Im looking for a good (not expensive) radio and receiver for a PT boat I recently purchased. It had a rx in it but more for aircraft than marine. I need at least 3 channels as the builder has the lighting switched in through the rx. Any suggestions?
thanks

Futaba makes a few that meets yoyr need. Dan.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...SM&C=JCL&V=FUT

How about the Fly sky, I don't know much about it, but it might be worth checking out, 39.95, maybe I'm missing something.?

I just picked up a Futaba 4PLS last week. It has a switch for lights, a rotary knob to go along with the throtttle trigger and steering. Ran me $250 from Tower Hobbies and has telemetry from the receiver to tell you what's going on in the boat

I would recommend something in 2.4 GHz (no more finicky crystals). I think this is what Building One is suggesting. Have you checked Hobby King?

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...hobbyking.html

$23 can get you a no frills but functional 4 channel HK radio. Other brands too but radio sets have really come down in price.

I wonder if any of the HK radios are for surface use. They all describe use for planes.

2.4 GHz is for all models, surface or air. That's the beauty of it. Furthermore, there are no legal AIR versus SURFACE issues like there was with 72 (air only) and 75MHz (surface only).

I've heard some radio manufacturers use different air and surface protocols now. You won't be able to mix air and surface equipment but not because of anything legal/FAA--it's just different performance parameters built into it if I understand it correctly. If you're using Spektrum/JR brand equipment then only the marine receivers are compatible with the air transmitters but for the rest they should all be compatible. I've seen boaters using "air" 2.4 radios on their model yachts. I see no issue buying a 4 ch "air" radio (I prefer sticks over pistol grip controllers) and using it in a boat.

Now thats just plain cooool! Things have really changed since the day!

Indeed they have changed, for the better. These 2.4 GHz radios have better range (except underwater) and they're less susceptible to interference. Each transmitter is mated to its receiver in a binding process that creates a unique signature--there's no longer any crystals nor the limitations of before (only a few channels to use) where someone could be using your exact channel and cause your model to go haywire.

Thanks for all input...ordered from HK yesterday.

rat now: Keep us posted on how the transaction goes and your impressions of whichever radio set you ordered.

FlySky are good too, have heard good reviews of them and the fact that people are using them is enough assurance for me I reckon.

I have never done business with Hobby King. I try to order only within the US. I will post results of transaction as well as performance of the product when I get it.

Thanks

They have a U.S. warehouse to ship orders from (only certain items denoted with an American flag symbol on the description) but they are a foreign owned company, yes. From the site:

"Our USA warehouse will increase in stock every week as we ship more products to the US & CA.
Please check back regularly for updates, or subscribe to our newsletter for updates."

And a searchable 94 pages of items available from their U.S. warehouse. The results of a "2.4 GHz" search here: https://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/us.asp?schUS=2.4+GHz

The shipping on my radio was more than the price of the the thing....I feel sure its not coming from the states. Havent received any info yet on it being shipped.

$23 for a radio has me concerned. I have servos that cost more than that so it has me wondering just how good the quality is. The other thing that I saw is that it takes a USB cable to charge it. That in itself makes it impossible to charge using any of the standard chargers now on the market:
Transmitter Specs:
Model: Car/Boat
RF Power: 20dBm (100mW) max
Modulation: GFSK
System Type: AFHDS
Sensitivity: 1024
Low Voltage Warning: Yes
DSC Port: 3.5mm
Charge Port: Yes (USB- charge cable included)
Power: 3.7V 800mAh li-ion (included)
Weight: 270g

Looking at the picture and reading the other information, it runs on a Li-ion battery, which by itself eliminates many chargers. The USB cable looks like only the power end is USB, I suspect that any USB power source will be OK, such as a spare USB port on a PC.