[RCSE] Re: why go Evo?

[AMA3655]

Futaba, JR, and Airtronics can sell you a radio that will work well for a full house sailplane. Multiplex can sell you one that uses more modern and reliable technology to do so.   I work in an environment where we cherish reliability and spend a lot of time, money, and energy to reduce parts count in electronic products. Open up the back of an Evo and count the parts - that's easy to do with an Evo. Check out the part number on the microprocessor. Go to the TI website and look at the microprocessor specs. Count wires and connectors and bear in mind that all of these things represent a possible way to kill your plane when something doesn't work. Do the same for the other transmitters on the market. I'm not an expert and I haven't disected every 'mitter currently available, but I have taken a good look into a few of them.   If you do this you will also understand why the Evo will operate for 9 hours plus on 6 AA cells while putting out higher rf power. It's not perpeptual motion, just more effecient components that weren't on the market when the other radios were designed.   Would I scrap a good radio to move to the Evo? Probably not. The smart bet would be to wait a year and see if the Evo really works as good as some think it will. All the great design in the world won't help if somebody screwed up, the QC at the factory stinks, or the manufacturer doesn't support the product. But I've lost a few planes over the past year due to broken wires and cracked boards in my transmitters. I swapped over, and so far I'm a happy customer so far.   Bottom line is you pay your money and you take your chances - but it's smart to be an informed buyer and reduce the chances of something bad happening.   happy trails - Rob Glover