Carbon fiber causing radio interference?

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Daniel Richard

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
284
I've got a problem that is driving me crazy. I've got a boat that runs great everywhere but consistantly falls off in the same spot on the course. It has carbon fiber servo mounts, carbon fiber matt over the stuffing tube and a carbon fiber radio box lid. I have put three different radios in it, two different sets of servos, two different engines and a different fuel tank, and through all of that it still does the same thing. All the components work outside of the boat or in a different boat but once inside of this one, it will not range check and I have even gone to a new 2.4 system hoping that would fix it but it didn't. Has anyone ever had this problem before? If so, have you found a solution other than removing all the carbon? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
 
daniel,

I know we spoke about this a while back.. I take it you still are fighting it.

did you try making a lid out of wood for the radio box and bait box just to see it that is it.

When i started selling boats 6yrs ago. that is what i used.. to this day i still use it without problems.. I know many others and boat types use carbon on the lids.

If you have changed everything else. i would try a different lid.. The drive line would be the last thing i would change if at all possible.. but i don't think that is the problem.

what is really weird is it won't don't do anything goofy anywhere else on the course.. and typically if there was some radio interference it wouldn't matter WHERE you was on the coarse.

have you been using the same antenna tube when you have changed radio systems each time?

let me know

chris
 
Chris,

I have tried range checking it with a wooden lid from another boat and also without a lid all together, and walking away from the boat I have gaps where I lose signal, and this kind of goes along with it falling off in one spot on the course and it is always on the right end of the course. But using the same stuff in another boat everything works fine. I am not using the bait box lid so that doesn't come into play. I am going to make a wooden lid and try that, and I've also thought about dropping to a 4.8 pack instead of the 6.0v. I have also used different antenna tubes. Pretty much the only things that I haven't changed are the hull and hardware. I have also considered sealing the edges of the carbon servo mounts where they have been cut to see if that will help. I am really running out of things to try. But besides this minor problem I really couldn't be happier with the boat. It looks great and handles even better.
 
i use carbon fiber lids with a tactic/3pm fasst radio with no issues. I know your fustration, we have a spot in turn three that is completely dead. Switching to a 2.4 helps and anyone rarely experiences issues but for some reason there is a dead spot that no one can do anything about. One day I rowed out with my boat on and went to the area and watched it glitch. There is a high frequency pump house 15 feet from that turn and a cell phone tower behind some trees that I never noticed. So there is nothing I can do about it other than hurry up and blast through turn three. Hope some of this helps.
 
As Rob hinted at, perhaps your problem could be more location than equipment oriented??? Have you tried positioning/running your boat from a different location on the lake??? The other side, for instance- just as a trial??
 
Both of these boats are all C/F and I have no radio problems with them. I don't think C/F is your problem!! make sure you have a gap between your pipe and header because if they touch you will have all kinds of radio interference.

I know the London pond in district two has a dead spot on turn 3 so maybe you have a bad spot on your place.

Nick

cf 21.jpg

cf boat 028.jpg
 
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just one other thing.. do you wrap your recievers with anything.. like put them in a balloon or foam.

i am stumped.. when you go to races at different lakes do you have any issues with it there?

I wish i new what else to suggest... I just for the life of me don't think it is the servo mounts.. But for whatever reason maybe it could be.. i guess once you exhausted all other options grind off the servo mounts and see if that fixes it.. if not man i am out of suggestions.

if i remember correctly the new futaba 2.4 stuff don't they NOT reccomend 4.8volt packs? i don't remember.

just for witchcraft and voo doo pull the cable out of the drive line and the strut bushing and see if that does anything lol.

chris
 
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Futaba recommends for 2.4GHz Rx to NOT wrap them in foam, they need some air space to keep them cool. There is a link on the Futaba site that explains it more but in affect they suggest 6v and no foam is best. I Velcro my Rx to the radiobox lid, a bit of vibration damping and up off the bottom of the boat if water gets in. (unless you are upside down!) Futaba claims the 2.4 stuff is not as sensitive to vibs. at the other Rx freqs.

just one other thing.. do you wrap your recievers with anything.. like put them in a balloon or foam.

i am stumped.. when you go to races at different lakes do you have any issues with it there?

