Multi model stick transmitter/ radio

[Wintery 43]

Hi all,

I am after peoples recommendations on stick radios please?

I would like to buy a stick radio that has a multi model function. I would rather have one radio transmitter that I can bind to all my car's.

I prefer stick to a wheel. I did try to do a search 1st but no luck.

TIA

 

[sosidge 624]

There aren't many options for stick sets with a model memory. Futaba 4GRS probably the most affordable dedicated surface radio.. 

[Mad Ax 9325]

FlySky FS-i6.  It's a 6-channel, so loads of options for winches, lights, gears etc if you'll need or want that later.  If you don't want the additional stick axes you can cut a gate from plasticard.  I did this on my daughter's one, I could have gone with a 2 channel option but the FS-i6 has a buddy cable option, so she can drive my cars with her handset and I can take over if she gets stuck.

It's technically an aircraft transmitter, so the additional channels can take a bit of deciphering, but once you understand what it can do it's easy to switch off the aircraft stuff or use it to your advantage (sport mode switch for example can disable your winch channels when you're driving so you don't accidentally spool out your winch cable or burn out the motor).  Sport mode switch can also make it compatible with Tamiya MFUs or complex stuff like Beier.  You'll want the version with the throttle on the right, which is Mode 1 - if you buy a Mode 2 transmitter, the left vertical axis will have a ratchet which will stop the stick re-centring when you let go of it.  You can open up the case and swap it over, or you can buy the parts to convert both sticks to spring-centring (I've done this on mine).

IIRC there is a firmware update to upgrade to 10 channels, but I've never needed it.  I think the updated FS-i6X model has 10 channels already enabled but it's a smidge more expensive.

Has a 20-model memory, and you can add proper names to them (around 8 chars per name, IIRC) and has all the functionality you'll want for bashing, light racing or crawling.  It's got expo, D/R, EP adjustment, and if you're getting into complex stuff like tank steering, it can do channel mixing.

Best feature of all is the price.  Not sure where you're based, but you can find them in the UK for around £40 complete with a 6-channel receiver, additional receivers are around £12 each, cheaper if you buy in bulk from China.

I can't recommend them enough, for the price - I have two and will be buying another as I run out of memory spaces.  I've had my first one for years, it's been all over the country and had some rough treatment.  At a crawler event in 2018 it got soaked in a day-long downpour despite being used inside a carrier bag, the screen misted up and it stopped working.  I opened up the case, pulled out all the boards and left them to dry by the van aircon vents.  Put it together an hour later and it worked fine, and is still working fine now.  One of the microswitches went dodgy around a year later (almost certainly due to corrosion caused by that soaking) but I opened it up, teased it apart, cleaned it all out and reassembled, and it's been fine since.

The only real downsides are:

•  the UI isn't entirely intuitive - for example after changing a setting, you confirm by pressing and holding the Cancel button.  Because, obviously, Long Cancel means, er, Save, right?  I mean, who would use the OK button to save a setting when you've got a perfectly good one with Cancel written on it?  But that's just an annoyance to get around while you're setting up a new car or altering settings on an existing one
• it bleeps, a lot.  Like, if you leave it switched on for more than a nanosecond, it'll start bleeping like a child who's being ignored.  Not a problem while you're driving but if you're setting something up on the workbench and you want the radio on to keep the servo centred, it'll annoy the heck out of you.  Also if you're using the buddy mode but someone else is doing the driving, you still need to move your sticks every now and then to stop it bleeping
• the buddy mode is (IMO) backwards.  if I want to buddy my daughter on her car, I've got to bind her car to my Tx, then plug her Tx into my Tx, so I can take over if she gets into trouble.  If I do it the other way around, she has the master switch - so I can't grab control from her if she's about to mow down the flower border   but this is only a problem if you're using the buddy system, which you haven't asked for :p 

 

[Ziddan 947]

Ill also recommend flysky, ive got the th9x and fst6 from my plane and drone days.

Both are great and can be fixed up to have twin springy sticks very easily using a small 3d print or a ruler and some hand tools.

Did that for the t6 when i got back to rc cars but soon wanted+got got a wheel radio, also flysky, gt3 or something, to be able to reuse the RXs ive got left over from flying and a new 3channel rx costs about a tenner.

