Power Switch: Futaba12Z Radio Control System - 2006/12

Power Switch: Futaba 12Z Radio Control System
STEVE KALUF
Take advantage of the latest in RC-system
fidelity and programming flexibility
The 12Z transmitter feels great and fits your hands well.
The 12Z system comes in an attractive, sturdy custom-fit aluminum
carrying case that is large enough to hold a few other things.
Accessories included with the system (L-R): heavy-duty switch
harness with DSC jack, transmitter battery pack and charger,
1500 mAh Ni-Cd receiver battery pack and charger, DSC cord.
The Futaba 5014 receiver can handle 4.8-
and 6.0-volt battery packs. Servo leads
connect into the side, which makes it
easier to keep the wires neat.
THE NEWEST transmitter offered by
Futaba Corporation is the 12Z. It is the
replacement for the recently discontinued,
tried-and-true 9Z, which has been the
standard for competition pilots flying
Futaba systems for a long time. Its
discontinuation leaves some large shoes to
be filled.
The 9Z was also popular with those I’ll
call the “higher-end sport pilots.” They fly
more or less the same aircraft many
competition-oriented pilots fly, but for the
most part they don’t compete.
Futaba released the 14MZ radio system
slightly more than a year ago. It has been
touted as, and certainly seems to be, the
highest-end and probably most advanced
transmitter available today (emphasis on
“today”).
So does the 12Z fill the shoes vacated
by the 9Z and not step on the toes of the
92 MODEL AVIATION
12sig3.QXD 10/25/06 10:47 AM Page 92Rubber dust boots cover the stick-tension adjustments, charge
jack, and DSC cable connection point. Two channel sliders are
located at the top right and left of the transmitter case.
The battery cover ratchets open to reveal the 7.4-volt Li-Ion
battery pack. This pack gives you more than four hours of
transmitter running time.
On the right side of the transmitter and
under the rubber handgrip is the 32MB
Compact Flash memory-card slot.
The high-resolution LCD screen offers the user tremendous
clarity for a two-tone display. All the features are accessed from
this main menu. The LCD shows the expo- and dual-rate-setting menu.
Photos by the author
14MZ? It sure does fill the shoes, but it
does step ever so lightly on the 14MZ’s
toes.
The features available in the 12Z far
surpass those in the 9Z. The 14MZ is also
much easier to program and fills the
different needs of today’s competitive and
sport pilot much more completely than the
9Z, regardless of the number of updates that
could ever have been made. The 12Z also
has many features the 14MZ has, primarily
lacking only the color, backlit touch screen,
and MP3 player.
In this review I’m going to try hard to
not compare the 12Z with any other radio
systems on the market (other than the
preceding). This radio is different enough
that drawing comparisons to other systems
would not be fair to this system or any
other. So I’m going into this review with an
open mind and blank sheet of paper.
Looking at the outside of the 12Z
transmitter I was extremely impressed with
the case’s overall fit and finish. The quality
of transmitter-case material used in today’s
top-end transmitters is excellent, and the
12Z is a cut above most of those.
Have you ever picked up a new piece of
electronic equipment and been instantly
impressed by the feel of it in your hands,
the quality of the switches, and the look of
the whole thing? This is the feeling I get
when I hold and look at the 12Z.
There are little details that impress. They
don’t have to be that nice, but they add to
the overall impression you get. Something
as simple as a ratchet on the battery-cover
door is just one of the things that gives you
that feeling.
The overall layout is standard with
Futaba’s three top-line transmitters: the 9C,
12Z, and 14MZ. The sticks are silky
smooth, and the tension is easy to modify
externally on the back of the transmitter.
The 12Z has the easiest-to-adjust sticks
December 2006 93
12sig3.QXD 10/25/06 10:53 AM Page 9394 MODEL AVIATION
of any transmitter I’ve used, and without a
doubt some of the best-feeling sticks. To
adjust the tension, simply peel up the rubber
grips on the back and insert the supplied
hex wrench into the appropriate hole.
Turning the wrench in one direction or the
other increases or decreases the stick
tension. Stick adjustment and the angle of
the sticks can be adjusted, as can their
length.
The user can also switch between ratchet
and no ratchet on the throttle stick using a
different adjustment. The modification also
easily allows the user to have a light amount
of ratchet if that is the preference. This
makes the switch between the ratchet
preferred by fixed-wing pilots and the no
ratchet preferred by helicopter pilots simple.
Three knobs are positioned across the
top front center of the transmitter. These are
fully proportional channels and may be
assigned to almost any function you desire.
The last position of the knobs is saved each
time you power down the transmitter. One
of the menus displays this saved position
for you.
Four switches are positioned left and
right of top center (two on each side): one
long lever and one short lever on each side.
All are three-position switches and may also
be assigned to provide the desired function.
These switches’ most typical function is
to provide triple rates and/or exponential
rates. Depending on which version of the
transmitter you purchase, these will be prepositioned
in one of two configurations
(airplane or helicopter).
On the airplane version the long twoposition
and short three-position switches
will be on the right side and the long,
spring-loaded and short two-position
switches will be on the left side. On the
helicopter version these switch locations
will be reversed.
All switches are mounted on a switch
block, allowing you to physically move
them around on either of the two switch
blocks. Since the transmitter has
programming for four model types
(airplane, helicopter, glider, and motor
glider), the ability to relocate the switches
allows you to customize their position to
that which best suits the type of model you
are flying, regardless of the version you
purchased.
