RadioLink rc8x

[Roxyflash]

Anyone here been using this radio?Have had several issues with my Futaba 4pm plus.Im not spending anymore money on the receivers for it been using 304 sb.This radio was gifted to me so no love lose there been easy to setup up but time to rethink the transmitter.Range has been a issue depending on how I was postitioned at one lake we ran at even the 10px did the same thing using a 304 sb my buddy has.Fail safe kicked in same spot on lake.I have three riggers and a whiplash on it two riggers are gas one nitro.The RadioLink claims 600 meters with the correct receiver.I should have bought the diversity receivers but didn’t read enough about them till I was told about them.Lession learned but the price is real high the receiver for the radiolink is 24 shipped.

 

[Dave Gilles]

terrible awful radio. I highly advise you to go ahead and send it to me to properly dispose of it.

my $60 radiolink hit the fail safe at about 190 yards. far beyond what you should be doing on a course. But it was is a super thick fiberglass hull with the antenna curled up. And I was standing in the water at eye level. Uncurling the antenna and laying it straight inside the radio box has solved that. Running an antenna mount and getting above the water level would probably double the range.

 

[NITROSNIFER]

I have a Radiomaster TX16S and its a very solid TX. A bit of a pill to operate at first as its open source firmware. I have heard nothing but good things about the MT12 and with the 4IN1 module it links with many of the futaba RX's. Support protocol: D8/D16/SFHSS it does not support FAAST but this is my new back up radio and I have set one up for another fellow boater and was used at the 2024 NATS without issue and we bound his SFHSS Futaba RX's to it. . I know many free flight and drone racers using Radiomaster now.
https://www.radiomasterrc.com/products/mt12-surface-radio-controller?variant=48008718057703

 

[Mike Starrett]

I have one that I bought early last year. I ve been using it in 4 boats and it has worked fine. No range issues here. I have only used the 2 antenna 8 ch receivers. Radiolink says that one has the best range. I have some 6ch, singe antenna receivers that I have yet to test.

 

[Dave Gilles]

the dual antennas are actually just for telemetry data back to the radio.

 

[Mike Starrett]

I wonder if the extra range, touted by Radiolink, is just in reference to the telemetry range? I have 4 and 6 channel, single antenna receivers, that are also do telemetry (not gps). I raely use the telemtry anyway.

 

[Dave Gilles]

I wonder if the extra range, touted by Radiolink, is just in reference to the telemetry range? I have 4 and 6 channel, single antenna receivers, that are also do telemetry (not gps). I raely use the telemtry anyway.

I think so. 400m for tx + 200m for rx telemetry. China math.

The real range is probably 200-250m average. Chinese notoriously don't try to conform to FCC radio power limits. Their ham radios are often 2x over the limit.

 

[the german]

Anyone here been using this radio?Have had several issues with my Futaba 4pm plus.Im not spending anymore money on the receivers for it been using 304 sb.This radio was gifted to me so no love lose there been easy to setup up but time to rethink the transmitter.Range has been a issue depending on how I was postitioned at one lake we ran at even the 10px did the same thing using a 304 sb my buddy has.Fail safe kicked in same spot on lake.I have three riggers and a whiplash on it two riggers are gas one nitro.The RadioLink claims 600 meters with the correct receiver.I should have bought the diversity receivers but didn’t read enough about them till I was told about them.Lession learned but the price is real high the receiver for the radiolink is 24 shipped.

Bruce
I had the same problem with the 304sb receiver. The fail safe kicked in at the same location all the time. I switched to the 203gf and the problem was solved.

Alex

 

[Roxyflash]

I found a great deal on the rc8x from nitro hobbies 239 shipped with two receivers.I needed to buy three receivers if I stuck with futaba would of came out to same price so I bought the radiolink still need to purchase some receivers for the new radio.I funded the radio with some boat work had a buddy that needed his slingshot finished.Im building a backlash a zip kits super sport I traded my 20 whiplash for the backlash kit.I will still use the futaba till I get comfortable with new radio.

 

[Todd]

I do not know if anyone has tried this or not? But bind radio and receiver at the lake you run at. When Futaba and Spectrum were advertising in the mag and going back and forth on the other companies radio issues. We had customers in Fl who had issues with Futaba because of heat and frequencies in area they ran. Futaba told customer to bind at area they run at so it blocks those frequencies that are bad. It worked for them. Had a pro heli pilot and some customers complain at certain fields they would go to. Told them to try what Futaba said and bind at the field they were flying at. No more issues. This was Fasst system

 

[Rich Jones]

I found a great deal on the rc8x from nitro hobbies 239 shipped with two receivers.I needed to buy three receivers if I stuck with futaba would of came out to same price so I bought the radiolink still need to purchase some receivers for the new radio.I funded the radio with some boat work had a buddy that needed his slingshot finished.Im building a backlash a zip kits super sport I traded my 20 whiplash for the backlash kit.I will still use the futaba till I get comfortable with new radio.

Interested to hear how the Radiolink works for you Bruce.

