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Joined: 12/30/2002 From: Southampton, UNITED KINGDOM Status: offline
MacGregor GG and Controlaire GG Tx's. Below the MacGregor GG TX are two MacGregor single channel Recs. MR50 (relayless) on the left and MR60 (relay) on the right. Below the Controlaire GG TX are Ace Pulse Commander Rec, Rand LR-3 with on board switcher circuit and battery pack.
< Message edited by sotonflyer -- 5/7/2008 5:40:27 PM >
Posts: 204
Joined: 3/26/2003 From: Mission Viejo,
CA, USA Status: offline
Nice systems. The Controlaire has a nice added modification of the meter. It could be either outputpower, or a battery voltage monitor depending on how it was installed.
Looking at the schematics, it is apparent the MacGreggor uses a very simple superhet circuit that combines the local oscillator and mixer into on single stage. Normally, there is a seperate transistor for the oscillator, and a seperate transistor stage for the mixer. The MacGreggor was obviousely designed with low cost in mind, but should work fine. There is an area of the schematic that shows the component values, I would like to see that. I will take a photo of my Ace receiver so you can see where the resistors are that need changing. Too bad you like in the UK, otherwise I'de say sent it to me for a service and tuning.
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Joined: 3/26/2003 From: Mission Viejo,
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GGEEZER how right you are on that audio cap! Some of these come with a 70uf, or a 90uf, both those values are no longer availlable. I have an F&M Vanguard, the relay type, but it's a later version with the relay removed for Ghost. It works great, and I had to put a 33uf in it to get it right!!
The pioneer had about 5 microvolt sensitvity as measured on my signal generator, and over 275 feet of ground range, antenna down on Tx. You are right in that it is one good little unit, Frank Hoover knew his stuff.
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Posts: 31
Joined: 12/30/2002 From: Southampton, UNITED KINGDOM Status: offline
Hello Jay,
I did not realise that the meter on the Controlaire was a mod. I will take a look inside and see how it is wired. Mind you, this Tx has had some fiddling, for example there is a switch on the top (can't quite see it in the photo) to allow it to be used for single channel.
So far these MacGregor recs have given me good service in single channel aircraft. Still not sure if the relayless version can be used with my Rand, although as I say the relay version is working well.
If you can take a photo of your Ace that would be a great help. I am sure I located one of the resistors that needs changing, but the 100 ohm one was proving difficult. I think I found it although it was 120 ohm.
As far as the Controlaire and Ace rec go I am almost tempted to hang the expense and send these to you for a service and tuning! I have got to get them working one way or another.
Peter, I found the operating instruction sheets for the Controlaire Tx., the Rand GG Pak and the Ace Commander DE rec. There is a lot of information there. Would these be of any help to you? If so, I could scan them.
Jay, I am only really experienced with NiCadbatteries. Why do you not recommend the Ni MH batteries. They have a much higher capacity, up to 2400 mAH for pen cells?
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Joined: 3/26/2003 From: Mission Viejo,
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Hey Orv, could you post those documents here or send them to me? I am compiling a data library for servicing these radios. I have some schematics for Min-x, Rand decoder, Hallco, and other stuff.
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Joined: 3/26/2003 From: Mission Viejo,
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Orv, the reason is simple: 3 cells Ni MH will only give 3.3 volts, too low for the Rand 3.6 Volt motor in the Rand Pak actuator to cycle/go-around.
If you use 4 cells. then you have 4.4 volts, which is too much voltage for a 3.6 volt system.
Ni MH cells are only 1.1 volts per cell as opposed to 1.2 volts per cell with NiCads.
For this reason, you have to use 5 cells when replaceing a 4 cell 4.8 volt NiCad pack with Ni MH. If you use just 4 Ni MH cells, the voltage will be below 4.8 volts and your reciever will glitch. For the transmitter, you need 9 cells with Ni MH.
So, it's not capacity, it's voltage.
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Folks, I'm either an idiot or it was too late at night when I uploaded the Galloping Ghost manuals but I loaded some twice and missed some pages. I reloaded my 4-shared virtual drive again, hopefully correct this time. Sorry for the confusion. Go to: http://www.4shared.com/dir/4862535/7cc4d471/sharing.html
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Joined: 12/30/2002 From: Southampton, UNITED KINGDOM Status: offline
Hello Orv,
I appreciate this - very useful! I now know what you mean by the wire coming through a gromet in the back of the Controlaire GG TX. My Controlaire has this wire, but it does NOT go through the back of the case. There is no gromet - the wire is stiff and just sits (mid-air) in the case.
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Joined: 3/26/2003 From: Mission Viejo,
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Peter, does the case have the grommet? If so, you can bend the wire so that it will align and pass through the grommet. There is a chance that the wire stub may have been contacting the rear cover, which would de-tune the antenna and reduce output power and range accordingly.
There was one later version of the Controlaire like yours that did not have the grommet on the rear cover. Your Controlaire has the later OS style stick( copy of OS) and the two blue pots on the main board in the upper right corner. These two pots are for setting up the pulse rate and width. Earlier Controlaires used a Bonner type stick, and the pulse rate and width adjustments are made by moving the stick's pot shafts as outlined in the Controlaire Tx. instructions you posted.
Bob Gardner(Bobberos) has manuals for the later Controlaire transmitters, and I bet if you ask him he can supply you a copy of the instructions for your version. Bob is an expert in documenting all the versions of the Controlaire Ghost transmitters. I think there were at least 5 version we have seen. The first had an open gimbal, the next two versions had the Bonner stick, and the last two versions had the OS style stick.
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Posts: 204
Joined: 3/26/2003 From: Mission Viejo,
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That is the last version Peter, the stub antenna is basically not used. I don't know the reason for that but maybe, with the power reducing modification(see my other post) made the stub antenna innefective, and so it was eliminated. It might be explained in the original literature that came with the kit, which I have never had a copy of.
The guys I have spoke with that owned these later versions like yours, and even myself included, have all noticed the later versions had less range. The modification I outlined fixed that though.
I have the version which is before yours, it has the grommet, and stub antenna, with the same stick as yours, but a red button for High throttle. The antenna has a black plastic encased center load coil.
RCBOB tells me the 2N706A output transistor sometimes needs to be replaced if all else fails, but be sure to confirm yours does not have the power reducing 100 ohm resistor first. There is no output tuning coils on the last two versions, so ignore my earlier posts on tuning the transmitter RF section. There is however a small plastic moulded choke that has about 4 turns of green enameled wire wound on it, this replaces the output tuning coil used on earlier versions. Bob tells me they used to replace the plastic moulded choke with a choke that had exposed copper windings, and wind it with the 4 turns of green enameled wire. The purpose of this was that with the chokes winding, and the second winding in intimate contact, it increased the coupling of RF signal drive to the final amplifier and really kicked up the power output. I'm going to have to try that after locating the right wire wound choke value. Pictures below of the unmodified coil.
< Message edited by jaymen -- 5/15/2008 7:05:31 PM >
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RE: Ghost help - 
