Futaba 12FG
Simon Lockington

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Front view of the Futaba 12FG casing.

Just like the 14MZ, the 12FG asks if you really want to transmit when you turn it on. This cuts down on accidental shoot-downs.

This is the main menu of the 12FG, laid out so very similarly to the 14MZ. From here you can see the current pitch and throttle values as represented by the sticks, all the trim settings, timers, current model etc. You can navigate to the System, Linkage, and Model sub-menus from here.

The System menu contains all the settings specific to the transmitter, ie screen contrast, time etc.

The training functionality is very comprehensive.

Adjust the contrast of your LCD display to enhance visibility.

System timer information.

Enter your name to personalise your tx.

Here you can reverse the actions of any of the switches, sliders and sticks (if you really feel like it).

System status screen.  Here you see which firmware version your system has as well as the available memory.

The Linkage Menu represents 'model wide' settings.

From this menu you select which model you are going to fly.

Define the type of model here (ie helicopter, plane, glider) and also the sub-type (ie CCPM settings).

Define the frequency and modulation type (PPM, PCM or G3).

Assign functions to hardware controls in this menu.

Sub-trim menu

Servo Reverse menu.

Define your fail safe settings here.

End Point/ATV setup.

Throttle Cut Menu

I still haven't worked out what Idle Down is for!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
You can see where Futaba have tried to save money on the production of the 12FG, however I don't say that in a critical manner, all the cost savings seem to have genuine and reasonable rationale behind them.  The casing is now a cheaper looking plastic than say the 14MZ, however still has a quality feel about it. 
The screen is a basic black and white LCD that most will be familiar with rather than the full colour version on the 14MZ.  Having said that, the LCD still contains a lot of information, much more than say the Futaba 9CHP.

Screen navigation takes place with a jog dial that you push to enter in the same way as the 9CHP.

The antenna is stored in the transmitter body in the same way as the 14MZ which is nice, however the antenna doesn't 'clip' into the antenna base like the 14, instead you screw it in.  I think I prefer the 14's method of mounting better.

The battery has reverted back to the old style battery (ie pre 12Z and 14MZ style) like the 9C.  My personal preference is for the camera style batteries of the 12 and 14.

The switches are the same as the 14MZ and have a good positive feel to them which is good.  There is a slider on each side of the body (rather than the two sliders on each side of the 14) and two dials available on the front face.

It's good to see Futaba haven't sacrificed stick feel either.  The sticks feel just as good as my 14MZ.

Different from the 14 is that the sides of the body don't hinge open to reveal the Compact Flash card.  Instead, the 12FG uses an SD card that is housed in the battery area.

The 12FG uses the same module design as the 14 and the 12.

The 12FG feels solid in your hands, not cheap and nasty which is great, it feels a little narrower than my 14.  I fly finger and thumb and was very comfortable holding it like this.  It feels a little lighter than the 14 also.

TURNING IT ON
Booting the 12FG up you're asked if you're really sure you wish to transmit, just like the 14.  Using the jog dial you can select yes or no to proceed to the main menu.

The menu is laid out in much the same way as the 14.  From the top left you have the timer functionality, throttle and pitch position, trim positions, current frequency, current model, currently selected condition, voltage, on air status, and then the menu selectors for System, Linkage and Model.

You can scroll around to select what you want to do very quickly using the jog dial.

The menus are structured in the same way as the 14MZ, infact very quickly I was very much at home with programming the 12FG.

SYSTEM MENU
The system menu contains all the settings that are applicable to the system as a whole (rather than individual models or conditions).  These settings are:

TRAINER
In the trainer menu you can activate all of the buddy boxing features.  Here can define whether the system will act as the teacher or student, whether it will run in 8 (for all Futaba transmitters except 14MZ, 12Z) or 12 (14MZ and 12Z) channel mode.

You can also set the modulation type (if in student mode) or the trainer switch used to activate the teacher transmitter (in teacher mode).

