New and have a question

[leprechaun]

Hello all
Im new to this Board, Website and hobby. A friend thought Id really enjoy a RC Sub so they picked it up for me at a yard sale. It is a Protocol Radio Controlled Submarine, (looks like a little grey bullet). I put batteries in it and nothing happened! Took them out made sure they were in right...nothing? made sure it was turned on...nothing. Is there a trick or is it just broken yard sale sub. It was all sealed in the original package. I saw one on Amazon for $79 and Im sure my friend did not pay that.

Do you recommend that one as a starter or another one?
How about a kit? Do you sell them on this website?
Went to my local RC Store and they dont deal in subs, not enough interest.
They directed me to TowerHobbies web page and they would order anything for me.
Only 2 RC Subs DUMAS USS Bluefish or DUMAS Akula?

Thanks for any help sorting through this!

[JWLaRue]

Re: New and have a question

First, welcome to the hobby of r/c submarines! Hopefully folks here can help you in getting answers to your questions. Here are some thoughts and answers from me....

I have a similar sub to the one that your friend got for you. Let me ask what may be an obvious question: was the r/c transmitter (also) turned on and using fresh batteries?

- Do you recommend that one as a starter or another one?

This depends on what your goal(s) are for r/c subs. Do you wish to stay with ready-to-run r/c subs or are you interested in assembling your own? As a starter sub and a fun pool toy the protocol sub works fine. It submerges by being driven down by the two outboard propellors, which makes it a "dynamic diver"...meaing that in order to submerge the sub needs to be moving forward. A "static diver" operates much like the real ones in that a ballast tank fills with water to submerge the boat. Most of the r/c subs seen on this site are of the static diving variety.

- How about a kit? Do you sell them on this website?

Kits are available ranging from very basic hulls where you need to add the internals all the way to those kits that include everything except the actual radio control gear (which is just the standard r/c products used for boats and planes. Just don't use the 2.4GHz stuff...it won't work with subs.) Some folks even take the larger styrene model kits of subs and turn them into fully operating subs.

Prices, as you may imagine range all over the place.

The SubCommittee does not sell product, but there are a number of great vendors that support the SubCommittee...check out the banner ads and/or check out the vendor page on our main home page http://www.subcommittee.com.

- Went to my local RC Store and they dont deal in subs, not enough interest. They directed me to TowerHobbies web page and they would order anything for me. Only 2 RC Subs DUMAS USS Bluefish or DUMAS Akula?

Hobby stores are really only into ready-to-run or almost-ready-to-run product. You'll not find most of the r/c subs that you'll see mentioned by folks on this site in a hobby store. The one exception is the ready-to-run Thunder Tiger Neptune submarine...which has an operating ballast tank. Tower Hobbies sells it. (btw: the two Dumas subs are not ready-to-run, they're kits.)

Okay, that's a start. Please tell us what your interests are, especially around building skills if you're interested in building a sub.

-Jeff

[leprechaun]

Re: New and have a question

Thank you so much for all your help. Sorry it took me so long to re-post.

The boats on-off switch was on and the remote had no on-off. Checked all the batteries again. Then I sat at the kitchen table pushing the forward- backward buttons over and over. I took a pencil and spun the screws. Miraculously the next time I played with the buttons that one spun. So got out the pencil and manually turned the other. It worked too. I guess the screws were just stuck from not being used and needed a little manual turning to free them up. Played in the pool all day Sunday. What a blast! Took pics and sent them to my kids.

Although the Protocol sub is alittle dissappointing at times. It only dove about 1-2 feet and I had to be within 5-6 feet for the remote to work. Otherwise it popped to the surface or just stopped. I had visions of sailing it across the pool and back. But once I realized its limits I just drove it back and forth up and down. Really cool for free (it was a gift)! But if I wanted a sub with more range what would you recommend?

From 1988-91 I was the Medical Officer for a squadron of subs out of Norfolk VA. They were Sturgeon Class subs (SSN637). Are there any kits for this class available? Are they for beginners or would it be better to start with something different? What would you recommend? Can you recommend a trustworthy dealer to online purchase from? Thanks again for all your help.