Are there special receivers for boats?

[pfish]

I have a inexpensive tower hobbies transmitter with receiver. The included receiver has an internal antenna. Tower hobbies tech say it will work fine.
I will place the receiver in a water tight compartment. I'm concerned that there is no external antenna and whether it will be adequate.
Any opinions?

[JimClark]

do a range check

[runzwithsizorz]

This is the police! Put the receiver down, and slowly back away.

[BHChieftain]

The spectrum mr3000 and mr200 are water resistant, and also have nice long dual antennas for dual diversity. Getting the antenna up out of the hull is a must for carbon fiber hulls (which block 2.4ghz, but also recommended for any hull since water also blocks 2.4). I've heard people use the tactic rx w/o the antenna wires successfully, maybe just try to place it as high as possible in the hull away from the waterline ( I still would not use it on carbon fiber hulls).

Chief

[scottw]

Agree with the Chief
the spectrum mr3000 is bullet proof - water proof!!!!!! - -

Dual antenna - a must

Scott

[Fluid]

Dual antenna - a must...
Where do people come up with this BS? Dual antennas are not required at all - but if your particular receiver has them don't cut one off. Spektrum's first 2.4 gig radios did not work very well in boats (I had some of the first) and they were forced to do a re-design to make them reliable. Adding another antenna was one band-aid they used - and they still have to have "marine" receivers since their "car" receivers are not that reliable in boats (so they say). Most other radio manufacturers don't need "marine" receivers.

My Futaba 4PK receivers have a single antenna and they work splendidly out to "is that a boat out there?" range. Several club members run the Spektrum receiver with dual antennas - and they keep the antennas inside the hull. I don't recommend this, but it certainly works for them (large tall boats BTW). The Tactic radio used in AquaCraft RTR boats is good without an antenna - I was dubious at first, but they work to a surprising range.

As stated in the second post - do a range check to see if it works in your particular hull. It may only give 100 yards of range - but that's plenty for most boaters.



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[Steven Vaccaro]

I personally think the Spektrum mr3000 is the best thing to happen in boat receivers. 100% water proof. They are expensive. But so would be a wrecked boat that looses control after using a standard receiver that got wet.

[scottw]

Jay

Its just an opion that whats make this Forum so great
We use what we use - we all have our favourites

scott

[drwayne]

@everyone.
I use Futaba 603FS with one internal, one outside cabled antenna.
No problem :smile:
@everyone
I use the Spektrum's waterproof mr3000
no problems :smile:
@everyone
If you need waterproof receivers, you should learn to build better
:peace:

[Steven Vaccaro]

@everyone
If you need waterproof receivers, you should learn to build better
:peace:

Funny Man. I'm sure you never get water, even a drop in your hulls. :wink:

[oscarel]

I've had both a futaba 603 and flysky receivers submerged and they worked fine afterwards. I made sure to coat them with corrosionx before and after using though.

[Fluid]

Funny Man. I'm sure you never get water, even a drop in your hulls.Actually Steve, I almost never get more than a drop or two in my race boats. Ditto for most of my racing companions. Not all boats can be made completely waterproof, but most can be. After seeing so many FE boats over the years from across the country, I am shocked at how little most folks pay attention to keeping water out of their boats. Some seem to think that a couple of ounces of water in their hulls after a run is just fine (BTW it is not). The Dr. has a good point - although being speared by another boat and breaching the hull is a completely different matter.

I dont use waterproof receivers, but for those who can't build a half-dry boat they are important. I do spray my receivers and ESCs with CorrosionX (see last line in paragraph above).

Scottw - my issue was that if your post is read by a newbie it would be interpreted as an absolute. Use what you want and like what you want, but don't imply that there is only one receiver which works. :wink:



.

[drwayne]

Funny Man. I'm sure you never get water, even a drop in your hulls. :wink:

are you goading me, mon sewer ?

@Ray. Ditto corrosion X inside everything electronic...Rx, servos, escs..