To move the switches, remove the hexhead
screw from the top of the block and
the small Phillips screw found under the
rubber handgrip on each side of the
transmitter. Unplug the wires from the
bottom of the switch, loosen the nut
holding each switch to the block, and
reposition the switch.
The transmitter’s software then allows
you to tell it where the switch’s new
location is. Since the transmitter I evaluated
was one of the early versions, it had a slight
“glitch” in the software that did not allow it
to recognize where the switch had moved.
This will be fixed with the first software
update.
Two slide levers are located on the top
back of the transmitter and are easy to
access with one of your fingers. These
levers provide proportional control of two
channels. The rotary knobs, the slide levers,
and the trim buttons beep when the center
location is reached.
Four digital trim levers are positioned to
the sides and bottom of the joysticks.
Although normally assigned to the four
functions provided by the joysticks, these
trims may be reassigned to almost any other
function. The trim positions are retained for
each different model.
Located front and center of the
transmitter is a T12ZA (H) logo, which is
actually an LED monitor that displays the
transmitter’s status. During power up it
displays different colors as the software
loads. Once the transmitter’s software is
loaded, the logo turns to a solid pink color.
If you plug the DSC into the transmitter,
the logo turns blue. If you plug in a
different radio-frequency (RF) module, the
logo blinks red to alert you. When you tell
the transmitter to transmit (normal use), the
logo will turn green.
The front bottom of the transmitter
features the large LCD. On the right side of
the display are the rotary data dial and the
cursor-movement joystick, which are the
primary tools for navigating the menu
systems and entering/modifying data.
On the left side are two small buttons.
The bottom is the “Return,” which is
similar to the “Back” button on your
Internet browser. A single press backs you
up one menu level; keep pressing it and you
will eventually return to the home (main)
screen (menu). The top is the “Home”
button. A single press will immediately
return you to the Home (main) screen
(menu).
The LCD is large and clear in almost
any lighting condition. You do need light to
be able to see it since it is not backlit. This
display provides a host of information. I
will discuss this more in depth later.
Opening the left-side rubber handgrip
reveals the CF card slot. The CF card is an
option. Installing one 32MB card provides
storage for more than 250 models.
Perhaps the most important feature of
the CF card is its ability to update the
transmitter’s software when Futaba releases
an update. For updates, download to the CF
card from the 12Z Web site, install it into
the transmitter, and hit the update switch.
This means the 12Z can be kept current
with all the latest and greatest features for
an almost infinite amount of time.
The CF card also allows you to share
aircraft programs with others users.
Futaba’s 12Z Web site will probably offer
an area for registered 12Z owners to share
these files. If a buddy has the hot setup for
the model you just built, you could simply
upload his or her program to your
transmitter.
The antenna is conveniently stored in
the bottom of the transmitter, and the
storage area is spring-loaded. Pushing the
antenna into the storage area locks it in
place. To release the antenna, you press a
button and the spring pushes the antenna
out.
For operation the antenna is screwed
into the mount on top of the transmitter.
You can adjust the antenna angle by
loosening the hex-head bolt on the left side
of the antenna holder.
The transmitter battery pack is a 7.4-
volt, 2200 mAh Lithium-Ion. This battery
closely resembles the type and
configuration you would find in many
video cameras. The battery charger that
comes with the system is also the kind you
would find with a video camera.
The battery slips out the back of the
transmitter and then onto the charger.
Charging seems to take roughly one hour.
The great feature of this pack is the
outstanding run time it gives the
transmitter.
During my review of the system I
operated the transmitter for more than four
hours before recharging each time, and
even then the battery had approximately
30% remaining power. The LCD shows the
remaining amount of battery power in
percentage, and it seems to be accurate.
Let’s look at the information the LCD
• Synthesized transmitter
• 50 or 72 MHz MZ-FM module
• R5014DPS 72 MHz receiver
• 7.4-volt, 2200 mAh Lithium-Ion
transmitter battery
• Lithium-Ion transmitter battery charger
• 1500 mAh Ni-Cd receiver battery
• Wall charger for receiver battery
• Direct Servo Control (DSC) cable
• Switch harness with charge cord
• Padded aluminum case with two keys
(not available separately)
• Woven orange neck strap
• 1.5mm and 2.5mm hex wrenches
• Instruction manual
Requires
• Servos of modeler’s choice
System Includes
12sig3.QXD 10/25/06 11:03 AM Page 94December 2006 95
shows while at the home (main) screen.
The top center of the screen indicates the
model that is currently active. To the right
is the total “on” time for the transmitter.
This timer runs anytime the transmitter is
powered up and may be reset by moving
the cursor to it and pressing the enter
button.
To the timer’s right is the battery meter.
Directly below the battery meter is the
access point to the “System,” “Linkage,”
and “Model” programming menus.
In the center of the screen are graphic
indicators of the four digital trim positions.
Left of the trim positions are two timers.
(The screen can be configured to display
only one if desired.) They can be set to
count up or down (individually) and be
programmed to activate by any switch,
joystick, or knob. I prefer to have the
timers activated by the throttle stick so that
they begin to run when I advance the
throttle past roughly 10%.
Back on the right side of the screen are
the channel number/frequency and form of
modulation currently selected, as well as
an indication of whether the transmitter is
on the air or off. Display contrast may be
adjusted from the System menu.