If you are interested in the fs-t6 im not using mine and will donate it to you if you pay the shipping, im in Sweden.

[foz75 93]

potentially dumb question(s) here, but if using a mode 1 TX for cars, does that mean the throttle control is on the right lever and steering on the left? or do you just swap the channels and connections at the RX so left is throttle and right is steering?

in mode 1, is it just the right hand stick that has a ratchet vertically? so horizontal is self centering for steering and the left is self centering vertically for throttle?

any pics of the DIY adaptors to limit movement to only one direction? 

modelsport of the Planet RC TS2+2 in stock but it doesn't have memory. I currently have a Futaba T2HR which I quite like, but am planning some projects that would need more than 2 channels...

[alvinlwh 5895]

I use the Carson Reflex Stick Pro 3.1. Not many surface stick choices now with multi model memories these days. 

https://www.carson-modelsport.com/carson_en/spare-parts-accessories/rc-accessories/remote-controlled-systems/fs-reflex-stick-pro-31-24g-2-channel-500500084-en.html

 

[Ziddan 947]

On the th9x and fs-t6 the mode setting (stick/channels assignment) can be changed between a few different alternatives using settings in the menu, if your radio doesnt have the option you can just hook servos/escs to different channels on the rx side.

Physical modes are about stick behavior and will need hardware changes through switching, moving, adding or removing parts.

On modes, this shows 1 and 2, there are also 3 and 4 which differ somehow, cant recall at the moment but easily searched up if you are interested.

I think most txs intended for flight will have one stick that ratchets (or moves smoothly and just doesnt spring to center) on the vertical axis, typically for controlling throttle for planes/drons or blade pitch for helis.

This is what i did to my fs-t6 to get it centering by using a 3d printed part and a spring out of a mechanical pencil.

Limiter discs, they can be designed however you want to limit movement, easily 3 printed, cut from styrene sheet or whatever -> https://www.flitetest.com/articles/limiter-discs

[KEV THE REV 2319]

I've got an Absima SR2S 2 sticks & 2 channels for cars - it is essentially a Flysky , and I've got Flysky receivers bound to it for different cars , it also has a steering limiter . It's not expensive or fancy but it works well and extra receivers are cheap

[Wintery 43]

Thank you everyone for your advice, it has given me direction at what to look at. Not just surface controllers, but also flight ones.  It's a shame that there is not many stick surface transmitters for us oldies 🤣

Thank you @Mad Ax I like the many functions and being able to name the model. As I would like something I can use for buggys and then use the same controller on my trucks and have the extra channels. Wow the price of the flysky very good.

 

 

 

 

[Ziddan 947]

13 hours ago, Wintery said:

not many stick surface transmitters

Other than marketing, default stick centering, pictures of planes or helis in the menus and options for channel mixes to make v-tails or differential steering(same mix as for doing "tank steering" for surface) or whatever easier there arent any "real" differences between surface and air TXs, they still use the same hardware and frequencies.

[Mad Ax 9325]

18 hours ago, foz75 said:

potentially dumb question(s) here, but if using a mode 1 TX for cars, does that mean the throttle control is on the right lever and steering on the left? or do you just swap the channels and connections at the RX so left is throttle and right is steering?

in mode 1, is it just the right hand stick that has a ratchet vertically? so horizontal is self centering for steering and the left is self centering vertically for throttle?

any pics of the DIY adaptors to limit movement to only one direction? 

You can plug whatever servo/ESC you like into whatever channel you want - so you plug the ESC into whatever channel does left vertical stick.  I can't remember off the top of my head, but the FS-i6 has a "mode" menu that tells you what channel corresponds to what stick (although changing it gives weird results because I think it expects you've swapped the gimbals over in the case).

You are correct- in mode 1, the right stick has a ratchet so it will stay where you put it.  All other axes will spring to the centre.  The gimbals themselves are identical, just the ratchet axis has slightly different parts, it's very easy to remove them and fit the spring parts.  There's a UK site that sells the parts needed to convert an FS-i6 to spring-centering.

Here's a pic of the gates I made for my daughter's FS-i6.  1mm plasticard cut to shape and painted purple.  If you click on the pic there are more photos to browse.