RC8X RC Transmitter with 2x R8FG Receiver

Channels and firmware

The RC8X leaves the factory as an 8-channel radio. Firmware V1.3.5, released in May 2026, expands it to 16, and the upgrade is free. The current release is V1.3.6, so a radio on the latest firmware has the wider channel count.

The extra channels need a receiver that can carry them. The two R8FG units supplied here are 8-channel receivers, so using all 16 channels calls for an R16F, which is sold separately. For eight channels or fewer, nothing has to change.

Firmware is installed over the USB Type-C port, downloaded from radiolink.com/rc8x_firmware

Screen, menus and voice

The 4.3-inch IPS touchscreen runs at 800 × 480 with a backlight and a narrow bezel, and is navigated by touch rather than by the button rows and small monochrome LCD used on most surface radios.

Settings menu, font, desktop, system theme, language and voice prompts are all changed on the radio itself. Voice prompts cover low transmitter, receiver and model battery voltage, low RSSI and the operating modes, and their language, format and content can be edited; your own voices, styles, intonations or dialects require a custom voice pack. The 3.5 mm headphone jack lets prompts be heard in noisy surroundings or kept discreet.

Menu languages: Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, Japanese, Spanish, German, Russian, French, Korean, Polish, Portuguese and Dutch. The last two arrived with later firmware, so a radio on an older release shows fewer.

FPV on the built-in screen

With an analog 5.8 GHz receiver module connected, the screen splits: the transmitter menu stays in the upper half and the live picture from the model fills the lower half.

The module and a camera with a video transmitter on the model are both needed, and neither is included. Any analog 5.8 GHz receiver works; the requirement is a composite video signal. The module's cable goes into two ports at once, the 3.5 mm jack for video and the USB Type-C port for power, so it runs off the radio.

The 3.5 mm jack switches from audio output to video input, so headphones and FPV cannot be used at the same time. Digital video systems are not supported; the screen shows analog video only.

Setup is covered in section 2.1.9, External input output, of the manual.

Range and response

FHSS spread spectrum with 67-channel pseudorandom frequency hopping gives interference protection within and between frequency bands, with up to 600 m of range on the ground under open, interference-free conditions.

Servo speed is selectable at 14 ms, 4 ms or 3 ms. 14 ms is the default and is the setting for an analog servo. 4 ms and 3 ms are the digital servo settings, and reaching them takes three things at once: firmware V1.1.5 or later on the transmitter, the FHSS V2 protocol selected, and a receiver that supports digital servo speed: an R8FG V2.1 or R4FGM V2.1, or an R8FG or R4FGM manufactured on 26 April 2023 or later.

Ports and expansion

• DSC port for a simulator, FPV head tracking or a long-range module (described below)
• USB Type-C for firmware upgrades, or temporary power from a computer or power bank
• 3.5 mm headphone jack
• Mount point for the FPV display holder accessory, a bracket for a phone or a separate monitor
• 32 GB microSD card supplied, and the radio does not run without a card inserted
• Compatible with TBS Crossfire and ELRS long-range modules; powering an ELRS module from the Type-C port takes a separate 5 V boost module

The FPV display holder and the thumb lever are accessories and are not included.

The DSC port does three different jobs, set in the menu under External input output, one at a time. Head tracking and a long-range module cannot run together. No DSC cable is included.

Simulator. Set to PPM_OUT, the port sends a PPM signal to a computer so the radio can drive an RC simulator. VRC Pro, CarX and Assetto Corsa Competizione are supported. A PPM-to-USB lead is needed.

FPV head tracking. Set to PPM_IN, the port reads the signal from goggles with head tracking built in, and the radio passes that movement out on ordinary RC channels, typically to a pan and tilt camera mount on the model. Two-axis and three-axis trackers both work. The channels used depend on the goggles and have to be set to NULL in the channel menu first. The Scorpion head tracker is not compatible: its PPM range of 1000–2000 does not match the RC8X range of 300–1700.

TBS Crossfire and ELRS. Set to CRSF, the port takes the signal lead from a long-range module. It carries signal only and does not power the module. A Crossfire module in high power mode increases the control range considerably. The RC4GS V3 and RC6GS V3 do not handle CRSF; the RC8X does.

All three are covered in section 2.1.9, External input output, of the manual.

Mixing, telemetry and gyro

Eight groups of programmable mix control cover nine mix types: steering, brake, gyro, 4WS, dual ESC, CPS, tank, tilt and free programmable mixing. The four most used:

• 4WS mixing for crawlers, logging trucks and other four-wheel-steering vehicles
• Brake mixing, front and rear wheels adjusted independently, for example on larger 1/5 petrol cars
• Tank mixing for twin-motor vehicles such as tanks
• Tilt mixing for boats, where simple parameter setting and smooth control matter

Telemetry covers RSSI, receiver voltage and model battery voltage. RSSI and receiver voltage appear once binding is complete. Model voltage requires the cable to be connected to ESC and battery: up to 14S, 58.8 V with the R8FGH and up to 8S, 33.6 V with the R7FG and R8FG.

Both included R8FG receivers have an integrated gyro and support high-voltage servos. The gyro helps the vehicle hold its line, smooths cornering and reduces drift at higher speeds. Sensitivity is adjusted on CH8 and controlled by the DL1/PS3 knob switch by default.

Power and ergonomics

The transmitter is powered by either 8 AAA batteries, a 2S–4S LiPo pack or a 6S NiMH pack, all within the 7–17 V operating range. A 7.4 V 1700 mAh lithium battery matches the battery compartment and gives around 7 hours of standby. It is an accessory and is not included. RadioLink's voltage protection software and the JST connector guard against reverse polarity.

A computer or a power bank connected over Type-C keeps the radio running temporarily, for instance while settings are made at the bench or firmware is updated. The port takes 5 V and must not exceed 5.5 V. It does not charge the battery, and the battery should be taken out while the radio runs on USB so it is not slowly discharged.

Trigger spring tension and trigger slider are adjustable and the wheel mounts on either side, so left-handers are covered. A lanyard is included.

Compatibility

Receivers: R8FG (supplied), R16F, R16SM, R12F, R8EF, R8FM, R8SM, R8XM, R8FGH, R7FG, R6FG, R6F, R4FGM, R8F and R4F. Ground range depends on the receiver: 600 m with the R8FG, less with the smaller ones.

Model types: crawlers, drag racing cars, drift cars, monster trucks, short course trucks, bashers, off-road cars, petrol and mini RC cars, tanks and tracked vehicles, boats, sailboats, trimarans, bait boats, remote-controlled life buoys and robot projects.

Flight controller hardware over SBUS: ArduPilot, Pixhawk, BetaFlight, Arduino and Raspberry Pi.

Technical specifications

R8FG receiver

Good to know

Maximum range is measured in open areas without interference and varies with the model, installation, antenna placement and surroundings. The 3 ms response requires a compatible receiver, the right firmware version and the FHSS V2 protocol. Some functions need accessories that are not included: an external 5.8 GHz receiver module, an FPV display holder, a thumb lever, TBS Crossfire or an ELRS module.

Full manual: radiolink.com/rc8x_manual