Contents of different ant kits

[daveimi]

I’ve decided to buy one of the £130 ant kits with the radio. I’ve been reading on the website, and noticed they do a version with gear motors instead. Does anyone know if the £130 gea rmotor kit comes with a radio and ESC or whether you have to buy them separately? The way I’m reading it is that the £130 gear motor kit is the same as the £130 radio kit, except with gear motors instead of servos, and with ESC’s to power them. Am I right in this? Can anyone shed any light on exactly what you get as the site is a bit vague?
I will sign up to the Ant forum but don’t have time today and want to get the kit ordered.

[duff]

From what I can see the £130 gear motor kit comes with ESC and radio gear. I say ESC but I think they're actually modified servo control boards. There is an option to get it without the radio for £75. Wouldn't you be better off getting the £75 option as you already have a tx for your featherweight?

Also, have you spoke to Will about his ShockBots kits? I fought one at the last AWS and it was very impressive (yes it beat me...).

[daveimi]

Oh wow I didn't even know Schock Bot's existed they're awesome. Will find Will n pm him!

Yeah I already have a tx but was worried my rx would be too heavy. Do you guys just bind a lightweight rx to your normal tx?

[Shakey]

http://www.lemon-rx.com/shop/index.p...&product_id=94
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...Receivers.html Some of the orange guys are good.

Most guys tend to run either the LemonRX or the 6ch/4ch Orange RX to their TX. I think the kit comes with an RX even without TX though.

[duff]

Yeah, just bind any rx to your transmitter and that kit should work fine. You don't really need that lightweight an rx though. I use an orange 6ch one in a couple of my ants. Just take the cover off and they only weigh a couple of grams.

One of the current favourite receivers is the lemon rx. Only about £4 and it weighs 2g.

http://www.lemon-rx.com/shop/index.p...&product_id=65

Edit: Ah, beat me to it!

[daveimi]

That's cool I can just use my own radio then. Can't be bothered with a heavy, it's not going well and too dear lol. Just want to stick to feather's, beetles and ant's but with ant's being more established I thought I'd have a go at one of them next. The events seem pretty regular too so I can get loads of fights.

[Shakey]

Yeah I get that, I'm an Antweight roboteer foremost (4 years) and running even my feathers in comparison is a pain :P This heavy I'm collecting for is a whole new deal (It won't even be able to be transported without making a jig to go in my boot!).

Plus the contests for ants are great, the last one was around 100 robots!

[daveimi]

Yeah heavyweights are fantastic, and I could cobble together some sort of concoction if I was desperate, but I've gained a real appreciation of what it takes to run one never mind be successful. I take my hat off to them. The other thing as well is that the EO's sell their shows based on the heavy turn out, and my work can be hit and miss together with having two kids under 4. I wouldn't be able to commit to the regular event pattern that the EO's need to run the leagues and regular tournements with. With things like the feathers and the ants and the beetles if they catch on, I can build a few robots and involve my 4 yr old in it all and get to events fairly regular. I'm a technician in the day job so this smaller stuff is right up my street skills and tools wise, where as to run a heavy I'd really need a grand behind me and skills I just don't have such as CNC and welding etc.