A few days ago we wrote about the impact of RC Flying on receivers and how we might think about them in Radio Saling’s confined spaces. First a look at some of our choices:-

This is the dinky little Radiomaster 3 channel ELRS receiver, much favoured by our Commodore, Phil. Seriously compact little thing… you might be inclined to mount it eg on velcro on the back of the unit as photographed. So the important thing in this discussion is that the connecting leads (as you can see in the photo) will stick out at right angles to this surface.

Next one is the Spectrum AR620 much favoured by Craig and Rohan. Six channels and in reality hardly any larger than the ELRS above. But note : you probably will have you velcro pad at the bottom face in the photo above, and consequently your sockets will stick out parallel to the mounting surface and not at right angles. Great for flying wing planes to permit mounting inside the wing (see first article). Really the unit is so diminutive, in radio sailing it’s no issue where you put it.

Before I illustrate photos of the two current Futaba receivers that are most relevant, I may ask if you know the depth of your receiver “pot”? As I recall, the new Proteus design is “pot-less” which is interesting. In the two boats I have here, the SailboatRC pot is 105mm deep and the SailsEtc pot in my Marblehead is 80mm deep. Keep that in mind for a minute.

Two of the current common Futaba receivers are these :-

This is the six channel R3006SB receiver – note the sockets are at right angles to the mounting surface.

This is the 8 channel R3008SB receiver – note that the sockets are in-line with the mounting surface. So by the time you wiggle your two or three plugs in here, you end up with quite a long unit.

This is the R3008SB mounted in the 105mm deep SailboatRC Pot. Plenty of space and the factory have chosen the put the electrical connector end lowest in the boat. Interesting. It would be possible to install the same receiver inside the 80mm deep pot – just about… but unless you invert it, the plugs are going to be quite close to a bilge water threat. I have been wondering of plugging in vertically like under a little umbrella is actually good for repelling water…. I’ve no idea !!

So if you are using a normal SailsEtc pot, you might prefer to consider the six channel R3006SB (with plugs at right angles) and secure that in the pot as high up as you can… quite probably with plugs at the top so they are as far away from a bilge water threat as possible. Here is that receiver installed in Nigel’s F6 – can you see what I mean??

I have been considering acquiring another Futaba Transmitter soon – prices are keen at the moment. However, my model shop in common with many now sells you a “Combi” pack which obliges you to take the transmitter with an 8 channel R3008SB receiver. It comes directly from distributor stock, not theirs. I really want to buy from my local man, but it looks like I might have to get a transmitter-only price from somewhere and buy a six channel R3006SB receiver separately alongside. So far (at the time of writing – March 2025) I have managed to find “Inwood Models” who sell from their own stock (keen price) and do list the receiver components separately. Might be the answer….

You can find the first part of this article by clicking here

Receivers and Confined Spaces…. Part 1 of 2