sfaust
Posts: 1800
Joined: 9/6/2002
From: Boston,
MA, USA
Status: offline
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I see you fell prey to the NiCds are drying up and won't be around much longer rumor. Even so, the Alpha does NiMh. The current RC market is 90% (guess but probably damn close) NiCd and NiMH, and will be for the foreseeable future. Regardless of the NiCd rumor, I wish I could agree with you, but I can't. Even as much as I hate Litco's business practices, they hit a niche market that no one else has been able to touch. You can not find a comparable product for the same price. I happen to fall into the niche market, so I know first hand the need many pilots face, and ultimately fall prey to. Yea, he may be laughing all the way to the bank, and his practices may look strange from the outside. But, he is happily making money doing what he wants to do, all the while keeping is business small, lean, and simple, with buyers beating down his door. A dream business for sure. From what I remember, I think I was told he either does 16 units a week, or 160 units a quarter. Repairs aren't an issue. He keeps replacement units in stock for immediate replacement, and the one he repaired for me was turned around within two weeks. So service really isn't the issue, its just the order process that's a pain in the @$$.
As much as I hated going through the process of buying one, it was far less hassle than the 'trying to avoid buying one' stage I went through. I spent 3 times the price of an Alpha 4 trying to find a workable solution to my battery charging woes rather than buy the Alpha 4. Thats more hassle and cost than if I just took the 5 minutes to send an e-mail at 9:00 on the morning the list opened, and went to the bank to get a bank check rather than a credit card. Actually, it was much easier than I anticipated. So much so that I started getting on the list and buying units for friends that asked me. In all, I purchased 7 units and kept 3. I sold all the other units for what I paid for them to my friends with the exception of one which I sold at auction since I ran out of fiends in need. They were all giant scale fliers as well, and the place I see the Alphas the most is at giant scale events. Rarely do I see them at local fields.
The Alpha 4 chargers are a perfect fit for the giant scale airplanes with multiple batteries. Most use redundant receiver batteries, and a ignition battery. Others also add a separate smoke system battery. That puts the majority of the giant scale airplanes with 3 or 4 batteries. With two planes, thats 8 batteries for the airplanes and a transmitter. Now, consider the IMAC or IMAA pilot is at an event with two airplanes. He flies them both during the day, and needs to charge them for the next days activities. With a single charger, he will need to run back and forth from his hotel room about 8 times during the night to move the charger from battery to battery to get everything charged. Not a viable solution in anyones opinion. With two chargers, he cuts that down to 4 times during the night, but still not very feasible if he wants to get any sleep at all. With 4 chargers, he could probably get one charged during the evening after packing up and during dinner, and switch to the other so it will charge while he sleeps. Thats at least feasible, but still not ideal.
But, 4 chargers cost quite a bit more than an Alpha 4. The relationship that one Alpha 4 charger can charge one airplane is better than needing 4 chargers just to charge the same airplane. Its far more convenient, as well as nearly half the cost.
With two Alphas, the pilot can just hook up all 8 charge leads to both of his airplanes when he packs the airplanes at the field, and bring the transmitter to the hotel/RV and charge it on a wall wart.In the morning, everything will be ready for a full day of flying. Simple, cheaper, convenient. Took all of say 5 minutes to plug in the leads and start the charging process. Much better than running back and forth all night tending to the charge process.
Here is the challenge that us giant scale pilots are constantly giving ourselves. Find a single charger, or even four separate chargers, that will do the following for less than $275.
Charge NiCd
Charge NiMh
Charge wet/gel cells
Fast charge with peak,then trickle
Slow charge with peak,then trickle
Trickle charge
Automatic charge with peak, then trickle
Fast charge, timed, then trickle
Slow charge, times, then trickle
Give you capacity readouts for discharge cycle
(doesn't need a voltmeter, we can buy separate)
So far, after searching for a few years, and exchanging notes on all new chargers that hit the market, we have turned up empty. We can get bits and pieces, or even cobble together 4 chargers or two dual charges to get close, but still at a much higher price and far less convenience.
I would like nothing more than to knock Litco off their perch, but I can't. I've got a Miniron charger on order that is basically a Alpha clone. However, even at that, its $70 more and you still have to wait for it. It has 5 ports and a 2amp rate, but is a sequential charger, and not simultaneous. It has merit, and I bought one to evaluate it, but I won't sell one of my Alpha's quite yet.
Whether its outdated technology or not, they Alpha can't be beat for giant scale airplanes as far as price, performance, and convenience to the pilot. In a nutshell, "Why the big deal over the charger?" For IMAC and IMAA pilots, its allows us to sleep at night!
< Message edited by sfaust -- 11/24/2003 8:44:15 PM >
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Stephen
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