Greetings All,

I'm building a detailed RC tugboat and i want a simple on/off toggle switch installed in a Radio to switch on the boat's lights, via an electronic receiver switch.
How does one install a toggle switch in a 4ch radio?

I've looked high and low and I'm surprised really, that no one seems to make a basic stick 3ch channel radio set up like this in 75mhz or 27mhz.

I have an older Futaba Attack 4CH. Is it possible to install a toggle switch in it on a channel?

What radios do you guys use?

Is there a site on Radio mods?

Sorry for the noob questions,
And thanks for any help!

I have a column devoted to RC switches in the May/June 2006 Ships in Scale, www.seaways.com

There are a number of ways to switch something using one channel of your radio.
One way is to rig a servo to push a switch, or even to have your rudder's tiller push the switch... I don't like that because latching switches take a lot of push effort, and momentary switches require that the servo stay rotated to the ON position.

Better is an e-switch like the SES-3 at http://www.mikessubworks.com/switches.html
Plug it into a slot in your receiver... push stick one way to switch one item, other way to switch a second item. Either switch can be set to momentary or latching mode.

Much fancier switching is available too- up to 8, 16, even 32 items.

Pat M

I use mini servos , with a mini servo and two push on, push off switches I can control two light circuits. With one servo and two momentary switches I can control a horn and water cannon. One mini servo and a double through double pole self centering toggle switch I can control a winch in & out.

Don M.

Thanks guys very much for the replies.
Sorry i didn't include that I had already planned on using one of the electronic RX plug in switches from RAM.
But i do like the size better on the Subworks page. Thanks for the link! And I'll have to pick up the issue and read your column, Pat!

Ok, so i have my set up, but is there still a way instead of using the stick to control the channel, wiring a toggle switch to the Tx itself to control the channel/switch?
That's the part I'm stuck on. I see 8-9ch Tx's with tons on toggles on them... i just want (1).

Don,

I like the servo/push switch config. I have another project that will be perfect for.

Jay

There may be a way to rewire the Tx's control to a toggle switch, using a few resistors to mimic the potentiometer... or just turn the stick into a big toggle by removing the spring and/or adding a ratchet.
Or just get a 6-channel Tx, it'll have 1 or 2 toggles...

Pat M

I've had good luck using servos to push microswitches for low-amperage uses like lights, etc. I've also used them as a simple on/off forward/reverse speed contol for smaller motors. If you get the ones with the long metal arms, they can be easier on servos, since the metal actually 'gives' a bit if the servo arm pushes a little bit past the 'on' point.