Alternate radio options???

[rpedro]

My Atomik ARC is coming with a get by radio, and I am considering a replacement eventually... Looking at the the Spektrum Dx3r, do I have to have the marine receiver??? Also liking the Futaba 4pl, but doesn't have a marine receiver included... Will I need to upgrade my servo??? Not sure if any of the other Spektrums are worth checking out...Thanks again guys!!!

[siberianhusky]

The dx3c is more than you'd ever need in a boat. They all have the same basic transmitter module in them, your just paying for more features most of which you will never use in a boat. I have a 2s and the Spektrum telemetry is pretty much useless in a boat even if it did come on a marine rx it isn't with it.
Up until a couple years ago I used an AM futaba radio I bought in 1988, it's only feature was servo reversing.

[dana]

What different about a "marine" rx, than a regular old rx? I dunno

[Serpents811]

What different about a "marine" rx, than a regular old rx? I dunno
marine rx has dual antennas

[HOTWATER]

Futaba R603FS receiver has dual antennas....rpedro...do yourself a BIG favor and buy FUTABA!! You will not look back.....

[bfast]

I run a 4pl in my boats and 4pks in my cars . My experience with spektrum has been glitchy futaba has been awsome and works perfect .

[wade7575]

I know alot of guy's on the Baja forum who really don't like Spectrum Radio's at all for some reason they do not do well with gas engine's and there range is horrible in a Baja when compared to Futaba in a Baja and that is the biggest complaint on the Baja forum is range with Spectrum.

Almost everyone on the Baja Forum runs Futaba,myself I have a high end Futabe not sure what model it is and for the boat's I'm keeping it simple I'm using plain old Tactic Radio's that are nothing fancy but work really well.

[rpedro]

I have always used Futaba radios all the way from my Grasshopper buggy days... I will probably just go ahead and stick with what I know... they have always had good radios... I know you mention the dual antenna marine receivers... are they a necessity, or does it really matter??? thanks...

[Fluid]

I used the usual surface receivers with my 4PK for years with never a problem. Just get the antenna outside the hull in an antenna tube.




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[ruffdawg]

Look at the flysky-gt3b,Lots of guys were using them at the test pond when i got into the boats so i tried them and have had excellent results - extremely long range,very simple set up ...no one i know has had any glitches and the recievers are waterproof and only 10.00...i have been putting a little spot of marine goop on the antenna at the reciever and range checking all my recievers and spares.I use a dx3rpro on my rc trucks -late models and truggys and for 1/3 of the cost the flysky has been flawlwss for me ...just my opinion,ive used mine in the gas and electrics boats with no issues and excellent results.

[siberianhusky]

If they fixed the software issues from the factory on the GT3 I'd say they were an ok radio. But they don't have a true model memory, remembers the bind but non of your settings and the exponential doesn't work. You have to go through the process of modding the radio to be able to flash the firmware to fix factory problems.
A buddy of mine here has one, I'd throw the thing in the pond! Half of every run is getting the settings dialed in for that specific boat, kind of funny if he forgets and launches with the steering reversed! Plus it did something odd one day and his 6s tunnel ended up on the bank (only time I've seen or heard of any problems like that think it was user related, bad antennae routing inside the hull).
I'll be honest I have a hard time wrapping my head around using the cheapest radio you can get to run a 1000$ boat.
I lost one boat years ago due to radio issues, that is a horrible feeling, standing there waving around a radio watching your boat smash to pieces on the rocks. Back in the days of AM radios and no failsafe. The next week I bought a Futaba Magnum Sport, used it for over 20 years until I switched to 2.4, that radio is in my RC10 Gold Tub and still works. The radio that failed was a Cox/Sanwa.

[dana]

You'll never get Everyone to agree on here.
I use the flysky with good results. Others hate it. Tactic are good but no model memory.

[T.S.Davis]

Futaba R603FS receiver has dual antennas....rpedro...do yourself a BIG favor and buy FUTABA!! You will not look back.....

Unless the RX gets wet. Then toss it in the garbage. Just say'n.

If the Spektrum RX gets wet just finish your heat.

[ruffdawg]

When i took my FLYSKY to an IMPBA dist 12 race over the summer and set it out by my gas boats it was funny,some of the racers freaked out ,thinking it wouldnt controll my boats or maybe HYPNOTIZE their radios into failing:angry:.everything was fine though and by the end of the weekend actually had some of the more experience guys with the old futaba stuff asking about it .I agree with the whole cheap radio-expensive boat thing though ,it is a little unnerving at first ,but hey ,im new at the boats so i shake like a leaf on the stand anyway :scared:

[T.S.Davis]

im new at the boats so i shake like a leaf on the stand anyway :scared:

Never goes away for some boats.

[HTVboats]

I have been watching this to see when the $bigbucks boats need $bigbucksradio would surface. Take a look at electronics history starting with the Texas Instuments calculator and where the price went. In more recent history the flat screen and computers were priced in the thousands not too many years ago. That $5000 tv is now under a grand. Funny the main stream radios have barely budged pricewise and some have increased with inflation. I have used Cox/Sanwa, Airtronics, Futaba, Nomadio, and now own 2 GT3-B's. The weakest signal was Nomadio but thats with a RX that transmits data back to your radio. great features I rarely used. Over 30+ years I have had a few failures and 99% of the time it is MY fault with corrosion on contacts or battery issues that I could have prevented. I did make one light carbon fiber cowling and found out your signal doesn't go very far. The carbon fiber didn't survive the crash either, but the boat did. I watched a guy run a boat into a cement seawall the next run after pouring water out his radio box. The equipment is only as good as it's operator.
A Hyundai will get you from point A to B, will a Mercedes change much from point A to B. We turn right and left and have a throttle function. Your choice on buying 10 recievers for the price of one name brand. The guys with most of the horror stories about equipment don't own that equipment just heresay. The more I run my Fly-Sky's the better I like them. So does my wallet. Means I can buy more props or a Neu instead of a Leopard which will make a difference. Your money your choice.
Mic

[viper1]

I agree with the whole cheap radio-expensive boat thing though ,it is a little unnerving at first ,

I went through the same experience when I switched over all my 3-dimensional toys including turbine powered jets to (relatively cheap) Frsky w telemetry (not flysky) Best move I ever made.

