Spektrum Radio Users - PLEASE READ

[Darin Jordan]

To all of you Spektrum owners out there who are running your system in boats and do NOT have a Marine Compatible TX... i.e.: those with the following Radios that do NOT already have THIS MARINE logo on them:

The following radios are NOT Marine Compatible:

Earlier versions of the:

DX2.0 (SPM20200, SPM20210)

DX3.0 (SPM20300, SPM20310)

DX3S (SPM3130)

DX3R

and any of the Spektrum Surface Modules (like would be used in your M8, etc)... (NOTE: The Aircraft modules ARE compatible...)

These radios are NOT compatible with the MR-series RXs. I believe they will BIND with them, and will work on the bench, but you will NOT have the range you desire if you use them like this. The transmitters MUST be upgraded by Spektrum to install the marine power circuit and reprogram to work with the MR-Series RXs.

Please contact Spektrum Radios (http://www.spektrumrc.com) to find out what you need to do to get the upgrade done and if your radio is able to be upgraded.

I realize it's a pain, a little confusing, and an extra expense, but if you wish to continue using your existing TX for your boats, it must be done.

The other option would be to sell your existing stuff to a car guy, and buy a new Spektrum Marine compatible system, which includes the following wheel radios:

DX3S (SPM3140)

DX2S (SPM2120)

DX3E (SPM3160)

new DX2.0 (SPM20220)*

new DX3.0 (SPM20320)*

If you are into sticks, these Aircraft TXs work as well:

JR12X

JRX9303

Spektrum DX8

Spektrum DX7

Spektrum DX7se

Spektrum DX6i

Spektrum DX5e

Spektrum DSM2 Aircraft Module Systems

Please let any of your friends who run Spektrum know as well.

We've lost one customer already this weekend who didn't know the TX needed to be upgraded, had range issues, and now is using Futaba. Nothing wrong with that, but had he gotten the TX upgraded, he's be wearing a much nicer color of Orange still!

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[jwo]

I have been running the 2.0 and the DX3S for a couple years now with out the marine reciever. NOT ONE ISSUE AT ALL! Just keep the reciever above the water line and the antena straight up. Even under the cowl it works perfect. John.

 

[RodneyPierce]

Removed to keep Darin happy..............

 

[Darin Jordan]

Guys... I appreciate your feedback, both Positive and negative, but this wasn't intended to be an airing out of grievences or a ***** session... It was intended to help those already owning or thinking of owning Spektrum gear. If you want to ***** about the equipment, then please start another thread.

Thanks.

 

[RodneyPierce]

Darin, my post was removed. I didnt mean to rub you the wrong way, my apologies........

 

[Tim Strange]

Good to know the AIR modules will work with the new Marine module, although I doubt that I would need the features that my Fut. 8U and 9C offer

I did notice that the DX3R was not mentioned.

Also, any word on a marine module that has telemetry functions for the DX2S?

 

[Darin Jordan]

Good to know the AIR modules will work with the new Marine module, although I doubt that I would need the features that my Fut. 8U and 9C offer

I did notice that the DX3R was not mentioned.

Also, any word on a marine module that has telemetry functions for the DX2S?

I added the DX3R to the list. Spektrum didn't have it listed on their site, but it is currently not compatible with the marine RXs either.

I got a chance to talk to the gentleman who was having the issues last night, and after hearing what was happening, I suspect that the radio had little to do with the problems. And, as I had understood previously, it won't bind if they aren't both marine compatible TX and RX. I found out last night that his was the Marine TX as well, with the MR3000 RX. So he was using all the right equipment.

The story goes like this. Install radio and seems to work fine on the bench. As soon as he gets out on the course, the boat goes for a bit, then just dies, "like a nitro boat losing it's glow plug". Same story for heat two. "Almost like you had to bind and rebind while out on the course". Some more tweaking around and then no issues at all for round 3 and 4.

It sounded to me more like the RX was losing the BEC connection and going into failsafe mode. Was in a 1/10th scale with older wiring setup in it that could have had corrosion or ??? and was connected to an AquaCraft ESC that "had been around the block". Likely had been used in a P-Spec Hydro or who knows what else over it's lifespan.

Directly connecting an RX pack was never tried, and the radio system is now owned by someone else, so we may never know for sure, but I'll be in touch with the new owner as well, and if there are any issues with his setup, then I'll take a closer look at the radio system itself. Otherwise, it sounded to me like something other than the radio was causing the the RX to go into failsafe do to loss of power.

I'll update as we investigate it further. Just wish I'd been there to help, because I'm certain I could have figured it out, and instead of people thinking that the Radio was the problem, they might otherwise realize that the radio was actually saving their model from being destroyed by doing exactly what it was designed to do.

 

[Darin Jordan]

Just to update the current list... The following additional Spektrum TX's are "Marine" compatible.

DX3R-Pro

DX3C

DX2M (Two-Stick RTR TX)

Also, the Marine TX/RX system uses the same protocol as the Aircraft series, so if, for some reason, you wanted to use one of the Aircraft RXs in a boat, that should work well also. These are all high-powered RXs.

It is still not recommended that you use a standards surface RX on the water (SR-series RXs...) These are low-power RXs, intended for use on land.