Newbie Questions...Please be nice...

[Hoghappy]

...because I am a newbie to electric boats. I have my first electric boat and I have some newbie questions.

First...since this is a boat and not a aircraft (which is what it seems all the basic info is about on the site) how are you routing the reciever antenna. Can't just hang it out the bottom of the fuselage on a boat. :rolleyes:

I need do's and do not's here.

Can it be runaround the inside of the hull?

My sailing ship has it run up the side of the mast. Not pretty but effective and I really need it to be effective on that model... but on the tug, what can I get away with without a whip antenna sticking out like a sore thumb?

Thanks

[patmat2350]

Relax! We can't bite, at least not through these darn wires here...

Antennas- Though many do it, it's not necessary to stick the antenna up in the air. If it even makes any difference, most of us don't let our boats get so far away that it matters.
As long as your hull isn't metal or carbon fiber, looping the antenna lead around the hull is fine, even below waterline (R/C subs work, after all). You can even wind the lead on a card, see mine here:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=672309&page=16

The best thing you can do for improved reception is to dump any cheapo AM radio sets in favor of FM, FM/PCM, or 2.4 GHz.

Pat M

[toesup]

What Pat said.. plus..

Keep the antenna away from the motor and ESC if possible, i run mine round the rear of the boat..

[Hoghappy]

Excellent...I was hoping I would NOT have to deal with that antenna wire every time I wanted in the hull.

Here is what I already have to upgrade the Atlantic Tug boat with stock 550 motor...please let me know if this is ok before I plug it up and get the infamous white smoke. :eek:

HiTec Laser 4 channel FM (surface) radio
HiTec EZX-R ESC (it says not to use less than 7.2v - 8.4v)

I plan to drop a 7 amp 6 volt gel cell in it to power everything. I want lots of run time and I already have this battery on hand...or am I going to have to buy yet another battery package?

Will I be able to go to a larger prop with this electonic package?

Thanks Guys :)

[Ghost 2501]

...because I am a newbie to electric boats. I have my first electric boat and I have some newbie questions.

First...since this is a boat and not a aircraft (which is what it seems all the basic info is about on the site) how are you routing the reciever antenna. Can't just hang it out the bottom of the fuselage on a boat. :rolleyes:

I need do's and do not's here.

Can it be runaround the inside of the hull?

My sailing ship has it run up the side of the mast. Not pretty but effective and I really need it to be effective on that model... but on the tug, what can I get away with without a whip antenna sticking out like a sore thumb?

Thanks

on My models, what I have done is have the Rx close to the top of the model, with the antenna going forward, across the bow or closest point to it, thwen running aft to the stern, where if it is long enough going back across the hull and then going forward, forming a giant loop. all the models (apart from Espirit and Rafale) are like that, to disguise the antenna on Rafale, it runs up the inside of the mainsail mast, which is a plastic tube. if your mast is metal, why not make the mast itself the antenna by baring the ware of the rx and soldering it to a fitting that screws into the base of the mast, another trick that some members of the PMBC have done is cut the antenna down and soldered it to metal railings of the boat! your antenna is on plain view yet no one can see it! if you cant hide it, make it look like something, such as rigging, railings, pipes etc.

as for your upgrade, hell loads of moddellers upgrade, part of the fun!

your surface band radio package is fine.
6v lead gel, sounds fine to me, Celestia has 2 bow thrusters and a single main drive, with 3esc's in there, (viper 15 by Mtroniks), and everything is powered by that single battery.

your ezx-r esc may be a racing esc with loads of amps, running on 6v, if it says use 7,2-8,4 may not perform, try it anyway! for a 550 motor, probably a 15A will be adequate, thats what is in Celestia, (Graupner Speed500E) and its esc is a Viper 15 :) as for prop sise, 35mm is probably as big as you'd need, though experiment with a 545 (5-pole) as poopsed to the 3-pole 550, there is more torque and will cope better with a 40mm prop, it will also pull less amps!

on the issue of 2.4ghz, is you plane radio 2.4 if so, you can use that as 2.4ghz is self seeking, your transmitter, in basic "newbie" terms, "makes a telephone call" as there is only one unit able to receive the signal from the tx, and that is the rx that is dialed by the tx. where regular radios make a "CB Radio call" which means any rx on the same frequency can listen in. a bit like listenning in on someone elses CB conversation because they are on your channel.


any use hoggy?

[Kmot]

Ditto. I just tape mine to the underside of the deck. Or you can do the card trick. Wrap it around a playing card and tape the card against something.

[AndyKunz]

2.4 GHz!

Andy