#16 1 hour ago 3

Hi all, just been reading this thread on old radio gear and found it quite nostalgic!!.
The one thing that you have to be very careful about is bad corrosion of the black leads when the tx used nicads. My futaba M6 had it all the way up to the on/off switch from the battery pack I think it was quite common back in the 1970's to 80's and it had a particular phrase which I can't remember 🤔. I first read about it in the Radio Control model aircraft magazines.
I checked mine out years later and the black wire had completely corroded away and the switch also needed to be replaced. I can't remember if they ever got to the bottom of the reasons why it happened.
So if you are going to use the better built old gear check the wires.☺.

#15 6 hours ago 10

@Fogwall Old 35/40 MHz systems are much sought after by the submariners, ir course

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#14 7 hours ago 15

@roycv Good to hear some others out there are still using old school gear in its original form. I was beginning to think, probably correctly, I was being a bit eccentric. I sail Fleet 90s era 40Mhz sets and MacGregor Digimac 27Mhz sets from the 70s if it’s models from those eras, 2.4Ghz otherwise, or if it’s particularly fast. All seem to be perfectly reliable and CB radio interference isn’t the issue it once was. I actually prefer the aesthetics of the old transmitters.

As a sign of how things once familiar no longer are however, I’m regularly asked by passers by at our local pond if I’m fishing! And then they suddenly realise….

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#13 7 hours ago 15

I have a Futaba M6 that I bought new in the model shop on Deansgate in Manchester in July 1977, I also have another Futaba M6 and an M4 as well as a Futaba FP-2L. all still works. I have the batteries on charge right now, this evening I'm taking 3 boats to the lake.

I also have an Ariel 6 reed multi that I bought new on clearance in the model shop in Ashton. In the receiver, two of the plastic formers for the coils have broken, I going to attempt to make new ones on my 3D printer and get that set back into working order.

R/C through the ages!

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#12 8 hours ago 17

@roycv I wish I worked that well when I was 65 years old😁

Force nothing, waste nothing, leave nothing undone

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#11 8 hours ago 20

I have some old Futaba equipment 4 channel 27Mhtz AM and it functions as well as modern equipment fortunately I have 3 rx's with it so all good. It runs on the old coloured crystals so fits in nicely with my 2 Ch. stuff.

There was a short period with Futaba M3 sets which are beautiful to behold in brushed aluminium that use 27Mhtz FM crystals, which are still available.

I have no intention of embracing 2.4 gHTZ as I have so many of the older sets. The big draw back with 2.4 Ghtz transmitters is that you cannot poke your model along when needed!
Roy

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#10 8 hours ago 20

@roycv
Thanks , So there's hope for my system yet?

I see according to my manual that it can be fitted with 29mhz, 35,36,40,60 or 72 mhz.
The only problem I see could be sourcing these crystals. I see ebay has them for a futaba so I'll get them

The tx battery has been changed from ni-cad to ni-mh but the aa cells may not be the best

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#9 8 hours ago 21

I have tried editing my previous post and it ignores changes!!!!

I wanted to say that some of my RC gear is over 50 years old. I have a few servos that were dismantled from the Wind tunnel at a research establishment which started life in the 1960s, I changed the servo connectors and they make excellent sail winches. Maybe 65 years old and work a treat on my Bella yacht.
Roy

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#8 8 hours ago 22

@VictorC
Hi victor , I am only using 1 ESC but with a Y harness and it seems to work Ok until I plug in the rudder servo.
I have another ESC which is meant for 2 motors but for some reason it doesn't do anything but flash a red light in its insides.

I'll try your idea about disconnecting the power wire as I need to use the separate radio receiver battery for the rudder servo unless there's another workaround .

#7 9 hours ago 23

Hi, all is not lost with 35Mhtz equipment. Just replace the crystals with FM40Mhtz crystals and it will all become legal.
To save any dissent on this virtually all 40 Mhtz equipment coming into the UK was 35mhtz with 40 Mhtz crystals inserted.
I have Fleet equipment bought direct from the shop and served by Derek Olley and his 40 Mhtz Plainsman transmitters are all marked 35 Mhtz at the base.
I would however check on the Tx. battery as it does sound a tad old!

Some of my RC gear is over 50 years old and still works OK.

AS regards cutting wires I suggest a more subtle approach and buy some spare servo leads and insert one between Rx and esc and cut the servo lead red wire
Roy

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#6 9 hours ago 23

@Karoq Hi, As far as I'm aware that's correct.

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#5 9 hours ago 23

@Fogwall
Thanks for that ,

What your saying is its all right to use it for an rc aeroplane but not for a ground /water based craft ?
I think I will have to look for a more modern system . The date on the instruction manual is I think 1987 so a newer one wont go wrong.

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#4 9 hours ago 23

@Fogwall yes your right 35mhz is air only

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#3 9 hours ago 26

Are you using two ESCs?
If so, the two ESC will each have 3 wires going to the receiver. It is necessary to cut the red wire on 1 of them to power the receiver from the Battery Eliminator Circuit (BEC) and cut the red wires on both of them if you wish to use a separate radio receiver battery.
Depending on your location, using a 35Mz system on a model boat might be illegal.

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#2 9 hours ago 26

@Karoq I hate to be a downer on this: I’m sure others can help on the electronic issues involved, but I think using a 35Mhz set in an R/C boat is illegal. That frequency is for aircraft only. I you’re using ‘old school’ radio (as I often do for old times’ sake) then for ground or water based vehicles it must be 40Mhz, or you can use 27Mhz.

Practically I don’t know if anyone still flies using 35Mhz, but just to be sure…. You might be better using a modern 2.4Ghz set as they’re so cheap these days.

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#1 10 hours ago 29

Futaba FP-T6nLK transmitter and FP- R105M receiver help

I have a Futaba transmitter and receiver which I bought 30/40 years ago for a glow plug rc plane which I built but never got flown . It is a 5 channel @35 mhz machine.

I have started to build a 2ft boat ( My first ) and am fitting twin motors with an ESC. after finding how to wire them up on this website. I have got the motors turning on the throttle channel forward and reverse but when I connect a servo for the rudder channel strange things happen . The rudder servo will not work until I plug in the battery pack for the receiver, ( the motor channel works without the receiver battery pack ) but then the motors start up when I move the rudder stick but the rudder servo just jumps back and forward.

Without the ESC connected the system works all the servos as it should.

Is my Futaba just too outdated for a ESC and that is causing my problems?
Any suggestions gratefully received

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Futaba FP-T6nLK transmitter and FP- R105M receiver help

Futaba FP-T6nLK transmitter and FP- R105M receiver help