Which radio is the best?

[ofna_Kdog]

Hey guys, which radio(s) or companies do you favor the most?

[ofna_Kdog]

Being a racer on a budget...i found this radio to be the best for my needs.
<img src="http://www.gpmd.com/images/futj27.JPG" align="center"></img>

[Inferno Runner]

You'll spend a little more, but I love my Airtronics M8. Tons of easy to use features and it feels great in your hand. Happy hunting.

[ptsmith]

From what I've read, I gather the M8 is tha bomb (a friend has one and it seems very nice). But I have a Futaba 3PJS that I'm very happy with.

[THORAX]

I like my M8 and my KoPrope EX 11. Both are easy to use although i like the M8 a lot more. If you can swing it get the M8, it feels great in your hand and has lots of features. http://www.plauder-smilies.de/happy/xyxthumbs.gif

[Nos]

Same here. Get the M8.

[SteveP]

Well, an open-ended question like that is going to get you a bunch of "the radio I decided to buy is the best" responses. Give us a little more information, because it depends on budget and application. How much are you willing to spend, and in what will the radio be installed?


Just pointing out the obvious, but didn't you answer your own question?! LOL :D j/k

[ 08-07-2001: Message edited by: SteveP ]

[DirtRacinFool]

For the Money, I found the JR Racing XR3 FM to be the best for me, but when I get ready to buy another one, it'll be the Airtronics M8 or Hitec Lynx 3D FM Spectrum.

[Nos]

SteveP is a smart guy, listen to him.

[Hairball]

These questions are funny. Ask one, and the answer is pretty much the same.

Airtronics M8.

I personally own one, and DO NOT like it. Its just too big and clunky feeling. Its got features, but its not worth the cost.

So, I bought a Ko Propo EX1 Mars. TONS more features than the M8, cheaper by about $40, and just feels better to me all around.

When buying a radio, try to get your hands on as many as possible before you buy one. They are all pretty expensive, so be sure your going to be happy with what you spend your hard earned money on. If someone else is paying for it, heck, buy one of each and sell the ones you end up not liking. :)

Also, make sure that you'll be able to buy extra parts and accessories for it without having to drive like an hour an half to get to a hobby shop that carries stuff for it. Thats the ONLY thing I don't like about my Mars. :)

Anyone what to buy an M8 w/ three recievers and 3 sets of crystals??

[MaximumST'er]

Guys, the radio he wants is the futaba 2PEKA FM or the Magnum JR FM. It costs around 100 bucks. On the other hand, the radio's you are all suggesting cost around 230 bucks and up. That makes a difference of 130 bones. Get whatever you want OfnaKdog, it's your choice and your money. For the price, the JR XR3 is simply the best out there IMO.
Nick

[ofna_Kdog]

I got the Magnum Junior FM. It's much clearer than my old AM radio, and didn't cost an arm and a leg. Thanks for your input guys, but I'd rather buy a new engine over a new radio for that much money!

[ProjectTwin]

I use two radios. One is a JR XR3 and the other is a Multiplex Profi 403. I like them both, but prefer the Profi to the JR. Profi has a better feel and I can adjust any of the trims or shift gears while driving without fuss. The Nicad batteries that are included in the profi don't last ong, buta few NiMh AA cells take care of that. ;)

Jason

[race14u]

Yeah, I love the M8. I might be getting one in a few days, and my frined has one and it is very sweet. But has anyone considered the Multiplex 403 and 707. I rememder some guy who said it looked like a woman's play-thing but apparently its very small and light, and the 707 has more features than even the M8, such as the use of both am and fm crystals without having to change modules. It also has most of the necessary adjustment buttons/knobs right by your thumb so you can make on-the-fly adjustments. Anyway, the closests I've gotten to one was ten feet from one in a box at my LHS, but the features are enticing. By the way, does anyone have any expereice with them?

[gubbs3]

The most expensive is probably the JR R-1.

[rims']

the m8's are expensive arent they?

[Usagi]

I am a M8 Owner. Its really nice price wise well they are high. But WOW they are good! :cool:

[rims']

i heard that for cheap the blazer kiks ***

[B3Tyler]

My M8 r0x0rs my b0x0rs. Blazer, and blazer sports aare the besst radio dollar for dollar IMO.

[HauntedMyst]

Ok all you "my M8 radio is great" people, what makes it so great? I've held on but admittedly never used one and I've never understood why someone would spend that much on a radio. Other then having more model memory, what does it do that my XR-3 doesn't? I don't really use any of the features on my XR-3 other then multi model memory and ever since I dropped down to 1 car, I don't use that. My only gripe about my XR-3 is that the rubber wheel isn't tight, I am just waiting untill I see a replacement I like to glue one on.

[mavrick0611]

I bought a JR XR2. I was looking at a airtronics XL2P but for $15 more you can get a computer radi ofor $100. It has tons of features! You can program 2 cars into its memory. but if you get a XR3 you can program 3 cars into is memory.