@steven. A few pin spirals of leaked water is the norm... Ive always paper toweling wedged in corners to catch whatever materializes.

As Ray points out, common sense, nothing prevents accident induced drownings... but that's racing.

DocW

[runzwithsizorz]

"and they still have to have "marine" receivers since their "car" receivers are not that reliable in boats (so they say)."
I have a boat with the Spektrum telemetry receiver, (2" antenna), and have never had a range problem in 4 years. Even out to, "is that a boat out there?" range.

[BHChieftain]

I have 1 boat that I can't waterproof (1/10 shovelnose), so I put my RX in a Traxxas water resistant RX box (instead of a balloon). It isn't completely waterproof in my experience, but after multiple complete submersions, I've only had a few drops of water in the box once or twice. If you coat your RX first with corrosion X or liquid tape it should be pretty much bulletproof...

Steve sells those here:

http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/proddetail.php?prod=dh-3628

Chief

[Steven Vaccaro]

"are you goading me, mon sewer ?" Na, just teasing......



To all the people with perfectly "water proof" hulls. Now please read "proof", not "water resistant". As most of you know, there is a big difference. Rolex is water "proof", Timex is "water resistant". My boats are only resistant to water, so sometimes I do get wet inside. And it doesn't matter because my RX is "Waterproof" like a Rolex :buttrock:This is even more important in my kids trucks, where we also use them and dont have worry about water. Spektrum listened to what people were doing and made a receiver that can be run underwater. A big THANKS to Andy Kunz

[drwayne]

I also build deep sea recovery drones for navy, and nothing inside those is waterproof. And yes, at 1000+ft they leak a bit. But nuthn is perfect.
Sadly mr3000 dont work that depth B)
We use PCM !

It's 0045 here atm. Time for Zzzz
DocW

[Fluid]

I have a boat with the Spektrum telemetry receiver, (2" antenna), and have never had a range problem in 4 years....I'm happy for you - but that is not one of the Spektrum radios I was talking about. Those were the first ones out long before telemetry, two antennas, etc. Lots of folks had range issues with the one I believe you have and with previous versions - most racers in my area dumped them for Futabas. Remember, Spektrum stated not to use the non-marine receivers in boats, not me. Darin was quite vocal about that (and Andy too IIRC). Spektrum was well aware of the problems and addressed them. BTW, Andy works on the airplane radios IIRC, but he probably had an influence on the newer marine recrivers.

I have seem many brands of 2.4 gig radios have range issues, particularly at SAW events where the boat is 200-300 yards away from the driver. Last Fall in LA I saw one of the FlySky radios lose range, forcing the racer to run along the bank towards his boat until he got control back. I had problems with the early Spektrums, others with later versions (without external antennas). I've seen issues with most radios at one time or another. So far my 4PK has been rock solid, but that does not mean that it will never have an issue. Regardless, the radios we have today are so much better than what we ran even a decade ago, it is a quantum leap in reliability. With the 2.4 gig radios electrical interference from the boat is eliminated, and from most all external sources as well. Today when your radio starts acting weird it is probably wet components, low voltage or a bad connector.




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[AndyKunz]

Andy's one of those guys who can't keep all the water out :)

The MR3000 came about because it's what I needed in my boats. It's also turned out to be extremely popular with the off-road guys.

Besides being a great performer in the Marine environment, it also bridged another area for me personally as well as for the company: it can be used with both pistol grip and stick transmitters. In some regions, the pistol radios aren't popular in surface applications, so having a receiver than operates with both types was a business necessity.

For the scale boaters, we now have a water-resistant 6-channel receiver (the AR600C). This gives a few more channels in a water-resistant receiver, ideal for use with the DX10t and with float planes like the Parkzone Ikon.

I guess the reason is, as Steve pointed out, "Spektrum listened to what people were doing." We really pride ourselves on this, and it's why you find me on forums looking for ideas and answering questions.

Andy