The Futaba 3UCP: My Radio System of Choice

I am old school when it comes to radio control systems.  All of the store-bought cars and trucks I had as a kid were controlled by 2-stick transmitters, so when it came time to purchase the radio system to go with my brand new Tamiya Super Champ kit in 1984, I chose a 2-stick system from Futaba.   Back then pistol grip transmitters were unheard of, if in fact they existed at that time (I honestly cannot remember).  

The radio system I got to control the Super Champ was the FP-T2NL Attack with FP-R2GS 2 channel AM receiver and two S28 servos on channel 82 (75.830MHz) in the 75MHz band.  It was a low-end radio system, being AM and only 2 channels, but back then 2.4GHz did not exist, and FM was relegated to the elite few that could afford the higher price of less glitchy control.  I certainly was not one of them.  Having been used to the cheap AM transmitters included in the store-bought cars, the Futaba Attack system was an incredible upgrade in terms of workmanship and feel.  The transmitter felt heavy, especially with the 8 AA batteries installed.  The plastics looked and felt high quality.  The sticks were knurled and machined aluminum.  The gimbals were incredibly smooth and precise.  There was no side-to-side wobble and no stiffness or weird resistance to movement like the cheap toy transmitters I was so used to.  Just precise control.  The sticks felt like they were supported by ball bearings to my inexperienced hands, even though they weren't.  The servos directed the horns exactly where the sticks told them to, every time.  There was even a voltage meter on the front, which, when the radio was turned on, showed the output level of the batteries so you'd know if it was time to replace them.  I had finally made the leap to "hobby grade" radio control, and it was awesome.  I still have that radio system, and it still works fine.  It's old and dirty and it's not mounted in any of my cars any more.  Only one thing could make me retire that system:  A better radio system.

In the early 90's, pistol grip systems were becoming more popular.  The major brands like Airtronics and Futaba were designing some very sophisticated radio systems for cars and boats.  But I was still used to the 2-stick transmitter.  It was what I grew up with.  I mean, I could get used to a pistol grip, but I still had a preference for thumb control.  There were a few reasons to want to upgrade the radio system I was using for my growing fleet of ground and water vehicles.  First, AM was beginning to take a back seat to FM, and then PCM, and the greater precision and resistance to interference was getting more important in my eyes.  Watching one of my vehicles go off on its own into a curb or other immovable object was not something I wanted to see more than once.  Believe me, I had seen it, and it was not pretty.  These cars were not cheap and back then I wanted to drive, not fix broken A-arms.  Second, the trim settings for each vehicle were slightly different, and it was a pain to reset them each time I switched to another vehicle, so multiple model memory was required.  Third, the FCC had just changed the rules for the radio control spectrum, and narrow band was now mandatory for all new radio systems.  The old radios were still allowed for a few more years, but the writing was on the wall for my old system.

Then, I saw the radio system of my dreams:  The Futaba 3UCP Field Force 3.  The 3UCP was a 2-stick, 3 channel radio system that used Futaba's PCM1024 technology, which, at the time, was some of the best technology available.  It came with the R113iP PCM1024 3-channel receiver and two S9301 servos.  It had everything I had ever wanted in a radio system, but the price was way out of my league.  I was still in college at the time, with no job, so there was no way to afford a luxury item like that.  At least not until I graduated and started making money. 

After graduating in 1993 and getting a job later on in the year (there was a small recession back then, remember?), I finally had some money that could be spent on "toys" such as these.  Futaba was still making the 3UCP, so I bought one.  Finally, I got what was the absolute top of the line 2-stick radio system ever made by Futaba for ground-based vehicles at the time.  It was computer controlled, with a large LCD screen, 6 model memory, programmable mixing, throttle exponential, dual rates, sub-trim, 4-wheel steering, tilt, twin servo control, lap timers and more. 

The Futaba 3UCP Field Force 3 PCM1024 transmitter

It was so complicated that it scared me a little.  I had to learn what all of these functions did, and get used to the terminology.   There was ATV, D/R, EXP, and CURV to name a few.

Just some of the display/setup screens on the 3UCP

My only wish about the 3UCP:  A way to program the name of the vehicle, even just 3 or 4 letters, in each memory slot.   As it is, I have to keep a piece of paper with each transmitter to know which model number goes with which vehicle.  It's really the only complaint I have about it.

The 3UCP was never very popular in the United States, mostly because it was a 2-stick design.  Most big-name and club racers were using pistol grip transmitters.  Also, it was very expensive at around $380 in 1994.  This price was significantly more than its pistol grip counterpart at the time, the 3PB Magnum PCM1024, which sold for approximately $290.  Futaba stopped production of the 3UCP sometime in 1996.

Fast forward to today, and I'm still using the 3UCP to control all of my ground-based vehicles.  My fleet of vehicles has grown over the years to around 24 running models and many more still in kit boxes, waiting to be built.  I now own five 3UCP transmitters and 30 R113iP receivers, exactly enough to max out each transmitter's model memory.  Four out of the five sets I have were brand new when I got them, and the 5th was in very good condition and only needed a new FP-TP-FM transmitter module to make it complete.  As it turns out, the TP series of modules are hard to find in 75MHz ground format, but I finally got one.

My "fleet" of 3UCP radios.

I keep all of my 3UCP transmitters in radio cases for protection from dust and damage. 

I have upgraded the batteries in each transmitter using an 8 cell 9.6V NiMH 2200mAh pack from http://www.batteryspace.com.  The battery pack fits in the compartment along with some foam and uses a connector for easy replacement.  I had to open each transmitter in order to solder the connector, but it was very easy to do.  Now there are no more corroded 9V connector tabs and wimpy Futaba 500mAh NiCd battery packs.  The runtime is something like 4 hours.

My next plan was to buy one of Futaba's newest flagship 2-stick radio systems, the 2.4GHz 3VCS, however Futaba recently discontinued it and removed it from all storefronts.  I really wish I had bought one when I had the chance since it is impossible to find now.  The 3VCS seemed like a worthy successor to the 3UCP.  Now I don't know what I will do once I max out the model memory on these.