Reno's tutorial #11: Pairing a new Sanwa receiver with your radio

Just bought a new receiver or radio and nothing works? Don't panic, you probably need to pair your new equipment.

Want to pair the two together?

Here's how.

Before getting started, make sure your receiver model is compatible with your radio (FH4/FH5 technology). You'll need to determine your receiver's technology (FH3, FH4, FH5...).

For this, you can use our previous tutorial on receiver compatibility (perhaps you should have looked at it before buying :-) ).

We always recommend “genuine” receivers, i.e. Sanwa brand receivers. Other brand-name receivers, known as “compatible” and often less expensive, use lower-quality components, and the price often reflects their quality.

We've had a lot of negative feedback from using these products: signal loss for no reason, short range, radio loss, incompatibility with brushless speed controllers, and so on.

Next, take your radio and turn it on. You should use a new model straight away, so that we're sure to get off to a good start. To do this, go to “MENU”, then “MODEL”, and finally “SELECT”. Select a new menu, preferably a clear one. If this is not the case, we advise you to clean up with “MODEL” then “RESET”.

If you prefer to keep all your settings and keep your current model because you've already fine-tuned the servo settings, for example, no problem, just stay on your current model, and go to the BIND menu.

In both cases, you can activate the SAFETY LINK mode. This mode allows you to associate one receiver and one receiver only with a particular model. How many times have we seen a driver at a race change class (4x2 and 4x4 or brushless and nitrol) and have a runaway? Too many times :-)

It's particularly effective when you're racing in two classes and don't want your car to go radio-lost if you're on the wrong model. If you have 2 models with Nitro and Brushless, for example, only the nitro will work with its model in the radio and conversely, the radio won't be connected to the brushless receiver if you're on the nitro model.

My advice is to set the safety link on each model. For example, on model number 1, choose safety link number 1, model 2 safety link 2 and so on.

Receiver with bind button (RX-481/RX-482...)

On your radio, once the safety link has been selected, click on BIND. Arrows appear and move. Your remote control is ready for pairing.

Next, on your installed receiver, press and hold the BIND button while switching on the car's power source. 

The blue LED should flash.

Release the button, and click on BIND on the radio, the arrows disappear and your receiver is now paired to your radio. The blue LED is now steady, and it's time to hit the track!

Receiver without bind button (RX-491/RX-492/RX-493...)

This is often the case for new receivers with signal indicator technology (RX493i, RX492i...).

In this case, you'll need to use the small BIND plug supplied with your radio or receiver. This is a small bridge with a servo plug and a blue wire from Sanwa.

With the radio and receiver switched off, connect this BIND plug to your receiver, on the BATT/BIND position (last channel), then plug in the car's power supply. The blue LED flashes. You can now switch off the car's power supply and remove the plug.

Switch on the radio, go to SYSTEM, then click on BIND. Arrows appear and move.

Switch the receiver on again, this time without the plug, so the LED is off.

Click again on BIND in the radio, the arrows stop moving and everything should now work. 

If this isn't the case, repeat the steps, following the instructions carefully.

See you soon for a new episode!

The Shark 
Reno Savoya