Non Pistol Type TX

[mikiek]

All my RC vehicles except my FE boat use the joystick type transmitters. The FE came with a pistol style TX and I don't really care for it or the pistol type of TX.

Does anyone use the 2 joystick style TX? I can think of a few potential negatives, primarily most throttle sticks don't return to center. Kind of a safety issue there.

What other problems might there be?

[NativePaul]

I do. Sticks are probably more popular than wheels over here. Most of the boaters here use air type radios as they work just as well or better, have more features, are more versatile, don't command the surface price premium, and can easily be converted to a spring throttle by fitting either a factory spring kit internally, a rubber band internally, or for those that fly a lot and want to often switch between sprung and ratchet or smooth, a rubber band externally. Futaba do stick type surface specific radios, as do Sanwa/Airtronics, and Spektrum did recently enough that while they are now discontinued there is still stock on shelves, but generally like the wheel sets you get less mixing and channels for more money.

What are the other potential negatives you see? I have never bought an RC that came with a radio and nor do I intend to, but the only negative I can see is that if its radio uses a propitiatory protocol as I believe most do you will need to get a hobby grade RX to work with the hobby grade TX you want to upgrade to, and possibly hobby grade ESC and servo too if it is really low end and came with one of those all in one electronic bricks rather than separate components.

[mikiek]

Thanks Paul - do you have any pix of the external rubber band setup? Besides the difference in ergonomics I am wanting to get a stronger signal a little farther than the pistol type that came with the boat. There are a couple of dead spots where I usually run. I've lost signal in those spots - odd thing is if I go a little farther it starts working again. I never lose LOS with the boat but it is just as dead as can be behind one of the lake houses.

[Fluid]

Lots of folks use stick radios, mostly those who fly/have flown planes. Spektrum makes stick radios, you would have to call customer service to see if the one you like would work with your current receiver. Any brand transmitter/receiver combo will work with your boat's servo and ESCs.

An "air radio" won't extend your range, but a higher quality surface or air transmitter "might" work a little better. 2.4 gig radios have limited range on water compared to in the air, but my Spektrum pistol DX4R PRO gives perfect control to 900 feet on the water. Haven't tried it any further, that's a long way out there!


.

[NativePaul]

I made a little video for you.

[mikiek]

Hey fluid. I don't mind getting a matching receiver for a new TX. I'll just save the pistol for some future ARTR. I run several RC sailboats. One came with a low end stick TX but I have literally gone twice as far with that boat as what the pistol does with the Zelos. No problems seeing the sailboat at that distance, it's over 5' tall. That stick TX does run with 8 AA's and is advertised as long range. Come to think of it, my tug boat has the same TX.

Part of my looking into this - I found a really long retention pond and I want to try the Zelos flat out on a straightaway run like that. There's even an embankment on one side where you could stand about 10-12 feet above the water.

[mikiek]

I made a little video for you.

I love it Paul! Thanks for taking the time. Does that make the stick return to center or all the way down?

[srislash]

Hey fluid. I don't mind getting a matching receiver for a new TX. I'll just save the pistol for some future ARTR. I run several RC sailboats. One came with a low end stick TX but I have literally gone twice as far with that boat as what the pistol does with the Zelos. No problems seeing the sailboat at that distance, it's over 5' tall. That stick TX does run with 8 AA's and is advertised as long range. Come to think of it, my tug boat has the same TX.

Part of my looking into this - I found a really long retention pond and I want to try the Zelos flat out on a straightaway run like that. There's even an embankment on one side where you could stand about 10-12 feet above the water.

10ft up off the water will extend your range. As will pulling the antenna tube up. If you have a 2.4 ghz Rx make sure the wire at end of antenna is clear of antenna tube. There should be 30mm of clear coated wire there. It needs to see light of day.
I've just been reading up on this stuff on Spektrum site as I took one boat off the shelf to run after hibernation and had range issues.

Shawn

[longballlumber]

Or you can buy one of these. http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXEVDM&P=0

[ray schrauwen]

Or you can buy me of these. http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXEVDM&P=0

I'd like one of those.