Although this is a huge amount of
information, the display is well laid out,
easy to read, and uncluttered. You can
directly access all the programming menus
by moving the reverse video cursor to the
graphic depiction of the menu you want
and pressing the enter button.
Navigating around the screens/menus is
accomplished using the two buttons to the
right of the screen. The cursor lever moves
the cursor around and will pull up a second
page containing many of the accessible
menus. The lower data input dial changes
values and doubles as the enter button. The
cursor’s position is always shown in
reverse video. These two buttons feel
natural and fast to use.
When the transmitter is powered up,
the first menu is one questioning the desire
to transmit or not. This is a nice feature;
not only does it remind you to make sure
you are set for the right frequency, but it
also serves to prompt whether or not the
frequency is available. Additionally, it
allows for setup and programming changes
without having to remove the RF module.
To change the operating frequency,
cursor to the frequency menu from the
home screen, press enter, and select the
frequency and modulation type (PPM/FM,
PCM1024, or PCMG3 2048). As is normal
with most critical value changes, the 12Z
prompts with a warning screen so that the
user is positive about taking that action.
The transmitter saves the frequency
selection with each model. Therefore, all
models set up in the transmitter can each
be on a different channel, and the
transmitter will recall that information
when the model is activated.
When using the supplied 5014 receiver,
Model types: Airplane, helicopter,
glider, motor glider
Operating system: Two-stick, 12-
channel, PCMG3 synthesizer system
Modulation: PCMG3, PCM1024, or
FM/PPM switchable
Power supply: 7.4-volt FLT2F2200 Li-
Ion battery
Current drain: 500 mA average
Transmitter Specifications
Receiving frequency: 72 or 50 MHz
bands
Intermediate frequency: 10.7 MHz
and 450 kHz
Power requirement: 4.8-6.0 volts
Current drain: 75 mA
Size: 2 x 1.5 x 0.65 inches
Weight: 1.16 ounces
Receiver (R5014DPS) Specifications
take full advantage of the WFSS. Use this
system by going to the frequency-change
menu on the transmitter, selecting a
channel/frequency, and ensuring that
PCMG3 is selected as the modulation.
Once these selections are made, the
transmitter prompts you to confirm the
change and then announces that it’s about
to transmit information to the receiver.
When the choice is confirmed, the data is
transmitted to the receiver.
Then the receiver is powered up, and it
instantly acquires the transmitter’s signal
and boots up to match the transmitter’s
frequency. It confirms the change by a
quick wiggle of the Channel 1 servo and a
flash of the small LED built into the
receiver.
About now you might be wondering
how to keep from changing all other 5014
receivers that are powered up at the flying
field each time you do a frequency change.
Three things keep this from happening.
First, you must input the receiver’s
unique eight-digit code into the
transmitter. Each 5014 receiver has a
different code. Please don’t think this code
allows more than one transmitter/receiver
to operate on the same channel at the same
time; that is not the case.
Second, when doing the change the
transmitter sends out a very low power
signal. Third, the transmitter’s antenna and
the receiver’s antenna must be in close
proximity (almost touching) for the change
to take place.
As I mentioned, the 12Z is “backwards
compatible” with PCM1024 and FM/PPM
receivers. However, the PCMG3 2048 and
the 5014 receiver combination gives you a
40% boost in response speed over
PCM1024 and double the resolution over
PCM1024. Having flown the system and
done comparison tests on the bench, I
assure you that there is a definite
difference in response time and resolution
that you can not only feel but see.
The 12Z uses two Futaba proprietary
processors to operate the transmitter. One
processor handles the user interface and
the other takes care of the flight programs.
That means the extensive user interface
does not detract from the speed of the
flight-systems processor. The Apollo
astronauts would have probably given
their right arms to have a computer
onboard with this much processing power
during the moon landings!
Before I go further into the
programming, it’s important to understand
the slightly different way the 12Z handles
things. As some might suspect, it transmits
a fairly large amount of information to its
receiver; as such it groups channels
dependent upon what wing/tail or
swashplate type you select.
That puts similar functions such as
ailerons (in a multiservo wing) or cyclic
servos together so that the servos receive
the information at the same time. It assures
that if you have a four-aileron (servo)
wing, the servos remain synchronized. For
the most part this eliminates the need for
servo-synchronizing boxes in the aircraft.
Given this grouping technique, the
traditional channel numbers found in most
receiver/transmitter combinations do not
apply with the 12Z. You need to think of
the channel outputs on the receiver as
ports.
The 12Z manual indicates which port
to plug each servo into based on the type
of wing/tail or swashplate setup you are
using. You can change the ports from the
defaults, but doing so is not recommended
if you want the maximum performance out
of the system.
The 12Z has seven wing types: one
aileron, two ailerons, two ailerons and one
flap, two ailerons and two flaps, two
ailerons and four flaps, four ailerons and
two flaps, and four ailerons and four flaps.
It also has three tail types: standard
(separate elevator/rudder), V-tail, and
ailevator.
Seven swashplates are available for
helicopter. Those configurations will
handle any helicopter that is available
today.
The three main menus for
programming are System, Linkage, and
Model. The System menu handles areas
that do not affect the models. Trainer,
12sig3.QXD 10/25/06 11:03 AM Page 9596 MODEL AVIATION
• Dual internal processors (one devoted
to flying functions; one dedicated to
nonflight functions).
• User-friendly programming with Dial-N
Key jog dial with joystick button.
