speed meter

[dave_t]

are there any other on-board speed meters other than the venom one?

[danmaxman1]

Buy a GPS. That way you can use it for other things.

[danmaxman1]

Buy a GPS. That way you can use it for other things.

[dave_t]

hhmmm.. $40 dollar speed meter that i can actually use to see how fast my RC cars are going.. or a several hundred dollar GPS that i can't use...

[danmaxman1]

What? A GPS will tell you how fast your top speed and curent speed is. BTW mine cost $100 not several hundred

[shook2000]

You say "sevral hunderd dollar gps that i cant use" Why cant you use it?

[dave_t]

maybe we're thinking of different types of GPS i'm thinking of hand held ones (my friend just got one worth about $600 cdn) it tells you your current speed.. but you have to be able to look at it to see what it says

[Nitrosport63]

it shows current speed, max speed, average speed, distance, all that cool stuff. Yeah i got a garmin GPS. it was $75 at gander mountain.

[DodgeRam88]

I understand what dave_t is saying. How are you going to hold a GPS, piont it at the r/c and control it at the same time. The Venom records what your highest speed was and then you can view it later. Hands-free operation is the key.

-Chris

[Nitrosport63]

you put the gps on the car. the probolem is, the venom speed meter isnt as accurate. cause it takes the speed off you spur gear and that doesnt copmpensate tire expansion. the gps takes it from the satelite. you jsut put the gps under the body with it straped all down...... then let it go......it will show the track you went and everything. it shows TOP speed with hands free operation.

[DodgeRam88]

Okay so we have established that we are in fact talking about a non handheld GPS. Does anyone have a link to what they use?

-Chris

[Nitrosport63]

it is a handheld GPS- http://www.garmin.com/products/etrex/ notice on the gps on the bottom it says the speed. then theres many options liek top speed and average speed. its abou the size of a cell phone

[dave_t]

i belive this is the one my friend got... http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap60cs/

[rustlerbum]

check out what Swami did with the Garmin eTrex. You can see that it stores the top speed in memory so you can see how fast you went after you stop the truck.

From the Garmin website:
Suggested Retail Price:
$106.24 U.S.D. (for domestic US market only)

nowhere near $600.

You dont need some highend GPS unit just use This $106 one

I understand what dave_t is saying. How are you going to hold a GPS, piont it at the r/c and control it at the same time. The Venom records what your highest speed was and then you can view it later. Hands-free operation is the key.

You guys are confused...its GPS, not radar. It measures the speed of whatever it is attached to (your truck). You can then review it later, just like with the venom one, except it is accurate. It operates completely hands free.

[dave_t]

The GPSMAP® 60CS
Suggested Retail Price:
$535.70 U.S.D. (for domestic US market only)

[Fr0z3N]

What other uses would a GPS be?

[DodgeRam88]

Ahh, now I see. Those things are pretty niffty. I wish they were a tad smaller though. I know they are already small, but it kind of takes up alot of room on an r/c. Is there a GPS unit the size of the Venom Speed Meter. Hmm, that sounds like it would be a tracking device to me...

-Chris

[dave_t]

Originally posted by Fr0z3N
What other uses would a GPS be?

road trips, sailing, measuring a 1/4 mile, just some of the things my friend will be using his for

[rustlerbum]

Originally posted by dave_t
The GPSMAP® 60CS
Suggested Retail Price:
$535.70 U.S.D. (for domestic US market only)

You did see the $106 i linked to right? That one has all the features you need to measure top speeds of your R/C. It is plenty small, and reasonably priced.

Other GPS uses:
-Making maps of where you've been (high tech trail of bread crumbs)
-measuring speed of your 1:1 vehicle
-Geocaching

[dave_t]

Originally posted by rustlerbum


You did see the $106 i linked to right? That one has all the features you need to measure top speeds of your R/C. It is plenty small, and reasonably priced.

Other GPS uses:
-Making maps of where you've been (high tech trail of bread crumbs)
-measuring speed of your 1:1 vehicle
-Geocaching

i know.. i was refering top the one my friend bought... don't really have a use for one.. to me it's not worth the money.. when i get my car maybe.. but for my RC cars i think i'll stick with the venom.. besides.. if the gps tells you your top speed it'll be remebering the speed from the full size car

[rustlerbum]

Originally posted by dave_t
if the gps tells you your top speed it'll be remebering the speed from the full size car

no it wont. You can reset the memory whenever you need to so that it records the top speed you want. just talk to your friend, and have him show you how this works. They are very easy to use, and work well for measuring speed.

