Radio Gear

Hitec's new Optic 5 radio is clearly an entry-level set designed to compete with units such as Spektrum's DX5e.  It's 2.4GHz, 1024 bit resolution and similarly priced although the Optic comes with a Minima 6-channel receiver unlike the DX5e that's packaged with an AR500 5-channel job. While both can cope with elevon requirements, the Optic…

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This MacGregor unit is a pulse proportional set which came to be known as Galloping Ghost – the rudder and elevator flapped! By the mid-1960s, reliable radio gear giving controls comparable to that of ‘full-size’ planes had arrived and was in general use. This was the period of enormous progress when within a few years…

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  Republished here, in 1987 Peter Russell wrote a number of articles for RCM&E covering the history of radio control developments.   There can be few who enjoy the present state of R/C, with radio gear that is sophisticated, reliable and cheap, easily built models with good performance, a large range of supporting fittings and gadgets,…

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Good news everyone, it looks like the XG7’s big brother is set to arrive in the UK sooner than expected, indeed, as this issue goes to press. The XG8, a Li-Fe battery powered, 8-channel radio has 30 model memories and an SD card slot for expanded storage and data sharing. It’ll use JR’s DMSS 2.4GHz…

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In response to feedback from DMSX transmitter owners, Horizon Hobby have discovered that in some “rare instances”, DSMX equipped transmitters with certain product ID (PID) codes may have a backwards compatibility issue that could cause a ‘hold’ when used with the following superseded DSM2 receivers: AR500, AR6100, AR6100E, AR6110, AR6110E, AR6200 and AR6300. The issue…

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Receiving more than a makeover, Spektrum have revised their mid-range stalwart the DX7 in the process grafting a DX8’s body along with a substantial software upgrade, also based on the DX8 AirWare platform. The new DX7S will employ the DSMX frequency of course along with full telemetry feedback such as signal strength, Rx battery voltage,…

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The 11X must be one of the most radically styled transmitters to have appeared.   The folks at JR have broken the mould with their stunning new radio system. The sleek design is, to quote the press release, "heavily influenced by Japanese 'Gundam' model robots" and should be in the UK in the first quarter…

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Horizon Hobby have announced the release date for the new Spektrum DX-8 system. The long awaited higher-end radio should arrive some time in August all being well.  Boasting a back-lit screen and new programming software designed from the ground up, the 30 model memory system is also the first Spektrum radio to feature telemetry where…

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  The respected Jeti Duplex 2.4GHz system is now available pre-fitted to the Graupner MX-12 and MX-16 transmitters. Duplex has, until now, only been supplied in the form of plug-in transmitter modules but that's set to change with the introduction of these new dedicated transmitters to which the Duplex system is pre-fitted. Jeti have taken…

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Visual similarities with the DX6i are there although ergonomically the DX8T is much improved. Quality of the materials seemed very good. Just unveiled at the Nuremburg 2010 trade expo, Horizon Hobby had the long awaited higher end Spektrum radios in the forum of this, the new DX8T and the new DX10T. At the moment they’re scheduled…

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