• Supports 13 wing types, three tail types,
and three motor types.
• Supports eight flight conditions.
• Stores 25 models; upgradable to 245
with optional 32MB Compact Flash (CF)
Card.
• Six factory-set Variable Dual Rate
(VDR) curves.
• VDR and exponential (expo).
• Ball Grid Array (BGA) layered PC
board technology.
• Wireless Frequency Setting System
(WFSS) for frequency changes.
• Servo grouping (multiple servos
controlling a single function).
• Ball-bearing gimbals offering adjustable
stick tension and detent.
• Seven-color LED indicator.
• Price: $1,399.99.
Features
+
• Shares many features with the 14MZ.
• Dual internal processors.
• Fully synthesized, servo grouping,
VDR.
• Quad-bearing gimbals for
smooth motion and response.
• Real-time response PCMG3 2048
resolution is “backwards compatible”
with PCM1024 and FM/PPM.
• Expandable and upgradable with a
32MB Compact Flash (CF) memory
card. -• Does not include servos.
• Manual does not detail all features to
their full extent.
Pluses and Minuses
Sound, User Name, Display, System
Timer, H/W Reverse, and Information are
set here.
The Linkage menu is used to select the
model, model type, wing/swashplate type,
frequency selection, End Points, Subtrims,
Function (the ability to assign channels to
particular functions), Failsafe, Servo
Reversing, and much more.
The Linkage menu also contains a
screen to monitor each channel (servo).
This feature is handy when doing
complicated mixing. The Servo Monitor
menu also provides two tests you can run.
The Moving Test cycles each channel back
and forth. The Neutral Test locks each
channel in its neutral position, which is
particularly useful for centering servos to
correctly position the servo’s arm.
The Model Select menu is used to
choose the airplane you want to fly (from
the internal memory or a CF card), add a
new airplane, name the airplane, or copy
the airplane (internally or to the CF card).
The Model Menu is where the majority
of programming is done for each aircraft.
Some of the menus in this area are
common to all model types; other menus
found in this area will only appear when
specific airplane types are selected. The
common functions are Servo Monitor,
Condition Select, AFR (dual rate/expo),
Programmable Mix, and Fuel Mixture.
When a fixed-wing model is selected,
the following functions are presented:
Aileron Differential, Flap Setting, Aileron
to Camber Flaps, Aileron to Brake Flaps,
Aileron to Rudder, Airbrake to Elevator,
Rudder to Aileron, Camber Mix, Elevator
to Camber, Camber Flap to Elevator,
Butterfly (Crow), Trim Mix 1 and 2,
Airbrake, Gyro, V-Tail, Ailevator,
Winglet, Motor, Rudder to Elevator, Snap
Roll, and Multi-Engine.
The Helicopter menus are Pitch Curve,
Throttle Curve, Acceleration, Throttle
Hold, Swash Mix, Throttle Mix, Pitch to
Needle, Pitch to Rudder, Fuel Mixture,
Gyro, and Governor.
The 12Z makes extensive use of curves
for mixing functions. A number of curve
types are also available; these make it easy
to fine-tune the model. As many as 17
curve points are available in the helicopter
mode.
Curve points may be added and deleted
to truly customize a setup. Line, Linear,
Spline, Expo, and VTR are available.
Depending on the mode operating, more
than one of each of those curves is
available. The 12Z’s high-resolution
display does a great job of showing the
curves graphically.
This is a great system that was designed to
be comfortable to hold, with controls that
were laid out logically; they seemed to be
exactly where I thought they should be.
The size and weight also looked to be
about right. The list of features was
seemingly endless; I honestly cannot think
of anything this transmitter could not do.
The weakest point of the whole system
was not the system itself, but the manual.
Although it was somewhat adequate, it was
lacking in depth. I also don’t feel it did a
very good job of giving an overview of the
12Z system. As I mentioned early on, the
system is a bit different from most out
there. As such, a good, descriptive
summary would be a benefit in the manual.
Additionally, at times the manual failed
to instruct how to get to the next step in
programming. When setting up Dual Rates
or Expo, the manual did not clearly tell the
reader how to get to the screen to make the
switch selections. Fortunately the system
was logically arranged so it did not take
much playing around to figure these things
out.
The system I reviewed was one of the
first 12Zs available. Therefore, I suspect
the manual may still have been a work in
progress. As I pointed out, the manual is
adequate, so don’t let my comments
regarding it influence your decision about
purchasing this system. Many people could
get away with not even opening the manual
and be able to program this transmitter
effectively.
During the time I had the radio for
review I programmed two fixed-wing
models and two helicopters. In each case I
found the programming easy to
accomplish. In fact, once I had set the
model type, most everything else was
already done. That’s an exaggeration of
course, but the programming was intuitive
enough to be fast and easy.
I had the transmitter for only
approximately two weeks, during which I
operated it for roughly eight total hours.
Much of this time was spent going through
each menu and discovering the functions
offered. The features were extensive.
By the end of the review period I found
that I could program basically any function
I wanted without the manual and quickly.
In fact, there are many things I’m now
more comfortable doing on the 12Z than
on my current transmitter.
The 12Z has a street price of
approximately $1,400 with the 5014
receiver included. That may seem like a
large amount of money (it is), but this
system is worth every penny. Very few
systems (if any) can offer the flexibility,
ease of programming, and features this
system can. The 12Z is, without a doubt,
worth serious consideration. MA

Power Switch: Futaba 12Z Radio Control System
STEVE KALUF
Take advantage of the latest in RC-system
fidelity and programming flexibility
The 12Z transmitter feels great and fits your hands well.
