Time for a new radio...

[Sean Bowf]

Been using a futaba 3PM-FS for a couple years. I think the transmitter is going bad on it. One of my boats went into circles at about half throttle (no fail safe) during the race this weekend in OK city. When I brought it in, every time I turned it on it drove the throttle open, and then when I turned the boat, the rudder would not center by itself when I let go of the wheel. Swapped receiver, same thing. Another boat this transmitter is used on was twitching on the third channel.

I guess it is time to get a FASST radio...but I have a few questions. They have two receivers that I can see, one with one antenna (R603FF?) and one with two antennas (R603FS?). Has anyone ever had a problem with the single antenna receiver that they can attribute to the receiver??

The receiver mentions 6V...any problem running it on 4.8?

Looking at going with the 3PM, partially for price, partially so I don't have to learn a new radio. Anyone have any input, good or bad??

Thanks in advance for any input,

Sean

 

[Sean Bowf]

Just looked, and the FS and FF are pretty much the same price...

Sean

 

[Duck899]

Hi Sean, I have been using the Futaba 7C on 2.4 ghz with the 617FS receivers in my boats for the last 3 years now. I also use them in my warbirds and sport aircraft as well. Never had problems and I keep the dual antenna's tucked under the lid of the radio box. No glitches. Smokin Joe, JAE 21, VS1 outboard, Bud T4 all have this system in them and works great. I'm a stick guy as far as transmitters go and with the 7C there is a mixture contol knob too for the third channel. I use 4 servos in the Smokin Joe and the 4th channel operates the canards.

Futaba 7C

 

[BeaverGuy]

I've been running a 3PM FASST transmitter and three 603FF receivers on both 4.8v and 6.0v since that system first came out. Never have had a glitch, even when running far out on the water to do a speed run directly at the radar gun. I put the single receiver wire in a short (4") antenna tube that projects out the top of the radio box.

 

[Charles Perdue]

If you like a little insurance, get the 603FS with the dual antennas and Futaba has another optional external antenna that replaces the short one outside of the receiver. It is longer for boat use and mount it vertical like the 75 meg antennas.

Just another option

 

[Tim leyde]

I am on my second year with the 3PM 2.4 FASST. I have both the FF and the FS resievers. NEVER any problem, I even keep the antennas in the radio box. NEVER a problem!

 

[Paul Traufler]

One thing to remember if you have a carbon fiber (CF) radio box (or just the lid) the antenna NEEDS to be outside the radio box, or at the very least as far away from the CF as you can. RF and CF do not mix so well!

 

[dwb2620]

I have had the Fasst radios and both receivers for the past couple of years and love them! No problems at all! The only thing is that I want to keep reaching out to pull the antenna up! Just gotta get used to that short antenna.

David

 

[Blackout]

I love my FASST too! I spent the extra money for the 3PKS. Not sure it is needed though, over the less expensive FASST. I run my antennas through the radio box lid by a few inches just to be safe.

 

[Duck899]

I have had the Fasst radios and both receivers for the past couple of years and love them! No problems at all! The only thing is that I want to keep reaching out to pull the antenna up! Just gotta get used to that short antenna.

David

Yes, funny thing too....I was using one of my old 75 band Hitec radios last weekend and forgot to put the antenna up on the transmitter......

 

[Sean Bowf]

Well, wanted to go with 2.4 anyhow, but after getting the new radio and installing it, the rudder servo was still acting funny. Took it apart, and it was burnt inside. Funny thing is, that the bad rudder servo was also making the throttle servo unresponsive with the old radio (with two different receivers). Odd thing is, I pulled the servo plugs out of the receiver one at a time and it did not seem to cure the problem with the old radio (reason I figured the transmitter was bad). I will have to check the receivers with different servos when I get time. Make sure the bad servo did not burn up the receivers.

Bad servo was an S3305. Really liked the servo, but not sure if I should get another of the same, or try something different, now that it failed on me.

Sean