 

[Brian Spitzer]

You'll have best results using the 324SBS receiver, Mike Z has done a lot of testing with this. I had major range issues with the 304RX.

 

[Grimracer]

I do not know if anyone has tried this or not? But bind radio and receiver at the lake you run at. When Futaba and Spectrum were advertising in the mag and going back and forth on the other companies radio issues. We had customers in Fl who had issues with Futaba because of heat and frequencies in area they ran. Futaba told customer to bind at area they run at so it blocks those frequencies that are bad. It worked for them. Had a pro heli pilot and some customers complain at certain fields they would go to. Told them to try what Futaba said and bind at the field they were flying at. No more issues. This was Fasst system

Todd, this is strange.. with my time with Futaba back when 2.4 came out let me fill in what's correct.. (or best to me knowledge).. BTY. I have never heard of linking at the field with a Futaba solving anything.. that is BRAND NEW to me. (I would bet this information did not come from "Futaba" Directly but somebody said "hey, give this a go, heck it WAS happening with Spec)

The older Futaba FASST receivers with the BLUE label (When they first came out) were and DID have heat issues. For instance the sun beating on them under the canopy of a airplane or a RX next to a turned pipe.. (BTY, I have NEVER experienced or heard of ONE heat related issue in an RC boat using them)., much testing was done by our team regarding this issue.

Then.. the Specturm system had had binding issues and we saw this many times back then, unbinding, not binding, having to pair up with people to get the thing to bind. (Its my understanding all of that has now been solved.. I think the addition of Andy Kuhns to the RF team solved all of that). Yes.. its true, Spectrum had a "Crash investigation team" at one time.. (think about it).. but again.. its my understanding that has been solved. (Andy is an old FE boat racer, nice dude too!)

Brian is correct.. I did some testing (have done a bunch of it for sure) and have even posted it here on I waters. if you are looking to learn more.. use the search function.. its out here!

Happy new year.

Grimracer

P.S. There ARE flying fields in the US that VERY MUCH challenge 2.4..

 

[larcor69]

I ditched my futaba 7pxr picked up fly sky Noble nb4 Plus and they have completely waterproof receivers if you need a really long range they have an extended antenna version so far it's been great I use one of the receivers in a mono and I did not even use a radio box no issues so far

 

[Toni Lightbourne]

The Radiolink RC8X did not go very well for me. Had a runaway and fortunately the boat was okay. Not sure what Radiolink is saying with the range issues. I managed to do a firmware update on this radio however I'm still afraid to try it out. I'm on a RL facebook group and nothing but bad things to say about this radio. I cant really bash the RC8X too much as I didn't put too much time into the system. Rightly so due to the unfortunate signal loss. I purchased a $79 Radio link RC6GS from amazon and I've never looked back. Works fine for me so far. Simple to use and user friendly. Too bad the RC8X didn't pop off too well cause it's a great looking radio with some good features. Hopefully Radiolink will rectify this issue with a new receiver for this particular model. For now it's sitting on the shelf looking pretty collecting dust.
Here's a video of it just randomly losing signal. 6.5v to 0v at times.

 

[Roxyflash]

If your to close to the receiver it will do that.Try backing away from it then check it again it’s on you tube also what your showing its in the manual also.What version is the receiver?

 

[Todd]

Todd, this is strange.. with my time with Futaba back when 2.4 came out let me fill in what's correct.. (or best to me knowledge).. BTY. I have never heard of linking at the field with a Futaba solving anything.. that is BRAND NEW to me. (I would bet this information did not come from "Futaba" Directly but somebody said "hey, give this a go, heck it WAS happening with Spec)

The older Futaba FASST receivers with the BLUE label (When they first came out) were and DID have heat issues. For instance the sun beating on them under the canopy of a airplane or a RX next to a turned pipe.. (BTY, I have NEVER experienced or heard of ONE heat related issue in an RC boat using them)., much testing was done by our team regarding this issue.

Lost of customers in Florida had issues with shut downs when hot. Interference was same at a flying field when a new tower was put in and also guys in Florida near military bases.

Then.. the Specturm system had had binding issues and we saw this many times back then, unbinding, not binding, having to pair up with people to get the thing to bind. (Its my understanding all of that has now been solved.. I think the addition of Andy Kuhns to the RF team solved all of that). Yes.. its true, Spectrum had a "Crash investigation team" at one time.. (think about it).. but again.. its my understanding that has been solved. (Andy is an old FE boat racer, nice dude too!)

Brian is correct.. I did some testing (have done a bunch of it for sure) and have even posted it here on I waters. if you are looking to learn more.. use the search function.. its out here!

Happy new year.

Grimracer

P.S. There ARE flying fields in the US that VERY MUCH challenge 2.4..

 

[Toni Lightbourne]

If your to close to the receiver it will do that.Try backing away from it then check it again it’s on you tube also what your showing its in the manual also.What version is the receiver?

I have the latest version receiver. My downside is that lost signal while running the boat as well.