Apologies if it is already known.
You won't find it advertised for sale, but it's shipping from Amazon now. I picked one up last week and, happily, received the V2, even though the listing is still for a V1.
I have seen several videos on this radio, but nothing so far on the v2 (which apparently is a brand new thing). I have uploaded pictures of the new version of this radio here. Purchase here, MAKE SURE it is sold by RadioLink Direct, fulfilled by Amazon.
I'll be making a video soon, but in the meantime I wanted to put the word out for those who are considering it.
I'm very impressed. For a Budget radio this thing is LOADED with features. I just set up my first rig on it (Axial SCX 10.3) and it was very intuitive. Menu navigation is a bit cumbersome with the buttons rather than the roller I have on my DX5R (which is my primary radio), but other than that it's very simple to navigate and configure.
The Version 2 is clearly a direct result of community feedback. They fixed every major gripe anyone had with this radio. The specific updates are as follows:
The trigger position has been updated. Though I did not have version 1 of this product I know many people felt the trigger was in a bad location and was difficult to reach. Version 2's trigger is in a very natural position for me. I have very big hands but not long fingers so trigger position is important for me. The V2 trigger is in a perfect location.
'Updated' the FPV holder hole (aka mount). This is a standard screw-in type mount used for many digital recording devices. It's located on the top of the radio beneath a rubber plug. The location, directly behind the antenna, could require some creative mounting solutions for some cameras, but this is still a fantastic feature.
Added a Lanyard mount on the back of the radio. I don't know if the v1 included a lanyard or not but the v2 does and the mount is in a great spot right on the back of the radio. My DX5R cost 3.5 times as much and did not include a lanyard (or a mount that is in a good location).
Updated the handle shape. This is another change aimed at ergonomics. Without a version 1 to compare it to it's difficult for me to pinpoint the changes in this one. It appears, however that they altered the top of the grip of the radio (I would call this the neck) to be more ergonomic. The radio fits very well in my hand and feels comfortable.
Most important, they added two switches A, and D, to the handle where they are easily accessible without changing your grip on the radio. This means in my 10.3 I have dig and two speed control whenever I want it without needing to alter my grip on the radio. The lack of switches on the handle where they were easily accessible was THE reason I was going to go with the GT5 for my secondary radio. Luckily for me they were all sold out in the US so I decided to give the RadioLink a try. BTW if you are into the no-prep drag scene switch A or D would be PERFECT to run your two-step off of
.
As best I can tell the Version 2 (V2) is not even being advertised, the Amazon store I bought from shows the V1, but they sent the V2. I knew something was up when I saw the switches on the handle. I found a small card inside congratulating me on getting the V2 product and offering me a return should I be upset I did not get the version I was expecting. FORGET THAT, this thing is great!
Range is great, though I have not put it to any extreme testing. Modulation on the throttle is good and the expo settings really let you get that low-speed control dialed. The mixing options are insane, and the thing is just easy to use. It's very responsive, easily as fast as my 5R in crawling use (I have not used it on a racing buggy to test that yet). It has every feature you would ever need in a crawler and then some.
There are a few things I don't love. First it takes 6AA batteries, S I X , why in the world has no reviewer mentioned this? That's 50% more batteries than any other radio I have requires. You do have the option to use a rechargeable pack in there instead, but I've always thought that was more trouble than it's worth, this radio may change my mind. In theory, more voltage should equal more range, so that's a potential plus. The LCD screen looks a bit dated, it's MUCH better than the GT5, but not nearly as nice as the higher end radios. The default contrast settings are not good, once the backlight goes out (after a minute or so) it's difficult to read the screen (but do you really need to?). I bet there is a way to adjust this I just have not found it yet. I was not thrilled with the weight at first, even with 6 batteries it is very light, which, to me, feels cheap. However, the more I think about it, on a long trail run that light weight would save a ton of fatigue, especially if you mount a camera to it and are holding your arms out to film. Jury's still out on that I suppose. Finally, it looks a bit dated. This reminds me of high end radios from a decade ago (like the DX3C)
For the money this radio is OUTSTANDING. Actually, I would say this radio is OUTSTANDING even if you set aside the inexpensive price tag. With the updated version fixing all of the major flaws I think it's easily the go-to budget radio. I was going to buy a FlySky GT5 and compare the two, but honestly, I don't see any reason to bother. The RadioLink has more features for the same money, cheaper receivers, more customization, and I have found FlySky to have significant issues in the past (though I have not tried the GT5 which is apparently better).
