Hello Grim
First let me say I have three 3PM transmitters as they are indeed workhorses and I find them easy to use and change settings when necessary
There is a problem with them and the picture below tells me that Futaba is well aware of that problem
that picture is the first one a person sees as he logs into the repair page on the Futaba website, at least it was for me.
The antennae mount is flimsy and breaks easily which allows the plastic housing to swing free and pull on the wire unless one tapes it, glues it, or whatever fix works.
I suppose it was designed to allow the antennae to be positioned for best transmission no matter how a person holds the transmitter.
Almost everyone I know who owns a 3PM has broken the antennae mount, not everyone mind you, but more have than not.
My first contact with Futaba got the response that they no longer repair or service the 3PM. I brought it to their attention that they still sell receivers that will only work with the 3PM.
If the transmitter doesnt work then one has a handfull of receivers that are useless. In my case 7.
The broken antennae mount was only part of my problem however. One of my transmitters went bonkers and the servos would swing lock to lock on their own. Lucky for me it happened on the bench. Yes I determined that the receiver and transmitter were bound together. Even took a second receiver and bound it to transmitter in question with same result. Thought maybe servos were bad so unhooked all of them and tried one at a time with same bad result.
Finally i took out second transmitter, bound it to same receiver and servo set up and it worked perfectly.
Since my first post on this thread I called the surface technician at Futaba and explained my issue to him. He in turn contacted the rep who told me they no longer serviced the 3PM and now my transmitters are on the way to Futaba. Whether they will be returned fully repaired is yet to be seen.
I have my first transmitter from the seventies a two stick AM and some in between so I am familiar with Futaba. I just find it disheartening that they cannot support some of the older equipment.
Hopefully that explains the first post.
Richard Hartley