[e-maxxermatt]

i used the venom speed meter on my e-maxx for a while but it wasnt accurate, so i put it on my 4-tec (tires dont blimp so its accurate) i broke my gps using it on my e-maxx so i really think its a bad idea to use a gps on ur truck becuase if it falls off it will break and its just not worth the risk imo

matt

[dave_t]

Originally posted by rustlerbum


no it wont. You can reset the memory whenever you need to so that it records the top speed you want. just talk to your friend, and have him show you how this works. They are very easy to use, and work well for measuring speed.

i've been showing him how it works

so the venom works good on the 4-tec but not the trucks?

[stampede720]

Originally posted by dave_t
so the venom works good on the 4-tec but not the trucks?

All rubber tires balloon, and therefore the Venom meter will be inaccurate. You also have to measure rollout value of the tires, meaning that the "human error" isn't eliminated, and the average percentage of error will be greater as the tire gets smaller.

GPS's aren't as accurate as radar can be, because they add weight. Some people have gotten skewed readings on radar, however.

The Garmin Geko weighs 2.2 oz. less than the eTrex, meaning more accurate speeds, and I'm pretty sure it has a smaller footprint, meaning easier mounting.

[roboman2115]

Can the Garmin eTrex show maps on its screen or does it just show the compass. I think I might get one.

[Nitrosport63]

yes, i took a trip to tennesse and i had it on the whole time. it was accurate enough to show the two paths i went, one way on the high way, and back. it is super accurate. and it doesnt show a map.....but its shows the track youy went. you can set midpoints too, so it will give the distance of the path. GPS stands for Global positioning system (device). and the etrex u cant upload any maps to it. and another thing. you can save all your waypoints and paths and speeds

[dave_t]

ok so is the conclusion to saev my money and get a police officer to tell me how fast my 4-tec and sportmaxx go?

[rustlerbum]

if you can convince the officer to do it...go ahead. Just make sure you dont get a speeding ticket for your R/C's

[dave_t]

hmmm good point.. top speed limit in my city 50 KM/h top speed of a stock sportmaxx 30MPH i think i'm in trouble

[roboman2115]

I think you guys convinced me to get the eTrax Camo version. Unless someelse knows of one for the same price only with more features?

[roboman2115]

Can this one show max speed, average speed, etc. like the eTrax one?

http://www.magellangps.com/en/produc...sp?PRODID=1015

[DodgeRam88]

My buddy brought something to my attention. My parents' Motorola i730s (Nextel) have GPS. Do you think I could strap that to my E-Maxx and then just before I start the speed test I have my dad call Nextel and ask them to give the current speed of the cell phone? (I know that sounds funny)

-Chris

[rustlerbum]

Originally posted by DodgeRam88
My buddy brought something to my attention. My parents' Motorola i730s (Nextel) have GPS. Do you think I could strap that to my E-Maxx and then just before I start the speed test I have my dad call Nextel and ask them to give the current speed of the cell phone? (I know that sounds funny)

-Chris

The GPS in cell phones is meant only to locate the phone, usually when a 911 call is placed from the phone. If they can even tell you the speed (which i'm unsure if they can or not), it probably would be inaccurate and too much of a hassle anyways. It would be hard enough to get an accurate speed reading at any time during the run, much less a reading when at top speed.

[NitroRCracer]

the venom speed meters are a waste of time.
as mentioned you have tyre balooning, and have to measure the rollout of the tyre, but more importantly the little magnets let fly off your axles and get lost in the dirt n stuff.

best bet is to get a hand held radar gun, or go to a sports shop and get one like i did.
you can see it working in my "4tec pro Vs 4tec pro" video.

[dave_t]

Originally posted by NitroRCracer
the venom speed meters are a waste of time.
as mentioned you have tyre balooning, and have to measure the rollout of the tyre, but more importantly the little magnets let fly off your axles and get lost in the dirt n stuff.

best bet is to get a hand held radar gun, or go to a sports shop and get one like i did.
you can see it working in my "4tec pro Vs 4tec pro" video.

thanks.. how much does something like that cost? the venom's are $50+ each i think.. so if it's under $100 i guess it's woth it (i'm speaking CDN dollars of course)

[NitroRCracer]

i honestly dont know what they are worth now, because that one would be at least 10 - 12 years old..
my bro used it when he was a bowler at cricket. he passed it along to me when i started RC so it would get used instead of sit in his cupboard.

any good sporting shop should sell ones like it.. it says on the back "will measure golf balls, hockey pucks, baseballs etc up to 150mph or 199kph.

[danmaxman1]

My dad just went on a trip with his work and won this