Skip Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Hi Guys, I've done a search and couldn't find any threads answering my question so..... Is there anything a Futaba 8FG can't do for an F3F glider? What settings are a PITA to get easy adjustability (ie: in flight snapflap adjustment). The week before I had my glider hiatus, I was about to buy an 8FG and didn't due to my addiction to golf (I'm cured now). I'm thinking of changing from my old, crickety futaba one for the rekindling of the glider fire. Thanks for your help. Clayt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_r Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Clayton, good to hear you're getting the itch..... unless the 8fg has changed, I'd go for the 12fg as a minimum if you want easy and complete adjustabilty. They come up pretty cheap used these days, although they don't have telemetry. the 8 and 14 are good for the money, but don't have the features of the 12. If you're not bothered about a Futaba, the Taranis seems pretty flexible if you don't mind the programming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted October 22, 2014 Author Share Posted October 22, 2014 Thanks Mark. I've not looked at the 12. will have a squizz now. What is difficult with the 8FG? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John T Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 I have the 8FG Super and the 12FG. On the 8 you do not get enough points to make any curves worthwhile. I think they only have a 5 point curve yet that means on snap flap you in theory only get a centre point, the end point and one in the middle. The curves also come in very usefull on the elevator compensation on crow. The sliders also come in very usefull for adjusting snap flap, camber, reflex etc...in flight, which i don't believe you can do with the 8. I am sure there are other things the 12 does that the 8 doesn't but the curves and in flight adjustments of curves were the main things for me. I stuck with the 8 for a long time and then having got the 12 wished i had switched alot earlier. I got the 12 from a very nice man who said that it had improved his flying so much over the past few years..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted October 22, 2014 Author Share Posted October 22, 2014 Thanks John. I've got a frsky 2.4 module on the back of my t9ex or whatever it's called. does the 12 have the same setup or is it dedicated 2.4? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John T Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Mine has the futaba TM 14 fasst 2.4 module which plugs in the back. I believe this was standard in the UK. This also means the cheapish FrSky fasst receivers work fine. Not dedicated 2.4 like the 8FG Super. The 12 is also a lot easier to navigate round the menus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon_t Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Hi Skip - you might also want to consider a tray radio, e.g. FX-30. Same software as 12 FG, but lots more flexibility around switch positions/types etc. With short sticks it is great to fly with thumbs (as I do), and gives a more stable platform with neckstrap for launching on windy slopes. I think Martin Newnham might be selling one shortly (I have FX-32 now, and keep my 30 as a spare Tx). I also have a Futaba 12Z, which is a standard, but very high end Tx and does everything programme-wise (little used as I wanted a tray tx, but the 30 hadn't been launched when I got it). PM me if you are interested as I will sell it for less than an 8. Simon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumbey Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Clayt, I've had my 8FG for about 3 years now and it works just great for me. I upgraded from the 9c. I'm not sure or convinced if additional curve points that the 12FG offers would improve the setup of my F3F gliders?? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbof3f Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Clayt, I've had my 8FG for about 3 years now and it works just great for me. I upgraded from the 9c. I'm not sure or convinced if additional curve points that the 12FG offers would improve the setup of my F3F gliders?? G,day skip welcome back,i use a 12fg i haven,t found anything it won,t do with my standard of flying f3f models,maybe a more serious pilot would require more?paid £400 second hand, but mint condition "Does what it says on the tin" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbof3f Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 G,day skip welcome back,i use a 12fg i haven,t found anything it won,t do with my standard of flying f3f models,maybe a more serious pilot would require more?paid £400 second hand, but mint condition "Does what it says on the tin" snap it up mate http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Futaba-T12FG-2-4GHz-12-channel-transmitter-12FG-/281472273657?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item41890e0cf9 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 While I've been away there has been a bit of a development. The Taranis. I didn't know about it when I posted this thread and after reading some stuff and watching some videos, I'm pretty convinced that I am going to get one. Thanks for your offers and suggestions guys! Feel free to let me know your thoughts and opinions on the Taranis! