Which radios are negative shift, positive shift - radio system characteristics

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  • anonymous
    • Oct 2025

    #1

    Which radios are negative shift, positive shift - radio system characteristics

    I have several radio's, and have just ordered the new Polks TrackerIII, due in around February. I've got to buy about a dozen new servos and a couple of receivers to get all of my boats up and running, and have a real basic question to ask.
    Does the ACE Nautical Commander (AM) have a pos or neg shift for its servos?
    Does the Futaba(FM) have a pos or neg shift?

    I think I'm getting Oldtimers disease...I'v only been doing this since the 1950's, but cant remember which shift direction the radios go.
    Thanks for your help.
  • wheels
    SubCommittee Member
    • Feb 2003
    • 129

    #2
    First off throw away your

    First off throw away your AM receivers as they will not work with the new radio. The Futuba FM is a positive shift if my memory is correct. The good news here is that you can make each boat/sub either postive or negative shift during programing that selection and you can have up to 99 different programs with naming up to 7 characters/entry. I hope this helps.

    Respectfully,
    Jim Wheeler

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    • wingtip
      Member
      • Dec 2004
      • 335

      #3
      futaba is NEGATIVE shift (at

      futaba is NEGATIVE shift (at least in aircraft radios, cant imagine surface would be different) JR is positive shift...
      but if that polk is shift selectable that is a nice feature so you can use existing stuff , but not on AM, you wouldnt want to anyways ...

      I will be using a JR 8103 PCM radio on 75mhz to accomplish the programming i need and give me failsafes for each channel without having to buy a cheap aftermarket one for every channel.

      Comment

      • anonymous

        #4
        Hi guys...Thanks for the input.

        Hi guys...Thanks for the input. I'll use the ACE Nautical Commander (AM) for a BB44 USS California and a DLG 29 USS Fox surface shps. The new Tracker III (FM) will be used for my submarine (rebuilt Engels Patrick Henry, now with wet hull and RECABS), as well as for a PT boat, sailboat, and future subs. The Futaba (FM) is used on yet another sailboat.
        So far it looks like it's a split decision on the shift direction question for both the Futaba and, most importantly, the ACE nautical Commander, so we'll have to wait for some tie breakers on the shift question.

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        • chips
          Member
          • Feb 2003
          • 494

          #5
          Current Negative shift radios are]

          [color=#000000]Current Negative shift radios are]

          Comment

          • tmsmalley
            SubCommittee Member
            • Feb 2003
            • 2376

            #6
            Ace "Nautical Commander Gold" FM

            [color=#000000]Ace "Nautical Commander Gold" FM radios are also negative shift (like the Futaba and Hitec) so they will work with Futaba/Robbe and Hitec receivers.

            Newbie tip]

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            • tsenecal

              #7
              I thought there was a

              I thought there was a difference between the two generations of "Ace" nautical commanders....

              those that predate thundertiger buying up Ace's assetts differ from those that postdate the bankruptcy.... I am pretty sure the two (different) Ace nautical commanders i have are not compatible. (in fact I think the newer one even has a JR receiver)

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              • anonymous

                #8
                Tsenecal and everyone who has

                Tsenecal and everyone who has contributed to my question...thanks very much for your insight. I believe that you are correct, tsenecal. I have an older version of the Nautical Commander, from back in the days when ACE was in Higgensville, Mo. I suspect that the "old Commanders" may have been incompatable with the post Thunder Tiger units, which would make them positive shift radios. My actual radio is in storage, but I'll get off my fanny and try to find it in the next day or so (we just moved from California to Utah, and the house looks sort of like a warehouse down in the basement). Again...thanks to all,and Merry Christmas.

                Comment

                • tmsmalley
                  SubCommittee Member
                  • Feb 2003
                  • 2376

                  #9
                  My ACE Nautical Commander Gold

                  My ACE Nautical Commander Gold was purchased in year 2000 and was part of the re-release. It works fine with modern Futaba receivers.

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