navysandman

Hey folks. I'm building a Dumas American Enterprise and am a stuck on what radio would suit my needs. I'd like the ability to control each screw speed and direction independently or have them operate together. I guess my first question would be, "is there any advantage to this configuration?" increase in maneuverability at slower speeds, just looks better, etc? If there will not be any great advantage to the set up, I believe there are many choices for the radio. However, if there is something to be said for dual speed and direction control, what feature should I look for in a radio? There doesn't seem to be much info around the net on boating, and I haven't seen this question presented before, so I feel as if I'm going down the wrong course. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Deathwish

My Feedback: (6)

I used a Hitec Laser 6 with the two battleship's am working on. It's 6 channel. I have forward-reverse, and left-right rudder on one stick. I used the right stick for my turret's movement. I also included a working water pump so i can squirt water at people or duck's lol. And my last channel control's my 3 turret.

USS Missouri Build
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_6480413/tm.htm

LtDoc

navysandman,
What it amounts to is having enough channels to control what you want to control. For dual throttles, you'll need dual proportional controls, two of them. You can combine those two onto one 'stick'. Up/down = speed, left/right determines which motor gets how much speed, sort of. The electrical part isn't that difficult, but developing the reflexes to do the controlling can be (if you're as uncoordinated as I am sometimes). That will not allow forward on one motor and reverse on the other (Rats!), but it will allow some 'dual' control. For full independent motor control you'll need a radio that has three proportional controls, the third one being for the rudder. That narrows your choices quite a bit and starts raising the cost. Start looking.
- 'Doc

Richard Byers

The last Enterprise I built was twin electric screws and a futaba six channel radio. I changed the right stick on the transmitter by taking the centering springs off and made it a ratchet setup like the left stick. I had the rudders on the right stick. You then set up each motor with it's own speed controle.This method worked fine for me and I will use it again on the next Enterprise.

Rick

thorsail

Hey Navysandman - If you are looking for more info , I have a couple of leads for you....try
1)www.rcgroups.com/forums -under "boats" look for chats "dock talk" and "scale boats"
2)www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum
3)//groups.yahoo.com -try "modelboats" or "tugsandtows" or "dumasmodelboats"

I have a question for the experts also - have any of you guys looked at these new radio's that are coming out now ?
I wonder if these are a case of "too good to be true" ? or "you get what you pay for" ?
a) www.hobbycity.com
they show a 2.4ghz , 2 stick , 4 channel radio w/RX for $30. and $20. shipping ! (model HK-T4A-M2)

b)//banebots/c/RC-TX
a 75mhz , 2 stick, 4 channel radio for $38. ( RX's are $14. , crystals are like $3.)

Allan
Chicago