I wish i new what else to suggest... I just for the life of me don't think it is the servo mounts.. But for whatever reason maybe it could be.. i guess once you exhausted all other options grind off the servo mounts and see if that fixes it.. if not man i am out of suggestions.

if i remember correctly the new futaba 2.4 stuff don't they NOT reccomend 4.8volt packs? i don't remember.

just for witchcraft and voo doo pull the cable out of the drive line and the strut bushing and see if that does anything lol.

chris
 
I have had the same problem in every pond I have run in. I have a Futaba 3PKS 2.4 and it says to wrap the reciever in foam or another vibration absorbing material. And yes, I do have it wrapped in a balloon as well as foam for vibration. Like I said earlier, I have tried three different radios and two sets of servos, at different ponds and had the same issue at each pond. With two of the systems it will fall off in the right hand turn and with the other system at one pond it was falling off at the end of the front straight. And it does all of this consistantly, and I can put these systems in other boats and have no problems at all. Chris do you run the carbon servo mounts? If so did you seal the edges where you trimmed them?
 
daniel

your boat is EXACTLY the same as mine.. i do nothing different for mine as your own boat.. same servo mounts.. same lids ect.. when i make stuff i do them for all the kits including my own boat.

when i paint the boat.. i put a pc of tape over the mount so it don't get clear all over them and seal up the holes.. i use futaba servos and use the little rubber grommets to mount them down.. thats it man.. nothing special i have the same steering mount in my own boat as you have in yours. I wish i new what to suggest.. all the other kits i have sold over the yrs nobody has ever said anything about radio issues with the mounts or lids that i have heard of.

What is odd is that you can go around the coarse in other spots and have NO issue but one spot seams to be repetitive. I wish i had something else to suggest.. the only other thing i could think of is you rip the mounts for the servos out.. make them out of wood.. cut out the drive line, and use fiberglass but in all reality, carbon fiber on that part wouldn't be any different than fiberglass. if you cut out the drive line.. cut out the servo mounts. and it still does it then i would say something is really wrong since i know we have talked and you have tried just about everything else.

i guess if that don't fix it use it for fire wood and i can build you a new tub the HOPEFULLY isn't cursed lol as i really don't know what else it could be.

honestly i don't think it has anything to do with carbon fibers as hummingbird boats were partial carbon fiber.. frank orlic used to make a 21 hydro that was all carbon fiber, and the gentlemen posted pics above that a boat is all carbon.
 
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i have had problems with futaba recievers getting poor signal at range. i have 3 recievers right not that have never been wet and work perfect in close range but fall off on the far side of the pond. it has allready cost me 2 times hitting the shore (luckly scratches only, no real damage). now before i will put a reciever in a nitro boat i test it in running conditions in a FE first. the fe's just cut out when signal is lost instead of remaining at whatever throtle setting you were at when the signal was lost. i have sent recievers back to futaba for checking and repair of poor signal and was charged 1/2 price of a new reciever for repair. they were under warranty and i was not given a reason for the failure.

does anyone know of other recievers than the 603ff & fs that will work with a 3pk? i always have sworn by futaba in the past but i have 5 bad recievers ($500 bucks) right now. 3 poor signal, 1 wont sync and 1 got wet
 
Chris,

I completely understand. I know alot of boats have carbon in them or the whole boat is made out of it, and that is part of what really has me confused. I keep coming back to that because it is the only thing that is different from other boats I have, but at the same time I think about people with whole boats made of carbon and it kind of kills that theory. I don't know what it is about the boat that kills the signal. It is just really weird that all the components work in other boats. I guess I'll just have to make it even faster to make up for the ground I'll lose when it falls off lol.
 
There is a longer Futaba 2.4 antenna you can get that just might clear up this problem. It is intended for boat use when range/recepection problems persist. You can get the part by calling Futaba Support at 217-398-8970.

The carbon should not cause interference, but it can shield the signal...

Hope this helps,

Big A
 
It could be the lake or something near or in it. We used to run at one lake where boats glitched in a certain spot all the time and it wasn't just one boat that did it.
 
I will probably get the extension just to make sure. I'm pretty sure it isn't the pond since it does it at different ponds and the same system in differnt boats of mine don't do it.
 
daniel,

I tell ya what.. if you can' t figure it out you let me know and i have a BRAND NEW TUB that the driveline was fiberglassed in the servo mounts at least 2 of them are already in. you can cut them out and have the tub FREE.. just pay me for the shipping..

let me know if you can't figure it out.. and if we do this and this boat does the same thing then you better call a witch doctor.

lol

chris
 

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