Radical RC Crystal Exchange

Match Your TX & RX

Find the Right Transmitter or Receiver Crystal

Radical RC crystal exchange inventory

We can supply many of your crystal needs via exchanged crystals. If you have an RX and want to match it to your TX, this is the place to get your crystal. Pictured above is the entire collection of 2700 xtals as of 02-01-2005. By now, we probably have 4000 xtals, nearly 700 of which are Futaba — and we still need more to improve the service.

Exchanges are only $7 each crystal. See payment information below. No PayPal or credit cards accepted on exchanges. Print the Crystal Exchange Request Form →

What Do We Have?

Crystal Type Exchange Sales price Information
Alpex ✓ Yes $8 Great Selection. Micro Size Xtal with Narrow Tag.
Berg ✓ Yes $7 Great Selection. Single conversion, micro size. Unknown cross compatibility.
Berg Full Size ✓ Yes Exchange only Few
Futaba TX 50 & 53Mhz ✓ Yes Exchange only Tag says Type FM-TX 50-1 & Type FM-TX 53-2
Futaba FM DC 72mhz RX ✓ Yes Exchange only Very good selection. I'll order you a new one if we are missing your channel. Tag = "Type 72-10".
Futaba FM TX xtals ✓ Yes Exchange only Very good selection, I'll order you a new one if we are missing your channel. Tag = Type 72-7.
Futaba FM RX Single Conversion 72mhz RX ✓ Yes Exchange only About 1/3 of the channels (go in 512 PCM RX's and early FM RX's) Looking for more. Tag = Type 72-7. Late xtals printed on tag Type 72-12. Interchangeable. 72-12 compatible with Electrifly FM Single Conversion.
Futaba AM 72 and 75 MHz RX ✓ Yes Exchange only Very Good Selection. These are all the same regardless of age. Early type 72-S. Late type 72-11. Interchangeable.
Futaba AM 72mhz 75 MHz TX ✓ Yes Exchange only Fair selections, these are all the same regardless of age. Early type 72-S. Late type 72-8. Interchangeable.
Futaba FM 50 and 53 MHz Single conversion ✓ Yes Exchange only Few (Looking for more of these) You must send me a like HAM xtal to get one. 50Mhz Type 50-1. 53 MHz Type 53-2.
Futaba FM 50 and 53 MHz Dual conversion ✓ Yes Exchange only Few (Looking for more of these) You must send me a like HAM xtal to get one. Type 50-10 is Dual Conversion.
Futaba FM 75 MHz RX ✓ Yes Exchange only Fair Selection
Futaba FM 75 MHz TX ✓ Yes Exchange only Fair Selection
JR FM RX Dual Conversion 50mhz / 53 MHz ✓ Yes Exchange only All
JR FM RX ABC&W 50mhz / 53 MHz ✓ Yes Exchange only All
JR FM RX ABC&W 72 MHz (Most Common) ✓ Yes Exchange only All, these xtals have gray caps and are interchangeable with and JR FM ABC&W or older JR AM RX. Must include Cap with exchange.
JR FM RX DC 72 MHz (RARE) ✓ Yes Exchange only Few, xtal has red cap and only comes in true Dual conversion JR RX's which is not common.
JR FM TX 72 MHz ✓ Yes Exchange only Very Good Selection. All with Black Cap.
JR AM Gray Cap ✓ Yes Exchange only Very few of these. Not obtainable from JR anymore.
Airtronics FM DC RX 72 MHz (came in DC AM RX's too) ✓ Yes $14 Good Selection but thin. We usually have one of everything and multiples of many channels are building. Time required to obtain Airtronics xtals when they are out of stock is protracted.
Airtronics FM TX 72 MHz ✓ Yes $18 Few, convert a buddy box lately? Send me the xtal for a free switch harness.
Airtronics AM xtals 72 MHz ✓ Yes Exchange only Few
GWS FM DC RX (Exact Futaba Match) 72 MHz ✓ Yes $8 All, these are exact match for your FUTABA FM DC RX xtal needs, $8 each outright.
GWS Pico Xtals RX 72 MHz ✓ Yes $6 All. Genuine units have "GWS" inked on the xtal body.
Hitec FM DC RX 72 MHz ✓ Yes $8 All. Add 10.7 to number inked on xtal body to get actual 72Mhz Frequency. Work in Kraft DC RX's also.
Hitec FM TX 72mhz ✓ Yes Exchange only Decent selection. Not sold by Hitec, so very hard to get. Must part out radio systems to get them. Changing a TX xtal in a Hitec TX is a BAD IDEA. It will work and you'll range check well, but you'll pick up side bands and become a source of interference to other pilots. I won't accept anything for a Hitec FM TX xtal except a Hitec FM TX xtal. Set the right example here and treat your fellow modeler with respect. Get the retune done.
Hitec AM and FM Single conversion RX 72 MHz (Feather FM xtals) ✓ Yes $8 All
Hitec AM and FM 27 MHz xtals ✓ Yes $8 All
Hitec 75 MHz xtals Single Conversion ✓ Yes $8 All FM and AM.
Hitec 75 MHz xtals Dual Conversion ✓ Yes $8 All
FMA FM DC RX crystals ✓ Yes $9 Compatible with all FMA DC RX's. Most of these we have are low profile; the tall xtal was discontinued some time ago.
FMA TETRA Single Conversion xtals ✓ Yes $9 All. Add .455 to number on xtal body to get correct 72Mhz Frequency.
FMA HAM ✓ Yes $9 May be standard or low profile. 50 % 53 MHz.
Plantraco ✓ Yes $8 All 72mhz RX. These are single conversion Micro xtals. Tag is almost as wide as xtal.

