Futaba 9CHPA vs. JR 9303

[markg]

i am almost done building a T-Rex 450SE, and now i need to purchase a radio.

dont have anything at this point; have settled on either the JR 9303 or a Futaba 9CHPS. i kind of like the feel of the JR better, but since i have not owned a radio before, i dont really have a clue what the tradeoffs are.

any hints? or is this simply a chevy v. ford issue and it doesnt matter that much? they both seem like great radios.

thanks.

mark

[Pinecone]

I wish somebody would answer you, I am looking this way also. And also considering the JR 7202.

[Cryofix]

as far as I know the 9c is cheaper becasue it uses a standard RX that can be later upgraded to a synthisized, the 9303 only comes synthisized, I just had the 2 radios in my hand at my LHS and did not feela difference other that the JR sticks are looser, but you can configure them the way you like them.

[MrMel]

Go for the feel, in the end its the thing that matters most!

[WayneBrown]

I've flown the 9Z, the 12Z, the 14MZ, the 10SX, and now own two 9303's.
Parts I love, parts I hate, but thats with all radios..
Go for what you like and/or what others in your area are flying.
Having local help with programming is a HUGE plus!

[Pinecone]

As I have looking into this. 9C can use synth TX module, 9303 is single channel modules. 7202 is fully synth, so maybe JR will come up with updated 9303???

9C can be bought with TX alone, with R146iP or with R319 synth RX or complete flight pack.

9303 can be bought with TX only, R790 Scan Select RX, or others. Or full flight pack.

7202 is TX synth, and set in teh memory for the model, comes with R790 scan select synth RX. Can get DS285 servos with the set.

[WayneBrown]

JR makes a syth tx module that will work with any of their tx's with a module onboard.
I call mine 'dial a planker'.. :twisted: :twisted: :badair:

[Pinecone]

Cool, but just makes the choice harder. :)

[kgfly]

Do a search, there is another recent thread with a similar topic. The conclusion on that thread that both are good but the 9303 is slightly better overall.

As mentioned, both are available with synth Tx module and Rx.

The 7202 is a nice new JR competitor for the Futaba 7CHP. If you have the cash, go for the 9303 then you won't ever have that nagging "if only I got the better one" feeling and will have spare channels for fun stuff like AP. I think the 9303 has a better UI too.

[ShawnK]

I'll give you my two cent's worth.

Dad owns a 9C, a friend of mine owns a 9303. The first thing I noticed is that the 9C feels incredibly "cheap"... almost like "Fischer-Price My First Heli Transmitter". In terms of programming ability, it's a decent enough radio (and the newer 9C Supers are a little more flexible still). The 9C seems to be slightly more flexible in terms of switch assignability, but it's a small difference.

Additionally, if you have fat fingers, I'd stay away from the 9C. For whatever reason, it seems like most every Futaba radio on the market has their top switches mounted too closely to each other. I'm starting to think that all the engineers at Futaba are 95-pound Asian women. I can barely get my fingers between the switches on Dad's 9C.

As far as the 9303 is concerned, I personally would choose it over the 9C, but it's only because I can get my fingers between the switches. That's the one area that I see JR having a consistent advantage - their designers and engineers must be shaped like actual people.

Having said that, I'll admit that I'm not impressed with the "feel" of the 9303. It's still too plasticky feeling... not as bad as the 9C, but definitely not as solid-feeling as my Stylus (the radio that I've come to think has the best overall feel... even better than the 10X).

The programming ease and flexibility between the 9C and 9303 is pretty much a wash. Their layout is slightly different, but both are easily adaptable.

In terms of radio link performance, this is the one area that the 9303 has a clear advantage. The 9c is S...L...O...W in comparison. It's one of the slowest radios out there in terms of average latency. The 9303 falls somewhere between the 9C and the Stylus or Futaba 14MZ (the two fastest radios on the market).

Which one would I buy if I had to make a choice? The 9303. Which one should you buy? I don't know... what are the local pilots in your area using?

[Leeadam]

i finsihed my trex a few weeks ago and have been getting along well with the 9C Super . heres a tip for whichever u go for...look on ebay. i brought mine brand new from singapore....£200 it retails about 250-260 in shops over here. i guess u would get a good deal on the JR to.

[Pinecone]

Is the latency situation on the 9C Super in PCM only or both PCM and PPM?

[kgfly]

I read somewhere that the 9C-super had a faster CPU than the 9C and that this fixed the latency issue, is that right ?

[DavidH]

This latency issue is something that can only be detected using an osciliscope. It is not something the average pilot is going to see. You can fly a 9303, 9C, 9Z, Stylus, 10X. Not really going to be able to tell the difference in how it flies the model except in the feel of the transmitter.
Both versions of the 9C have the same processor. Super has a couple more mixes and also has the synthesized module and receiver.


David

[MrMel]

This latency issue is something that can only be detected using an osciliscope. It is not something the average pilot is going to see

Actually your wrong, I can feel it on a eCCPM machine.

And its actually clearly visable when you move the swashplate.

[DavidH]

[quote]And its actually clearly visable when you move the swashplate. [quote]

I can see the servos not track together on an eCCPM heli also. But the cause of that is the servos speed are not all exactly the same. I never really see it in flight.

The 14MZ handles the above issue with swash compensation.

I could tell the difference in response from my 9Z going to the 12Z. But that was going from 1024 to 2048 PCM resolution. I fly other peoples models at events on both standard and eCCPM mixing. With the 9 channel radios and less. They all fly about the same to me. Just each radio feels different in how it is held and the stiffness of the springs.
I have flown a DX6 radio. That radio flew like it had 100% expo set in it. The owner said there was no expo in the radio. Let him hover my model and he complained it was too quick around center.

David

[MrMel]

I have a 14MZ and some heli's I cant run the G3 receiver (35Mhz G3 on HV electrics are not a good combination)

So I run 1024 PCM receivers, and If I use "new channel" layout its OK, but if I use the old channel layout I can clearly feel the differerence.