Model Boat Mayhem
The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => BMPRS - British Model Powerboat Racing Society => Topic started by: spearfish99 on December 31, 2013, 12:52:04 pm
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Hi Guys,
Just asking if anyone has any experience of using a Planet T7 set up. I am currently building a Challenger 43 to be run on a CMB21 using a Mocom gearbox for next years AA events.
Given that I haven't used gears before , which is a challenge in itself, the CMB comes with a carb that has both throttle and mixture control. The mixture really needs to be controlled off of a proportional channel. My Futaba 2.4ghz kit all has channel 5 or 6 on switches . My old 40mhz 6EX has a channel 6 rotary control, if I can get hold of a 6 channel rx to utilise it but I would prefer to stick to 2.4 to avoid crystal swapping issues in a rather tightly postioned radio box.
I have looked for a reasonably priced alternative and few cheapish set ups have rotary or sliders on the additonal channels. The Planet T7 does have c6 on a rotary control and would be ideal EXCEPT for the dire warnings about it not being a "full range" set and having a max range of 100m. Personally I believe that this range is very conservative (probably due to litigation issues that might arise nowadays) .Also I doubt that I could even see to control it much beyond 100m due to the joys of old age!
Seriously , has anyone experience of using any of the Planet systems for racing on our usual venues, had or heard of any range issues or can offer any alternative ideas?
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Dont use a Planet set for something like a power boat. Although I have tested one out to 150 metres line of sight, at ground level with no problems, their main issue is the slow re-bind time. typically 4 to 5 seconds, not good when hacking round a lake at speed. Our local clubs Fast Electric boys have switched to other makes because of this, I tend to agree.
Try looking at the Etronixs sets distributed by CML Distribution, good mid-priced sets configured for racing, accept no orange, £30 or plug it into your computer to set it up, chinese tat, do the job right....
http://www.cmldistribution.co.uk/cml_category.php?catId=269&range=RACING
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Spearfish
The Futaba 6J 2.4GHz has a rotary-controlled auxilliary channel, although you only get four channels if you operate it in one of its transmission modes (I forget which). The Hitec Optic 6 2.4 GHz also has proportional extra channels; this seems to be quite a popular set with the offshore boys. Neither set is very cheap but both are computer radios with full range - "budget computerised sets" would be a good description. The computer utilities can be very useful e.g. end-point adjustment, exponential and differential throw. so don't dismiss them as expensive luxuries. I've owned both types but I kept the Hitec because the 6J doesn't work with the ACTion P94 unit. This is not a problem with i/c power.
Suit yourself.
DM