2.4ghz thoughts

bobg

Registered
3 May 2010
20,141
25
Middle Earth
Best answers
0
1/ My Countess has been supplied with a 40Mhz Spektrum DX6i with dual Rx. I'm looking to R/C my second loco and am wondering wether I should buy a whole new setup or just enough to do the job, i.e. Rx, battery pack/switch and two servos and then bind it to the Spektrum as model 2.

2/ Secondly if buying a whole new setup, what would be suitable. Do I stick with Spektrum I have no complaints with the (so far).

I suppose the drawback with option 1 is that I can only "play" alone, which is common, but restictive. Does that perhaps mean that the best option is to have two full setups and still link the second loco to the first Tx for solo play. Don't know if that means I HAVE to have another dual Rx. I've been out of R/C too long, I go back to pulse control, carrier wave. BH there's a lot to (re-)learn.
 

casey jones snr

Registered
20 Apr 2010
11,888
7,462
73
Charnwood Forest Railway. Rothley. Leics.
Country
England
Best answers
0
Country flag
Re:40mhz thoughts

Personally I would opt for two seperate complete systems. Its nice to have dedicated systems for each locomotive.
 

Doug

Live Steam, scratch building
24 Oct 2009
2,209
8
West Herts
Best answers
0
Country flag
Re:40mhz thoughts

bobg said:
1/ My Countess has been supplied with a 40Mhz Spektrum DX6i with dual Rx. I'm looking to R/C my second loco and am wondering wether I should buy a whole new setup or just enough to do the job, i.e. Rx, battery pack/switch and two servos and then bind it to the Spektrum as model 2.

2/ Secondly if buying a whole new setup, what would be suitable. Do I stick with Spektrum I have no complaints with the (so far).

I suppose the drawback with option 1 is that I can only "play" alone, which is common, but restictive. Does that perhaps mean that the best option is to have two full setups and still link the second loco to the first Tx for solo play. Don't know if that means I HAVE to have another dual Rx. I've been out of R/C too long, I go back to pulse control, carrier wave. BH there's a lot to (re-)learn.
Isn't the Spectrum DX6i a 2.4Ghz system, not 40MHz?
 

bobg

Registered
3 May 2010
20,141
25
Middle Earth
Best answers
0
Re:40mhz thoughts

Doug, you are of course absolutely right, must be something to do with being another year older tomorrow. :rofl: Dunno why I put 40Mhz.

Start again, but this read time 2.4Ghz.


Ooopps!!!
 

MRail

16mm etc - Live steam, battery & trams
26 Oct 2009
3,365
37
Merseyside, U.K.
youtube.com.user.MadogMersey
Best answers
0
Country flag
Re:40mhz thoughts

casey jones snr said:
Personally I would opt for two seperate complete systems. Its nice to have dedicated systems for each locomotive.

Agree.
I have steam locos on individual control, with some battery locos sharing.
Means a lot of Tx's but no problems when visitors want to play along.
 

MRail

16mm etc - Live steam, battery & trams
26 Oct 2009
3,365
37
Merseyside, U.K.
youtube.com.user.MadogMersey
Best answers
0
Country flag
Re:40mhz thoughts

I find the more expensive bells & whistles systems a bit OTT for simple locos.
I have 2 x DX5's and moved over to the Planet 5, which does a good job for me.
 

bobg

Registered
3 May 2010
20,141
25
Middle Earth
Best answers
0
Re:40mhz thoughts

More a case of suitable for 'simple' operators (and fitters), when it comes to me i'm afraid.
 