The 12Z system comes in an attractive, sturdy custom-fit aluminum
carrying case that is large enough to hold a few other things.
Accessories included with the system (L-R): heavy-duty switch
harness with DSC jack, transmitter battery pack and charger,
1500 mAh Ni-Cd receiver battery pack and charger, DSC cord.
The Futaba 5014 receiver can handle 4.8-
and 6.0-volt battery packs. Servo leads
connect into the side, which makes it
easier to keep the wires neat.
THE NEWEST transmitter offered by
Futaba Corporation is the 12Z. It is the
replacement for the recently discontinued,
tried-and-true 9Z, which has been the
standard for competition pilots flying
Futaba systems for a long time. Its
discontinuation leaves some large shoes to
be filled.
The 9Z was also popular with those I’ll
call the “higher-end sport pilots.” They fly
more or less the same aircraft many
competition-oriented pilots fly, but for the
most part they don’t compete.
Futaba released the 14MZ radio system
slightly more than a year ago. It has been
touted as, and certainly seems to be, the
highest-end and probably most advanced
transmitter available today (emphasis on
“today”).
So does the 12Z fill the shoes vacated
by the 9Z and not step on the toes of the
92 MODEL AVIATION
12sig3.QXD 10/25/06 10:47 AM Page 92Rubber dust boots cover the stick-tension adjustments, charge
jack, and DSC cable connection point. Two channel sliders are
located at the top right and left of the transmitter case.
The battery cover ratchets open to reveal the 7.4-volt Li-Ion
battery pack. This pack gives you more than four hours of
transmitter running time.
On the right side of the transmitter and
under the rubber handgrip is the 32MB
Compact Flash memory-card slot.
The high-resolution LCD screen offers the user tremendous
clarity for a two-tone display. All the features are accessed from
this main menu. The LCD shows the expo- and dual-rate-setting menu.
Photos by the author
14MZ? It sure does fill the shoes, but it
does step ever so lightly on the 14MZ’s
toes.
The features available in the 12Z far
surpass those in the 9Z. The 14MZ is also
much easier to program and fills the
different needs of today’s competitive and
sport pilot much more completely than the
9Z, regardless of the number of updates that
could ever have been made. The 12Z also
has many features the 14MZ has, primarily
lacking only the color, backlit touch screen,
and MP3 player.
In this review I’m going to try hard to
not compare the 12Z with any other radio
systems on the market (other than the
preceding). This radio is different enough
that drawing comparisons to other systems
would not be fair to this system or any
other. So I’m going into this review with an
open mind and blank sheet of paper.
Looking at the outside of the 12Z
transmitter I was extremely impressed with
the case’s overall fit and finish. The quality
of transmitter-case material used in today’s
top-end transmitters is excellent, and the
12Z is a cut above most of those.
Have you ever picked up a new piece of
electronic equipment and been instantly
impressed by the feel of it in your hands,
the quality of the switches, and the look of
the whole thing? This is the feeling I get
when I hold and look at the 12Z.
There are little details that impress. They
don’t have to be that nice, but they add to
the overall impression you get. Something
as simple as a ratchet on the battery-cover
door is just one of the things that gives you
that feeling.
The overall layout is standard with
Futaba’s three top-line transmitters: the 9C,
12Z, and 14MZ. The sticks are silky
smooth, and the tension is easy to modify
externally on the back of the transmitter.
The 12Z has the easiest-to-adjust sticks
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12sig3.QXD 10/25/06 10:53 AM Page 9394 MODEL AVIATION
of any transmitter I’ve used, and without a
doubt some of the best-feeling sticks. To
adjust the tension, simply peel up the rubber
grips on the back and insert the supplied
hex wrench into the appropriate hole.
Turning the wrench in one direction or the
other increases or decreases the stick
tension. Stick adjustment and the angle of
the sticks can be adjusted, as can their
length.
The user can also switch between ratchet
and no ratchet on the throttle stick using a
different adjustment. The modification also
easily allows the user to have a light amount
of ratchet if that is the preference. This
makes the switch between the ratchet
preferred by fixed-wing pilots and the no
ratchet preferred by helicopter pilots simple.
Three knobs are positioned across the
top front center of the transmitter. These are
fully proportional channels and may be
assigned to almost any function you desire.
The last position of the knobs is saved each
time you power down the transmitter. One
of the menus displays this saved position
for you.
Four switches are positioned left and
right of top center (two on each side): one
long lever and one short lever on each side.
All are three-position switches and may also
be assigned to provide the desired function.
These switches’ most typical function is
to provide triple rates and/or exponential
rates. Depending on which version of the
transmitter you purchase, these will be prepositioned
in one of two configurations
(airplane or helicopter).
On the airplane version the long twoposition
and short three-position switches
will be on the right side and the long,
spring-loaded and short two-position
switches will be on the left side. On the
helicopter version these switch locations
will be reversed.
All switches are mounted on a switch
block, allowing you to physically move
them around on either of the two switch
blocks. Since the transmitter has
programming for four model types
(airplane, helicopter, glider, and motor
glider), the ability to relocate the switches
allows you to customize their position to
that which best suits the type of model you
are flying, regardless of the version you
purchased.
