I got a UDI U818 copter a couple weeks ago and I am hooked.  I now want to buy or make something better.  $300 is my budget.  I do not have a transmitter and if possible, I want that included in my budget.  I see that the Turnigy 9X transmitter sells for $60.  
I'm on the fence about building a tripcopter or just buying a copter.  Any recommendations?  

Video is nice but I really like fast/stunt type flying.  I would also like longer battery life.

Nothing...with the given buffoonery and bad press of quads by douchebags, its a hotter issue than the guns ever were, at least we have the 2nd to protect us.  

Quads are going to be banned within a year based on the knee jerk reactions from the jerks we elected.  


I really wanted a Phantom 3 but will delay my decision and see the shitstorm that is brewing.

I would personally buy Real Flight and practice everything.  
Great learning tool and quite a bit of fun.

I really would like something that is ready to fly but I can customize on my own if I like.
I am pretty good with electronics.

This is what you want.
ARRIS FPV250 250 Mini Racing Sport Carbon Fiber Quadcopter BNF for FPV (Assembled) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TDHAZQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_52.WvbW3RMBH7


Star with the that, add what ever gear you want including camera and buy a set of goggles.

That will need a battery, transmitter, and receiver.   Might be able to pull that off under $300.

I went crazy last year and spent many thousands of dollars buying/building bigger, better.   I have since just stopped entirely spending any more on these things as like the poster above stated they are going to be banned sooner or later.  If not the restrictions on where you can fly are going to make them pretty much useless.  The general public is very much against these things and we are too small a minority to win this one.

This says it's a transmitter and receiver.  Would this work for both? http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Proportional-Channel-Transmitter-Receiver/dp/9269807304/ref=pd_sim_21_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=15C58JQ91JVXKDWAFC9E
Or do I have to install something separate onto the copter?

I think I'll do this, I can spend a little over $300

As for laws changing, I just want to get something like this and not buy anything else.

Exactly.  I work with numerous AF reserve pilots that fly for the airlines also.  They hate these quads and i have overheard them talking that they believe the reports from the airline pilots aka bus drivers are falsified. Hell, its hard enough to pick out a puddle jumper cessna 3000 ft away if not impossible.  There is no way to visually acquire a 2ft drone from the cockpit of a bus at 130 kts.  These guys just hate these things because ingesting one in an engine would not go well.


 

Not an expert but I know a little bit. For that price you can't get a great radio. I would get an $80 dromida ominus. Theyre indestructible. Then spend $30 more for better motors and different props. The radios are a lot better than similar priced quads. Spend the spare cash on real flight.

I can't comment about the quad copter side, I have only messed with a plane. Have been thinking about a quad copter, it sounds like maybe I should move quickly. But I'm more interested in the long distance/long loiter aspect overall.

Anyway, I have a 9X transmitter and would highly recommend it. I haven't had an issue with range, including the time I got in over my head... The 60" wingspan plane was a speck and I could only determine orientation by how it responded to the controls.

One thing that made a world of difference was installing the ER9X firmware. If you don't mind playing with electronics it shouldn't be too bad, basically buying a few dollar programmer and soldering some wires on a ribbon cable to processor pins to program (and later configure through a windows app, if you don't want to do it through the transmitter screens). I have no background in R/C (this was my first ever radio) and the factory setup was very limited... The controls have specific functions (exponential on/off, some channels are tied only to switches, etc), which I guess is what the R/C guys are more used to. My background is embedded systems (PIC, 8051, ARM, etc) and I wanted to be able to fully customize all of the controls to channels on the receiver. The ER9X firmware let me do that... And is a lot more "polished" than I expected from an interface standpoint.

I have the knobs and switches set up for: flaps active (switch), flap angle (knob), throttle inhibit (switch), throttle at "cruise" (switch), flight stabilizer (gyro) off/2d/3d (switch), flight stabilizer gain (knob), elevator to take-off position (basically up elevator trim added) on a switch (allows me to hold radio with left hand, thumb on throttle, and throw the plane with my right hand). And I'm not using a lot of features the firmware has...

It seems like a great radio, I can't believe how inexpensive it is for the features it has. The RF section is a module, and can be replaced with other bands if desired also.

 

Skip the Turnigy and get the flysky TH9x.


The FS Th9x is a good cheap full function radio, the Turdnigy is a cheap copy of the FS radio.

Use www.helifreak.com to pull a spectrum DX6 controller then get any 2.4 gig spectrum compatible receiver from www.hobbyking.com.
Heli freak is where I get all of my used gear. Those guys are legit and will help you from noob to pro status.

*update*
So I ended up buying the Arris fpv250 linked. Also picked up the FlySky tx.  I've been flying it for a few weeks and this thing is awesome!  Thanks for the advice guys!  I'm already wanting to build another one with dirt cheap parts for the hell of it.  

I'll check out the Heli Freak site.  Any other good copter forums/sites to check out?