Re: OT: Any serious RC modelers in Reeky

 

Isn't it odd how your complaints about RC flying are exactly the same
as your complaints about reeky?

 
I remember that adherence to frequency tags (do they still use
coloured pennants for this?) was de rigeur in my 27MHz days (do they
still use this frequency?)

 
I remember that adherence to frequency tags (do they still use
coloured pennants for this?) was de rigeur in my 27MHz days (do they
still use this frequency?)

=====
I very vaguely recall that most are on 49 MHz. 27 MHz is the CB band, and
yes, there are still control sets made for that. I might be mistaken about
the 49 MHz. That's a bit close to the 50 MHz, 6 meter ham band. Maybe that's
right, maybe that ain't. There are controllers on 6m, but you need a ham
license and have the problems of possible very strong, nearby interference.
The air and surface freqs on 49 MHz (that rings right when I write it) are
relatively quiet, and shared only with fellow R/Cers. You can at least
police that to some extent at flying fields.

I flew gas heli's back in the day. A 23 ci weedwhacker thumper in an
Intrepid airframe still sits on the top shelf in my garage. The last time I
flew it was 10 years ago. Electrics are all the rage now. Small brushless
motors and high power lipos make it possible to fly just about anything cut
from pink insulation sheet foam. I toyed with them a few years back. I still
have one wound from an old CD drive motor that takes 300 watts. It won't
sound like much to someone used to 1/4 scale, but at less than 1 pound total
weight, it flies darned good. There are some crazies powering 1/3 and 1/4
scale monsters with electrics. The batteries have to cost many times the
airframe itself.

Small foamies are the way to go. I fly them in the little league field, 20
yards outside my back gate. They're quiet, and apparently non-threatening to
the neighbors. The only feedback I get is strongly positive. Starry eyed
kids, even old folks stop to talk about 'em. This is in a neighborhood where
they called the cops to chase out some guy lobbing golf balls with a
pitching wedge when the park was otherwise empty. 3D aerobats are as low as
$20, or you can cut your own from foam insulation sheets. This is as close
to grass roots as you'll find.

All that aside, Bob, have you looked at SDR for ham radio? Speaking strictly
of pastimes, that is. I built a receive only HF band rig on a $100 FPGA
experimenter's card practically overnight. Chat me up offline or here if
you're interested. That sounds like something up your alley. Or maybe not
for being too much like your work.

 
The newer radios don't have that problem. My old Flash 5x does have to
worry.
--
Keith

 
Yes and know there's also 72MHz and 2.4 Ghz bands fr RC models.

Bob Nixon..