Tony Walsham

Manufacturer of RCS Radio Control.
25 Oct 2009
2,221
50
Casino, NSW
Best answers
0
Country flag
Re:40mhz thoughts

My experience with 2.4 GH z so far is mostly all positive.
Personally I prefer the Planet Twister to the Spektrum as I have had a few failures with the Spektrum RX's. Zero failures with either the Copter-X (Hobby King clone), E-Sky and Twister.
As long as the locos use the same brand and type of R/C, and provided the RX's can be accessed for rebinding, the RX's can be swapped between same brand TX's quite readily.
 

bobg

Registered
3 May 2010
20,141
25
Middle Earth
Best answers
0
Re:40mhz thoughts

Thnks tony that helps a bit.
 

gregh

electronics, computers and scratchbuilding
1 Nov 2009
3,137
263
Sydney, Australia
www.members.optusnet.com.au
Best answers
0
Country flag
I'd definately buy a complete new system. I'm using Hobbyking 2.4 GHz RC equipment and no complaints at all. Have 3 transmitters and 4 locos controlled at present. ie one Tx controls 2 locos. Have a look at this thread from last November
http://www.gscalecentral.net/m15306

and my How To webpage (you probably know most of the stuff there, but it has prices etc)
They are so cheap, it's hardly any extra to have separate controllers.
http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/satr/2point4GHz.htm
 

bobg

Registered
3 May 2010
20,141
25
Middle Earth
Best answers
0
Thanks for that Greg I've had a good look and it is much as I expected.

My loco is steam so I will need two servos. The R/C sets I've looked at on-line don't quote servos, so I presume they come without, so what can anyone recommend in that direction. Obvoiusly the smaller the better (anything to avoid?).
 

Tony Walsham

Manufacturer of RCS Radio Control.
25 Oct 2009
2,221
50
Casino, NSW
Best answers
0
Country flag
Hi-Tec HS85MG, or if a smaller one is needed, the HS65MG do the job very nicely.
Metal Gears will last longer than the cheaper ones.
 

bobg

Registered
3 May 2010
20,141
25
Middle Earth
Best answers
0
Cheers again Tony, they look reasonably priced as well.
 

Otter 1

Registered
7 Nov 2009
280
1
Best answers
0
You probably cannot control two livesteam locos running at the same time. At least I can´t.
So its enough to buy annother receiver. They sell quite cheap at Ebay now. I am using Spectum DX6 for some of my battery locos. http://www.lasergang-shop.de/kreativmeile/node/163 < Link To Gn15 loco

If a friend comes around with his Dx6 i, he can operate my locos as well.

I still run my Roundhouse livesteamer with 40 Mghz RC. As long as nobody else is using the same channel at the same time, things work fine.

Have Fun

Juergen
 

New Haven Neil

trains bikes camping kayaking red wine.....more tr
24 Oct 2009
4,943
1
Best answers
0
Planet 5 2.4Ghz works a treat for me, £45 - £50 in the UK, but yes you need servos in addition. Hi-Tec HS82MG I use usually, or HS81 if it is a lighter duty job.

40 Mhz is a dead duck now, go glitch free! No frequency issues either.
 

bobg

Registered
3 May 2010
20,141
25
Middle Earth
Best answers
0
I have to say I find these prices incredible. The previous R/C I bought was back in the mid 70's, 5 channel SkyLeader, 27mgb with three servos, and it cost me the thick end of £200 S/H. Probably the better part of six weeks wages! If I remember right crystals were about £10 a pair.

Thanks for all the help.
 

New Haven Neil

trains bikes camping kayaking red wine.....more tr
24 Oct 2009
4,943
1
Best answers
0
Yes I agree, 40Mhz was getting very cheap, but Planet 5 has brought 2.4gig to the masses!

I think it was Acoms that broke the pricing bubble originally, with cheap 27 meg stuff, for Tamiya cars and things from Beatties.

Do you remember the Macgregor stuff, in the anodised blue cases.....eee, when I were a lad.....:rofl:
 

bobg

Registered
3 May 2010
20,141
25
Middle Earth
Best answers
0
Arrhhh 'ad one! A two channel set. Used it on a glider for a bit. I also had a 27meg single channel (no crystal) pulse control that would operate two servos in sequence.........ouch. One pulse for right, two for left, three for the second servo. Pulsing for left gave a quick 'right' first, making the model wobble. One shudders, but that was the height of technology in those days. :cool::bleh::bleh: