Done with Spektrum Radios!

[Doozer]

As the title of this thread says, I'm done with Spektrum radios. As some of you may know, my DX6i was recalled by Horizon Hobby because it had bad pots. My radio would cause my helis to throttle up with no stick input, or, my throttle would not shut off even though the stick was at the "L" position. Also, my rudder would stick and the heli would piro, out of the blue, with no stick input. So my DX6i is at Horizon right now going through their "fine tooth comb."

So yesterday, on the advice of a few people, I went to my LHS and picked up a DX7SE. I originally wanted a JRX9303, but was told I was better off getting the DX7SE because the signal is faster. I let the DX7 charge all night so I could fly in this morning. Well, I went to bind the DX7 to my first in a series of helis... my Trex 250. It has the AR6100e rx in it. Well, it doesn't bind, and I feel my radio getting warm, and started smelling that hot electronics smell. The radio was still on and you could read the screen, so I tried binding it to my HDX 450 which has the AR6200 rx in it.... still nothing. At this point I'm starting to get somewhat upset because I can really feel some warmth coming off the radio and that smell of toasty electronics. I give my LHS a call and he tells me to bring it in.

So I get to Duncan's RC and the owner takes it out and tries to bind it with no luck. He smells the smell and feels the heat and takes the back off. First, the antennae cable was not attached, it was just hanging there, but that wouldn't cause the "smell." He turns the radio on with the back off and quickly deduces that the voltage regulator is bad. "Yep, this has to go back." He tells me that he'll have another one on Tuesday, but at this point, I'm two for two with these radios and not wanting to go three for three.

I ended up with the JR X9303. I know that it is a Horizon Hobby product and JR makes Spektrum, but I'm thinking I've got a black Spektrum cloud over my head. I'd also have to buy 4 new receivers if I bought a Hitech or Futaba, but if this radio goes bad, I'm done with that company altogether.

I do want to add that had I bought this radio online, I would have been sending it back and waiting while they tested it, then waiting for a credit or a new one. That would have been a couple of weeks at least. Byron at Duncan's RC really took care of me, and even set my heli up for me. He uses the X9303 and took the time to run me through some of the basics, and I didn't ask him to. He took care of me with no hassles. His distributor is Empire Hobbies, who distributes to a fair amount of online vendors, and his prices are similar. I just get taxed which is a bummer, but in this case, I have a new Tx and I'll be able to fly once the battery is completely charged.

All's well that ends well. I'm out a few more bucks but hopefully I won't need a radio for a while.

[Solitaire]

It's damm shame that you have to spend $600 to get a radio that works. The JR should last you a while, Dooz. It had better at that price.

[McKrackin]

Hey Dooz,what's the difference in a DX7 and DX7SE?

[Raygun]

Sorry to hear that doozer most of the spectrum radio's have been bullet proof. It is nice you have a local Hobby Shop that will take care of it for you hope you have better luck on the other. Ray

[Doozer]

Mar 28, 2009 15:31:52 GMT -6 McKrackin said:

Hey Dooz,what's the difference in a DX7 and DX7SE?

Supposedly it has an 11ms frame rate with 2048 resolution (Twice that of the DX7). It was supposed to give better control and more precise movement of control surfaces. However, hard to do that when you don't attach the antennae wire, and you install electronics that don't work in brand new equipment. The DX7se doesn't come with an rx and sells for $319, and DX7 without a rx or servos I've seen as low as $245 here modefosheli.com/inc/sdetail/73931

I know some of you have had good experiences with your Spektrum equipment, but this is two times in a row for me with the same brand. If the alternative wasn't spending another $300 plus/minus a few bucks on receivers, and hours of rewiring and servo testing, I wouldn't have bought the JR either. I would have bought a Futaba. I felt like I needed a shower after I bought the JR. Like I had sold out, but one of the things that made me buy it was the amount of effort put forth by the owner of my LHS. It was his assurance that if something goes wrong with this one, he'll replace it as well. He spent a ton of time in an extremely busy shop to walk me through the radio. He assured me that I'd like this radio. I was fairly impressed with him.

[McKrackin]

I'm glad you could walk away happy.

I am in a same situation in another arena.
I bought a Pontiac G6 that has been a total piece of s#it since day one.
Waaaaaaaayyyyyy more money than any heli but a pain in my A$$ nonetheless.
3rd set of wheel bearings on the left side and second on the right.
Intermediate steering shaft has failed twice.
Transmission is failing now.2nd time.
I have told them that the day it is paid off I will sign the title and set it on fire in their front yard.
I also told them I bought this car to give to my daughter for her sweet 16.As it stands,I wouldn't trust the safety of my DISHES to this piece of crap,let alone my family.
I have been a GM man for decades but this lil' car has changed that forever.

I understand how a turd can put you off a brand forever.
I agree.

[Doozer]

yep, I really couldn't believe it.... I thought for sure lightning wouldn't strike twice. Really bro, my gut said don't get it, but I have a lot of respect for Bob White (Finless), and he said that the DX7 was the fastest radio on the market. We were all looking at the Hitech Aurora, the new 9 channel, and it was just a comment he made and I ran with it. I've bought two Spektrum radios, both lemons. That's a never again no brainer.

[McKrackin]

I agree.
No more Spektrum for you.
I'll stick with mine.It works.
I drive my piece of crap G6 up and down the highway daily and see others on the road too.
I imagine they like theirs but I will never ever buy another one.

Fool me once,,,blah blah blah........

Let me know how your new TX goes for you ;D

[19000rpm]

I've only heard a few DX7 horror stories and your's is a real "doozer." Hope the new Tx works out for.

Happy landings

[kiwi1080]

MC, buy Japanese, nuff said...

[McKrackin]

No,I'm going back to my Durangos.Screw the ozone and gas prices.
I loved that car ;D

[jerry]

Well that is a shame. My Dx7 works great. Using it with 4 helis right now with no problems. But I know how that can go. The first Cadillac Eldorado that my wife had was a great car. Got over 200,000 miles with no problems. The two we had after that were nothing but junk. I will never buy another Cadillac.

[akent]

Wow Doozer.
I'm 'almost' in your boat.
I bought TWO DX6i's both with pot problems.
Then I bought a DX7, and I guess switching the throttle up switch a little robustly has yielded a switch that is less than robust. It came apart. I'm not hard on equipment either!!!
I fixed that switch, but I'm almost thinking the same thing.

So, how is the JR? It's 100% compatible with the Spektrum receivers? Are the switches and pots more robust looking and feeling? For that difference in price, I would expect some major quality differences.

Kent

[Doozer]

Yes the JR works with the receivers. Does it work like the X6 or X7with the 6 channel receivers... nope. The problem is that for some reason they did not include setting up your gyro's gain from the gear channel in your gyro set up menu. It will not allow you to change your gain from the gyro menu. You have to use the travel adjust menu and your gear channel in that menu for true gain. Since the radio goes up to 150% travel there's some math involved in finding the suggested gain for the gyro and your specific heli. i.e. I have a Solid G gyro on my 600, the suggested gain from CY Inc. for that model heli is 55% ish.... that's about +45% on the L gear channel (seriously, thank god for G-view).

Having 7 point curves is nice... 30 models? I'm getting there. Would I have bought a Futaba with the knowledge I now have after using a JR?..... not quite sure. I'm still learning this radio. Most of the functions are very similar to the other radios in this family.

On the other hand I did ask it the meaning of life and it gave me some Ghandi-ish cliche. So I think god mode is broken. I probably paid to much for a radio!

[McKrackin]

My Devil mode seems to be working.
I turned on the radio last night and I swear I heard a whimper from my heli ;D