How the Exchange Works

Many of the xtals we send out on exchange are brand new. However, you get what we have, new or used — it’s our choice. In the event we are out of a Hitec RX, JR FM RX or Futaba FM DC xtal, we will let you know by email or by returning your original crystal. If you’re in a big hurry, then your local hobby shop should get your business. The idea of this program is to help people match up gear without big expense, not to get your only rig going before an important event or contest. 90–95% of all exchanges are filled the same day.

You may exchange a like crystal on a random channel number for the exact xtal you want. The exchange fee is $7, shipping included. Crystals are shipped to you USPS First Class Mail in a bubble-pack envelope. Example: if you want a Futaba FM 37 RX dual-conversion xtal, then you have to send a Futaba FM RX dual-conversion xtal. If you want a Futaba AM56 TX xtal, then you have to send a Futaba AM TX xtal in exchange. We do not accept the older "colored flag" type frequencies — only numbered channels, please.

Some crystals are glued into their cap from the factory. These MUST include the cap when you send them in: Airtronics DC RX, JR Gray Cap ABC&W RX, JR Red Cap Dual Conversion RX, JR TX, and Airtronics RX xtals.

Exceptions: we will accept Futaba or Airtronics FM DC RX xtals in exchange for GWS xtals or Hitec FM DC RX xtals. In most cases we can no longer buy new crystals if we don’t have a used one to fulfill your request. We will not send out a Futaba, Airtronics or JR xtal in exchange for anything else — if a Futaba FM DC RX xtal goes out, one must come in, so we maintain inventory for others to exchange later.

Why We Insist on an Exchange for Some Types

Simple: if the "Sales" column says exchange-only, it means we have to buy them at retail to fill holes in our inventory, or the xtal is not available and we wish to preserve inventory to help others in the future. Sometimes we’re asked to sell an xtal anyway. There’s no sense selling it to you at retail, then calling my local hobby shop or mail-order house to order it at retail to replace it, when you could just order it at retail from them yourself — saves much exercise.

A Note on Hitec FM TX Xtals

Hitec FM TX crystals may only be obtained new from Hitec by sending your TX in for tuning. Any that we have (very few) are left over from buddy-box conversions. We do not sell these — only exchange — and if we don’t have your channel, we won’t be able to obtain it. I highly recommend that if you want to change a Hitec TX, you send it in for tuning. The factory tech explained that if you change the TX xtal without retuning, it will pick up side bands and become a source of interference to other channels. A callous person does this anyway; a responsible modeler does not. You choose.

Your Responsibility

It is your responsibility to test any crystal you receive to make sure it will work correctly and reliably before flying your plane. Due to the many different opinions and recommendations, any questions about changing crystals in your particular set should be directed to the manufacturer. In any event, you may return the xtal for a refund or exchange, and we agree our liability shall be limited to such.

How Do I Order?

  1. Go to the Crystal Exchange Request Form, print and complete it.
  2. Enclose payment with the exchange xtals.
  3. Enclose the CE Request Form, payment and crystals in a bubble-pack envelope.
  4. Mail to our address below.

Payment

We accept cash, personal check, or money order. No credit cards and no PayPal. We want the payment with the order, and you can’t send the exchange xtals with a PayPal payment, so please do not send PayPal payments for crystal exchanges. Nothing could be more simple or logical than to have your payment with your order.

Shipping

There is no shipping fee for crystal exchanges in the USA, its territories, and Canada. $7 per crystal exchanged is the only fee. Your crystals will be returned to you in similar packing as instructed below, by USPS First Class Mail.

Packing

You must use a special bubble-padded or padded envelope, 4×6 or 5×7. Do not send in an ordinary standard envelope with some bubble or padded material placed in it!

Special bubble envelopes are hand-sorted and don’t go through the rollers in any machines like standard envelopes. Despite what you may think, standard envelopes marked "Hand Cancel" still go through the sorters and are most often crushed or lost. Don’t bother sending xtals in standard envelopes marked "Hand Cancel" — it only makes you feel better and does not change how the envelope is processed. Every time someone sends crystals in a regular envelope, it arrives with holes and missing crystals; therefore, your loss.

Mail to:
Radical RC
2130 Harshman Rd
Dayton, OH 45424-5026

Insurance & Who Is Responsible

Insurance is a waste of money most of the time. However, we won’t be responsible for your mailman or mailbox. If you want it insured, send the funds and a completed insurance form with your xtals. This is your only recourse in the event they are lost. We’ll pack them to perfection and address them as you want — just don’t expect a second order for any reason. We’re not sure whether we were being defrauded on this in the past, but since we made the policy that you send your own insurance form and funds (or take your chances), the number of lost xtal shipments has dropped to nearly zero. Still, the number of people who send insurance forms is almost zero.

We now check all incoming xtals on a crystal checker. Crystals that do not work will be returned. Bad crystals are very rare; if you can hear well, shake it by your ear — most bad crystals will sound like a broken light bulb inside, but the sound will be very soft.

Before you ask: YES, we still do crystal exchanges, and will as long as this webpage remains up. 😉

Updated 05-APR-2023

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