Setting up in R/C. What's needed?

[Rhinochugger]

OK - have read the thread - yeah well most of it except the bit about the TE 'cos that's out of my price range and I probably wouldn't go for all the gizzmos, but............

It seems to me that you can have yer cake and eat it.

Cheapo R/C kit (2.4 gHz) with top quality speed controller.

I've just ordered up a Macfive from Brian Jones - we'll just have to wait and see.

Yebbut, it is still a bulky aircraft type R/C hand held pack

but the speed controller's something else

 

[chris m01]

I've just converted my Davenport to Cliff Barker RC and battery power. Its quite a small loco so I pulled out the circuit board and then rammed under the bonnet with 10 AAA batteries plus the receiver unit.

Initial tests show it will pull 3 wagons at a scale 15mph for about 4 hours on one charge. It will also pull quite a big load for its size but I guess the batteries won't last so long. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGTBY3IMZLk . Next job is to add a few details and repaint it.

 

[GAP]

I have shoehorned 9 AA batteries as well as an ESC and servo into an LGB 2076 small tank engine and the same into an LGB 23620 side rod diesel using the same ideas as Greg H of Sandstone & Termite.
The diesel pull 7 wagons each weighing 400 grams with a running time of about 3.5 hours, the tank pulls 5 wagons each weighing 350 grams for about the same amount of time.

I also have a Stainz with all the R/C gear + batteries in a short tender (A Bachmann cut in half) with similar run times.
I followed the Greg H ideas because it was all I could afford and it suits me.