2.4ghz transmitter for rc boat

[Bill-SOCAL]

do u know how far this futaba 3pm can go?

At my lake the farthest you can go out is about 1,000 feet. Doing so puts you into the shore. I have gone almost that far out during SAWS races and not had an issue in anything that I own. Take a look at where you run on Google Earth and measure how far you are really going out. I think you will be surprised how far away you aren't!!

Bottom line, range has not been an issue for me nor have I seen any range issues reported.

[DISAR]

If you have a DX3S, the telemetry data can be shown on the transmitter screen.

If you have a DX3R, the telemetry data is shown on a handheld LCD screen (see SPM1305) that you can mount on your antenna, just like an Eagle Tree Seagull. NOTE: The handheld screen can be used with the 3S also, so you can have a pit man read your data for you.

To sense the temperature, a sensor on a lead is attached to either the SPM1305's interface unit or your SR3500T receiver.

The RPM is sensed by a small opto sensor and band that goes on your output shaft, and connects to another port on the SPM1305 or SR3500T.

There is also a short cable that connects the 1305 to the rx.

There is NO SPEED SENSOR - you need a GPS or an Eagle Tree with pitot tube. You can convert RPM to speed, but it isn't accurate by any means.

Of course, you can get all this info by simply clicking on the link above and getting the manual.

FWIW, I use the SPM1305 with my DX3R when I need telemetry data. Note also that the telemetry link has limited range. If telemetry is real important, especially speed, I recommend getting the Eagle Tree system - it can provide more types of data, it can be loaded into your PC, has much greater range, and graphs can be generated afterwards.

Are you just trying to get the speed of your boat? If so, get a GPS. Are you looking for all kinds of other data including speed? If so, get an Eagle Tree. Are you looking for some data to try out different setups? If so, use the 3S and/or 1305.

There are lots of guys here who can tell you the advantages of one system over the other, but you will get a lot better input if you tell us what you're trying to accomplish.

Andy

Thank you. I had an eagle tree but not working now (?) and I want to buy a 2.4ghz system therefore I was just curious to see what the DX3S can do. Does it make coffee? Thanks again for your very explanatory reply.

[AndyKunz]

Eagle Tree is good for service too, so don't hesitate to send it back.

Andy

[Mel279]

1000ft!!!..that pretty far and I would need to bought a binocular also just in case LOL, u convince me, maybe I wanna bought futaba 3pm, since range is my priority.

THANKS Bill

At my lake the farthest you can go out is about 1,000 feet. Doing so puts you into the shore. I have gone almost that far out during SAWS races and not had an issue in anything that I own. Take a look at where you run on Google Earth and measure how far you are really going out. I think you will be surprised how far away you aren't!!

Bottom line, range has not been an issue for me nor have I seen any range issues reported.

[Bill-SOCAL]

I rarely do it and only for SAWS runs. At those distances you are driving by the roostertail.

For most oval racing venues that I attend I am hard pressed to get more than 300 to 400 feet away from the driver's stand. I guess I do not understand the need for extreme range in a boat. If ultimate range is an issue, install and airplane radio.

[jantagg]

I have been using a Spektrum DX3 (2.4) radio with a SM3001-Pro receiver. It works flawlessly at our club F/E racing. Recently, I returned for Orlando where I participated at the Orlando Gas/Nitro Winter Nationals. I took my radio and a reciever and put them in my brother Thunderboat since he has two TBs with only one Futaba radio. My Spektrum glitched at a rather short distance. His Futaba (in my boat) worked fine. The gas guys say that Spektrums are no good in boats and in deed, I saw none of the gas guys with a Spektrum similar to mine. I find that curious.

[Mel279]

The reason why Im considering the range, was that I don't to crash my boat as to my previous 2.4ghz that I've use before. That why range is my priority just to be on the safe side. Im curious, why is it all 2.4ghz have short antenna?

I rarely do it and only for SAWS runs. At those distances you are driving by the roostertail.

