Preferred rc radio Futaba or Spektrum or ?

[BILL OXIDEAN]

^ I agree. Airtronics has a full waterproof receiver now as well. Fhss-2 so you can buy an older/cheaper radio if need be...

http://www.airtronics.net/index.php/...-fh-2-3ch.html

Wow! These must be new. That was the only thing I saw as an advantage with any other radio!
Ok, Airtronics is the fastest, most reliable radio system you can put in your boat hands down and thats my final answer : )
Customer service is Great as well.

[Fluid]

A couple months ago I range checked my 3DXR PRO at the local pond. I still had complete control of the boat at over 900 feet - as far away as I could get on the water. I was standing about three feet above the water surface. So much for "published" range tests....

[SloHD]

Well you won't have the fastest latency with the waterproof receiver since it's fhss2, but it'll still be reliable sanwa. Which is all that matters. :)

[siberianhusky]

"Personally Futaba all the way, interestingly bigsquidrc.com have tested an a number of diff radios & Futaba have came out on top every time. Re range as one example
Futaba 3pmx 1764 ft
Futaba 3 prka 1573 ft
Turnigy gtx3 733 ft
Turnigy 3xs 570ft
Spektrum dx3c 486 ft"


Yet they still rated the Spektrum above a Futaba 3pm-x and both Turnigy radios, came in behind the 3prka.....
Selective quotes make me laugh, the whole story is quite a bit different than this bs would have you believe.....

http://www.bigsquidrc.com/2-4-ghz-radio-transmitter-shootout-2-final-results/

here are the FULL results from a BASHER site. Not even really boat related, didn't test a marine rx, just the stock SR.....
Might not be the best radio out there but they are better than that quote would have you believe.
I fully admit if money was no object I'd be running either Futaba or Airtronics, for a mid price range radio I still don't think you can beat Spektrum. The fact that I'm 20 minutes from a hobby shop that deals Spektrum sealed the deal. No waiting for stock, no issues with returns, no shipping costs, and I'm supporting a local business not HK!

[Doug Smock]

I run both Spektrum and Futaba. They have both served me well and I'm not sponsored by either.

I'd switch to Airtronics but my reflexes are so slow I won't benefit from "decreased response time".

[BILL OXIDEAN]

I run both Spektrum and Futaba. They have both served me well and I'm not sponsored by either.

I'd switch to Airtronics but my reflexes are so slow I won't benefit from "decreased response time".

Decreased latency is especially good for those with slow reflexes. It actually compensates for it. If both your reflexes And the response are slow, that's a double slow : )
The gorgeous thing about the Airtronics radio is the latency can be adjusted to be slower, or faster, and I have been sponsored by all 3 of the top radio mfgrs.
All are great radios, but the Airtronics stands out to me in all areas. I now write reviews for a magazine, so my published opinions are completely un-biased.

Fast latency is not to be confused with the 'Twitchiness" of having high speed high torque servos. Its not going to respond to any of your inputs any faster than you send them.
It won't make your servos twitch or oversteer. It just makes your driving Much more precise and enjoyable. In my tests I have found that the farther away from a model you are from a model, the more response lags.
Even with ours I see a significant difference. many times with boats in heat racing we are elevated far above and away from the model. I've noticed this lag in response to be close to a second in some cases.
Remember old video games where the response to the stick inputs just weren't too precise? Switching to Airtronics brought my driving to the 21st century standards. I urge anyone to try one, and post your experience.
Imagine if your body responded slower to your brain inputs? Sounds frustrating. Most don't know any different when it comes to radios. Once one feels the connectivity of a fast response radio, they're sold..

[Doug Smock]

Wilmer you act like I don't know you.

[BILL OXIDEAN]

Wilmer you act like I don't know you.

As driver of the fastest legal electric mono in IMPBA and possibly the country plus records director, I assume you know a Few things

I posted that to inform beginner, and intermediate boaters..

[T.S.Davis]

Wilmer, you're biased towards Airtronics. Not a dig. You should be. I mean that's the point of them being a sponsor. For the public display of affection. I can see how lower latency could help compensate for slow fingers but what kind of real world difference are we talking? Milliseconds?

For the average human it's also worth while (if performance is similar) to consider how it feels in your hand. Might seem a silly thing to base a decision on but if your going to be holding it for hours at a race it's not that weird. I didn't like the way the Airtonics fit in my hand. The Futaba is a tank. Top heavy. Not sure if over time that would bother me. Probably not if it performance is as everyone says. It absolutely does feel like a solid piece of equipment. More so than any other really. Even the trigger on the Futaba is smoother. SHEESH git a room eh? I liked the Spektrums feel. Fits my hand well. Coupled with the waterproof RX it's a good combo for me.

