transmitter decision

[joshco84]

I have been looking at buyin my first transmitter. I am going to race stock buggy, and want a good radio but one that wont break the bank.

Looking at the Futuba 3pl, the airtronics mx-v, and the flysky gt3 b or c

The futuba and the airtronics are really at the top of my list, but the price and features of a hacked flysky are definitely appealing.

If i am not mistaken, the hacked flysky has more options than the other two, and the receivers are cheaper for the inevitable multiple cars i will be running.

What are everyones thoughts on these?

[GoMachV]

Check with your track, I've heard a lot of those radios are not allowed for interference issues

I have just bought a Spektrum dx4c and for $99 I don't know that you could ask for more, but receivers are a little more pricey. I think Futaba has the right idea on receiver cost vs a whole radio system.

[Coelacanth]

I have the GT3B and it's a great radio with a ton of features for under $40. It'll control up to 10 cars. The instructions aren't the best, but once you get the hang of configuring it, it's a lot of radio for the money. I wouldn't know about racing rules, but you can't go wrong for any other RC application on ground or water. I personally liked that you can adjust the steering servo endpoints separately (clockwise/counter-clockwise) as well as the amount of rotation in either direction, because it always seems like a servo horn goes on one way just a bit more than the other--never centered. Adjusting endpoints separately is more advanced than simply adjusting your trim.

I've found that most radios & servos rotate way more than is necessary, at least with a Kyosho Optima's funky Ackerman steering system, and also more in one direction than the other, so I've used both of those options to tweak steering on those cars to perfection.

To my knowledge, the GT3C is pretty much the same thing as the GT3B with a slightly larger LCD display and rechargeable battery pack for about $20 more.

I'm sure the quality and "feel" is better with the big brand radios, but my budget won't stretch that far.

[abailey21]

I've owned high end radios and cheap ones.

I went through 2 of the Flysky's in a month

I've upgraded the higher end radios because the next best thing came out I.E. 3PK to 4PK, M8 to M11I have the 4PK now and I've had since it was first released and I'm only gonna replace it because I want the M12. I highly recommend a high end radio. Like a charger it's the most used piece of equipment you'll own.I have tried and watched all that cheap Chinese crap from Hobby King and places like that fail in mere days if not short weeks, not always me but friends.

You'll see people come in here and rave about the cheap Chinese crap and tell my I'm an idiot and their stuff works great, but for every one dude that has a good experience I know there's 10 that had crappy ones.

I've only bought quality products from quality companies since I started racing in 1992, Novak, Tekin, Futaba, Airtronics and I've never had major issues with my equipment and it's lasted way longer than when I tried to save a buck.

And before I'm told it doesn't matter because it all comes from the same place, you're right but the quality control in a reputable company far outweighs the places the mass order 500 $10 ESC's and never even open the package to look at them.

[jasond]

I got a futaba magnum jr. around 1986, which worked until it got stolen around 2000. Then I had a cheap but glitchy jr for a year. I replaced it with a futaba 3pk, which is what I'm using now.
I have no idea if the radios you mentioned are any good, but I don't think you'll regret spending some money on a quality one.

[Coelacanth]

You'll see people come in here and rave about the cheap Chinese crap and tell my I'm an idiot and their stuff works great, but for every one dude that has a good experience I know there's 10 that had crappy ones.

I disagree completely. If the FlySky radios had that high of a complaint ratio, you wouldn't see them selling like hotcakes. I think a more accurate ratio would be for every 10 sold, maybe ONE person complains. Maybe 1/10 even. Let's put it to the test: how many people here have had FlySky radios work out just fine, vs. have them fail in a month?

I read through dozens...maybe over a hundred...pages of comments on the EZRun "cheap Chinese crap" motors, and you know how many negative experiences there were? Maybe a half dozen. Out of several hundred comments (no, that's not just my opinion speaking, it's my quantitative judgment)! And of those people who complained, a few of them messed up because they didn't RTFM. A few others had issues because they were pairing EZRun ESCs with other makes/models of motors and/or old servos. A few complaints were legitimate. One burnt up, from what I remember, but only ONE person had that happen...out of THOUSANDS.

So, your ratio is WAY off.

[edwin pibal]

we had this same issue here in NZ

but us dodgy kiwis went a step further and worked out what was going on

turns out the conflict with the flysky stuff was with spectrum radios or modules in other brand radios. the problem occuredt with the orginal dms tech when it locked its band.

am not sure if it was the spectrum not looking or something else, but all the other brans 2.4 gig stuff has been fine

personally I have a ko KIY ex1 and before that a ko ex10.

ed

[Coelacanth]

My buddy is running 3 EZRun combos in his Optimas, and I also have 1 of them, as well as a Leopard Toro combo in one car, a Bullistorm/Tacon combo in another, and so far 4 cars all controlled with a single GT3B...aside from the sometimes badly-translated instructions (which may account for most complaints), I haven't had a SINGLE issue with any...except for the crappy stock fan that came with the Bullistorm 60A ESC. I replaced it with a $8 Novak fan and everything runs like a top.

