Stay away from the LA series and don't let the remote needle give you a false sense of security. That happens a lot. You are still close to the prop and need to be carefull. The remote needle is a huge pain in the butt. THe needle in the carb is way easier to set up and use. I like it a lot better.

The TT engines are great, as are the Irvine.

As for the radio, get the best one you can afford. I would get at least a 6 ch so if you ever need the extra, you don't have to buy a new radio. You can get them for not a lot of extra money, and it will save you money in the future. I prefer futaba, but just about everyone will tell you that their brand is the best, so find one you like and enjoy it. They are all pretty good.