FS-GT3B 3 Channel Radio

[csp1971]

After ordering my XB, I was pretty much set on ordering a Futaba receiver for my 2.4 Futaba radio. After looking at the prices, I figured I would just deal with the 2 channel 2.4 that Redcat sends with their vehicles. But then started to worry about a runaway vehicle, so.....


I did a little research and found a Fly Sky FS-GT3B radio, 3 channel. The reviews I read on it were pretty good. Has the features I need for someone that 1) doesn't race, 2) doesn't want to spend 70+ bucks on a new Futaba receiver 3) doesn't mind risking a very low amount of money to test it in hopes it works with my killswitch.


Ordered it....for $35, shipped. Basically, just a nicely packaged pistol radio, with a small receiver, a bind plug, and a USB cable.


Now for the test of the killswitch. The binding took seconds. I plugged the killswitch, a fresh battery, and 2 servos into the receiver and it worked immediately. Turned off the transmitter, killswitch light blinks. SWEEEEET. $35 may pay off!


Now for the pics. The pics you see really don't do the little cheapy radio justice. It's really a nice solid feeling radio control unit. One big con is that the lcd is difficult to see outside. I can live with that though. It's very well balanced and the 3rd channel switch is easily accessed by my middle finger when gripping the unit. Can't wait to install it in the XB! Additionally, extra receivers are $7....yes, $7!! 10 model memory.

 

[csp1971]

Additional pics:

 

[jackson]

i have the previus version of it on my inferno GT2 and never had any complaints i am even considering the idea of just getting a receiver on the MT i got and use the same radion on both of my cars!

 

[csp1971]

i have the previus version of it on my inferno GT2 and never had any complaints i am even considering the idea of just getting a receiver on the MT i got and use the same radion on both of my cars!

I read great things about that model as well. I'm looking forward to getting this thing installed soon. At 7 bucks a receiver, you can't beat it.

 

[mjp777]

CSP thanks for the info. I am sending my DSX3 back for repair one last time before I toss it. This would be great for me if I have to ditch it. May I ask what kill switch you have? I have been running a killerbee v1


Mike

 

[csp1971]

CSP thanks for the info. I am sending my DSX3 back for repair one last time before I toss it. This would be great for me if I have to ditch it. May I ask what kill switch you have? I have been running a killerbee v1
Mike

Killerbee v1. Keep in mind I have not tested it on a running motor yet. But it did switch off like it should when I turned off the transmitter (blinked rapidly), and when I clicked the 3 ch switch.


Read up on it a bit before you take the dive:


http://www.rctech.net/forum/radio-electronics/394162-flysky-gt3b-transmitter.html


I bought mine from hobbypartz.com. They are out currently, but other places I believe sell it.

 

[mjp777]

Just noticed these are back in stock I went ahead and ordered one. No telling when my Speky will return from the factory.

 

[csp1971]

Very good! Let me know what you think since you'll probably have yours hooked up before I even run my XB.

 

[mjp777]

I will let you know. It is due in the 17th.

 

[mjp777]

Got the radio. Hooked everything up in the truck and tested. No more servo issues and the killer bee v1 seems to operate perfectly on the 3rd channel. However.... quite literally within 6 seconds of starting the motor the servos went completely nuts and I had a runaway. Lucky for me it hit my vehicle about 5 feet away and the only thing damaged was a front upper suspension arm. Snapped in the same place as the rear where the metal rods hit the plastic. It was pegged at full throttle and the wheels were pinned left. I set the fail safe during testing and specifically set it to full brake and straight steering. So if the signal were simply interrupted I would figure the kill switch would activate and the fail safe would engage. I am not sure what could have happened there. I have a spare arm I will install then I plan on bolting the damn thing to a saw horse and testing it with the motor running.


A question for more experiences fifth scale people out there. .. is it possible that this condition was induced by electrical interference? I cant figure out why it worked so well for 10 min on the bench testing all functions setting end points etc.. then go so very very wrong right after I started the motor. When I have time this week I am going to test with and without the kill switch bolted to the bench. I have also considered relocation the kill switch outside of the receiver box. I have a bunch of spares for an AE MGT and the radio tray for that truck has two hinged compartments. I plan on relocating the receiver or the kill switch to a separate compartment if I can find the time.


Thanks


Mike

 

[csp1971]

Yikes! I'll be starting mine this weekend. Are the batteries fully charged in the transmitter and for the receiver? I had something similar happen when a receiver pack was low on voltage.

 

[mjp777]

They should have been the TX batters were brand new AAs the reciever pack had just completed a charge cycle. I will double check that.