To move the switches, remove the hexhead
screw from the top of the block and
the small Phillips screw found under the
rubber handgrip on each side of the
transmitter. Unplug the wires from the
bottom of the switch, loosen the nut
holding each switch to the block, and
reposition the switch.
The transmitter’s software then allows
you to tell it where the switch’s new
location is. Since the transmitter I evaluated
was one of the early versions, it had a slight
“glitch” in the software that did not allow it
to recognize where the switch had moved.
This will be fixed with the first software
update.
Two slide levers are located on the top
back of the transmitter and are easy to
access with one of your fingers. These
levers provide proportional control of two
channels. The rotary knobs, the slide levers,
and the trim buttons beep when the center
location is reached.
Four digital trim levers are positioned to
the sides and bottom of the joysticks.
Although normally assigned to the four
functions provided by the joysticks, these
trims may be reassigned to almost any other
function. The trim positions are retained for
each different model.
Located front and center of the
transmitter is a T12ZA (H) logo, which is
actually an LED monitor that displays the
transmitter’s status. During power up it
displays different colors as the software
loads. Once the transmitter’s software is
loaded, the logo turns to a solid pink color.
If you plug the DSC into the transmitter,
the logo turns blue. If you plug in a
different radio-frequency (RF) module, the
logo blinks red to alert you. When you tell
the transmitter to transmit (normal use), the
logo will turn green.
The front bottom of the transmitter
features the large LCD. On the right side of
the display are the rotary data dial and the
cursor-movement joystick, which are the
primary tools for navigating the menu
systems and entering/modifying data.
On the left side are two small buttons.
The bottom is the “Return,” which is
similar to the “Back” button on your
Internet browser. A single press backs you
up one menu level; keep pressing it and you
will eventually return to the home (main)
screen (menu). The top is the “Home”
button. A single press will immediately
return you to the Home (main) screen
(menu).
The LCD is large and clear in almost
any lighting condition. You do need light to
be able to see it since it is not backlit. This
display provides a host of information. I
will discuss this more in depth later.
Opening the left-side rubber handgrip
reveals the CF card slot. The CF card is an
option. Installing one 32MB card provides
storage for more than 250 models.
Perhaps the most important feature of
the CF card is its ability to update the
transmitter’s software when Futaba releases
an update. For updates, download to the CF
card from the 12Z Web site, install it into
the transmitter, and hit the update switch.
This means the 12Z can be kept current
with all the latest and greatest features for
an almost infinite amount of time.
The CF card also allows you to share
aircraft programs with others users.
Futaba’s 12Z Web site will probably offer
an area for registered 12Z owners to share
these files. If a buddy has the hot setup for
the model you just built, you could simply
upload his or her program to your
transmitter.
The antenna is conveniently stored in
the bottom of the transmitter, and the
storage area is spring-loaded. Pushing the
antenna into the storage area locks it in
place. To release the antenna, you press a
button and the spring pushes the antenna
out.
For operation the antenna is screwed
into the mount on top of the transmitter.
You can adjust the antenna angle by
loosening the hex-head bolt on the left side
of the antenna holder.
The transmitter battery pack is a 7.4-
volt, 2200 mAh Lithium-Ion. This battery
closely resembles the type and
configuration you would find in many
video cameras. The battery charger that
comes with the system is also the kind you
would find with a video camera.
The battery slips out the back of the
transmitter and then onto the charger.
Charging seems to take roughly one hour.
The great feature of this pack is the
outstanding run time it gives the
transmitter.
During my review of the system I
operated the transmitter for more than four
hours before recharging each time, and
even then the battery had approximately
30% remaining power. The LCD shows the
remaining amount of battery power in
percentage, and it seems to be accurate.
Let’s look at the information the LCD
• Synthesized transmitter
• 50 or 72 MHz MZ-FM module
• R5014DPS 72 MHz receiver
• 7.4-volt, 2200 mAh Lithium-Ion
transmitter battery
• Lithium-Ion transmitter battery charger
• 1500 mAh Ni-Cd receiver battery
• Wall charger for receiver battery
• Direct Servo Control (DSC) cable
• Switch harness with charge cord
• Padded aluminum case with two keys
(not available separately)
• Woven orange neck strap
• 1.5mm and 2.5mm hex wrenches
• Instruction manual
Requires
• Servos of modeler’s choice
System Includes
12sig3.QXD 10/25/06 11:03 AM Page 94December 2006 95
shows while at the home (main) screen.
The top center of the screen indicates the
model that is currently active. To the right
is the total “on” time for the transmitter.
This timer runs anytime the transmitter is
powered up and may be reset by moving
the cursor to it and pressing the enter
button.
To the timer’s right is the battery meter.
Directly below the battery meter is the
access point to the “System,” “Linkage,”
and “Model” programming menus.
In the center of the screen are graphic
indicators of the four digital trim positions.
Left of the trim positions are two timers.
(The screen can be configured to display
only one if desired.) They can be set to
count up or down (individually) and be
programmed to activate by any switch,
joystick, or knob. I prefer to have the
timers activated by the throttle stick so that
they begin to run when I advance the
throttle past roughly 10%.
Back on the right side of the screen are
the channel number/frequency and form of
modulation currently selected, as well as
an indication of whether the transmitter is
on the air or off. Display contrast may be
adjusted from the System menu.