My recently first boat (Genesis) has the HK 310 radio, cheap again. I only modified the RX by soldering a coax connector on the rx board, so I could use a Frsky extended antenna, works flawless, more programming than you will ever need, and I specially love the timer activated with the throttle trigger.

Only drawback is the relatively small mechanical travel on the steering wheel.

[sundog]

If they fixed the software issues from the factory on the GT3 I'd say they were an ok radio. But they don't have a true model memory, remembers the bind but non of your settings and the exponential doesn't work. You have to go through the process of modding the radio to be able to flash the firmware to fix factory problems.



I use the GT3B and have had no problems. I must have a newer one (2 years old) because it has model memory - all I do is dial up which model I'm using, and it remembers all of the settings - I don't have to change a thing. And the new receivers have a failsafe built in - so you can't go wrong with this feature packed system - especially when you're getting the whole system for the price of most receivers! I opened all 10 of my receivers when I got them (for $6 each!) and sprayed the boards with spray on clear Liquid Electrical Tape and they are now waterproof.


On a different note - I noticed when posting on this site I don't have spell checking. Wonder if it's just on my end?

[viper1]

http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=85747&d=1349363684

[siberianhusky]

All fine and dandy, glad all of you are having great luck with your radios but for most of the reasons listed plus a number of others I won't bother going into you'll never convince me. I'll stick with my over priced but well supported radios that my LHS stock.

[Big Lebowski]

Airtronics mx3x

[SweetAccord]

I went through the same experience when I switched over all my 3-dimensional toys including turbine powered jets to (relatively cheap) Frsky w telemetry (not flysky) Best move I ever made.

My recently first boat (Genesis) has the HK 310 radio, cheap again. I only modified the RX by soldering a coax connector on the rx board, so I could use a Frsky extended antenna, works flawless, more programming than you will ever need, and I specially love the timer activated with the throttle trigger.

Only drawback is the relatively small mechanical travel on the steering wheel.

That is what I did with the hack module with two Futaba's. My review: http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/showthread.php?26650-FrSky-DHT-8ch-DIY-Telemetry-Compatible-Transmitter-Module

T (http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/showthread.php?26650-FrSky-DHT-8ch-DIY-Telemetry-Compatible-Transmitter-Module)he ASSAN is just as good; but to be honest I like it better as the receivers are so small and thin and extremely reliable and inexpensive. They are not water proof but that is easy to remedy. I use them in cars and boats. You don't need the antenna exposed to get amazing range. The cost of doing this beats the other options on the market. I just picked out a nice inexpensive 10 channel Futaba and did the hack. Futaba is easy to do as they label the boards. Airtronics don't label their boards as I tried on an MX3 and needed to use a Oscilloscope meter to find the PPM line but it's do able.

Most will just pay more and go buy what is already available online or at their LHS. I don't like to conform to that if don't have to just to pay more which is fine for some. I would only say this option is good if you like a particular radio that has features you want and you want to be able to control more than one model and want small and inexpensive receivers. Another advantage is that there are a lot of neat accessories with these modules that other radios don't have or you have to pay twice to three times as much to get.

There is just nothing else on the market like these for the performance, cost, availability, and size. I've run these now for more than a few years (4) and never once had any issues in different area's under different conditions at different lakes. They are small and easy to bind and the failsafe work perfect. At one lake that I run at it even has a power line that runs across the lake and some have issues with interference. Both the ASSAN and the Frsky have been run there and not one glitch. I even run the range as far as I can see past the power lines and people usually ask what system I'm running! Iv'e spent a lot of time reading reviews and looking on message boards for people that have issues with these and have not yet found any so I took the leap of faith and was glad i did.

Here is what I use:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__8354__X8D_2_4GHz_trainer_port_X8_hack_module_PPM _Only_.html
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__8389__X8_R4_4Ch_2_4GHz_Receiver_.html
(http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__8354__X8D_2_4GHz_trainer_port_X8_hack_module_PPM _Only_.html)
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__14353__FrSky_V8HT_2_4Ghz_DIY_Module.html
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__24788__FrSky_D4R_II_4ch_2_4Ghz_ACCST_Receiver_w_ telemetry_.html
(http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__14353__FrSky_V8HT_2_4Ghz_DIY_Module.html)http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__14352__FrSky_V8R4_II_2_4Ghz_4CH_Receiver.html

This is another option since you asked. :smile:

[sundog]

Thx, Viper. I bet I've glanced at it before and it never registered. :tiphat:

Husky, what you are saying is of course true. I've read some bad reviews, but the majority are good, and there is a huge userbase if you do have any problems. I don't use the exponential, so that has never effected me. I just like cheating the middleman! And I'm cheap to the nth degree when it come to certain things. But I can see where controlling an expensive rig with an inexpensive radio could be unnerving. For the most part, I'm a 'take a chance' kinda guy; always have been. And it has gotten me into many a tight spot (but always a learning experience!). I guess "do you feel lucky?" is a good place to start...