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Best Wheeled Handset?

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Hello

I'm looking to start my 2nd RC truck shortly and planning a Mercedes 3363 (or possibly Scalia R620).  I will install an MFC for the benefits of light and sound, but would really like to use a transmitter with a wheel, rather than 2 sticks.  I’m sure that this is not a problem to do, but wonder if anyone has any advice on what to look out for in potential transmitters or even any suggestions.  I’ve seen an example of a 6 channel one, which I assume would be suitable, but would welcome any help before diving in and making a blind purchase.  Hope that someone can provide some assistance.  Thanks in advance.

Martin

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I can think of two radios. 

They are Radiolink RC 6GS  and Flysky FS-GT5.

I think both come with gyro receivers?  A gyro can tell if your truck is going where you are telling it to go, and correct the steering.  It can reduce spin-outs caused by over steer.  Quite handy for 2WD trucks.  Both are 6CH and both are about $70.

Extra receivers would cost $25 for both radios.  If you want to expand your fleet, each one would cost just $25.  6ch receivers are a lot more expensive than GT3, which costs just $7 per car.  I have cheaper FS-GT3B, (GT3C is better) but I think the 3rd channel is just on/off.  

 

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You'll need 4 channels if you want full MFC functionality.  Traditionally you'd use the trim sliders to access the complete banquet of MFC functions, but it is possible to configure modern digital handsets to operate the extra functions using a dual rate switch.  I've never set it up that way myself (my MFC-equipped rigs use older trim-slider stick handsets).  There are plenty of documents out there to assist, but basically you set up Rate A to give 100% deflection on channels 1-4 so you can operate normally, and Rate B to give 125% deflection on all channels, so the MFC thinks you are inputting full deflection + full trim slider.

I have a Turnigy GT5 (same as a FlySky FS-GT5) which is indeed a 6-channel wheel controller and is cheap at around £60, however I can't find how to set up dual rate via a switch.  You can independently set dual rate on throttle and steering using the menu on the handset but that won't be idea for operating functions while driving.  I've had a quick search online and I can't see that anyone has made this work.

I've not used the RadioLink wheel controller but I am under the impression they are fully programmable.  I'll be buying a RadioLink stick controller to run my trucks from as I love the potential to program it freely (especially as I'll be using it with my Arduino MFC).  I can only assume the wheel controller has the same programability - check before buying...

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Thanks both for taking the trouble to reply.  I’ll do a bit more digging around myself and will check next time my RC Truck Club meets.  However, I seem to recall seeing both wheeled transmitters and (plenty of) MFC’s, but not together.

Thanks again.

Martin

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The problem with a wheel is how you'll use the other channels for the MFC functions.  On a 4-channel stick controller, you'd use the left horizontal axis to change gear.  With a bit of playing around you could set that to work off a 3-way switch on a wheel controller.  The GT5 has a three-way switch near the thumb grip which would actually be very convenient.  But if you want to use remote to turn the ignition on and off, or to operate the trailer legs, you need to give extra deflection on the gear channel and with only a 3-way switch to operate, there's no way to give extra deflection without a dual rate switch, which the GT5 doesn't seem to have :(

You could use the pot switches for gear and light channels, if you programmed them to give 125%-ish at full deflection, but you'd have to be careful when shifting.  The MFC-03 might work better in that case as you can teach it where the gear positions are.

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The MFC uses a heap of functions that require temporary partial trims, the MFC filters what you do while the truck is going so altering trims doesn’t effect what you think it should. Instead it triggers horns/latches/start/stop etc. 

the only way around it is by using dual rates setup in a digital transmitter. But it’s far from satisfactory. 

I use a GT power system for container trucks with my spectrum DX5R. And it works perfectly as it doesn’t require all these stupid partial trim crap. It’s also programmable through a app on your phone via Bluetooth and the Finally it’s half the price, and has essentially all the same features. Works perfectly with any 4ch + pistol radio that has basic programming features. It does not however work at all with less that 4ch connected. 

It’s also 2-3 cell lipo compatible, esc built in, and the truck sound can be changed by downloading new sounds from there website if your looking for a slightly different motor sound.

gtpower-gtp-144-4.jpg

gtpower-gtp-144-5.jpg

 

 

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@Juls1 good shout on the GT Power system.  I have a few friends using these and for the money they are brilliant.  It's fairly annoying for me as they appeared on the market just after I started work on my Arduino project, and although I could probably make my complete Arduino system with a basic 8channel radio for less than a Tamiya MFC & 4 channel radio, I doubt I could make it for less than a GT Power with a basic 4 channel radio, and definitely not in so small a package.

 

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On 7/30/2019 at 8:43 PM, Mad Ax said:

I have a Turnigy GT5 (same as a FlySky FS-GT5) which is indeed a 6-channel wheel controller and is cheap at around £60, however I can't find how to set up dual rate via a switch.  You can independently set dual rate on throttle and steering using the menu on the handset but that won't be idea for operating functions while driving.  I've had a quick search online and I can't see that anyone has made this work.

I don't think you can. I have the GT5 myself and the functionality of ch3-6 is extremely limited imo. The only 'feature' it has for the aux channels is for four wheel steering and even that is pretty clunky as you have to operate it via the scrollwheel/menu system. Maybe someone makes a steering controller that you can put at the receiver end to use an aux channel to adjust the D/R of the steering channel.

I think of the GT5 more as a decent 2-channel radio with gyro, model memory and 4 bonus aux channels that have very basic functionality, rather than being a serious 6ch radio. 

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