You won't find it advertised for sale, but it's shipping from Amazon now. I picked one up last week and, happily, received the V2, even though the listing is still for a V1.
I have seen several videos on this radio, but nothing so far on the v2 (which apparently is a brand new thing). I have uploaded pictures of the new version of this radio here. Purchase here, MAKE SURE it is sold by RadioLink Direct, fulfilled by Amazon.
I'll be making a video soon, but in the meantime I wanted to put the word out for those who are considering it.
I'm very impressed. For a Budget radio this thing is LOADED with features. I just set up my first rig on it (Axial SCX 10.3) and it was very intuitive. Menu navigation is a bit cumbersome with the buttons rather than the roller I have on my DX5R (which is my primary radio), but other than that it's very simple to navigate and configure.
The Version 2 is clearly a direct result of community feedback. They fixed every major gripe anyone had with this radio. The specific updates are as follows:
The trigger position has been updated. Though I did not have version 1 of this product I know many people felt the trigger was in a bad location and was difficult to reach. Version 2's trigger is in a very natural position for me. I have very big hands but not long fingers so trigger position is important for me. The V2 trigger is in a perfect location.
'Updated' the FPV holder hole (aka mount). This is a standard screw-in type mount used for many digital recording devices. It's located on the top of the radio beneath a rubber plug. The location, directly behind the antenna, could require some creative mounting solutions for some cameras, but this is still a fantastic feature.
Added a Lanyard mount on the back of the radio. I don't know if the v1 included a lanyard or not but the v2 does and the mount is in a great spot right on the back of the radio. My DX5R cost 3.5 times as much and did not include a lanyard (or a mount that is in a good location).
Updated the handle shape. This is another change aimed at ergonomics. Without a version 1 to compare it to it's difficult for me to pinpoint the changes in this one. It appears, however that they altered the top of the grip of the radio (I would call this the neck) to be more ergonomic. The radio fits very well in my hand and feels comfortable.
Most important, they added two switches A, and D, to the handle where they are easily accessible without changing your grip on the radio. This means in my 10.3 I have dig and two speed control whenever I want it without needing to alter my grip on the radio. The lack of switches on the handle where they were easily accessible was THE reason I was going to go with the GT5 for my secondary radio. Luckily for me they were all sold out in the US so I decided to give the RadioLink a try. BTW if you are into the no-prep drag scene switch A or D would be PERFECT to run your two-step off of
.As best I can tell the Version 2 (V2) is not even being advertised, the Amazon store I bought from shows the V1, but they sent the V2. I knew something was up when I saw the switches on the handle. I found a small card inside congratulating me on getting the V2 product and offering me a return should I be upset I did not get the version I was expecting. FORGET THAT, this thing is great!
Range is great, though I have not put it to any extreme testing. Modulation on the throttle is good and the expo settings really let you get that low-speed control dialed. The mixing options are insane, and the thing is just easy to use. It's very responsive, easily as fast as my 5R in crawling use (I have not used it on a racing buggy to test that yet). It has every feature you would ever need in a crawler and then some.
There are a few things I don't love. First it takes 6AA batteries, S I X , why in the world has no reviewer mentioned this? That's 50% more batteries than any other radio I have requires. You do have the option to use a rechargeable pack in there instead, but I've always thought that was more trouble than it's worth, this radio may change my mind. In theory, more voltage should equal more range, so that's a potential plus. The LCD screen looks a bit dated, it's MUCH better than the GT5, but not nearly as nice as the higher end radios. The default contrast settings are not good, once the backlight goes out (after a minute or so) it's difficult to read the screen (but do you really need to?). I bet there is a way to adjust this I just have not found it yet. I was not thrilled with the weight at first, even with 6 batteries it is very light, which, to me, feels cheap. However, the more I think about it, on a long trail run that light weight would save a ton of fatigue, especially if you mount a camera to it and are holding your arms out to film. Jury's still out on that I suppose. Finally, it looks a bit dated. This reminds me of high end radios from a decade ago (like the DX3C)
For the money this radio is OUTSTANDING. Actually, I would say this radio is OUTSTANDING even if you set aside the inexpensive price tag. With the updated version fixing all of the major flaws I think it's easily the go-to budget radio. I was going to buy a FlySky GT5 and compare the two, but honestly, I don't see any reason to bother. The RadioLink has more features for the same money, cheaper receivers, more customization, and I have found FlySky to have significant issues in the past (though I have not tried the GT5 which is apparently better).