[mikiek]

Or you can buy me of these. http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXEVDM&P=0

That's exactly what I'm looking at.

[mikiek]

10ft up off the water will extend your range. As will pulling the antenna tube up. If you have a 2.4 ghz Rx make sure the wire at end of antenna is clear of antenna tube. There should be 30mm of clear coated wire there. It needs to see light of day.
I've just been reading up on this stuff on Spektrum site as I took one boat off the shelf to run after hibernation and had range issues. Shawn

I have a feeling most TX with the telescoping antenna are going to transmit further then a pistol without. At least if it's held up properly.

The antenna in my boat probably needs some sort of adhesive where it goes into the tube. I find that it is always sliding down - not out, but down maybe an inch. Of course depending on how/where the adhesive is applied there could be some negative impact from that.

[ray schrauwen]

When I use my fly sky gt3b on a wood drivers stand I have no problems running ovals and large offshore courses.

When I use it on a steel drivers stand I have to hang it outside the perimeter since I'm sitting in a wheelchair.

I doubt any radio will fix that kind of problem.

The little clear antenna piece sticking out is new to me. Most of my boats have the wire in a tube but not all have the little section exposed.

[ray schrauwen]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/401304469309...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Some people have gained a bit more distance with adding one of these.

[NativePaul]

I love it Paul! Thanks for taking the time. Does that make the stick return to center or all the way down?

No worries, I'm glad I did it as i had to lend the band to a racer today who couldn't use his pistol TX with an air ESC without one, and I wouldn't have had it with me otherwise so it saved his raceday.

Doing it externally like that pull it all the way down, so you can run cheaper and more easily available air ESCs without a Picstix, I think most of the internal spring kits from the manufacturers spring to centre, if you use rubber bands internally, you can choose whether you want to spring to centre or spring to bottom, although spring to bottom is a lot easier to set up.

[mikiek]

Some people have gained a bit more distance with adding one of these.

You gave me an idea Ray. I have a 'long range' 2.4 antenna for my drone. I imagine it will fit on a stick TX. I'll have to give that a try when the Futuba comes in. Of course whether it will out perform an telescoping antenna remains to be seen. Too bad there's not a connector on the pistol TX.

[NativePaul]

What type of long range antenna? A longer stick will work well, a flat plates pretty directional and it maybehard to keep your boat in the beam as it whizzes past you, and the cloverleaf that is popular upgrade for drones si designed to skew the signal so you get decent reception when the model is not parallel with the ground and us unnecessary for boats. Stick aerials perpendicular to the ground on both the TX and RX are optimal for Fe boating.

I don't know what radio you have, but most 2.4ghz radios have a standard size connector on the aerial where it attaches to the PCB internally, so the aerials can be swapped, upgraded, or replaced even if it means drilling a hole for the wire and adding a second aerial to the exterior.

[ray schrauwen]

What type of long range antenna? A longer stick will work well, a flat plates pretty directional and it maybehard to keep your boat in the beam as it whizzes past you, and the cloverleaf that is popular upgrade for drones si designed to skew the signal so you get decent reception when the model is not parallel with the ground and us unnecessary for boats. Stick aerials perpendicular to the ground on both the TX and RX are optimal for Fe boating.

I don't know what radio you have, but most 2.4ghz radios have a standard size connector on the aerial where it attaches to the PCB internally, so the aerials can be swapped, upgraded, or replaced even if it means drilling a hole for the wire and adding a second aerial to the exterior.

Yes. Some research on youtube and RCG brought me to the idea. I don;t think much is gained though.

[NativePaul]

Here is a video of the better way to get a sprung throttle without spending money on a spring kit.

[Capt'n Crash]

Being an RC pilot for many years I started out with an FM stick transmitter in my first FE boat because it was my preference and it worked just fine.

I have since switched entirely over to pistol grip style transmitters for faster throttle response and the ability to reverse in some cases but it really boils down to your own personal preference.