Although this is a huge amount of
information, the display is well laid out,
easy to read, and uncluttered. You can
directly access all the programming menus
by moving the reverse video cursor to the
graphic depiction of the menu you want
and pressing the enter button.
Navigating around the screens/menus is
accomplished using the two buttons to the
right of the screen. The cursor lever moves
the cursor around and will pull up a second
page containing many of the accessible
menus. The lower data input dial changes
values and doubles as the enter button. The
cursor’s position is always shown in
reverse video. These two buttons feel
natural and fast to use.
When the transmitter is powered up,
the first menu is one questioning the desire
to transmit or not. This is a nice feature;
not only does it remind you to make sure
you are set for the right frequency, but it
also serves to prompt whether or not the
frequency is available. Additionally, it
allows for setup and programming changes
without having to remove the RF module.
To change the operating frequency,
cursor to the frequency menu from the
home screen, press enter, and select the
frequency and modulation type (PPM/FM,
PCM1024, or PCMG3 2048). As is normal
with most critical value changes, the 12Z
prompts with a warning screen so that the
user is positive about taking that action.
The transmitter saves the frequency
selection with each model. Therefore, all
models set up in the transmitter can each
be on a different channel, and the
transmitter will recall that information
when the model is activated.
When using the supplied 5014 receiver,
Model types: Airplane, helicopter,
glider, motor glider
Operating system: Two-stick, 12-
channel, PCMG3 synthesizer system
Modulation: PCMG3, PCM1024, or
FM/PPM switchable
Power supply: 7.4-volt FLT2F2200 Li-
Ion battery
Current drain: 500 mA average
Transmitter Specifications
Receiving frequency: 72 or 50 MHz
bands
Intermediate frequency: 10.7 MHz
and 450 kHz
Power requirement: 4.8-6.0 volts
Current drain: 75 mA
Size: 2 x 1.5 x 0.65 inches
Weight: 1.16 ounces
Receiver (R5014DPS) Specifications
take full advantage of the WFSS. Use this
system by going to the frequency-change
menu on the transmitter, selecting a
channel/frequency, and ensuring that
PCMG3 is selected as the modulation.
Once these selections are made, the
transmitter prompts you to confirm the
change and then announces that it’s about
to transmit information to the receiver.
When the choice is confirmed, the data is
transmitted to the receiver.
Then the receiver is powered up, and it
instantly acquires the transmitter’s signal
and boots up to match the transmitter’s
frequency. It confirms the change by a
quick wiggle of the Channel 1 servo and a
flash of the small LED built into the
receiver.
About now you might be wondering
how to keep from changing all other 5014
receivers that are powered up at the flying
field each time you do a frequency change.
Three things keep this from happening.
First, you must input the receiver’s
unique eight-digit code into the
transmitter. Each 5014 receiver has a
different code. Please don’t think this code
allows more than one transmitter/receiver
to operate on the same channel at the same
time; that is not the case.
Second, when doing the change the
transmitter sends out a very low power
signal. Third, the transmitter’s antenna and
the receiver’s antenna must be in close
proximity (almost touching) for the change
to take place.
As I mentioned, the 12Z is “backwards
compatible” with PCM1024 and FM/PPM
receivers. However, the PCMG3 2048 and
the 5014 receiver combination gives you a
40% boost in response speed over
PCM1024 and double the resolution over
PCM1024. Having flown the system and
done comparison tests on the bench, I
assure you that there is a definite
difference in response time and resolution
that you can not only feel but see.
The 12Z uses two Futaba proprietary
processors to operate the transmitter. One
processor handles the user interface and
the other takes care of the flight programs.
That means the extensive user interface
does not detract from the speed of the
flight-systems processor. The Apollo
astronauts would have probably given
their right arms to have a computer
onboard with this much processing power
during the moon landings!
Before I go further into the
programming, it’s important to understand
the slightly different way the 12Z handles
things. As some might suspect, it transmits
a fairly large amount of information to its
receiver; as such it groups channels
dependent upon what wing/tail or
swashplate type you select.
That puts similar functions such as
ailerons (in a multiservo wing) or cyclic
servos together so that the servos receive
the information at the same time. It assures
that if you have a four-aileron (servo)
wing, the servos remain synchronized. For
the most part this eliminates the need for
servo-synchronizing boxes in the aircraft.
Given this grouping technique, the
traditional channel numbers found in most
receiver/transmitter combinations do not
apply with the 12Z. You need to think of
the channel outputs on the receiver as
ports.
The 12Z manual indicates which port
to plug each servo into based on the type
of wing/tail or swashplate setup you are
using. You can change the ports from the
defaults, but doing so is not recommended
if you want the maximum performance out
of the system.
The 12Z has seven wing types: one
aileron, two ailerons, two ailerons and one
flap, two ailerons and two flaps, two
ailerons and four flaps, four ailerons and
two flaps, and four ailerons and four flaps.
It also has three tail types: standard
(separate elevator/rudder), V-tail, and
ailevator.
Seven swashplates are available for
helicopter. Those configurations will
handle any helicopter that is available
today.
The three main menus for
programming are System, Linkage, and
Model. The System menu handles areas
that do not affect the models. Trainer,
12sig3.QXD 10/25/06 11:03 AM Page 9596 MODEL AVIATION
• Dual internal processors (one devoted
to flying functions; one dedicated to
nonflight functions).
• User-friendly programming with Dial-N
Key jog dial with joystick button.