What's happened to Hitec? They used to make a great radio on the cheap and now nutt'n. I mean the Aggressor is the last I can remember. 10 model memory. Woohoo. I still use their servos. Lately I've been using some Savox. Lots of torque to dollar ratio.

I think JR has bailed on surface radios all together.

[BILL OXIDEAN]

Wilmer, you're biased towards Airtronics. Not a dig. You should be. I mean that's the point of them being a sponsor. For the public display of affection. I can see how lower latency could help compensate for slow fingers but what kind of real world difference are we talking? Milliseconds?

For the average human it's also worth while (if performance is similar) to consider how it feels in your hand. Might seem a silly thing to base a decision on but if your going to be holding it for hours at a race it's not that weird. I didn't like the way the Airtonics fit in my hand. The Futaba is a tank. Top heavy. Not sure if over time that would bother me. Probably not if it performance is as everyone says. It absolutely does feel like a solid piece of equipment. More so than any other really. Even the trigger on the Futaba is smoother. SHEESH git a room eh? I liked the Spektrums feel. Fits my hand well. Coupled with the waterproof RX it's a good combo for me.

What's happened to Hitec? They used to make a great radio on the cheap and now nutt'n. I mean the Aggressor is the last I can remember. 10 model memory. Woohoo. I still use their servos. Lately I've been using some Savox. Lots of torque to dollar ratio.

I think JR has bailed on surface radios all together.

You must not have tried the Airtronics M12 yet. I love the way it feels, but then I like the way a Colt 45 officer's model feels ergonomically, and that's what ours is ergonomically designed after.
Much lighter than our M11X as well besides, our heats are 5-6 minutes tops. I actually pointed my race manager from Airtronics to this thread, so if he finds I'm misrepresenting them, he will be the first to tell me : )
What he CAN see is someone tryna' poke holes in my posts because I'm sponsored : )

JR is out of surface because it conflicted with horizon's sister line Spektrum.

[T.S.Davis]

I don't think I've seen the M12. Did you have that in CO? I remember you running the the Airtronics then but can't remember the model. Maybe it's one of those "don't knock it till you tried it things". I'm awfully biased toward my Speky despite not being sponsored by them. Could just be all the time I've spent with them. I used to feel that way about my JR too. Loved that padded grip. Right now I have in the shop, Futaba(low end), Hitec, JR, Tactic, Spektrum and a prehistoric Airtronics.

Maybe one day I'll give Airtronics another try. The trouble is that once you've committed to a brand it's tough to change horses if you have many models. The initial investment adds up quick.

Our heats are 5 to 6 minutes max but if you run say 6 classes times 5 rounds times 6 minutes you've spent 3 hours with that puppy in your hands. That's where the comfort becomes relevant. My take at least.

I swear I wasn't trying poke holes. I guess that's why I'm not sponsored. I would feel like I owed that sponsor at least some positive press for having me under their banner. I would start every post with "I am biased, here's what I think anyway".

[raptor347]

I'm running an 8J Futaba FHSS (I race stick radios). When the 3VCS ceased to exist on our shores, I went looking for a stick radio that was dead reliable and wouldn't break the bank for the average guy. It has worked great for 2 seasons now. Reliable in gas, nitro and electric boat applications (and a couple airplanes).

I've run the FHSS system all the way out to both ends at Legg in my SAW boats and to the edge of sight in a 3m sailplane, never had a link issue.

At this point it's hard to buy a bad radio. Find the one that fits your hand and budget with features you need and go for it.

I find most problems are installation related, attention to detail during the build cuts down on the frustration after the build.

All that said, I like Futaba best (shameless plug). Of course I drive 1000 miles each way to Legg every spring and fall with the Spectrum guy, so I guess we can all get along.

[ozzie-crawl]

Still have trouble with my airtronics. 2 different boats with different setups. Beginning to think there is a monster in my pond.
Both drop out in the same place. At my work (hobby shop with indoor off road track) we have good 2.4g internet reception until 3 or 4 guys turn there radios on and it turns to crap. Were I run my boats there is shops across the water that have open wifi. I wonder if these could be the cause of my drop outs ???

[DPeterson]

LOL

Spent the first 10 years driving Toyotas. The next 10 years driving Chevrolet. Now its all Fords. Mixed in a couple foreign junkers along the way.

Now I drive the biggest baddest most expensive Futaba I can get my hands on. And I have no good explanation why.

Doug

[T.S.Davis]

haha Doug, because Ferrari doesn't make a radio.