All around the JR XR2 is a great radio at a great price and is very race worthy also.
aj

[Railman]

I have to put my $.02 for the KO Mars radio. We have 3 of them along with 6 receivers. The only problem we have ever had is one broken trigger & a cracked receiver case from using an electronics cleaner. It cracked the case, but it still works fine. The trigger broke on my radio when I lent it to my son, & he adjusted the trigger to fit his skinny finger. When I got it back my fat finger broke the trigger. CA'd it about 3 years ago & still use it with no problems.
The KO Mars crystalls also cost quite a bit less than the other brands, & we all know how quick that adds up.
Haunted, All of the high end radios have strong signals & allow you to do a lot of options. Mars does throttle, & steering curves, servo speed in 3 steps on throttle, two on steering, abs brakes, timer functions, 10 model memory, model copy, model recall, just to name a few. In my opinion us old dudes need all the help we can get to compete with the younger racers that have better eyes, & quicker reflexes. I was once told by a very competitive racer that if you stay in the hobby a while, the most important thing that you can own is the radio. Everything else comes & go's. Sometimes you need to look at things long term. If you spend a thou a year on the sport, whats an extra $100 spread out over 5 years, or in or case longer. Thats an extra $20 a year to have something that will make you a better racer. What a bargain! Joe

[marvi]

if you need pcm, i think only the futaba 3pj and jr r-1 have that option. its very useful for gas cars. but even if your radio doesnt have pcm, you can always get a separate failsafe unit for your throttle servo.

[Ras Thavas]

I have the Multiplex Profi 403, and am quite pleased with it overall. My one complaint is battery life of the 600mah nicad that comes with it. It has plenty of features, and in my situation, I had 2 futaba am radios I wanted to upgrade but did not have money to buy everything at once. I bought the Multiplex so I could use the transmitter with my existing am receivers, until I had the money to replace the am receivers with fm units.

I wish the Multiplex had a provision where you could use AA batteries instead of the nicad pack. I would rather use 6 AA 1600mah nickel metal hydride batteries in it.

[HauntedMyst]

Mars does throttle, & steering curves, servo speed in 3 steps on throttle, two on steering, abs brakes, timer functions, 10 model memory, model copy, model recall, just to name a few.

That's just my question though, why would you use those things? Do you use those things? I know my radio does some of it but I just don't "get" why I would use them. Like the throttle and steering curves, i don't get what they would actually do for me. As for the timer, I'm to busy elbowing the young punk next to me in the forehead while I race to bother with timing myself. Seriously, I'm not an idiot, but I feel like the ape staring at the bone at the beginning of 2001 on this one.

[jeepinator]

This is by far the best radio for you:

http://www.theshreves.com/pics/oldfutaba.jpg

[rims']

wow jeep thats pretty old huh?? where did you get it and how much did it cost when you got it?

[bullfrog]

JEEP I HAVE A RADIO JUST LIKE THAT !!!!! but it has its scars of use.

[Railman]

Haunted, Good question. It's not all necesary for everyone, but I do use a lot of what I mentioned plus some that I didn't mention such as throttle punch. That will bring the throttle instantly to the point that the drag brake releases, or in the case of a stock electric to a point that has the maximum amount of power without getting loose when hitting the throttle in a turn . The extra features are probably more important on a gasser. I run a GT with an MT12 with a slide carb. It's a lot like an of & on switch on the throttle due to the reduced travel of the slide. It is however considered a better performing carb. The curve helps make the low end power dramaticaly more controllable, & gives a lot better feel. The same can be said for the steering servo. I like to slow down the steering a little right around the center, & it gives me more precision steering adjustments at high speeds. It can slow it in one direction while staying at %100 return speed. Again, not everyone will use all the functions. I don't use the timer ...yet. I don't use abs brakes, but the Mars has the best one going. I've heard that it can dramatically reduce lap time in on road racing, but I don't race on road...yet. The thing is, i'm not saying that you should go out & by one. However if you had a radio that was holding you back, you should buy one that you can keep for a long time. Keep in mind that a long time world champion, Masami, had a lot to do with the Mar's refinement. It's a big investment to by any radio along with the extra receivers & crystals, and not something you want to keep swapping out. Anyway this thread asked what radio we like, right? :D ;)

[ctaylor8211]

The JR Python is an excellent radio for a beginner. It was my first radio an I loved it. Now I have the JR XR3 and I think it's great.

[HauntedMyst]

Thanks Railman! Looks like its time for me to break out the manual again.

[Raimond Bogerd]

Why not look at the Multiplex Profi 301? It's cheaper then a 403, has a 3 model memory ,dual rate, exponential steering ,gas and brake separate exponential, a timer.
It's also switchable between AM and FM.
If you buy a GP kit it comes with a 4/5pico receiver and 2 servo's.

You can just charge this radio with 0.6A on your peak charger as it is also is 7.2V