 

[mjp777]

Batteries were fine. it was the Killer Bv1 I have (at least thats how its looking so far). I would bench test that rig with the motor running. when i pulled the killer bee and went back to the stock switch on the motor I ran it bolted to a saw horse for 20 min or so reved up and nothing even twitched as far as the servos go. I can’t be sure if its compatibility with the radio or bad equipment. I am leaning towards bad equipment. I have gotten waaaaay more than my money’s worth out of this kill switch. It has survived three radio box fires and stopped a very expensive runway on at least 4 occasions I can recall in the past year. I had a word of trouble with the stock electronics and getting servos to last more than 10 min until I switched to Hitecs all around. I am currently in the process of building a 5SC SS kit with my son and just this morning as luck would have it... a new killer b V1 arrived this morning. CSP.. When you get a change to start up your rig I would be interested to know if you see any interference with the motor running and the kill switch installed.


One other thing I noticed. The ignition coil magnets.. there is about a quarter inch gap between that and the flywheel. I am thinking that is way too much judging by other motors I have seen but is it possible that the wider gap could be causing this interference and transferring it into the radio box via the wire the kill switch is set up with? Since the switch works flawlessly without the motor running I am thinking that’s a possibility as well.

 

[lightning73]

Hey Mike, If I read your post right about the runaway you said you have a version 1 kill switch hooked up correct? And if im not mistaken you went on to say you also have the fail safe still hooked up. Now I could be wrong here, but im thinkin your runaway problem is stemming from having both a failsafe, and killswitch hooked up at the same time. Sounds like they are both fighting for control of your vehicle, with a killswitch hooked up you can now toss that failsafe in the garbage cause its no longer needed.

 

[mjp777]

Thanks for the reply. I was not clear. Its not the stock failsafe its the the failsafe built into the RX. I pretty much set it up the same as my speky and set the fail safe to full brake and AUX channel off. Testing functionality with out the motor it seems to work properly. As soon as i kill the TX full brake and the killer bee goes to kill the motor. I tried leaving the AUX channel alone as well and when shutting down the TX I get full brake and a flashing green LED so it appears to be working as designed. Pulling the killer Bee out of the picture and reinstalling the stock ignition kill switch int he motor eliminates the issue all together.


I have an 8" servo extension cable. This afternoon i am going to relocate the kill switch outside the radio box all together. The more I research I do the more it seems the interference is coming from the engine and coming into the radio box via the wires that are connected from the ignition coil to the killer Bee.


Thanks


Mike

 

[csp1971]

Make sure on the ignition coil, only a business card gap between the flywheel and the coil. I'm hoping to be able to try mine out on Sunday since our weather has gone downhill. If anything, I'll crank it up in the garage and see what happens.

 

[mjp777]

Thanks for the info CSP i am going to try and get to that today ane post up results this evening Hope the weather works out for you

 

[mjp777]

Fixed the gap hooked up the switch hanging about 7" below the truck and got the same results. glitchy servos uncontrollable. I might delf this till I get my 5SC SS kit together and see if I have the same issues there. We cant be the only two out there using this Radio and Killer Bee switches can we? I may look to see if there are any reccomended adjustments for this radio. It is the same as the stock redcat that cam with my MTv3. I qas able to bind my stock 3 channel reciever to it as well

 

[csp1971]

mjp- I just ran mine today for the first time out in a very large field. I was able to get it very far away...tons further than my Spektrum (which would glitch at 25 yards away) and the same distance as my Futaba without issue. I didn't have any jittery servos or anything. The kill switch did exactly as it was supposed to. I tested it out, worked flawlessly.


I wonder if you just got a bad radio? Check to make sure you don't have any bare wires along the servo. Aside from that, I'm not sure what else it could be. Let me know what happens when you get your 5SC kit. I'd be curious to know if you still have an issue.


I definitely will buy some more receivers for this radio. The adjustments are easy to do and I like the feel of the radio in my hand.

 

[mjp777]

CSP thanks so much for the update that’s very encouraging. I am glad it ran well for you. I haven’t had much time to work on it lately but I did post up @ Killer RC. They recommended starting with the plug and replacing that. I have read elsewhere that bad plugs can cause the kind of interference I am seeing. I would be a bit surprised if it is the plug I bet since I have had this thing (it’s almost a year now) I have maybe the equivalent of 5 tanks through it. I am thinking I am in the home stretch with this.


I will try it in the 5sc. I like the controls and the LCD more than my spectrum. The SC about a week and a half away from being ready to fire up. I would grab the wires from the kill switch there but I have already mounted everything up. If the plug doesn’t work I will go with wires. Should be cheap enough to at least test.