Once set, you can then go through each control (ie elevator, aileron etc) and define whether that control should be controlled by input from the student controller (NORM), or controlled by both student and teacher transmitters (MIX), another mode where you can define that the model is controlled by signals from the student transmitter using the teacher's AFR settings or finally where the teacher retains complete command of that control (OFF).

Once selected, you can also define a rate for that control.  This means that you can 'dumb down' the sensitivity of the control for your student.  Very useful.

DISPLAY
Here you can define the contrast of the LCD screen to make it more readable.  I found it best if this was set to 0.

SYSTEM TIMER
Here you can display (and reset) the total operational time the transmitter has been running, and also, the total time each model has been operating (ie the model was selected and the transmitter was turned on).

USERNAME
Here you can enter (if you want to), your name so it's highlighted on the main screen.  This can be handy if you and your mates all have similar transmitters and you're trying to work out who's is who's.

H/W SETTING (Hardware reversing and stick mode)
Here you can (if you'd ever need to) reverse the operation of any of the sticks, switchers, trims and knobs.

From here you also set the stick mode of the system between mode 1, 2, 3 or 4.  Naturally, this doesn't change the mechanical configuration of the sticks, you either get this done at a Futaba service center, or if you're brave (and competent), do it yourself.

INFORMATION
Here's where you find out what version of software your transmitter is running.  One thing that I've been impressed with Futaba about is their fairly regular updates for the 14MZ.  These are free downloads that you install on your transmitter and include bug fixes, but even more than they they include extra functionality or improvement in existing operations.  It really is worth keeping track of these updates.

LINKAGE MENU
The Linkage Menu contains all of the 'model wide' settings that apply for the selected model as a whole.

SERVO MONITOR
This function allows you to see what control inputs are being sent to the model.  This is really handy when you're trying to debug 'strange' movements from mixers that you may have forgotten that you'd enabled!

MODEL SELECT
Just like the 14MZ, this is where you pick which model you want to select and also where you create new model programs.

MODEL TYPE
This is where you define if the model is a helicopter, glider or fixed wing.  You then define the sub-type of model (ie swash type for helicopters).

FREQUENCY
You determine which frequency to run your model on here, be it PPM, PCM, or G3 MODE A/G3 MODE B.  The list of frequencies available to select from is determined by the country the system is registered to.  In this case, it's Australia, so all of the available 36mhz frequencies are displayed.

FUNCTION
In the function menu you dictate which control is going to work each surface (ie which joystick is going to work elevator, aileron etc).  You can also reassign trims (ie use cross trims if that's what you want), you can assign sliders and dials to channels also which really increases the flexibility in configuring your model.

SUB-TRIM
This is pretty straight forward, simply select the servo you wish to adjust and use the jog dial to alter the sub-trim value.

SERVO REVERSE
Not much to add with this one!

FAILSAFE
Critical to the setup of any model in my opinion is the appropriate setup of Failsafe on your model.  In this menu you go through each control and define what you want that control to do in the event of a failsafe.  I generally set all my controls to go to 'neutral' (ie no input), apart from throttle which I set to go to idle and also any goverors I set to turn off. 
In this menu you can also define what you want to happen if the battery voltage drops too low.  You must also define which switch you wish to do to get the model out of battery failsafe in order to land it!

END POINT
Also known as ATV, this is exactly the same as the 14MZ.  You setup both the travel and the limit.  The travel defines how far the servo will move for the given control (ie aileron) and the limit defines how far the servo will travel with mixes involved.

You can also slow the servo down using the 'speed' property if need be.

THROTTLE CUT
This works in exactly the sam way as the 14MZ throttle cut feature.  You define the throttle position where the function can become active is commanded by the defined switch.  This prevents accidental activation of the cut switch when say at full throttle.

You then define the position to move the throttle body to on activation to cut the engine as well as the switch you'll use to activate the function.

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