FlySky Changing Transmission Schemes?

[F111 John]

There appears to be a new FlySky transmission scheme making the hobby sales rounds. The simple four channel T4, the computer programmable CT6, and the venerable 9X all are now being spotted on the likes of Hobby King, R2Hobbies, RC Model Part, etc., in new versions.

Some sites are calling this new scheme System "B", and Hobby King is calling it "V2." The nub of the matter are:

1) This new system is not compatible with the venerable (and cheap) 6 channel FlySky (and clones) receivers we've all come to know and love.

2) The new receivers don't have satellite receivers, and there is only a single antenna on the main receiver. Further, the main antenna appears to be "loaded" in some way, judging by the huge orange heat shrink at the end of the RX antenna lead. This may cause loss of signal due to shadowing or multipath, and could make it difficult for those with carbon fuselages to "stick out" the antenna neatly.

3) The 9X has replaced the FM whip antenna with a 2.4 GHz antenna, and the FlySky module installed in the back still has the familiar JR layout, but the antenna lead appears to be permanently fastened from the module to the antenna, preventing any use of FM (35, 40, or 72 MHz) modules, and preventing the use of any other 2.4 GHz modules without cutting or desoldering the existing FlySky antenna lead.

4) Thankfully, the pricing doesn't seem to be out of line from the earlier versions.

Are there any others out there that have purchased these new versions, and have a report as to how they are functioning?

[RCModelReviews]

Yes, I've made comments in the FlySky review thread on this board about the changes in the new version.

There's the same old lack of QC there (witness the plastic swarf in the module compartment and crude manner in which the internal antenna is connected to the module -- thus rendering it not easily removed/swapped).

As for the RF performance of the system I don't know.

They are clearly using a sleeved dipole instead of just a 1/4 wave wire but the FlySky receivers are not particularly sensitive so, based on my experiments flying the old system without the satellite (bad!) I would be concerned about using this radio in anything other than a parkflier until I've had a chance to test it out.