NobodyFamous

I remember someone saying they where using the DX3S and even using the Telemetry rx that comes with it, not the MR3000 marine rx.

Can this person, or anyone using the Spektrum DX3S please comment on how well it has worked for you? (and what rx your using)

Please don't comment if you have no experience or just want to bash the product. I am on a no money budget but need to upgrade my remotes from Traxxas TQ systems.

Thanks

tornad0

Hi the DX3s is a good choice that have the telemetry system but if i am not wrong the sensors are not supplied with the RX TX
and its a DSM1

i have the DX3R its without the telemetry there is a slight different between the two models the 3R have bigger LCD
and i prefer the DSM2 then the DSM1 that i heard many complains of users not specifically on spectrum

if i am not wrong the the price is the same

NobodyFamous

The DX3R costs more.  Do the extra features come in handy for sport boating?  I have never owned a programable tx before.  I don't know if I would use steering rates and acceleration curves etc.

tornad0

i don't know what i have been doing without the steering rate and the exponential options on my twin apparition cat' i had difficulties controlling the boat on the corners before adjusting those options

maybe on more stable hulls you don't need those options but its helping a lot on cats to stay on the track

siberianhusky

The sensors should come with it, did at least with my dx2s, All the features make setting something up nice and easy but we did without that stuff for years. I like getting voltage readouts at my tx but I never bother with any of the other stuff. If you were racing electric and pushing your stuff to the limits then you could monitor esc or motor temps.
You get much more use full info from an eagle tree data logger. All you get for stored info with the built in tele is max temp and max rpm. I find it impossible to actually look at the tx while I'm driving to see what rpm or temps are. You can set up a temp alarm which beeps though if you go over your preset.
My stock s100 servo died the first time it got damp, strange one causes glitching on the other channel! Other than that it has performed perfectly with no loss of signal or glitching in nitro or electric. LOL even had it in a sailboat for a couple of quick test sails waiting for another radio. A pistol radio really sucks for a sailboat!
All in all I find the radio great and no problems, I do find the telemetry as is to be pretty much useless. If it actually had some memory and could log an entire run so you could hook it to your computer and download it I would find more use for it. The tach is really useless, if the prop comes out of the water and the rpm spikes this is what it will record, that one spike.
The hand held telemetry unit with a pitman keeping an eye on it would be much better. I just can't look at my trans while driving a 50mph+ boat!
I just have the one telemetry rx that the radio came with, just can't see buying another, rather use the dual antennae marine rx.
I've owned both Futaba and Spektrum now and have had no problems with either. I just liked the feel of the Spektrum tx more, find it super easy to access all the setup functions, Runs for a long time on 4 AA alkaline cells. All switches and trims are easy to find when your running.
I wish they would come out with high voltage servos though! the receiver can be run off of a 2s Lipo pack without a bec but the servos can't! I can't believe the electronics can't handle a couple of volts more, must be the motors they use. Or build a switching regulator into the rx to step down the voltage to 6v! Everything runs off Li-Po batteries now except our radio systems!
There is enough room in the battery compartment of the tx to put a small Li-Po pack and bec in though.

NobodyFamous

siberianhusky,

NobodyFamous

I was trying to compare the DX3S and DX3R on the spektrum website, that was pretty useless. All I could factually determine was that one has Telemetry, the other does not, and that the DX3R has a frame rate of 5.5, 11, 16.5 and 30 model memory, while the DX3S only has 11, and 16.5 frame rates and 10 model memory.

siberianhusky

The s100 was a great servo over 100 oz/in torque metal gears and bearings, just doesn't like water! Any servo will work as long as it has standard plugs and leads, I have used futaba, spektrum, hitec and jr sport servos with no problems, I had to shave off a little flange on the futaba servo plugs, they do that so they can only be plugged into their receiver one way but the pin out on the plug is the same.
The programmable temp alarm is handy, it starts beeping a warning then goes into continious beeping when you go over your preset temp. It comes with a sensor for nitro head temps and one you can use on an esc or motor for electrics. I use the countdown timer all the time with my nitro boats, the voltage alarm is handy too.
I don't know what the frame rate is all about, mine is still at the factory setting. Which is the lowest number.
Never tried a digital servo, not sure what the benifit would be in a boat. All of mine are analog, even plugged a 20 year old futaba s148 into it to see if it would work with a new radio, worked fine.
I like hitec mg servos on rudder, use a 85mg in a 40 mph+ .12 rigger no problems. Find them to be a good balance between reliability and cost.
Yes you do get real time readout and it stores the highest values until you either turn off the rx or tx can't remember which off the top of my head.
LOL I keep building boats I'll need a 30 model memory!
The S is DSM2 compatable, the R is true DSM2, and a few other features not sure they would really apply to a boat, they seem more car oriented featured like dual rate override, Not sure about the graphical depictions of travel and exponential, the S radios give it to you as a %.
I would buy the R now if I was buying a new radio just because of the DSM2, I wouldn't sell my current one just to buy the R though. LOL the way I hold on to radios who knows what the technology will be. This radio replaced a Futaba Magnum sport AM radio that was over 20 years old! It still works and I still use it in my rescue barge.

NobodyFamous

So being "true" DSM2 just means it responds faster?

siberianhusky

DSM2 is somehow capable of holding a signal better, don't quite understand how. Never had any issues with mine as I said so I wouldn't change now. I'm quite happy. As i said I tend to hold onto things, Eventually I'll buy a new "top of the line" radio but that will be 10 years down the road barring accidents! Rather buy boats than radios, The new radio didn't make my boats go faster but all the bells and whistles make setting one up easier.
The frame rate has something to do with servos, supposed to use the slower frame rate with old analog servos!? If they say so, I know I had an old futaba servo hooked up to it, it's the steering servo on my RC10 buggy, I didn't change any settings and it worked fine. That servo is as old as my RC10 original gold tub! Also worked with the original Novak t-100 speed control. Maybe if you have problems you try a slower frame rate? Don't know!
Told you I'm an rc pack rat, still have 2 RC12i on road pan cars from the 80's! And my first boat, a dumas deepvee 20.