| Which
Surface Channel Brand? The
most popular radio brands on the market today include Airtronics, Futaba, Hitec and now
for us model boats, ACE. Tower hobbies also has its own brand of
radio, which are actually re-labeled older Futaba units. So which one should you get?
Performances of these radio systems are very
similar for all practical intents and purposes. They are all able to offer stable
glitch-free radio control functions with great usable range. And for radio systems at a
given price point, the features they offer are also going to be very similar. So the
decision usually comes down to personal preferences and convenience. In fact, about the
only technically meaningful difference between the AM radio systems is their servo plug.
And even that is a situation readily dealt with by swapping pins and plug housings.
FM radios are more complicated, however. This
is because while Hitec and Futaba use one signal standard for 75MHz FM radios while JR and
Airtronics use another standard. There is no performance difference between the two
standards, but it pretty much makes the systems incompatible with each other. It is
generally easier and slightly less expensive to find aftermarket FM receivers for the
Futaba/Hitec standard, than it is for the JR/Airtronics standard.
None of the technical differences discussed
previously is as important as personal preference. The radio you buy
should be the one that fits your hands and type of running you do with your boat, best.
Each manufacturer offers a different weight balance, grip contour, spring tension, wheel
travel, etc. You should always pick the one that you like the best. Here is a short
description some of the brands based on my own personal preferences. Read with caution.
Futaba is one of my favorite
radio brand. It was also the brand of my first radio system (many years ago) so I am sure
there is a sense of loyalty at play. Futaba radio systems are more or less the standard of
the industry, receiving the most third party servo and receiver support.
Hitec is known for making
good but inexpensive products. They are a fairly new name in the radio equipment market,
but they've been around for quite a while. Hitec products in general are not quite as
polished and solid feeling as those from Futaba or Airtronics. But they are reliable,
inexpensive, and with enough quality to earn a solid buy recommendation from me every
single time. I really like their high torque servos.
Airtronics is another
excellent radio brand. They are easily as good as Futaba in terms quality. I have never
bought an Airtronics, so I have no experiences to pass on.
Now we come to my favorite all time best, ACE
R/C. When I say Ace, I am talking about the ACE R/C NAUTICAL COMMANDER. This radio is
specifically designed for serious boat hobbyist. It features 5 channels standard
with 2 more easily accessed in the case and added by the hobbyist. It has twin
throttle sticks and a single rudder stick. To support the diversified needs of boat
modelers, this unit does not come with any servos or wire harness. This radio comes in three
"flavors" with the added added extra channels being the major difference between
the packages.
My NAUTICAL COMMANDER came with an Hi-Tec receiver and full NiCads with a
charger. |
|
 Duel rate was standard on the rudder channel. The manual explains the
process of adding extra channels and Ace offers the needed pots and slides to cater to
your needs. This radio is an FM system.
What If I Need MORE Channels?
Even with the seven channels on the NAUTICAL COMMANDER, there may come a
time when this is just not enough. So what are you to do? The answer is
simple, just add a switch. This is a simple electronic device sold by several
companies that plugs into one of your channels. MCD offers a switch that installs between the receiver and one of the servos or a speed control and
can independently control 2 on/off functions. The control stick, in its normal range,
controls the servo or speed control in the normal manner. If the stick is moved rapidly to
either end of travel, the circuitry in the ADD-A-SWITCH remembers the last setting and
maintains it. Then moving the trim in the corresponding direction, the switch function is
activated. 
If you need more than 2 on/off functions,
then MCD has an answer for that
also. The SWITCH 8 Accessory Control System is designed to control
up to 8 on/off functions from one channel of the radio system. The unit consists of
2 parts; the decoder section which is installed in the model, and the eight-button keypad
which mounts on the transmitter.
The SWITCH 16 Accessory
Control System is designed to control up to 16 on/off functions from just one channel
of the radio system.
Ace Nautical Commander radio with SWITCH
16 Keypads installed on seventh channel.
I hope that this
information has helped to better explain radio systems. If you have any questions or
anything to add to the paper, please let me know. |
