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Zac_F83

4 channel radios

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Never used one and seen the Tamiya F350 high lift needs one.. I found a Traxxas 4 channel 27mHz system on Ebay and am wondering if it will work? Do they need special programming like the 2.4's do?

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I had a digital 4 ch on my full option Tiger 1 and tbh it was more of a PITA than the old analogue type with trim tabs. Digital may need a little fine tuning and you may want to study the instructions so make sure it comes with them. Analogue ones are just like your standard 2ch set only both sticks have 2 axis of movement allowing you to control another 2 extra servos.

You can get a rather groovy "H" gate style gear cover that fits over the throttle stick and allows you to control the power and gearbox.

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Never used one and seen the Tamiya F350 high lift needs one.. I found a Traxxas 4 channel 27mHz system on Ebay and am wondering if it will work? Do they need special programming like the 2.4's do?

AM radio sets use crystals. Matching frequency crystal in the transmitter and reciever and they will work together, but if someone (or something) else is using that same AM 27mhz frequency near you it may interfer. The 'pairing' is done by using the same frequency in both.

If you are using the MFU (Multi Function Unit) with the F350, then it's best to use the radio it recommends, the Futaba 4VWD. This radio has analog trims which allows quick, easy operation of the 'extra' functions like horn and lights. Sadly Futaba has discontinued the 4VWD radio set and replaced it with a digital trim radio (4GWD), which can be painful to use the extra functions, but it can be done. Radios other than the Futaba 4VWD may require alot of tuning to get shift points for the gearbox set just right, instead of them just being plug and play.

I bought the F350, MFU and 4VWD. Everything went together just as the instructions indicated and worked as the instructions said it would first go.

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The Acoms AP401 Techniplus 4 is also suitable (if you can find one as it has been discontinued for a while too). If you are in Europe, look out for the Conrad Razor X4 - it's the same radio rebadged by Conrad. There are also lots of cheap new 2.4GHz twin-stick 4 channel radios with analogue trims around on ebay too thanks ot the foamie/park flyer market (I have just found 2 TX/RX sets on the first search page that were under £40).

If you are really struggling to find one, another idea might be to get an old AM/FM 4 (or more) channel twin stick transmitter and convert it to 2.4GHz using a 'DIY' module. As it's going to be running 2.4GHz, it doesn't even need to be a surface radio to start with, and there are lots of cheap old 35MHz (or 72MHz in the USA) aircraft transmitters available that are suitable subjects for conversion.

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I see now the Traxxas one I was looking at won't work- what are some good analog 2 stick radios that will work with this?- I don't like the 2.4 or similar style radios

Would one of these work with it?

http://www.ebay.com/...=item4abee28776

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FUTABA-SKYSPORT-4-CHANNEL-FM-RADIO-T4YF-/110974068466?pt=US_Character_Radio_Control_Toys&hash=item19d691e6f2

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I see now the Traxxas one I was looking at won't work- what are some good analog 2 stick radios that will work with this?- I don't like the 2.4 or similar style radios

Would one of these work with it?

http://www.ebay.com/...=item4abee28776

http://www.ebay.com/...=item19d691e6f2

The one in the first link is a 72MHz aircraft radio, which you shouldn't be using in a surface vehicle unless you convert it to 2.4GHz using a DIY Module. The one in the second link is a 75MHz set, which is the surface frequency in the USA so that should be OK for you.

As it seems you are in the US, I've also found this:

http://www.ebay.com/...=item19d6e3290

from the same seller as the second radio.

These are also these, which is the type of cheap 2.4GHz systems I was talking about - still analogue sticks and trims, but with a 2.4GHz RF section:

http://www.ebay.com/...=item20b2c6341f

It's still a 4 channel radio with analogue trims, it just has a 2.4GHz RF transmitter insteas of an old AM or FM one.

Also, here is a link for a nice alloy shift gate to go on the throttle stick:

http://www.ebay.com/...=item5897bfcba7

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AWESOME! Thank you for the help! I'll be picking up that Futaba you found..

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Just a bit more info for if you get a 4-channel stick radio for a truck or 3-speed and find the throttle axis of the left stick is on a ratchet instead of a self-centering spring (this is what my Techniplus 4 was set up as, even though it was meant for use with 3-speeds). That is the throttle setup that is commonly used on 4-channel aircraft radios (known as 'Mode 2' - 'Mode 1' is where the ratchet throttle is on the right stick), but it's not ideal for use with a 3-speed.

Open up the back of the radio and look at the back of the left stick mechanism. The Y-axis (throttle) will have a flat metal spring screwed on that presses against a toothed surface on the back of the stick to provide the ratchet. The X-axis (gears) will have a plastic lever that presses against a cam on the stick axle, held against it by a small coil spring. This lever is what pulls the stick back to the centre.

For a 3-speed, you want the throttle axis to self-centre, but it's not a problem having the gear axis on the ratchet (it stays in whatever gear position it's in when the throttle goes back to neutral). To do this, you just need to carefully unscrew and remove the ratchet spring, unhook the coil spring and lever from the X-axis and refit it on the Y-axis (tweezers or needle-nose pliers are usually required), and then screw the ratchet spring onto the X-axis.

Of course, if you want to have it self-centering on both axes, you can move the ratchet spring over to the Y-axis of the right stick instead (which is the same as converting from 'Mode 2' to 'Mode 1' on an aircraft transmitter).

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sweet thanks - self centre on both sticks is what I'd prefer (less of a chance to mess something up)

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Hobby King makes some 4 channel analog radios, I have a few:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__8337__Hobby_King_2_4Ghz_4Ch_Tx_Rx_V2_Mode_1_.html

Although, I can't remember if mode 1 or mode 2 has the self centering left stick :blink: . Anyone ?

Also, the shift gate and steering gates you see online don't fit over the "fat" radio sticks.

The radios work well.

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