built as a chuck glider, a 2ch soarer or a full powered plane. That might be a good start too. Foamboard is cheap.
 

Jackson T

Elite member
I like Spektrum. I started out with Spektrum, then tried an Orangerx tx6i, then a TGY i6. The only one that had no issues was the Spektrum (the others where duds). It's just my experience, but I certainly got what I payed for!
 
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FDS

Elite member
You see more threads about DXE problems than any other Spektrum radio. My Orange TRx6i V2 has been amazing. Signal and reliability has been super solid, works with my BNF models as well.
You only need to buy Spektrum if you have a lot of BNF or want to buddy box with another Spektrum radio. Otherwise it’s down to personal preference.
 

TEAJR66

Flite is good
Mentor
Welcome Noah.

I do not have a spare radio available. I do have a couple very inexpensive recommendations. I spent a little while exploring the cheapest routes into this hobby. These recommendations come from a tried and tested perspective. Others will have different opinions. These links were weighed heavily on function to cost.

http://www.valuehobby.com/radio-systems-servos/radios/flysky-transmitter/flysky-fs-t4b.html

https://hobbyking.com/en_us/hobby-king-2-4ghz-4ch-tx-rx-v2-mode-2.html

To begin in the hobby, you do not need programmable radios. I recommended these because servo reversing is helpful when building. It allows flexibility with servo installation. As far as rates, those can be established mechanically by the placement of the pushrods in the servo arms and control horns.

Start slow and come back often to ask questions. I hope this info helps.
 

Vimana89

Legendary member
If the difference between $30 and $55 for a TX isn't a big one for you, I'd recommend a programmable one with expo like the Turingy or Flysky IA6(pretty much the standard for cheap programmable transmitters). It was very difficult as a new flyer to fly without expo and all the other features a programmable TX provides. It will likely take you more crashes and frustration, and it demands more precision as a builder and skill as a pilot while at the same time reducing your overall flexibility to tune the handling of your craft. Even if you get good at mechanically tuning the handling through your control linkages, you'll have double as much flexibility and tuning power if you can tweak your stuff digitally too.
 
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Dashthemad

Member
Hi Noah! I'm Tim. I understand your plight muself anf am also interested in this. I have no transmitter but what the quads that introduced me came with. It is a bit frustrating to have to make similar adjustments to new transmitters that ultimately take up space after you DO get your own transmitter, so I feel the sooner I get my OWN transmitter, the easier everything else will fall into place, as the concepts of which switch to flip become more second nature versus relearning a new transmitter every time. That said, I feel that im only foing to be making this kind of purchase infrequently, and am hoping to find the most bang for buck, as are most everyone, I suppose. At any rate, Noah, welcome!
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
Hi Noah!

Here's what I will tell you regarding the price of equipment:

1) The most expensive equipment is not always the best:

2) Neither is the absolute cheapest piece of equipment.

What I can tell you is that the best FOR YOU will probably lie somewhere in between the absolute cheapest and the absolute most expensive. Most of the time, the most expensive pieces of equipment aren't the best for you because they're often overloading you with too many bells & whistles and settings, or they're going to get you features that you'll NEVER in a million years use - but someone doing 3D acrobatic flight with a helicopter, or flying a warbird with retractable landing gear, flaps, and a smoke system, or a glider with flaps, airbrakes, tow release, and telemetry WILL need that expensive stuff.

The same can be said for the absolute cheapest equipment. You'll find that they're lacking in certain features, the quality isn't good, someone wrote the manual in Programmer language, then translated it to Chinese, and then from Chinese to English, it doesn't support the full number of channels that you'll really need, etc.

Let's use the DXe as an example. This transmitter is perhaps the absolute cheapest Spektrum brand transmitter you can buy. It does not have a screen on it to program it like the other, more expensive models; instead, it relies on using a smartphone or PC to program. It has a max of 6 channels; it doesn't have any timers or alarms on it like the others do. Why would you want timers/alarms? Well, you want to know how much more flight time you have left on a battery, for example...Or, maybe you want to have different setups for a v-tail glider, or you need configuration for a helicopter. Those are some examples that the DXe might fall down on, where you might want the support a better quality transmitter offers. This is where buying the cheapest radio might suffice for a little bit, but you grow out of it really quickly as you get more experienced, and realize that what you really need is something like a DX6e or DX8, if you're staying within the Spektrum line.

This applies not just to the radios in this hobby, but to things like battery chargers and batteries as well. Certain batteries can only be charged by certain chargers, or will charge exceptionally slowly on some chargers. The cheap knockoffs may not have the best quality, leading to a higher possibility of shorts or possible failures resulting in fires. Or, in the case of batteries, they don't hold a charge as long or have a tendency to puff up.

What I can tell you is to do your research a bit; feel free to ask questions here on what you want to know more about, and we'll do our best to help you. Ultimately, the decision is yours, but we want you to be informed in your decision and at the same time, want you to enjoy the hobby, not hate it 6 months in because you can't fly well and the issue is due to poor equipment (i.e., you bought a cheap, no name receiver that lost signal 200 feet away), or you've got a case of buyer's remorse over something you'd wished you put money into for a feature actually need, but it's not available on the cheapest model.
 

Jackson T

Elite member
You see more threads about DXE problems than any other Spektrum radio. My Orange TRx6i V2 has been amazing. Signal and reliability has been super solid, works with my BNF models as well.
You only need to buy Spektrum if you have a lot of BNF or want to buddy box with another Spektrum radio. Otherwise it’s down to personal preference.
Wow, I didn't know that! My tx6i used to drop out every now and then with no warning. I lost two foamies and a balsa plane to it. What receivers do you use?
 

OliverW

Legendary member
I mainly live off of cheap electronics, and my foam board planes don't last long enough for me to buy more!
 

JTarmstr

Elite member
I spent $160 to get into this hobby:

Power pack C $65
FlySky IS6A $50
Battery charger $15
3S LiPo 2200 maH 40c $20
Foamboard and gluesticks $10

I know when your 13 years old options for making money are limited but you can see if you can mow lawns, do chores for your parents, babysit etc. Also you can shave down the pricetag, by finding a IS6A on ebay for $40 instead of $50 or buying a smaller battery. Hope this helps and good luck learning to fly.
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
I spent $160 to get into this hobby:

Power pack C $65
FlySky IS6A $50
Battery charger $15
3S LiPo 2200 maH 40c $20
Foamboard and gluesticks $10

I know when your 13 years old options for making money are limited but you can see if you can mow lawns, do chores for your parents, babysit etc. Also you can shave down the pricetag, by finding a IS6A on ebay for $40 instead of $50 or buying a smaller battery. Hope this helps and good luck learning to fly.

And be careful buying used equipment. I’ve been to swap meets where guys have said they want to sell a radio, or some batteries. The radios have been dropped or abused, and the batteries are puffy and soft.

It’s possible for you to find good used equipment, but on eBay, it’s a gamble...
 

FDS

Elite member
I would never buy second hand lipo, that sounds like a very bad idea, especially when new packs are $10!
 

skymaster

Elite member
Hello and welcome Noah. you could start with a Dx6i they are not that expensive any more. and as for the budget have you try doing chores around the house for a little more allowance. or maybe some of the local store's can use some window cleaning. I remember i got 20 marbles and a pop for throwing the garbage and sweeping the front of the store. those were the days.
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
I would never buy second hand lipo, that sounds like a very bad idea, especially when new packs are $10!

Depends on the lipo - some of the bigger packs like 4s-6s packs can be pricey. Still, secondhand lipos are just asking for trouble, yet I see people considering them and people selling them. Better to provide warning.