Jampot

Is it too late? Have ko-propo and futaba missed the boat?
The new radios look good (well KO doesn't look any different) futaba's looks the part.

But Sanwa has tiny receivers, sanwa has waterpfoof tiny receivers Sanwa has 1s tiny receivers... No binding problems and work faultless

When other manufactures forgot about the sticks, Sanwa gave the answer...

I have 5 receivers and cannot justify buying 5 others brands when mine are faultless.

Just wondered if others felt like me,

Skiddins

I do

Had a KO Esprit 3 and while it was better than my old Futaba 3VC, the quality was poo. It had too many issues with modules not binding etc and they never admitted there was a problem.

Went to Sanwa after 6 months or so with the KO and wouldn't go back now.

The new KO;

daleburr

KO make good servos, but I've always thought their radios are crap. Back when I used to run race control (in the 40Mhz days) it was always drivers with either cheap radios or KO radios complaining of interference. These days its binding issues and latency instead.

I ran Futaba from the late 90s until the end of last year. The FF3 was really a fantastic radio. I then ran the 3GR 2.4GHz for about 5 years and couldn't fault it for responsiveness or reliability; it's a proper 2.4Ghz set without any slow conversion modules and is good value for money.

But the radio just didn't quite feel the right shape for the hands, so I switched to Sanwa and love it. I never even think about where the radio is or how it feels now, its much more natural.

So for me yes it's too late, my Futaba stuff is all gone, and I love the Sanwa radio, and their waterproof receiver for my wet car.

dan_vector

iTrader: (27)

The Sanwa Exzes Z is just perfect in every way to me. I absolutely love mine and wouldn't dream of changing it for anything else. I've ran Sanwa since the original exzes and before that I ran the KO Esprit Vantage 40mhz which I seemed to get constant interference with!!

cplus

iTrader: (11)

I asked the question in the KO thread as well, but what advantage do sticks have over wheels?

Is it purely familiarity - ie: what you started with and never changed and now it's too late?

Skiddins

Basically, yes

Most of the stick radio's have exactly the same electronics as their steerwheel counterparts. For example the Sanwa Super Exzes-X IS the Sanwa M11X in stick form.
So despite what some say, there is no performance difference at all, just whatever you're faster with.

I can drive a steerwheel, but the braking isn't natural to me.
I started with an RC glider years ago, hence sticks for me.

Skiddins

locked

iTrader: (1)

There have been world champs who use stick radios and world champs who use pistol radios, so I doubt there is any advantage to either one. Probably just what they are comfortable with or have always used.

I do find it odd that such a large percentage of British racers use stick radios. In this part of the world (north america,) it is extremely rare to see anyone using a stick radio, but when I watch races from England, it seems like almost everyone has a stick radio there. Perhaps regional popularity plays a role. If the local fast guys are all using sticks, you might get the perception that the type of radio plays a part in their success and follow suit.

cplus

iTrader: (11)

Giles and Masami still use sticks, but they are also the other side of 30! (Masami much so)

I can understand anyone born pre 1985 using sticks as there is a far chance it's how they started. The UK popularity is an interesting done

RCBuddha

iTrader: (40)

I still use my EXZES stick radio (Fm 27mhz!) for some of my older models.

I feel like I get better precision with sticks, especially for onroad. Been looking at this as an upgrade:

http://www.amain.com/product_info.ph...603FF-Receiver

Since I couldn't find the newest Airtronics/Sanwa EXZES in the states.

bd581

I started with stick radio's (add me to the pre 1985 group) and still pick up the odd stick radio from time to time, doesn't take long to get back used to it, and I don't really find stick or pistol better than the other.
Those of the newer generation that I know, pick up a stick radio and just look confused.

The demise of the stick radio and the confusion of the young suprises me when you consider the similarities between them and most games console controllers.

scirocco14

iTrader: (5)

I fly planes and helis, and just started RC car racing this year in January at the age of 51. It was just natural to me to use a stick radio, even though I tried a couple of wheel radios and couldn't get the hang of them. So I bought the Futaba 3GR and love it.

At my local track, I'm the ONLY guy with a stick radio and I still get comments on the driver's stand before a race. "How can you even drive with one of those?".

Last Sunday I finished on the podium in the USGT A-main and found out I was the first person ever to podium using a stick radio at the track.

Mark

dan_vector

iTrader: (27)

Stick with the sanwa would be my advice. The exzes z is readily available from online stores like RC-Mushroom...

frozenpod

iTrader: (1)

My 2 cents.

KO make great servos IMO marginally better than futaba which are also very good..

I appreciate everyone has a preference for feel and quite a few people either love or hate the Mars radios.

This is the first I have heard of glitch issues with KO radios.

I have a KO Mars R that I purchased in 2002 has never glitched, not even once and I still use it today. The only FM radios that are still at the track are KO's.

From the specs and test results 2.4 KO radios latency is very low with only the M12 and Mt4-S being faster.

Dan the Man

iTrader: (41)

Where can you find high end stick radios at reasonable prices? It seems that if you aren't running wheel radios or four+ channel sticks you pay a premium

daveaustin5

iTrader: (1)

When I first started in RC (over 15 years ago) it seemed only the US used wheels. The rest of the world used sticks.

Now it seems to be shifting more to wheels.

I started with sticks but received a wheel as a present and haven't looked back since.

To me, wheels are far more accurate for steering. I can twist my hand with a much greater degree of accuracy than I can wiggle my thumb!!!

Sticks are probably better for acceleration and breaking though.