Radio

[Portlandbeginner]

Hi, I am knew and using a fly sky i6x and I was wondering if this was a good radio ore if I should invest in a better one

 

[The Hangar]

I mean it really comes down to what you want to use it for. I have the Spektrum dx6e and love it. It had a lot of features that more expensive transmitters have for a decent price. @BATTLEAXE uses a Spektrum dxe. If your radio isn’t limiting you, then I’d spend the extra cash on more gear, a simulator, etc...

 

[FDS]

That radio is perfectly fine for learning and progressing. You don’t need a new one. I am still flying my $60 second hand 6ch. You can expand the Flysky to 10 channels if you want more later.
Check out this thread-
https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/which-transmitter-you-should-buy.37966/

 

[Merv]

I agree with @FDS, nothing wrong with your Tx.

 

[FastCrash45]

I love my programmable fs6 6 channel. With mine I have better range than my out of date dx5e. A newer spektrum might be better but for what and where I'm flying my flysky will last me a long time.

 

[JUSS10]

I've flown flysky, frsky and now have made the switch to spektrum with a DX8. That said, the flysky was a great radio, never had any real issues with it, it is however a "Cheaper" feeling radio. The gimbals and overall design of the transmitter aren't as nice. I moved from that to a frsky QX7. Tons of features and overall great feel. The frsky radios do have a bit of a steep learning curve but they are a very capable radio for a great price. I have since made the switch to Spektrum. I was a bit hesitant at first but I do own a lot of Bind and Fly aircraft from horizon hobby and had to use a module on my frsky radio to fly them. With the Spektrum radio I am flying the radio brand that was made for most of the planes I now fly. Its quality mixed with simplicity. They are a bit more expensive but the Dx6e would be an awesome jump up from the flysky if you plan to really stick with the hobby and maybe start looking in to planes from Horizon Hobby or other places that offer BNF options.

 

[Portlandbeginner]

Thanks to all of you so much. I have been using the forums a lot and you guys have all be so helpful but pleas tell me if you thin I am over using i.

 

[GeoffS]

FlySky is actually has a pretty good protocol with AFHDS2.
There are videos showing people testing the range by flying out until their plane/MR looses signal and activates "return to home"; it seems a couple of km is pretty standard for out-of-the-box Tx and Rx.

Most of my models use the X6B receiver.
It's small, so it fits in compact quad-rotors, but also has six PWM outputs for planes.
It's cheap (~$12) so I can have lots of them for lots of models.
It also has a battery-voltage monitor port that sends the battery voltage back to the Tx so you can have an alarm when it's time to land.

 

[Portlandbeginner]

I mean it really comes down to what you want to use it for. I have the Spektrum dx6e and love it. It had a lot of features that more expensive transmitters have for a decent price. @BATTLEAXE uses a Spektrum dxe. If your radio isn’t limiting you, then I’d spend the extra cash on more gear, a simulator, etc...

I am looking into a DX6 and knowing you have a DX6e I was going to ask you which one you think I should go for

 

[The Hangar]

I am looking into a DX6 and knowing you have a DX6e I was going to ask you which one you think I should go for

Dx6 is overall better, but again it comes to what features you want. The three main differences that come to my mind other than price are the dx6 has the ability to do telemetry, has voice alerts, and has a diversity antenna meaning it has two antennas and switches between the one with the best signal. Telemetry would be great for monitoring battery voltage and temperatures, but since I do mainly scrach builds, they don’t stay around too long and for me would be kinda a waste to put a lot into one. Voice alerts are cool, but not a game changer imho. I’ve never had range issues regarding my my dx6e transmitter ever. Good luck!

 

[FDS]

@Portlandbeginner An expensive radio won’t make you fly better. There’s a lot you can do with what you have, for example setting up the rates better, tweaking the expo and using the full features of the radio that will make your flights feel smoother.
What makes you think you need to replace it? Maybe there’s a simple free solution.
If you are still intent on upgrading second hand is a good option.

