Yes—if it is a suitable DC actuator and the receiver has a properly rated reversing output. The radio only tells the controller what you want. It does not know where the rod is, whether a hand is in the mechanism, or whether the motor has hit a hard stop. I start with those questions before I look at transmitter range or button count.
Read the actuator label before choosing the receiver
First identify what is inside the actuator. A basic two-wire brushed DC unit usually changes direction when the polarity across its motor leads is reversed. A unit with a feedback sensor, built-in controller, or several control wires may need a different interface. Do not put reversing motor voltage onto signal or feedback wires because the connector happens to fit.
Record the rated voltage, stroke, travel time, loaded running current, and starting or stall current. Ask whether there are internal end switches. Some models have them; some do not. A receiver advertised as “12 V, 10 A” is not automatically suitable for a motor that draws much more at start or at the end of travel. Check the output's DC motor rating and the actual load, not just the number printed beside a relay.
The end limit must stop travel in one direction
At full extension, the actuator must stop extending and still be able to retract. At full retraction, it must stop retracting and still be able to extend. That sounds obvious until somebody adds one ordinary switch in series with the whole motor supply: once it opens, the actuator cannot back away from the end.
If the actuator has internal limits, verify their operation with its own documentation before adding external controls. If you need a shorter usable stroke, use limit inputs on a suitable controller or a direction-sensitive external limit arrangement designed for this motor. The exact circuit depends on the actuator and driver; a generic two-wire sketch is a poor substitute for the manufacturer's wiring diagram.
During commissioning, run slowly toward each end and confirm the correct direction is blocked while the opposite direction remains available. Test the limits under the real mechanical load. A switch that works on the bench can be mounted a few millimetres too late once the linkage flexes.
Never let extend and retract drive together
The receiver needs a true forward/reverse control scheme, whether that is a rated H-bridge or a properly interlocked relay arrangement. Two independent relay channels with no interlock can energize opposing paths together. That can damage contacts, wiring, or the supply before the actuator moves at all.
I also want a defined neutral state when the operator changes direction. Stop the motor, then reverse it; do not treat an immediate direction change under load as an ordinary button transition. If the mechanism has substantial inertia or a high thrust load, check the actuator maker's limits on reversing and duty cycle.
Decide what “stop” means to the operator
For positioning by eye, I normally specify hold-to-run: press Extend to move, release to stop. A latched command that keeps travelling after one tap can be useful for a guarded, repeatable stroke, but only when end limits and the rest of the machine logic are designed for it.
Ask the uncomfortable question in the workshop: what happens if the transmitter battery falls out halfway through a stroke? Also test a receiver power interruption and restart. With a one-way radio, the transmitter cannot by itself prove that the receiver stopped the motor. The receiver or machine controller must define the lost-command timeout and restart state. A handheld RF remote is not an emergency-stop circuit.
Size and test the power path as a motor circuit
Use the actuator's loaded and starting current to select the driver, supply, fuse, connectors, and wire. Verify the controller's rating for a DC inductive load. If you add suppression, use a method compatible with polarity reversal; an ordinary one-way diode directly across a reversing motor will conduct when the polarity changes.
Before handing over the machine, I run this short test with the actual linkage attached:
Extend and retract through the full usable travel; verify both end limits and the ability to back away.
Release each button mid-stroke and confirm the expected stop behavior.
Try conflicting button presses and a deliberate direction change under normal load.
Interrupt the radio command, then cycle receiver power; watch for any unexpected restart.
Repeat several loaded cycles and check supply voltage at the controller, wiring temperature, and any fault indication.
If the actuator moves correctly without radio but fails with the remote, diagnose the command path. If the receiver output changes but the actuator does not move, look at the motor supply, limits, wiring, and mechanical load. Keeping those two paths separate saves a surprising amount of time.
What to send when asking for a matched system
Send the actuator model and wiring diagram, supply voltage, measured current if available, required stroke and load, and whether the motion should stop on button release. Tell us about internal or external limits, local switches, and the required behavior after signal loss or a power restart. With those details, we can choose a reversing control arrangement that fits the machine rather than guessing from “12 V wireless remote.”