Restoring a vintage Futaba FP-4FG 4 channel radio control transmitter
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- Опубліковано 4 вер 2024
- Cleaning up and reactivating a very old and very gold Futaba radio for my upcoming vintage Bandai tank build.
I was also able to find the period correct NIB NOS S48 servos, this old radio is very cool.
Link to replacement battery: bit.ly/FutabaNT8H
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Thanks for watching!
I got one in 1977 still have it needs new batteries
Was great for its time used it boats and Tamiya tv 1/16 leopard tank got that in 78 great kit
You can follow the link in the video description to order a replacement battery pack.
These are very pretty radios, my first radio, a 35MHz FP-7FG.
Still got it, because it's such a jewel.
On the 7, that 'internal circuitry' is full of pots for adjusting the servo limits and (IIRC) reversing.
It is a very pretty looking bit of hardware and I found all the reversing switches in the rear, really fun to see how they built these back in the day.
Another cool video, Ian. But be aware 72 Mhz is not allowed for surface use. It's only for aircraft (although I doubt anybody would ever know). I bought an old Kraft AM unit and converted it to 2.4Ghz. Still kept the transmitter's telescoping antenna for classic looks, but it's great not having an external one mess up the model itself.
I always found that rule funny, 27 or 75 for ground use and 72 for air, but you are still standing on the ground controlling the aircraft...LOL Either way it will get very little actual use and I have a senior FCC employee living across the street who would likely laugh at me if I asked him if it's ok to use, it is an ancient channel that almost nothing uses anymore.
@@PitstainHobbies I suppose it was back then they wanted to reduce the risk of interference so they reserved 72 MHz to model aircraft use only and nothing else. Today, with digital communications, lots of things use 2.4 GHz such as ELRS and Frsky for RC, WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.
Technically, its not legal to use those radios with the AM module unless it has been certified as being narrow band. There will be a gold sticker on the ones that have been tested and certified.
I am aware, it is just for demonstration purposes for a vintage RC tank model and will be used indoors for maybe 10 minutes and then live it's days out on a shelf looking all cool and vintage.
You shouldn't turn on the transmitter without the (fully extended) antenna. There is a non negligible risk that you fry the transmitter amplifier. Without the antenna the amplifier sees a short, with the antenna it sees a load. Not fully extended the antenna and amplifier will perform poorly. Just a tip.
Thanks for the tip, I will keep that in mind.
@@PitstainHobbies Explanation for why it's not good: The length of the antenna should be one quarter of the wave length of the signal. One quarter wave length for 72 MHz is like one meter (3 1/4 feet), if I did the math right. (I'm sure I will be corrected since this is YT.) Anyhow, the amplifier is tuned for that antenna length and the impedance it creates so it's no god running without the antenna. High frequency stuff and antenna physics is weird.
@@OLLE3770 I have been running AM and FM radios for the better part of 3 decades and never knew this, I normally always had my antennas fully extended but would occasionally not extend them when building a car or adjusting trims, etc.
@@PitstainHobbies The important thing is to have the (supplied) antenna attached. No antenna => risky; not fully extended => subpar performance (signal quality and strength), but it will probably work and give the amplifier something to work against. Just wanted to warn you since you spent time and money to get this vintage transmitter. And perhaps not all know that running transmitters without antennas is risky. Great channel by the way.
@OLLE3770 I will make sure to always have it attached moving forward, thanks again for the tips.
Have been looking into vintage RC kits recently, have you ever build any old Tamiya kits?
I built the re-release Subaru Brat, Tyrell P-34 and the re-release Bruiser, all really good builds.
Olá sou do Brasil ode eu coloco o conector da bateria neste rádio
it is an internal battery, you have to remove the side panels of the radio to access it.
How long does it take to get the battery ordered? Order for the remote
it arrived within about 5 days from when I ordered it, excellent customer service there.