Do I really need to buy all new receivers?












This has been the ongoing question I get quite often, do I need to replace all my receivers if I buy an FrSky transmitter?  The short answer is Yes, No, and Maybe. I end up having this conversation quite a bit so I will write down what I tend to tell everybody.

The first thing I tell people is that  ripping out all your receivers in your planes isn’t always a great idea.  You need  to go about it slowly. This is a new radio system and you will need to give it some time to learn it.   My suggestion is to usually start off with one plane and see how it goes. 

There should be an exploration process that happens with the transmitter.  For example, there are many mixes you can setup on your transmitter.  What is brilliant about the transmitter is how easy the mixes are to setup and how well they work together.  Thus you’ll want to experiment with them. It’s best to put them on switches where they can be turned off completely.  At the field you can dial them up or down between flights to fine tune it.

It’s best to start off with an authentic and current FrSky receiver.   When you start to feel comfortable with that you can go a couple of different directions with what you do next.






MultiProtocol Module.


The Multiprotocol module is a 3rd party module that fits on the back of the Tandem transmitters.  It has around 100 different protocols on it.  Some work with that very popular hobby store brand of receivers. Some people have worked with multiprotocol modules for years without a problem.  Yet  other areas have more 2.4ghz noise. Thus, if you go this route, start off with a plane that you wouldn’t be devastated if you crash.  With this option you will not get telemetry and thus you should fly your sacrifice planes first to make sure the area is safe for more expensive planes. We've found that the multiprotocol module tends to be a bit fickle. It works with some receivers, and not others. At the current time in Ethos there isn't a good way to tune the Multiprotocol module. Finally, the multiprotocol module emulates the authentic radio protocol. Thus, it's not an identical link to the original link. When it comes to any third party link, it's hit or miss and unfortunately, you're on your own. I've had people call me to ask me why their MPM module won't work with certain planes. Then I start asking questions about their plane. It usually turns out that the plane costs into the thousands of dollars and took them months to build. This is when I bring up the concept of having the best link they can get for the plane, and that's with an authentic FrSky Tandem receiver. They think for a moment and say "Yeah, you're right." If a plane if mission critical, and would be too much of a hit if it crashes, stick to the Tandem receivers. If you've got a dozen or so foamies that have been crashed and glued back together, if the multiprotocol module works with the planes and you don't have any problems then this is a viable solution.

Gradual upgrades











The two largest concerns I hear expressed about taking on a new radio line is that it’s going to cost a lot of money and people are going to set-up their planes once again.

My dude, I may not know you, but I know you. Let’s talk about your planes for a moment.   You have your eye candy planes which are beloved by you. You’re constantly fixing them and making them better.  Then you’ve got some that are still flyable, but may need some work. Finally, there are the ones you simply need to get rid of.

After you’ve got your mojo worked out with your test FrSky plane you need to transition your eye candy planes first. These are the ones you don’t want to lose.  As you’re doing this you can refine your mixes so that these planes fly like butter.  You are going to make these planes fly better than they have ever flown before with a bit of effort.










The best way to do this is three planes at a time.  Rip out your old receivers and sell them for what you can reasonably get for them.  In this phase I would take it slowly. Figure out your mixes and your switch positions.  Learn how to add photos and voices to your Ethos based radio and enjoy the process. If you have to go to the flying field with two transmitters, it’s not a big deal. Also, there are multiple receiver options from FrSky. As you transition, explore the different options because some receivers are more ideally suited for your planes than others.

I would take an evening per plane, clean them, replace chipped props, clean up the wiring, check the CG.  If it has landing gear, it’s a good time to put silicon grease on the axels, tighten the grub nuts,  and make sure the retracts are behaving well. With each trip to the field you may be able to go through two or three planes.  This is the refinement process. You may need to come home, watch videos and ask questions. But, what will happen is as you go down the line from best to moderate planes, the ones that never flew well may actually start flying better. Then, there are the ones that just may not be worth updating because for one reason or another you may simply don't fly them. Sell them off, give them away, or strip and trash them. This transition period may be two years in total.  The process won’t seem as daunting or overwhelming if you just take your time with it. And you're enjoyment of the hobby will just explode.








The hybrid strategy


What will be the ultimate solution?  A full switch over to FrSky in a short period of time?   New FrSky receivers for your best planes, and multiprotocol module paired to your less valuable planes?    Or maybe it’s just using FrSky for the most valuable planes and the incumbent transmitter for the remaining planes? Slowly over time, more planes move toward FrSky until the day comes when you can offload the incumbent transmitter?

The reason you transition to FrSky isn’t really just about having a more secure radio link. It’s because you can make your planes fly far better than they ever have. You can get more telemetry, experiment with different mixes and make the flying experience a lot more enjoyable.









The bottom line



What I find is that people slowly transition into the Tandem radio line at first.  They do start out with one receiver and they don't buy another one for months. But, then when they jell with the transmitter they tend to start buying more receivers because by this point, it simply makes sense.  

There isn't a huge learning curve for Ethos, and people with some previous transmitter experience pick it up fairly quickly.  It's just that people have years of experience with another transmitter and they want to ease into the new transmitter. Even though everybody else swears it's great, the Tandem transmitters have to prove it to them, firsthand.  Give it time, it will.













Location: Brea, CA, USA

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