Advice please
 

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...el-TX-for-sale
Hello.
I'm thinking of getting back into r/c on road electric cars. I used to have an HPI rs4 sport. I think my sister donated it to goodwill. I have a couple Futaba 2 channel transmitters one similar to an aircraft radio, the other is a pistol grip like the one in the photo. I'm wondering if it would be best for me to to upgrade radios, batteries & chargers from the 1990's & a new car of course, to more modern & compatible equipment? I have some tools here in Edmonton while the rest of my stuff is in Calgary at my sisters. I think I've got some tires at her place also, I just can't remember if they're rubber or foam. I think the local club here Northern Alberta Scale auto racers suggest driver buy a transponder. I'll grab the latest r/c car action magazine when it comes out to get some better ideas on well everything.

Thanks

I think you would be far more happier with a new gear. A good 2.4ghz radio that provides end point adjustments, expo, trim, and maybe subtrims will be more useful in a racing environment than using a very basic radio with no bells and whistles. LiPo batteries would provide you with weight and performance advantages.

If it works don't fix it. Why pay for new stuff if the old stuff still works?

Thanks RG.
Both radios still work as I put them back in the boxes each time. I started thinking about new r/c costs last night & of course the two items that came up were radio followed by a new car. I was never one that needed everything from the buyers guides, such as tire warmers etc

You mention getting a transponder, which implies that you might be doing some club racing?

Technology has changed drastically over the past few years, so it might be okay to run your old stuff at the track just to get your bearings, but you'll quickly see that your stuff will be at a disadvantage when running against other drivers. If you're just going for practice and will drive solo, then yeah I'd keep the old stuff, but I would buy all new gear if you want to be competitive with others at a local club.

Talk to the locals and see what they are running, maybe ask if someone is selling some gear that's no more than 1 version old, that can save you some serious coin right there ;)

Thanks Bill.
I will talk to some people in the local club here in Edmonton for advice. The local hobby shop doesn't carry transponders, but another store in the city does. If I decide to get back into this hobby again, I thought of going for a 1/10 scale electric RTR for obvious reasons, even though when I first started the hobby shop suggested I build a kit, then I'll know how everything goes together etc. I think my main concern about the hobby these days are batteries. Lipo, NiMH, Life or a combination of all 3. I'll figure things out soon enough.

RTR really means Ready to Reassemble... plus most RTR's come with electronics that will need to be tossed out and will cost you more money than if you simply bought a kit in the first place, especially when you factor in all the cheap plastic parts that come with RTR's where most quality kits already include aluminum and carbon upgrades saving you even more money.

If you want to cut costs, then you'll do better buy a used race grade kit than a new RTR.

See what brands of cars your track is running, buddy up with a faster driver, then pick a brand that the majority of drivers are running, this will make it phenomenally easier for them to give you tuning advice and you'll have all the same advantages as them.

Spending a little more from your local track shop will more than likely save you money in the long haul... chances are they are selling quality equipment so you only have to buy once... if you buy a RTR, then you will buy twice :(

Thanks Bill.
I went to the racing club this past Friday night & spoke with a few people, they seem to race cars by different manufacturers & many of them were using Spektrum radios. I made a trip to the hobby shop for a Q&A session/. He recommended Associated, getting a hitec charger & I believe a spektrum radio. I think the radio comes in a black box & he mentioned the words 5 something or other along with "attack". I think the "attack radio might be made by Tamiya. I should've been writing things down. I understand what you mean about spending a little more, as I might up on a first name basis at the hobby shop looking for new parts etc.http://hobbywholesale.com/product/78...club-racer-kit. The other thing I'm having is how many Lipo batteries to buy once I start racing again. I want to be prepared to say the least.

Thanks Bill.
You took the words out of my mouth concerning lipos. One pack on the charger while the other is in use, something I didn't follow years ago when I got started in the hobby. My batteries would run out of juice due to my charging process or I needed a battery with more Mah to get me through to the finish line. I was also told of another hitec charger X2 700 dual port multi charger I think it was, again I need to write stuff down. I just remember what the charger looked like. The futaba radios are in my price range. I'm not really looking to get something that has all the bells & whistles for all the bells & whistles.

I have a cousin who lives in Austin. I noticed its going to be really nice there this week. Its currently 17f here in Edmonton, but it'll go up to 35f later today

small world, yeah weather here in Austin is always great this time of year :)

not many ground esc will calibrate to old fm or am gear..