4+ Channel radio for bruiser + MFC-02

[flomofo]

Have been looking at the usual suspects for radios to fit my needs and currently have a 4GWD sitting in the box as I build my bruiser and wait for my TF2 to arrive.

Most of the radios I want are discontinued because best case scenario would be a manual trim 2.4ghz radio with more than 4 channels so I can add a winch and run it off of the same radio.

Manual trims are easier with the MFC-02 I plan to buy for this or another kit as well unless the radio has digital trims which can be made to jump from neutral to 0 or 100% with one toggle of the trim switch either way. Otherwise it would become tedious pressing the trim button multiple times in each direction.

Also newer 2.4 ghz systems like in the Futaba 4PL will not work with the MFC-02.

I started looking at the Airtronics RDS8000 as a possible candidate...

 

[djoefromreal]

If you do not necissarily need a pistol grip, the fsth9x (flysky, about 50 bucks) is a very nice option. also under eurgle, turnigy and other brandnames.
It's a 9 (8 actually) channel stick radio, which i bought for flying, but it does a perfect job, plus lot's of spare channels for light, winches etc.
search for 9x transmitter and you'll find it.
For a pistol grip the flysky gt3b is a cheap and solid one, about 30 bucks.

Sure, there are better ones, but this is the best bang for buck IMO.

 

[flomofo]

I'll look at that one thanks.

Doing some research I found another discontinued one that should work well, the Airtronics VG600.

 

[djoefromreal]

i also don't agree that this hobby cannot be done on a budget :lmao:

btw, check this one out
http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/electronics/376128-flysky-gt3c-first-look.html

 

[flomofo]

I'm just trying to see if the flysky 9 channel stick radio can have its trims adjusted so that one click up or down makes the trim go to 100 or 0% so I can operate a Tamiya MFC-02 off of it.

Thats why its usually easier just to use 4 channel stick radio with manual trims, you just use your finger to quickly move the trim back and forth.

Also don't think the 9 channel flysky uses any 3 position switches for a winch but still checking that one.

Kind of leaning back towards the airtronics crawler radio for ease of use especially if it has that function with the trims I'm looking for, but 9 dollar receivers and 30 to 90 radios sounds so nice.

 

[djoefromreal]

I'm just trying to see if the flysky 9 channel stick radio can have its trims adjusted so that one click up or down makes the trim go to 100 or 0% so I can operate a Tamiya MFC-02 off of it.

Thats why its usually easier just to use 4 channel stick radio with manual trims, you just use your finger to quickly move the trim back and forth.

Also don't think the 9 channel flysky uses any 3 position switches for a winch but still checking that one.

Kind of leaning back towards the airtronics crawler radio for ease of use especially if it has that function with the trims I'm looking for, but 9 dollar receivers and 30 to 90 radios sounds so nice.

just checked that for you, the aux3 channel is a 3-pos switch. I dont know for sure if this will work though. I don't think that the fact that this is actually a plane/heli tx will make a difference..?

Yeah indeed, the ultra cheap and small (the FSGR3C works on both, 3 channel) receivers are a big plus, always got a couple laying around.
Ofcourse, there will be much better radio's, but this one doing just fine for me. Good luck on your search

 

[flomofo]

The RDS8000 also has a 3 position switch.

The RDS also has the ability to decrease or increase the step size on the digital trim but it has a maximum setting of 15 when increasing the trim step. Not sure how much that would help when trying to swing from one end of the trim to the other as you operate the MFC-02.

Someone else with a MFC-02 also said this about controlling it with a digital radio after asking him as well:

Tamiya Scania R620 with MFC-01 demonstrating its special functions controlled via a Spektrum DX6i.

Edit April 2012: I have had heaps of questions regarding the video. Despite what Tamiya, Spektrum or Futaba says, it is possible to configure your own radio to work with the MFC-01 (or any other Tamiya multifunction unit). What you need is a four channel radio that has dual rates. Dual rates have two settings, 0 (off), 1 (on). In 0, have your travel range set at 66%, and in 1, set it to 100%. Run through your MFC-01 setup with dual rates set at 0. Thus, when you engage setting 1, you access the special functions. You will see me flicking switches during the video. That's me activating the dual rates.

Hope it works for you guys, because it works in every single one of my Tamiya models that use an multifunction unit - Tiger, Pershing, Leopard, Panther, and Scania.