When I started testing the new AR9100 receiver system in one of my 40% Caps, I could not believe how much more connected I felt. I had already equipped it with the AR7000 receiver and two batteries, one powering a match box. The big advantage of the AR9100 is the power supplied to the servos. Trying to run ten high-power servos through the standard servo connectors didn't supply the peak current loads that are needed in giant-scale applications. The difference I felt using the AR9100 was like going up a size in servos.
When starting my new giant-scale project, the AR9100 was the obvious choice. The plane is a Quique Pits Python with a Turbo Prop motor, and it uses eight JR 8611a servos that require a good battery source. With the AR9100s dual 16 AWG battery input leads I knew that I would be getting the voltage I needed to every servo. Setting up the electronics was very simple, thanks to the AR9100s versatility, allowing me to locate the remotes anywhere in the plane. Using all four remotes with different lead lengths helped ensure that path diversity would not be a problem, since I was able to place the remotes throughout the plane, preventing signal polarization issues. My 2-cell LiPo packs (at 7.4 volts each) are routed through two of the new Spektrum VR6010 Regulators, and the soft switch is plugged in to the regulators, so mounting them was a breeze. The new regulators also have a very small fan installed in them to help keep them cool for those high-current load applications. All of the servo current is routed around the switch so that if the power fails, power to the system will not be interrupted. The receiver and the regulators all came pre-wired with the new E-flite EC3 plugs, and the receiver has two small blue LEDs that indicate when power is on. The LEDs make it easy to tell that you have both batteries turned on, even in bright sun light.
Once everything was set up, it was time for some testing. Using the Flight Log I could see that the voltage read a solid 6.1 volts. I loaded the two rudder servos to a full stall, and the voltage stayed at 6.1 volts! Try that with a standard servo plug type battery plugged into a receiver.
Using the Flight Log to examine the antenna fades, all the numbers were very low since each receiver was mounted in a slightly different location and exposed to a different RF environment. Another convenient feature on the AR9100 is that it does not re-boot if the power on the receiver is cycled for some reason.
I feel much safer using Spektrum products in all my models, and with the new AR9100 receiver and the Spektrum Voltage Regulators, I can be sure that I have a bulletproof RF link and consistent power to the entire system.