I am getting back to model building and flying! What a better way to teach my son patience, frustration and joy (not necessary at this order ) ? We joined the SAA, visited the local club and arranged some flying lessons. We chosen 2 models, one for traditional building within the following year and an ARTF electric glider. RC was dead easy, Hitec Aurora 9, considering cost/performance. In our first lesson, some difficulties we had with the training. The instructor suggested I get another radio for binding and after reading and thinking, the chosen was Optic 6 (not the sport). It seemed obvious as it was from the same manufacturer, inexpensive yet powerful enough to grow. And I could use Hitec receivers across the fleet...
I ordered from Elite Models on the 13/Jul, hoping to take full advantage of our Scottish summer(??) and it arrived a few days later. The transmitter was working well and I installed the receiver into my plane. Now, buddy was complicated. I had to buy the buddy cable for the system (#58321 Full package).
I patiently followed instructions from Aurora manual (Optic manual was poor on that), browsed online discussions, checked the firmware versions, etc. Maybe it was my Aurora, purchased befor the change to J Perkins... Finally, I started to grow frustrated from what was going on and went to my instructor. It worked on his radio with my Aurora! Further, with simulators (ClearViewRC and RC PlaneMaster) Aurora would work but Optic 6 would not. Some calls to J Perkings and HITEC USA and I was sending my brand new radio back together with the training cable.
The delays
On the 02/Aug my radio went special delivery to Elite Models. I didn't ask for a refund (which was within my rights from their terms and conditions) since I wanted to have it solved ASAP and get back to fly; summer was getting thin. After a number of calls and non-materialised promisses, I wrote a letter on the 18/Aug expressing my frustration and demanding a solution. They promptly apologised and sent the transmitter to J Perkins (although I had the impression they were replacing with a new one and sending it back to me). More calls and yesterday I was told that they could have replaced since they had none in stock. Today the final stab....
Elite Model called explaining that J Perkins tested my Optic. They also tested brand new Auroras and Optics and the veredict is that the Optic 6 does not buddy to the Aurora!
Worse, this is not a problem of my particular radio but is shared with all the Optic they tried. Furter, the Optic can buddy to another Optic. Their veredict is that there is a firmware problem with the Aurora 9!!!
Pardon, I said? But the Aurora buddy to the Futaba, the JR, even the cheap 4CH Art-tech transmitter that came with the plane!!
I am writing this hoping someone can shed some light for me to decide what to do. I love my Aurora 9, spend money with it and cannot return it anymore. I was offered a full refund from Elite Models for the Optic but then.... what am I going to buy? If I go for a different brand I will have to deal with multiple receivers and to stay with Hitec I need absolute guarantee that biding will work.
Any help will be appreciated...
Still hoping for joy, altough not from Scottish weather
Regards
Carlos
Note: I am posting this into a number of forums that I subscribe and sending a copy to HITEC USA as well as Elite Models and J Perkins. I will post follow-ups and intend to be fair to all involved parts.