• Supports 13 wing types, three tail types,
and three motor types.
• Supports eight flight conditions.
• Stores 25 models; upgradable to 245
with optional 32MB Compact Flash (CF)
Card.
• Six factory-set Variable Dual Rate
(VDR) curves.
• VDR and exponential (expo).
• Ball Grid Array (BGA) layered PC
board technology.
• Wireless Frequency Setting System
(WFSS) for frequency changes.
• Servo grouping (multiple servos
controlling a single function).
• Ball-bearing gimbals offering adjustable
stick tension and detent.
• Seven-color LED indicator.
• Price: $1,399.99.
Features
+
• Shares many features with the 14MZ.
• Dual internal processors.
• Fully synthesized, servo grouping,
VDR.
• Quad-bearing gimbals for
smooth motion and response.
• Real-time response PCMG3 2048
resolution is “backwards compatible”
with PCM1024 and FM/PPM.
• Expandable and upgradable with a
32MB Compact Flash (CF) memory
card. -• Does not include servos.
• Manual does not detail all features to
their full extent.
Pluses and Minuses
Sound, User Name, Display, System
Timer, H/W Reverse, and Information are
set here.
The Linkage menu is used to select the
model, model type, wing/swashplate type,
frequency selection, End Points, Subtrims,
Function (the ability to assign channels to
particular functions), Failsafe, Servo
Reversing, and much more.
The Linkage menu also contains a
screen to monitor each channel (servo).
This feature is handy when doing
complicated mixing. The Servo Monitor
menu also provides two tests you can run.
The Moving Test cycles each channel back
and forth. The Neutral Test locks each
channel in its neutral position, which is
particularly useful for centering servos to
correctly position the servo’s arm.
The Model Select menu is used to
choose the airplane you want to fly (from
the internal memory or a CF card), add a
new airplane, name the airplane, or copy
the airplane (internally or to the CF card).
The Model Menu is where the majority
of programming is done for each aircraft.
Some of the menus in this area are
common to all model types; other menus
found in this area will only appear when
specific airplane types are selected. The
common functions are Servo Monitor,
Condition Select, AFR (dual rate/expo),
Programmable Mix, and Fuel Mixture.
When a fixed-wing model is selected,
the following functions are presented:
Aileron Differential, Flap Setting, Aileron
to Camber Flaps, Aileron to Brake Flaps,
Aileron to Rudder, Airbrake to Elevator,
Rudder to Aileron, Camber Mix, Elevator
to Camber, Camber Flap to Elevator,
Butterfly (Crow), Trim Mix 1 and 2,
Airbrake, Gyro, V-Tail, Ailevator,
Winglet, Motor, Rudder to Elevator, Snap
Roll, and Multi-Engine.
The Helicopter menus are Pitch Curve,
Throttle Curve, Acceleration, Throttle
Hold, Swash Mix, Throttle Mix, Pitch to
Needle, Pitch to Rudder, Fuel Mixture,
Gyro, and Governor.
The 12Z makes extensive use of curves
for mixing functions. A number of curve
types are also available; these make it easy
to fine-tune the model. As many as 17
curve points are available in the helicopter
mode.
Curve points may be added and deleted
to truly customize a setup. Line, Linear,
Spline, Expo, and VTR are available.
Depending on the mode operating, more
than one of each of those curves is
available. The 12Z’s high-resolution
display does a great job of showing the
curves graphically.
This is a great system that was designed to
be comfortable to hold, with controls that
were laid out logically; they seemed to be
exactly where I thought they should be.
The size and weight also looked to be
about right. The list of features was
seemingly endless; I honestly cannot think
of anything this transmitter could not do.
The weakest point of the whole system
was not the system itself, but the manual.
Although it was somewhat adequate, it was
lacking in depth. I also don’t feel it did a
very good job of giving an overview of the
12Z system. As I mentioned early on, the
system is a bit different from most out
there. As such, a good, descriptive
summary would be a benefit in the manual.
Additionally, at times the manual failed
to instruct how to get to the next step in
programming. When setting up Dual Rates
or Expo, the manual did not clearly tell the
reader how to get to the screen to make the
switch selections. Fortunately the system
was logically arranged so it did not take
much playing around to figure these things
out.
The system I reviewed was one of the
first 12Zs available. Therefore, I suspect
the manual may still have been a work in
progress. As I pointed out, the manual is
adequate, so don’t let my comments
regarding it influence your decision about
purchasing this system. Many people could
get away with not even opening the manual
and be able to program this transmitter
effectively.
During the time I had the radio for
review I programmed two fixed-wing
models and two helicopters. In each case I
found the programming easy to
accomplish. In fact, once I had set the
model type, most everything else was
already done. That’s an exaggeration of
course, but the programming was intuitive
enough to be fast and easy.
I had the transmitter for only
approximately two weeks, during which I
operated it for roughly eight total hours.
Much of this time was spent going through
each menu and discovering the functions
offered. The features were extensive.
By the end of the review period I found
that I could program basically any function
I wanted without the manual and quickly.
In fact, there are many things I’m now
more comfortable doing on the 12Z than
on my current transmitter.
The 12Z has a street price of
approximately $1,400 with the 5014
receiver included. That may seem like a
large amount of money (it is), but this
system is worth every penny. Very few
systems (if any) can offer the flexibility,
ease of programming, and features this
system can. The 12Z is, without a doubt,
worth serious consideration. MA