Tx Ignorance!

[Heatlump]

Hi All,

Apologies in advance for my ignorance....
Having finally got my airframe and groundstation mostly sorted, found a good local place to fly and got a few more successful flights under my belt I am well untryly hooked! However, this does mean that my super-rubbish "Dynam" 3ch Tx / Rx (although boosted with groundstation motorbike battery and tuned antenna respectively) just don't cut the mustard any more! I have read the forum with respect to good FPV-able transmitters / receivers and think that, as I am using a firstpersonview 2.4Ghz Vtx, I should probably stick to 35MHz control. Hence I would like a Futaba 6TX & Corona RPD81 or some such....

.myhobbystore.co.uk  has these in stock all of very similar price:

Futaba 6ch Combo FM35 (N) M2 R136F (P-CB6EXP/LEU)
Futaba 6ch Combo FM35 (N-Tx) M1 R136F (P-CB6EXP/R)
Futaba 6ch Combo FM35 (N-Tx) M2 R136F (P-CB6EXP/L)
Futaba 6ch S3003 x 4 FM35 Mode 2 R136F (P-FP6EXP/L)

As I am rather new to all this can someone enlighten me as to what all the extraneous numbers mean?! I'm assuming the "/R /L" are left and right handed, however what is the difference between the M1 and M2 models and the N and N-Tx models? Please excuse my ignorance!  (?)

2ndly, (I'm aware this should probably be in the Vtx section) Is there any reason why I can't just solder a small amount of shielded co-ax cabel onto my VTx and to enable me to have an internal VTx connected to an external mounted "reduced-tree-based-interference" circular polarised rubber duck?

Thanks in advance!

[Coyote]

The M1 and M2 are mode one and mode 2, Thats why the R and L match M1 or M2. M2 throttle on the left is what we fly with in the UK.

S3003 x 4 refers to stock standard size futaba servos

R136F refers to the model of receiver

A circular polarized rubber duck does not exist, a rubber duck is linear polarization. You can extend the coax from vtx to antenna end but you will have db losses down the wire, not a great deal though.

[Heatlump]

Thanks for the info! Makes more sense now.

Having done some more research in to antennas, I'm liking the idea of a clover leaf / skew planar wheel combo. Would it be better to just solder a SMA socket directly onto the VTx board to enable me to experiment with different antennas? At the moment I am just using the standard pp "wire stick" antenna on the VTx. 

[Coyote]

You can, but at such low power levels the lower the losses you incur in the system the better, so soldering it straight to the board would be best

[electrotor]

M2 throttle on the left is what we fly with in the UK. 

Actually no. What you find as you go around is that groups of people often flying together tend to fly Mode 1 or Mode 2 because that is what they have been taught.

There are actually 4 modes, 1 & 2 being the most common.
http://www.rc-airplane-world.com/rc-transmitter-modes.html

[Heatlump]

Thanks for the info everyone. I have a Futaba 6exp on order with the R136F receiver. Ill give this receiver a go before looking into the Corona RPD81. Does anyone know how they compare? I managed to get a random quote of ~300m range for the R136F – I take it that can be extended with a tuned antenna etc?

Looks like I'm a Mode2 man myself....

Looking forward to > 200m Range and less horrible control glitching!

[Coyote]

The RP8D1 has a stock range of 1 mile out the box