Preferred rc radio Futaba or Spektrum or ?

[Livewire121]

I agree that the spektrum rx's are water proof, as a few friends of mine use them, and they've had close to a gallon of water in their Spartans. But I've conformal coated all of my Futaba rx's and have never had a problem either. But can you say that the spektrums have the same range?

[JimClark]

never had any range issues with my older spektrum's have not used my mr200's yet. Then again I race and the course is not a mile away

[Cooper]

Just a quick question as I stumbled onto this thread. I use spectrum dx3 with the mr3000 twin antenna in a saw boat. One antenna is in a plastic antenna tube extending through the hull, other antenna stick out from the hatch seal ( just about the last 40mm, the effective area). As I am in excess of 100mph in this boat I run a ways away. Sometimes the boat will cut out, intermittently during a slow speed sweeping turn (about 15-20mph) so it's not a brown out. The only time this happens is when the boat is away from me. As I have learned the limit I can run this before the lapse happens. In my honest estimation I would guess that is is no more than 150-175 yards away from me. The to is held vertically to the boat attitude, there is no roost in the line of sight between tx and rx. Is this considered what others are considering to limit? As I hear others say the run till they can't see their boats. I have only used spectrum in my high end things. I use the cheep flysky in other stuff as its hard to beat a $6 rx. I thought about swapping and trying that but before I do that (fail safes I prefer) I just thought I would ask. And use spectrum and knock off rx's in a bunch of planes that go way far and no problem but that's stick tx.

[Cooper]

Just a quick question as I stumbled onto this thread. I use spectrum dx3 with the mr3000 twin antenna in a saw boat. One antenna is in a plastic antenna tube extending through the hull, other antenna stick out from the hatch seal ( just about the last 40mm, the effective area). As I am in excess of 100mph in this boat I run a ways away. Sometimes the boat will cut out, intermittently during a slow speed sweeping turn (about 15-20mph) so it's not a brown out. The only time this happens is when the boat is away from me. As I have learned the limit I can run this before the lapse happens. In my honest estimation I would guess that is is no more than 150-175 yards away from me. The to is held vertically to the boat attitude, there is no roost in the line of sight between tx and rx. Is this considered what others are considering to limit? As I hear others say the run till they can't see their boats. I have only used spectrum in my high end things. I use the cheep flysky in other stuff as its hard to beat a $6 rx. I thought about swapping and trying that but before I do that (fail safes I prefer) I just thought I would ask. And use spectrum and knock off rx's in a bunch of planes that go way far and no problem but that's stick tx.

Maybe up to 200yards?? At most. After I thought a little more. :)

[jetnfast]

+1 for the flysky radios. I am running an FS-GT-3C in my Daytona, so far so good.

[ozzie-crawl]

Cooper. I have a similar issue with airtronics. But it is as I turn back towards myself. Soon as the boat faces me it drops out.
Only does it at low speed.

[tlandauer]

I had this happen on my maiden run on my MHZ Lizard Xtreme. had a 4" motor mount rail. The MR3000 is outside the rail on Starboard side. I had one run while the boat was turning CCW so the portside was beginning to face me. I suffered a complete break down of communication. Boat went to Throttle Fail Safe mode, but unlike previous experiences with Tactic system, it will not re-establish contact. Had to wait till boat was pushed back to shore by the wind, no big deal, but was a mystery to me.
What I need to say is that on that particular occasion both of the antennas were inside the hull: I have done that on my DF26 and a couple other non CF lined hulls w/o any problem. Obviously, I don't do that on this particular hull any more.

[T.S.Davis]

I use both but mostly 200's.

[Cooper]

What ranges are you guys getting? As I'm still not sure what is considered range limits. I know it's not definable like 236'6" but some real people with some actual realistic numbers, not as far as I can see. Before I had eye surgery I could say that was about 50 yards,lol,,, now it is mile+ so a accurate estimation would be helpful. Thanks.

[Cooper]

What ranges are you guys getting? As I'm still not sure what is considered range limits. I know it's not definable like 236'6" but some real people with some actual realistic numbers, not as far as I can see. Before I had eye surgery I could say that was about 50 yards,lol,,, now it is mile+ so a accurate estimation would be helpful. Thanks.

For me it's like two football fields then the sputtering starts.

[madmikepags]

8 years futaba 1 glitch but it was a wet reciever, no not waterproof, but they do come back and work after you dry em out.

[siberianhusky]

AS far as actual distance I don't know, but running a dx2s with marine rx (I use both 2 & 3 channel ones) one antennae verticle out side the hull the other horizontal under the hatches I can run my boats far enough away that I can't really see a 30+" boat, just driving by the rooster tail.
I figure if I can no longer really see the boat I have enough range.
With the stock SR rx the radio came with I'd say a good bit under half that range with the shorty antennae inside the hull.
Changed from Futaba to Spektrum when I went 2.4 strictly because of price and ease of local availability.

[martin]

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.

[BILL OXIDEAN]

I've been doing RC for over 30 years, and there are in my opinion 2 top radio mfgrs.
The best being Airtronics. Airtronics radios boast the fastest response time of ANY radio on the market.

Our new M12 responds so fast that companies are now making ESC's that utilize its response time

http://www.airtronics.net/index.php/...x-471-dry.html

Better yet, I'll let my race manager CK tell you https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...jd0rHecQyMZ7aQ


I've been told time and time again that fast response Isn't vital in boats, I beg to differ.
I used to blow off the water in SAW competition All the time. Once I started running Airtronics again, that all changed. In many cases when the bow rises at high speed
one can back out of the throttle and settle her. I have found decreased response time to aid in that in a major way. Occasionally I have saved myself from clipping a pin saving myself a penalty lap (vital in a heat race).

A faster responding radio makes you feel more "connected" to the model. The great thing is you can actually adjust the latency if you want it slower ; )

The radio has literally Dozens more adjustments. Likely more than you will ever need until we're using mind control : )

[SloHD]

^ 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

[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-ra...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.