Futaba 3PDF-FM Radio                                                   
         Receiver and Servo System 
  By Glenn R. Viveiros

How does a three channel FM radio with lcd display, a three channel micro receiver and two quality servos in one complete kit grab you?  Futaba did just that with the Magnum Racer Radio System.  You get the high quality 3PDF Fm transmitter, the FP-R113F three channel receiver and two Futaba S3003 servos along with an on/off switch and a four cell AA battery holder to power the receiver/servos.

We installed this kit into a Kyosho Inferno TR-15 1/10 scale buggy and it performed flawlessly.  The controls are quick, precise and very easy to adjust thanks to the lcd screen and the buttons on the controller.  Below are some photos of the radio, its controls, the receiver and servos.  

After the installation into the model, I used the very easy to follow instructions to set both the throttle/brake and the steering servo trim to their center positions.  Next, I set the end point adjustments. I did this to prevent damage to the servos by allowing them to try and move past the point where they reached either full steering or full throttle/brake. Both of these adjustments have an  audible beep as they are adjusted.  All three channels of the controller can be reversed in case your model's movements are different from the standard settings on the radio.   

Once you have these basic steps done you can run your model and have a blast.  However, if/when you become a better driver and want to do more fine tuning to the controls there are quite a few functions left for you to adjust to your driving style or for the conditions of the track you are running on.  

The steering has a D/R control which is the top switch of two located just above the grip frame of the controller.  If the switch is set to act in the D/R mode then when it's activated it will limit the steering servo travel equally in both directions.  If the car tends to under steer or push in a corner, add servo travel.  If it over steers or is loose, then take some servo travel out.  

The bottom of the two switches is the Throttle ATL switch. When it is set to act as the Throttle ATL control, it is used to adjust the brakes without moving the throttle position.  If you need less brakes, simply adjust the ATL number to a lower setting. For more brakes adjust it to a higher setting. 

Here are the Steering D/R and the Throttle ATL buttons. Click for full size image

Here is a good shot of the four main control buttons on the radio. Click for full size image

The radio will hold three different models in memory with all of their individual adjustments saved under the name you put in.  The third channel switch on the radio is located just to the left of the four main programming buttons and it can be set to one of four pre programmed modes depending on what you are using the radio for.

Both the radio and servo have two options for power, which allows you to choose which best accommodates your needs. The radio is powered by either eight AA size batteries or a rechargeable battery pack.  I chose to put eight AA NiMh rechargeable batteries into the removable battery tray.  This allowed me to use them in other models or radios and still be able to re-charge them as well. The servo and receiver are powered by either four AA batteries installed into the included holder, or a rechargeable receiver battery pack.  For the TR-15 I chose to use the four AA pack and some good AA alkaline batteries.  

Removable battery tray Click for full size image	Batteries installed in tray Click for full size image
Receiver battery pack Click for full size image	Initial power on display screen Click for full size image

For the budget minded racer that wants the most bang for the buck it's hard to beat this radio.  It has most all of the adjustments that the racer wants at a very good price.  Its compact, easy to understand and adjust and also feels comfortable in your hand.  After a full day or racing my left arm was thankful for the light weight and comfortable grip!