Official Futaba 6EX, 7C and TM-7 Service Advisory

[Craven]

Can you chug beer yet Sweetpea?

[1bwana1]

I am with Nick and Sam on this one, I want all RC Radio systems to work properly. I also think the pow-wow recommendation is not a viable method to deal with this. I am with Sam on the beer chugging, I can't do it either. LOL!

[Judge]

	Quote: Originally Posted by dubd
	If Futaba was not able to find this issue on their own with the 6 and 7 channel radios, how do they know that the issue does not exist with the 14 channel module?

I'm working on the crazy assumption that maybe, just maybe, Futaba knows something about their radios that nobody else does. Using this insane premise I believe that they do indeed know more about their product than say, we do, and that is how they have come to this conclusion.

Now I know this is crazy talk, but it is all I can think of!!

[Judge]

	Quote: Originally Posted by sweetpea
	Why? ......here's my contest example.

As I stated in another forum Sam, your contest scenario is perhaps the easiest to handle. At your upcoming IMAC contest, if you have more than one pilot show up with a 6EX/7C-FASST/TN-7 FASST module then simply treat them as if they are on the same channel. Since it is likely that the majority of your pilots will still be on non SS systems this should not pose an undue burden.

At a contest you have absolute control of the radios. Until this issue is sorted out, a contest is the easiest place to control the possibility of a problem arising.

[dubd]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Judge
	I'm working on the crazy assumption

You know what they say when you assume.

[sweetpea]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Judge
	As I stated in another forum Sam, your contest scenario is perhaps the easiest to handle. At your upcoming IMAC contest, if you have more than one pilot show up with a 6EX/7C-FASST/TN-7 FASST module then simply treat them as if they are on the same channel. Since it is likely that the majority of your pilots will still be on non SS systems this should not pose an undue burden. At a contest you have absolute control of the radios. Until this issue is sorted out, a contest is the easiest place to control the possibility of a problem arising.

Judge you are correct its the easiest to understand the situation at a contest......but depending on how many FASST units it is not the easist to implement. If I had 20 pilots show up with these systems, I have to assume they are all on the exact same channel. That would make my life a living nightmare for deconfliction of flying and in turn that would cause issues with contest judging from trying to deconflict flying and the list goes on.

But hey......its my problem to deal with. I will be emailing every SS user that enters my Feb contest to confirm what system they use. (luckily FASST isn't that popular yet)

[Judge]

	Quote: Originally Posted by sweetpea
	If I had 20 pilots show up with these systems, I have to assume they are all on the exact same channel.

Really, you think that 33% to 45% of your entries may be flying this system?? WOW, that would be impressive market penetration. And as you well know, most of the IMAC guys fly higher end radios with more mixing and such than is available on the 6EX or the 7 channel radio.

So in the end, do you "really" believe you will have this problem? Tell you what. You get that many entries with these 3 radios and I will personally come up there and do nothing but administer your frequency matrix. How's that??

You know where to reach me.

[Jamieman]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Judge
	At a contest you have absolute control of the radios. Until this issue is sorted out, a contest is the easiest place to control the possibility of a problem arising.

I'm sure this will be sorted & i hope the local hobby shops/distributors have received this or similar bulletin.
As a Futaba user, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Jamie

[Judge]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Jamieman
	As a Futaba user, Jamie

If this is true, you need to change that avatar!!!!

[1bwana1]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Judge
	I'm working on the crazy assumption that maybe, just maybe, Futaba knows something about their radios that nobody else does. Using this insane premise I believe that they do indeed know more about their product than say, we do, and that is how they have come to this conclusion. Now I know this is crazy talk, but it is all I can think of!!

Judge,
I have read many of your posts, on a variety of subjects, they are often very astute, and I find myself agreeing with you. Frankly, I can't believe crazy talk is all you could think of! LOL

Go to bed, get some rest, you'll do better in the morning. Unfortunately I won't be able to read it, I'm on my way to Phoenix for the IMAC. Yeah Baby!

[sweetpea]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Judge
	Really, you think that 33% to 45% of your entries may be flying this system?? WOW, that would be impressive market penetration. And as you well know, most of the IMAC guys fly higher end radios with more mixing and such than is available on the 6EX or the 7 channel radio. So in the end, do you "really" believe you will have this problem? Tell you what. You get that many entries with these 3 radios and I will personally come up there and do nothing but administer your frequency matrix. How's that?? You know where to reach me.

Well since the lower classes are the biggest classes and they tend to have the lower end radios this could be an issue. Do I think that it will be an issue in my Feb contest? Nope. I expect to see 2-3 radios and I will impound and deconflict which I'm sure will piss them off since they most likely bought 2.4 for no shotdowns and no radio impound. This summer might be another story though when the market is better saturated with FASST.

Even if I only got 5 radios.....a mere 10%.....add that to the 10% still on 72 that don't have extra channels and I have a 20% deconfliction rate. A major headache when you are setting up flight lines to match your judging matrix. And so far no one has signed up saying.....I fly FASST. They all sign up as spectrum or 2.4. So now it will be a day of change......That's always fun.


Last thing I expect to see is this.

I've got 3 of "these" radios and possibly 5 or so of the module or full systems not in this grouping. The 3 people are worried about the other 5 possibly having the same issue despite what Futaba put in the disclaimer. Now to be totally fair to those 3 flyers I have to deconflict all of them. Or do I just tell those 3......Sorry, suck it up or don't fly?


Really I'm just showing some examples of the problems that can arise until the problem is fixed by Futaba. Not patched by expecting the buyer to beware. Buyer beware has a ton of faults.

I'm also trying to get people to think outside the little world of ......"I only fly this radio so it doesn't effect me" Everyone flying FASST at my contest should be glad I'm even thinking of these things. I'm looking out for you to have the safest contest (for your plane at least) that I can and ensure that another flyer doesn't shoot you down. There is enough stress at contests as it is.

I do believe in the long run that Futaba will find the root cause, stop it from even happening and the 3 bullets are temp fixes until then.

[dubd]

Regardless of how insignificant this is, perception has become reality. I found out about this issue when a friend sent me an email titled "Stay away from FASST". This is from a guy who owns 2 12mz radios. I hope Futaba gets ahead of this or they will lose even more market share to JR/Spektrum.