Radio control submarines info

All About Radio Control Submarines
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The RC Super Explorer is a fine example of the various
radio control submarines

available today. She's a great looking, ready-to-run unit that will give you hours of fun. Another model to consider is the
Mini Ocean Explorer

submarine which more like a toy but is still a great model to start with.

Now, if instead of purchasing a complete submarine package like those above, you decide to put your sweat and tears into building your own model, you'll want to pick a radio system and components that will give your submarine life and bring it safely home.

How do you choose the right
radio control system

to navigate this new addition to your R/C family?

The first thing to take into consideration when choosing your system is that radio control submarines can be static divers or dynamic divers.

Whats the difference?

Dynamic divers use an angle on the diving plane to direct themselves downward as they use their momentum to actually dive in the water. The dive will last as long as the forward motion is sustained. Once the force applied by the motor is removed by shutting it off, these radio control submarines will float back to the surface.

Static divers use forward motion in addition to their weight to dive down into the water. Ballasts, or small compartments, fill with water to increase the weight of these radio control submarines. Increasing the weight in turn decreases the buoyancy and means less power must be utilized in the actual dive. Also, once the motor is shut off on a static diver the position the submarine takes in the water will depend on how much water it has taken into the ballasts.

The main point is that static divers, because of the action of filling and emptying the ballasts, require an extra channel on the radio control transmitter. Dynamic diving submarines need a control with 3 channels: one for the rudder, one for diving planes, and one for speed control. Static diving R/C submarines require a fourth channel to control the ballast tanks.

When choosing your radio control, remember that these are the minimum channels necessary for radio control submarines. Each extra accessory on your sub that requires control will require an additional channel.

In addition to the transmitter, radio control submarines need to be equipped with a receiver that handles all of the channels you need to control your sub.

Often these receivers come as a package with the transmitter to insure that they are the same frequency. If you buy them separately, make sure you match the frequency or you and your sub wont be able to communicate.

Once you have the transmitter and receiver figured out, there is another component to consider for controlling radio control submarines. This is the fail safe. While this component is listed as optional on a sub, unless you always operate your sub in a pool this device could mean the difference in whether your submarine makes it home or not.

Fail safe devices detect low power, signal loss, interference, undesirable pressure, and other things that may have a negative effect on your submarine adventure. When one of these occurs the fail safe returns the submarine servos to a preset state. This is especially important in static divers because the fail safe can tell the ballasts to empty even if you have lost control of the sub.

This will cause radio control submarines to surface and make your fail safe worth the investment.

Happy diving!