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slopelope Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Good luck! Everyone I know with a Taranis is constantly speaking double dutch and seems to be constantly sorting out problems... I have an 8FG Super, its rock solid, never dropped a signal, FRSky receivers are cheap and excellent and it has percentage not fixed points for the crow and snap flap. Bought a new one (model now discontinued so was old stock) from the States a few months ago for £240. Just my pennies worth :-) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme_M Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 While I've been away there has been a bit of a development. The Taranis. I didn't know about it when I posted this thread and after reading some stuff and watching some videos, I'm pretty convinced that I am going to get one. Thanks for your offers and suggestions guys! Feel free to let me know your thoughts and opinions on the Taranis! Hi skip, Mike Shellim has the Taranis system and seems to like it. Graeme 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rc-soar Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Good luck! Everyone I know with a Taranis is constantly speaking double dutch and seems to be constantly sorting out problems... I have an 8FG Super, its rock solid, never dropped a signal, FRSky receivers are cheap and excellent and it has percentage not fixed points for the crow and snap flap. Bought a new one (model now discontinued so was old stock) from the States a few months ago for £240. Just my pennies worth :-) I can't think of any radio has polarised opinion as much as the Taranis :-) I guess I should start out by stating my position - as Graeme says, I'm a bit of fan. I know of four pilots using it for F3F in the UK, and others abroad. Nevertheless, some people have had misgivings, not so much with the RF link (rock solid) but with the ancillary stuff. Most of the negative comment revolves around three specific issues - problems getting the tx to talk to a PC, idiosyncrasies with the Companion software, and struggles with the programming. All perfectly valid concerns IMO but it needs to be kept in context. The connectivity issue has been a perennial pain, but it's fortunately been fully dealt with by the Taranis Plus - it doesn't require any special drivers to be installed on the PC. As regards the Companion software, (used for building setups on a PC, flashing firmware, and transferring model data), it can be frustrating for a newbie, and requires rather more familiarisation than one might wish. I spent some time trying to figure out a sensible workflow. But it's a unique and very useful program. Being able to test out your designs on a PC is cool. The third aspect is more difficult to quantify. Pilots like Jonathan Wells and myself came from an MPX background, and didn't have much difficulty porting our setups to the Taranis. However, anyone coming from say a Futaba will likely struggle especially with complex setups. For the latter, there is another approach, which is to install a third party properly setup, and to treat the Taranis as a ready to run 'appliance'. Matt How is using my setup on a regular basis in just this way, with some minor mods which he's made himself. Taking a step back, I think the current model of the established manufacturers of providing ever more complex radios with ever more specific menus is a bit of a dead end. In spite of the efforts of the designers, inevitably some crucial features is left out, and you're left at the mercy of the manufacturer. The result is setups which are sub optimal in terms of features, or difficult to maintain. For example having to enter the same stuff twice or four times just to alter a mix - let alone being able to adjust it in the air. OpenTx provides mechanisms to avoid this kind of thing - any adjustment can have a single adjustment point. Also since setups are shared around, it inevitably leads to discussion and improvement, c.f. the 'walled garden' approach mandated by other manufacturers. The Taranis/OpenTx may not be the be the last word, but OpenTx is the first system where sharing of setups has really taken off. It leads to better setups, and IMO that's all part of the fun. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share Posted October 26, 2014 Thanks for that Mike. I'm pretty sure after looking at some info that I can handle using the Taranis and am looking forward to the challenge with the help of people like yourself. Now I just need to hide the impending purchase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share Posted October 26, 2014 PS Mike, your blog/website info is/are going to come in very handy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rc-soar Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Clayt, you're very welcome. BTW just to clarify I'm not trying to start a 'my radio is better than yours' debate... Commercial and open source have their own distinct benefits and drawbacks. In the end it's a personal choice based on a number of factors, not all necessarily quantifiable... Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share Posted October 26, 2014 i'm sure those debates have been done to death and no 'side' will ever win. For me, price plays a BIG part. I have always tried to get the most features or other tickable bits for my money (or lack of). Generally relying on generous 2nd hand sales to get what I want/need. The Taranis plus offers the flexibility (after a bit of effort and learning) to be able to have all the features I have longed for in an affordable bundle. Hopefully it'll prove to be an acceptable compromise. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John T Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Skip, Just don't hide your new TX in the same place where your other half hides her new shoes/handbags, that you don't know about 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 Ordered the Taranis today. Thanks for your help and offers guys! My head may hurt for a bit, but i will figure it out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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