I admit that the quality and "feel" might not be top-notch, which is why the serious racers prefer better brand-name stuff, but what percentage of the RC market are serious racers? A very small minority. Those of us who are restoring our vintage RC cars and want to add the excellent modern, trouble-free electronics to them, it is quite a big cost to do a full LiPo/ESC/motor/charger conversion, so we do what we can to keep us into and enjoying the hobby, without breaking the bank.

Don't get me started on shoddy Chinese manufacturing, I'm right with you on THAT topic...but hell, their electronics, at least the brands I mentioned above, have all worked surprisingly well for me, and hasn't killed the wallet.

[RC10th]

The flysky or whatever radio has the on off button in the wheel was a bad idea. I've seen plenty of them fail. I'm not going to bag the cheap radios but I will say you get what you pay for.

[Lonestar]

My multiple-radio owning-driving experience... from Airtronics racers (currently M12 for me and M3X for my son) to KO (previously Helios, still used for outdoor dusty conditions) to JR-R1 to Aitronics M8, 3PS, KO EX5 (multiple), Futaba PCM 1024, (multiple), 3PL, etc... AND Flysky Gt2 and Gt3 for the kids and some bashers... And I'm not even talking about the vintage runners...

THE difference between a cheap radio and an expensive one is the "feel" of being "connected" to your car. Reliability is similar (have to agree with Marc on this one, although it pains me ), price is defo advantageous to the cheap brands. But the "connectedness" feeling is SO different. The DSP quality is what makes it feel like you're driving a car, or someone else is. My 5y.o. son TC02 powered by a Gt2 really feels like total crap, with experience you can definitely feel the controls are not doing what you want them to do when you want them to do it.

Most people on the internet, especially bashers, who typically have other RC issues than just a "weird" radio feeling anyway, will tell you they are perfect - but really they only "function", in the sense that when you turn left at some point it turns left and when you turn right at some point it turns right - same for throttle. But the "execution" is really what makes a difference. Even most casual racers don't race with Gt3b because it's so obvious after just a few packs.

One anecdote and then I'm off my soapbox: A buddy of mine was struggling with his first 8e BL car. I could see the guy was talented but really wasn't getting the car to do what he wanted... I asked to try it, and it was AWFUL. The car was basically "late" everywhere, every apex, every jump, everything. I checked the obvious mechanical stuff, to no avail, it was perfect. Then I thought that Gt3B might have to do something with it... I suggested he puts another radio in it "just to try" as he had a couple of FM Futabas at home, he just went to the Gt3b as the cheapest way to enjoy 2.4Ghz with adjustability. He tried an old futaba radio of his in his car next week and left everything else the same... and instantly understood the Gt3b was the issue. He got rid of it and lived happy ever since

I'm done... some people are willing to accept it - most people aren't... But get yourself a proper radio. Sanwa Mt4 is probably the best value for money at the moment

Paul

[GoMachV]

Paul nailed exactly why I didn't try the flysky. I wanted to, because modding is fun and there is a ton of modding that can be done to it. I don't ever race, so being roar approved didn't matter to me. What mattered was the latency that was reported. Basically it would be the difference between using a very old servo vs a fast servo... Just in latency alone. Add that to the old servos I tend to use and the reaction is just very slow. Crawlers probably care the least so I'm sure they are very popular there. Heck at my skill level I might not have even noticed it, but I didn't want to buy, try, and end up selling it off if it didn't feel right

[RC10th]

I was going to say MT-4 is a good in the middle radio. High end radios also have a better feel too, smoother and tighter wheels/triggers, better electronics etc.

I've seen plenty a cheap servo with segmented movement (or radio).

[Zipster]

I've used the Flysky B, and would agree with some of the above. For just bashing around, it was more than adequate, no issues. When I took it to the track a few times, it was pretty frustrating.

I picked up a Hitec Lynx 4s the other day, mostly because it was the cheapest way to get a left hand switchable TX (I hate the thumb throttle thing I've been doing for years!) and it's a world of difference out of the box. Feels like I just think about turning & it's doing it. I definitely recommend it, even if it's heading up into the high end.

[kaiser]

futaba. i am a fan boy due to decades of use and non issues.
i'm still using the discontinued 2pl 2.4g. sure i'd love a new 4pls, but i keep buying cars with the $250 that it costs and my 2pl works fine.

i'll probably keep using the 2pl until i feel it's holding me back somehow, or until i get $250 that the wife doesn't know about and i don't spend it on a new car.

radio's are the one area i refuse to try another brand, been with futaba since my first attack twin stick in 86. i'm just too happy to move.

[Coelacanth]

Thanks for the mid-range suggestions, guys. I'll check into the Sanwa MT-4. My argument above was with regards to the claim that the FlySkys and EZRuns are crap and defective/failing all the time (at a 10:1 failed:good ratio, which is ridiculous). That's simply untrue. No doubt the "feel" with the FlySkys is lacking compared to the big brands, and I mentioned that a couple times already.