Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

Spektrum had a live feed to answer some questions on the radio. Some of the key points:

- No backlight on the display
- The wheel with the thumb lever will fit on their other radios and will be available separately
- Spektrum will have files available for 3D printing accessories to go on the front rail
- Power is AAs only.

I, for one, will throw the warranty in the trash immediately in order to cram as big of a LiFe battery as possible in my radio. All my radios have been switched to lithium batteries and I am not going back to AAs.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

So basically it is an up-armored DX4C... "thumbsup"

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

If the other channels on the transmitter are three way toggle switches,I might have to consider this a possibility of buying this for my next radio.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

It's a neat radio, maybe a few years late really, and I agree on the battery choice. How is it that flysky is leading (I could be wrong) the way on single cell lipo radio power systems at a fraction of the cost of the competition?

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

To say it isn't lipo ready is odd. All other radios have is an adjustable voltage alarm (sanwa/airtronics also has an adjustable cutoff) to let you know when to charge or change the batteries. I don't see what the deal is. :???:

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

My dx4c has adjustable voltage cutoff....

I would say its a up armored dx5c....

The dx4c had programable three position switches, or 2 position depending on how you programed them....

I told my Lhs to order one....

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

Dc5c has an AA battery sled hardwired. But you can cut the cable and replace it with a life battery. The dx5r has a plug in AA sled but voltage over 7v is problematic. The dx5 pro has a plug in AA sled but can run 2s lipo no problem. All of these have variable voltage cutoff.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

My FlySky GT-5 didn't come with a rechargeable battery. I'm fine with it though. AA's are cheap and easily replaceable. It's one less battery for me to forget to charge before a trail run.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

I found these recharble 2600mAh AA batteries that I had to recharge less often then standard Duracell AA batteries. Powerex Low Self-Discharge Precharged AA Rechargeable Nimh Batteries, (MH-8AAP-BH) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GSG0C4S..._jWtfCbDC8Y9PF

To me the major annoyance of the dx5r and dx5 pro is that the battery lid is screwed in.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

Interesting. I've only had the gt3b & c I don't have the gt5 so I just figured they used the same battery as the gt3c (single cell lipo hard case) similar to the i4s whatever radio that was. Now they have the Noble radio with 2 batteries (built into the handle, and removable base) which is ingenious. The battery in the gt3c lasts 4 times longer than any AAA radios I've used, and USB rechargeable from inside your car cig lighter. One would have to be a dunce to have a dead gt3c radio at the trailhead, and no I'm Not calling you a dunce. :mrgreen:

The thing I don't like about Alkaline battery radios such as this is they are heavy, and now I have to carry extra batteries that can easily fall out of storage and get lost, did I mention they are heavy.

I went on a 5 day camp and crawl trip this year (Pro Line By the Fire) I would have used a brick of batteries in that week long trip as we crawled probably 8-10 hours a day. I only had to top off my gt3c once.

Even my dx4s allowed me to convert to lipo and go into settings to tell the radio it is running on lipo and set the cutoff. I'm all for this type of radio, and I do like this one, but come on spectrum... fully commit to it, give us something new and ground breaking, not just rubber baby bumpers and steering flipper. Make it badass!!!


.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

I did that years ago hoping it would get someones attention. I wired in two 18,000 mcd led bulbs drilled and pointed forward on my old gt3b. It worked so awesome for night crawling and safely walking on slabs, and back then I ran axial trucks so that included night repairs. :mrgreen:

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

Big Squid has a unboxing of the rugged
Unboxing The All New Spektrum DX5 Rugged!!! « Big Squid RC – RC Car and Truck News, Reviews, Videos, and More!

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

Just got notification that my radio has shipped but with FedEx, I don't expect it anytime soon.

Considering my current Spektrum radios are a old DX3C and a really old DX2.0, this seems like a good time for an upgrade.

Tower and Horizon have them in stock right now for any other impatient people.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

The up close unboxing looks pretty nice. I really hope this is lipo adaptable.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

Also there are spektrum dsm2 recievers for air that are slightly cheaper than dsmr recievers I ordered one for my dx5 pro to see I'd they work.

Also for less than $10 there are dsm2 5 and 6ch recievers from china, I ordered one from the slow boat if it works on the dx5c and dx5 pro it will probably work on this.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

Air receivers don’t work with surface transmitters, different protocols or something like that. Air DSM2 isn’t the same as surface DSM2 despite being called the same thing. A lot of people have been down that road trying to get cheaper receivers.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

And receiver costs are what is keeping me from using my Spektrum DX4C.
For most cars I end up using my TS4G, because the receivers are 1/5th the costs.

As much as I like the idea, and even though I would pay the 180 EUR for the radio... I still would use a different one for most of the cars, bacause of the receivers.