For most oval racing venues that I attend I am hard pressed to get more than 300 to 400 feet away from the driver's stand. I guess I do not understand the need for extreme range in a boat. If ultimate range is an issue, install and airplane radio.

[Bill-SOCAL]

The antennas on all our radios are based on the wavelength, the shorter the wave length the shorter the antenna.

75 MHz radios have a wavelength around 4 meters. The antenna is roughly a 1/4 wave antenna, about 1 meter = 39 inches.

2.4 GHz frequency has a wavelength around 0.12 meters (4.72 inches) A 1/4 wave antenna will be about 1.2 inches long.

What other 2.4 radio were you having issues with??

[Mel279]

this radio that Im having issue with
http://cgi.ebay.com/Acoms-Technispor...3A1%7C294%3A50

The antennas on all our radios are based on the wavelength, the shorter the wave length the shorter the antenna.

75 MHz radios have a wavelength around 4 meters. The antenna is roughly a 1/4 wave antenna, about 1 meter = 39 inches.

2.4 GHz frequency has a wavelength around 0.12 meters (4.72 inches) A 1/4 wave antenna will be about 1.2 inches long.

What other 2.4 radio were you having issues with??

[Bill-SOCAL]

Never heard of it, but a little research showed that it uses a type of 2.4 implementation that has proven not to be very reliable in boats. There are several different 2.4 spread spectrum schemes and one is when the radio locks on a single bit of the spectrum and stays there. This is the worst possible method for our use.

Futaba is what is called Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS). The Futaba radio sweeps the entire spectrum in a semi randomized manner 500 times a second. This virtual eliminates the possible of interference with the signal. It has proven to be very robust in the marine environment.

I can guarantee you that you will find the Futaba FASST radio to be far more reliable than the one you were using before.

By the way, where are you located? Where is "BN"??

[Bill-SOCAL]

Duplicate post

[JimClark]

Bill his profile says Brunei

I was wondering my self where BN was so I snooped

[Bill-SOCAL]

I looked there but did not see that. Thanks.

BTW - I recently did something I have resisted for a very long time. I bought a prosumer point and shoot. A Canon Powershot SX110IS. For the money I am amazed at how well it does. Plus it takes video. 36-260 optical zoom with digital zoom out to 748mm equivalent. Canon IS technology seems to work pretty well. But I miss my "L" glass!! But I have to tell you how nice it is not lugging around a 20 pound kit with my lenses and body!!

But I am having a hard time getting used to no viewfinder!! Old habits die hard. 8GB card in it allows something absurd like 7,000 high res images or 2 hours of video.

I'll be giving it a workout this weekend at the gas races at Lake Havasu. We race right in the shadow of London Bridge!!

[JimClark]

I will be interested to see how it does with moving objects. I just bought my wife a Sd890IS. It is small but she has small hands and so far it is working real well also. I just got a much nicer backpack that has a great waist belt that takes the majority of the load and should be a lot better on my shoulders carrying my gear around. Did you sell the L glass?

[Mel279]

Yeah, BN stand for Brunei, its a small country situated in South East Asia in Borneo island, not far from Malaysia and SIngapore. There's only few FE boat hobbyist here, around 4-5 people thats include myself, and we're all still new to this stuff. Sorry if my english is bad, as it is my 2nd language but Im learning

Never heard of it, but a little research showed that it uses a type of 2.4 implementation that has proven not to be very reliable in boats. There are several different 2.4 spread spectrum schemes and one is when the radio locks on a single bit of the spectrum and stays there. This is the worst possible method for our use.

Futaba is what is called Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS). The Futaba radio sweeps the entire spectrum in a semi randomized manner 500 times a second. This virtual eliminates the possible of interference with the signal. It has proven to be very robust in the marine environment.

I can guarantee you that you will find the Futaba FASST radio to be far more reliable than the one you were using before.

By the way, where are you located? Where is "BN"??