Radio problems (airtronics MT4)

[gsbuickman]

I just reread your original post that your looking for a range of 500 meter's (1500'), or more than a 1/4 mile (1320'). Has anyone here actually had a boat out that far w/o an issue .?.

I doubt my airtronics M11 could do it, not to mention I wouldn't be able to see a boat out that far anyway. How long are the saw track runs on average ?.....

[ls1fst98]

That's what I was saying. 1600ft is quite a long way to see a boat. I don't even run my monster trucks that far away and they are easier to see

[Fluid]

I just reread your original post that your looking for a range of 500 metered (1500'), or more than a 1/4 mile (1320'). Has anyone here actually had a boat out that far w/o an issue .?......

I have tested my SAW boats out to 1000 feet with my Spektrum DX3R PRO and have full control - never tried further. Most SAW lakes don't let you get further than 1000 feet away from the boat if you are positioned in the middle by the lights...some are much less. BTW 500 meters is 1650 feet, hard to see even a big boat well at that distance. The big, fast cats at Legg can be difficult to control at 1000 feet due to poor vision, not radio issues.


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[ls1fst98]

I think op is just reaching max radio range.

[Rocstar]

I have tested my SAW boats out to 1000 feet with my Spektrum DX3R PRO and have full control - never tried further.

+1 (but with a DX4S)

[webdesaster]

Well maybe 500 meter is a bit too much, but I did some tests today: depending on the location I loos connection between 120 and 150 meter. In my eyes, there could me more range I think 250 meters would be great.

[nx94z28]

I'm running the same tx/rx setup (MT4 w/461) and a savox servo. Were you able to fix the problem? I'm having the same issues even at close range.

[Silver954]

This is interesting I also have an mt4 that came with rx-461 and have a range problem in the boat. First I used the
rx-371w and everything was great no problems. Then I switched receivers and wanted to use the temp. sensor on the motor so had to put the rx-461. The data only works when the boat is around me which is still useful, but the signal cuts out with in good visual distance. When I raise the radio above my head it works again. This is at two different locations so it's not interference. I didn't have this problem in the rc truck with the rx-461 so it seems it's somehow related to the boat. I was going to email airtronics and see what they say about it.

[NativePaul]

Airtronics/Sanwa are not very popular with the FE boat crowd here so I have no idea what their pros and cons are.

Spektrum had an issue with the RXs minimum voltage being rather high, so digital servos could pull the bec/rx battery voltage down low enough to switch the RX off, which combined with a very long reboot time on their older RXs was quite a problem. To get around this many companies sell "glitch buster" capacitors that plug into a spare channel on a RX and help to stabilise the voltage. I have no idea if Airtronics/Sanwa have a similarly high voltage floor, but most glitch buster caps are cheap enough to be worth a go.

Installation can effect range to a great extent, to maximise range get both aerials out of the hull as high as possible, and vertical, space them apart in width as much as is possible so you always have 1 on your side of the roostertail.

Water absorbs radio waves, whereas the ground reflects them, so the range being shorter on water than on land is perfectly normal for ALL radios. Having said that some radios do have a longer range than others, and that also translates to longer range over water.

I would normally say that my preferred brand is one that you never see this sort of post about, but in this case I have no idea how mine would perform at that range, even at our SAWs lake we can't get more than 200m away, and >90% of my boating is roundy round within 100m.

[Silver954]

This is the response I got from Airtronics.

Customer Service:
Hi,
We would recommend checking that the top part of the antenna is out-side of the hull without any obstructions.
Thank you,
Airtronics Service


Me: Yes the antenna is out of the hull, sticking out vertical at about 2-1/2 inches in an antenna tube.

Customer Service:
Hi,
The RX-471W should provide the best range for a boat.
Thank you,
Airtronics Service


At that point I told them I am not interested in buying another receiver and they should add the information about their product that some of the receivers don't work well over water.

[dasboata]

I had a brand new MT 4 I lost my gas boat 2 times I had sent it back to airtronic they gave me a new radio I was never happy with the range I then went to Flysky,for a few years but crashed our 90 MPH GTP,,, So now I am back to futaba Fast I like it the best out of all of them