Features in a transmitter

[Flippy]

Help a newbie? What transmitter features are 1) critical 2) useful 3) desirable 4) not required or little used
I expect to move forward to recreational flying only
6 axis control requires _______ ?
Protocol for different receivers _____ std ? alternatives in use
Mode control for different manufacturers ( required ?)
range ____ ?

 

[John Doecliff]

I would get a 8 ch xmtr. You need 4 ch for basic flight but your flight controller may have different modes like gps/man etc or rth so extra ch's come in handy.
Power outputs for radio xmtrs are rarely advertised and range is subjective to conditions like terrain and other sources of interference. Stick with a name brand and you will be fine. I think a kilometer could be expected with line of sight flying but there are no gurantees. If you want to fly far you need additional equipment.
Generally recievers and radios are matched up by brand name. for example if you have a futaba radio then you need a futaba reciever. There are some exceptions. Hobby king sells "Orange" brand radios and recievers and their recievers supposedly work with spectrum radios.
The on screen menu and programming feature is pretty much a standard and something you want. Voice alerts isn't really necessary but kinda cool.
If you stay with the big name brands they all seem to do a good job. Spectrum and Futaba are 2 popular brands.

I have a Spectrum DX-8 and like it. It's my first and only radio so I don't have anything to compare it too.

 

[Hugh Hemington]

I had a Turnigy 9x, but now I have a Fr Sky Taranis, and it's well worth the difference.
The Taranis has more controls, and ones you really use. More three-position switches, better screen, and a USB connection already in place for firmware upgrades, and load/save model configurations. It supports sound files, so you can setup a model with audible warnings and info, and it has telemetry! The two-way communication that makes telemetry happen is used to tell you BEFORE your receiver gets out of range, and with the right hardware on your craft, you can see or hear when the voltage is too low, or any other data from your controller or "SmartPort" sensors. This radio also supports S.BUS for single-wire connections and additional models to get up to 16 channels at one time.
The Taranis has a "module" built inside, and port for another, like a DSM2 module, so you can quickly switch between a DIY plane and a PNF quad without plugging anything in. The native ASST (spread-spectrum communication) is supported by many different receivers with three to sixteen channels, and different sizes to accommodate any craft you can find.
I really cannot see buying anything else!