Radios

[JBran]

Hi! So being new to the whole RC truck thing I'm learning bit by bit, but the radios and receivers are something to get your head around!

I'm doing a scratch build, a dual cab scania Fire appliance.

Obviously it will have the basic functions, but will need something with a few extra channels as well.

Steering
Gears
Motor

I am also planning on adding a water monitor, which will need two channels, a servo for the diff locks, so one more channel, lights and siren will run off of one channel and if I have a spare channel, the water pump too.

I am looking at a Spektrum DX8 with AR8000 receiver but I don't know if this is suitable, and would like to know if anyone else uses a spektrum dx for their truck!

Any recommendations on light and sound units that will work with the spektrum dx8 would be good too!

Many thanks people! :)

[Lil Giants]

I've been using Spektrum radio gear for I think 8yrs now, I love their simple use programming. I have the DX6, 7, 8 & 18.

I got the DX18 a few yrs before the DX9 came along... I haven't used more than 9chs in any models yet & probably never will. The DX9 has all the same switches that the DX18 has, with the only difference being the DX18 has rotary sliders on the sides of radio & the DX9 has rotary dials on the back of radio.

I'd go for the DX9 before the DX8, more 3pos switches to make use of.

[bigford]

i'm with joe. I have the dx6 and while its a great radio I needed more ch's
so now I have the dx9 and i'm loving it!! my dump truck the the hydro working
off the right dial. while my quad king has the right dial turned off and is using
the flap switch and gear switch to lift the axle and goose neck. all this on the
ar6200 rx. as soon as the ar9020 rx shows I'll get the excavator running

[Rick.K]

I'm new to rc trucks as well. I have the Knight Hauler with MFU-01, and use Tamiya's 4 ch Attack t/r combo to control it, so I'm very limited. I'd like to build a second truck with more upgrades and greater control options.

On more advanced radios how are the various two or three position switches or rotary dials tied into servos or features to provide greater control options?

On videos I've seen that turn signals can be selected independent of turning the front axle full throw, or optional light bars and rotating beacons turned on and off.

Are the turn signals connected directly to channels on the receiver, instead of the MFU? That would seem to consume the receivers channels pretty quickly.

Thanks, Rick