 

[buzzbomb]

I think what everyone is saying is that yes, it's a good transmitter. Whether you invest in a better one? We can always invest in a "better" transmitter. I moved from a Turnigy9x to a FrSky Taranis X9D Plus, simply because I wasn't happy with the Turnigy. It felt lacking to me.

I'm glad I made the move. I can now program just about anything to do just about anything. All that functionality comes with a steeper learning curve, but I haven't looked back. I want to use THAT switch and make it do THIS. I can do that. The Turnigy had dedicated switches. I could program a throttle cut, but couldn't pick the most convenient switch for me. I had to use the one that Turnigy decided I should use. With OpenTX, I can literally program anything to anything. I picked a three position switch above the left joystick, and I've programmed in three different levels of rates and expo.

I picked a switch on the bottom on the left for my throttle cut. I programmed voice prompts to remind me whether it's on or off. Nah, I haven't looked back.

Do you need all that functionality at this point in your flying progression? Nope. What you've got will literally take you through years of flying. Do you want more functionality and is it worth the money to you? Since you're asking the question, I'm guessing yes.

 

[JUSS10]

Dx6 is overall better, but again it comes to what features you want. The three main differences that come to my mind other than price are the dx6 has the ability to do telemetry, has voice alerts, and has a diversity antenna meaning it has two antennas and switches between the one with the best signal. Telemetry would be great for monitoring battery voltage and temperatures, but since I do mainly scrach builds, they don’t stay around too long and for me would be kinda a waste to put a lot into one. Voice alerts are cool, but not a game changer imho. I’ve never had range issues regarding my my dx6e transmitter ever. Good luck!

I'm quite certain the DX6e also does telemetry. Main difference between the DX6 and DX6e is the "e" doesn't have voice prompts or diversity antennas. The diversity, or lack there of, shouldn't affect range so much as its a redundancy thing just like running a satellite receiver in a plane to add more antennas. I love having voice prompts, but the DX6e is a very capable transmitter.

 

[skymaster]

that looks like a nice radio stick to it. since you are still learning, is has a display for when you need to make changes in the field , dx6 does not have a display, while dx6e does. having more channel's would be in the advance pilot setting, it would be only if you have more stuff on you'r plane like a pan camera rack or drop bomb bay. if you are not into that stick with what you have.

 

[The Hangar]

that looks like a nice radio stick to it. since you are still learning, is has a display for when you need to make changes in the field , dx6 does not have a display, while dx6e does. having more channel's would be in the advance pilot setting, it would be only if you have more stuff on you'r plane like a pan camera rack or drop bomb bay. if you are not into that stick with what you have.

The dxe doesn’t have a screen, but the dx6 and dx6e do.

 

[skymaster]

you are right dx6 does have a screen and the dx6e which is the one that i have.

 

[Calabashman]

SO let's see. I'm just starting out; Rudder, elevator, ailerons, throttle, flaps and 1 spare kinda eats up a 6 channel. With all of the great advances in our hobby is 6 really going to be enough going forward??

 

[Bricks]

SO let's see. I'm just starting out; Rudder, elevator, ailerons, throttle, flaps and 1 spare kinda eats up a 6 channel. With all of the great advances in our hobby is 6 really going to be enough going forward??

It depends on how you want to set up ailerons and flaps if using Y cables then yes a 6 channel is enough but for me I usually run separate servos for ailerons and flaps with no Y cable. That way I can run full wing ailerons or separate flaps and ailerons, I can induce Crow if I want or any combination I feel like.

 

[FDS]

I have never used more than 6 on an FT plane.
I still wouldn’t buy an expensive radio that restricted my channels, all the OpenTX ones have at least 12 with limitless mixes.
If you have a basic 6ch and have no plans to fly huge scale aircraft with tons of functions or quads then you are unlikely to need more.

 

[Merv]

Like @FDS, I have never used more than 6 channels on a FT plane. I don’t think I have used more than 6 on any plane.