[clifforddward]

For those that have been sitting on the fence waiting to buy one of the new Spectrum DSM2 Radio systems, the company just announced a buy one, get one receiver deal that provides some extra incentive:
     
     http://www.spektrumrc.com/giveaway/?SalesSource=tk.080328&utm_source=tork&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tk080328#products

Details of the offer are shown on the web page link. 

Usually disclaimers apply...I have no connection with the company, just a satisfied user of Spectrum DSM systems.

Regards,
Cliff

 

[wchasr]

Ok so what systems are folks using or recommending?

Chas

 

[clifforddward]

The DX6 (Now DX6i) seems to be the system of choice for most live steam locomotive applications.

 

[dcplasterer]

The DX6i appears to be for aircraft. I thought it was illegal to use the aircraft band for surface models like our steamers.

Don

 

[Pete Thornton]

Posted By dcplasterer on 03/29/2008 8:10 AM
The DX6i appears to be for aircraft. I thought it was illegal to use the aircraft band for surface models like our steamers.

Don


Don,

You're right in general about the FM radios, but these new 'spread spectrum' r/c systems use 2.4Ghz, which is the frequency of WiFi and cordless phones.  In addition, these systems use WiFi techniques to 'bind' their transmitter/receiver together so that they won't/can't talk to a different receiver.  Hence no interference - and no legal issues.

 

[lotsasteam]

Just comming back from Germany,i read in "Gartenbahnprofi 2/2008/ that ARISTOCRAFT has a 2.4 gig RC Train controll in work,as far as i know some extra features will be available,thats all i can submit right now ,my DX 6 works like a charm ,meanwhile 3 locos are equiped with DX recievers ,advantage to is that the antenna is very short helps to avoid shiskabob tricks!!

 

[weaverc]

I love my DX6 system as it allows me to have only one transmitter and different receivers in six locomotives (the DX6 will handle up to 10 receivers). Another nice feature is each locomotive receiver can be custom set for a particular locomotive and "bound" to the transmitter with the memory remaining in the receiver. That way you can have unusual settings for each servo for a particular locomotive (up to 6 for each receiver), for example you can set only 30% servo movement for a whistle, 150% movement for a throttle and the like. Many other tweaks are also possible, a real nice feature for finiky locomotives or unusual applications. By the way, I've found that the receiver tolerates heat really well and has two very short antennae, allowing a receiver to be installed in a cab. The receiver will handle various servos. For example, I use Hitek, high torque, metal gear servos for my throttles and Johson bars and a small Spectrum park flyer servo for whistles and light switches. I highly recommend the DX6 system.

 

[GrizzlyFlatsFan]

Carl, are you using the DX6 for live steam? If so, what receivers do you use? I'm thinking about getting a DX6i for a couple of my live steam locos.

 

[weaverc]

George,
Yes, all of my R/C stuff is for live steam, I use the small, special receiver that comes with the DX transmitter. Additional receivers are about $50 a piece and can be bonded to the original transmitter. You can see the small receiver in this picture. The gray wires are the antennae. It's about the size of a 50cent piece. I power it with a 4.8v rechargeable NiMH battery (the white thing on the left), but you could also use a small holder with 4 AAA lithium or alkaline batteries.

 

[tony23]

The difference in the Spectrum DX6 is the radio set is what they call a 'park flyer' in other words range is limited but well far enough for our hobby. The Spectrum DX6i has full range it's also more expensive so if your looking at costs the DX6 will do the job

 

[GrizzlyFlatsFan]

Thanks for the picture, Carl. What is the model number of the receiver? It is nice and small, just what I would need, and with the free receiver deal, it may be time to spend money.

 

[weaverc]

George,
When you buy a DX6, it will come with one AR6000 receiver and 3 or 4 mini park flyer servers. The offer mentioned earlier in this thread for the extra receiver should provide the correct receiver for the model transmitter you buy. If you want more receivers later, they are available from a Spektrum dealer for about $50 a piece.
As for the mini servers that come with the transmitter, they do not have the reach or torque for live steam throttle and Johnson rod use. So for them, I use Hitec HS-81MG (metal gears) instead. You can get these on line or from a model airplane or R/C car dealer. The micro servers can be used for light switches and as a whistle servo because these applications do not require a lot of torque or movement.

This is the way the system works. When the transmitter is turned on, the system scans the 2.4GHz band for two open channels and starts transmitting on them simultaneously. The AR6000 receiver is actually two receivers in one (hence the two antennas). When the receiver is first turned on, it scans the 2.4GHz band until it finds the specific transmitter codes (called GUID) your receiver has been programmed to recognize (called binding - a proceedure you follow during setup to program the receiver to recognize and lock on to the code for your specific transmitter). After this proceedure, the receiver is locked on to the transmitter via two independent channels and is virtually immune to outside interferance or other transmitters.
When you set up each servo the first time, the memory is stored in the receiver and locked inside via the binding process.
The DX6i is a longer range version of the system that is not needed for our hobby.

 

[placitassteam]

I just ordered some servos from Tower Hobbies. They no longer carry the Hytec HS-81MG (don't know if it is out of production). However they carry the HS-82MG which is the same size but with slightly more torque.

 

[GrizzlyFlatsFan]

Thanks for the heads up and info on this Cliff and Carl. I bought the DX6i and two receivers. Hopefully, at some point in the future I will receive two more receivers as the 'rebate' on the purchase. This is a very good deal and gives me extra receivers for use in the future. And it saves me $100.



The rebate deal is still good until the end of this month.