For 20 EUR I can get a FrSky receiver with 10km range, telemetry,16 channels etc, but on surface I don't even get half of a 3ch receiver for the same money? It's too much of a ripoff in my eyes, when compared to air radios.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

I've read it both ways, so im crossing my fingers.
One post said it was difficult to get them to bind but once they did they worked well.
One post said they were only compatible with air transmitters and the newer ground transmitters.
One post said the base protocol language (er something like that) was different and they wouldn't work.
Hind sight I should have emailed them first.
or found some one in town who flies planes to test it out.

From the Spektrum manual
So Spektrum is lying if its not compatible.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

It states “compatible with all aircraft radios”... so I’m curious if it”ll work because receiver cost is what’s making me doubt about the DX5 Rugged.



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Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

Laughing at how a lanyard loop is such a big deal. I used a lanyard from the trade-shows I have to do for work, a grommet washer and existing screw hole on the DX4C. Problem solved in about 1 minute.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

You'd think such a trivial thing would be included on all radios but noooooo... :flipoff:

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

Oh I read it a Spektrum and "JR Aircraft" radios
Not "spektrum and Jr" aircraft radios.
If that makes sense, but you might be right, the Dx5c, dx5 pro, and this dx5 rugged are surface radios.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

Honestly I'd prefer to have a holster on my hip, but whatever. I don't think we will ever get to that level of engineering for radios.




My remedy for lack of holster is that I may try using a belt clip from a free tape measure I got at Harbor Freight. If I need two hands I can just clip it to my belt and out of the way.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

Look what showed up today!

https://i.imgur.com/vwxfwsCl.jpg

And before any of that lame “seeing how it feels and checking the build quality” crap, I started hacking on it.

https://i.imgur.com/rGlcJvdl.jpg

Actually, very little hacking was needed to fit this 2s LiFe pack from my Futaba 4PV. Just needed to cut the leads off the AA holder and crimp on a male servo connector. Unlike old Spektrum radios, there is some good space in there for a battery pack, about 80mm x 50mm x 20mm from my measurements.

https://i.imgur.com/0PvS4Ubl.jpg

I’ll form thoughts on the radio later but at least now it has a battery that fits the whole “ultimate adventure radio” thing.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

Why didn't they offer that, at least as an option, from the factory? Nice mod. Looks like a nice radio.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

I bought one today, not sure if I am going to keep it. I did not see anything to help in the water part of it. I found the rear buttons not the best to use, I still like the click wheel.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...997094b2e5.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f57eae3e64.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b80ffb1d44.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...19c4c4ff33.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b1b3d92ff9.jpg

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Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

If anyone was wondering, the new 5 channel receivers are seriously tiny.

https://i.imgur.com/l4XnZELl.jpg

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

And not waterproof, you think they would have left the waterproof receiver.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

LOL at a setup that covers the driver from getting wet and not the car.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

We have these things called receiver boxes that are waterproof. I'm fine with regular receivers. Including a waterproof receiver would have increased the price.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

I'd take the savings, and just conformal coat it myself.

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Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

Exactly.

I would rather the manufacturer put in work making the receivers smaller and lighter than waterproof. It is easy enough to take care of the waterproof part at home, not so much on the make it smaller part.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

What savings? The previous line of recievers was waterproof and the same price, they traded waterproofing for a bind button. I'm going to use that bind button once or twice ever. I want the waterproofing all the time.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

A backlight would have been a good thing to have. Not sure why they left that out on something that's pretty much targeted at scalers. How is the weight? That's one knock I have against my DX5R. Feels like a brick compared to my 4PLS.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

I checked one out at my local Hobbytown, it seems similar in weight to the DX5C, definitely seemed lighter than my DX5R.

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Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

My scale says the DX5 Rugged with a 2s LiFe battery is about 2oz heavier than my 4PV with no battery. In the hand, they feel about the same with the Futaba feeling more top heavy while the Spektrum feels more bottom weighted.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

Looks nice. If I had less trucks and no radio... I'd probably consider it, but as it is... I'm not ready to swap over my whole investment. Doing that for me would be like swapping from systems (lenses and all) from Canon to Nikon and vice versa for DSLR owners.

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

For sure. Why have a waterproof radio when it is far more likely the receiver needs to be waterproof?

Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

As fast as I got it, it's gone. Traded it for an axial kit.

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Re: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
 

BOTH should be ideally waterproof, but either waterproofing the receiver yourself or putting it in a waterproof box is far less hassle than driving with a friggin' bag over your radio.

But....

I really don't care that much, either way.

It would be fun to occasionally drive in a downpour but realistically I head home when it rains.

And I don't take my rigs in water, mostly because I hate cleaning them up - unless it's just blasting them with air... and the water hazards around here are seriously germ-ridden.

However, I am jonesing for a TRX-4 Defender, and it may be the one rig of mine that gets muddy - and I suppose I will try to do something about protecting a radio tx (and rx if needed) from water eventually.

I'd somewhat rather another company put out a waterproof radio, though - not really sure why, but I've never been into Spektrum as a brand.

I REALLY want the similar concept applied to the new FlySky Nomadio.