What was your first Radio?  
View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Tower Hobbies
Enter up to 4 keywords or Tower stock numbers
Logged in as Guest



Users viewing this topic: none
  Printable Version
       


JR PCM 10X Heli
Seller:  chritrinh
Details:   $500.00   |  11/8/2008   |  Classified Ad
We will rotate YOUR AD in this spot if you select "Forum Featured" when placing or editing your ad!

All Forums >> Radios, Batteries, Clubhouse and more >> RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros >> What was your first Radio?
Page: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7   next >   >>  

Login
Message << Older Topic   Newer Topic >>
What was your first Radio? - 3/29/2002 7:36:13 AM   
Bob Laine



Posts: 1351
Joined: 1/7/2002
From: Loganville, GA, USA
Status: offline 		OK oldtimers, what was the first radio you had when you started flying RC. I started with "Mule" single channel transmitter kit, made by World Engines Inc. My receiver was a single Ch "SH 100 Citizenship. Made by Citizen Radio , also built from a kit. My first airplane was a"48' WS "Spook", It was powered by an .049 Baby Bee made by Cox. Back in those days (1959) we all flew on the same frequency. Needless to say we suffered many more radio interferenceas than we do today. My first multi rig, was an Orbt, 10 channel Reed Set, which by todays standards, would be a Five channel. I'm just curious how long you've been flying, and what " your first rig was rig you used.

_____________________________

"Georgia on my mind"
AMA 8143 "Leader Member"
       Post #: 1

What was your first Radio? - 3/29/2002 8:32:27 AM   
Gill


 

Posts: 84
Joined: 12/6/2001
From: Prescott, AZ, USA
Status: offline 		It almost hurts to remember so far back... first receiver was a Lorenz two tuber, kit I think, in the early 50's. Had trouble with a Sigma relay and converted it to a transistor output driving a miniature relay similar to the ones used on reeds. Flew this in several planes- a Dreamboat seaplane by Ken Willard, a DeBolt Trainer. Both of those planes lived through the Lorenz to get tone receivers, again kits.

My first Transmitter was a ground base CW unit with a 7 or 8 foot antenna. Later converted it to tone. I was tied to it with a 6 foot pushbutton cord to operate the escapements.

First reed was a home built reed tied to one of the tube detector home builts. Even built the reed bank. But my first commercial reed set was an Orbit 12 channel. Super set, all transistorized. Fabulous range.

The true "Good Old Days".

_____________________________

Jerry Gill
Prescott, Arizona

(in reply to Bob Laine)
       Post #: 2

What was your first Radio? - 3/29/2002 8:41:31 AM   
Bob Laine



Posts: 1351
Joined: 1/7/2002
From: Loganville, GA, USA
Status: offline 		Thanks for the reply, I love looking back to the good old days.
I have always thought the I had more fun back then.

By the way, are you a "Ham"? With all the building of your equipment, I'm guessing tha you are. My call sign is, N5SGC

_____________________________

"Georgia on my mind"
AMA 8143 "Leader Member"

(in reply to Bob Laine)
       Post #: 3

First radio - 3/29/2002 8:58:24 AM   
MTT



Posts: 561
Joined: 1/18/2002
From: West Chester, OH, USA
Status: offline 		My fathers (and later mine) first radio was a Graupner/Grundig 2-channel Variophon, nonproportional. In order to achieva a servo output between 0 and full deflection, you had to move the stick intermittently. Took a lot of pratice !

I later switched to Multiplex, first Combi 80, then a Royal mc, after that a Cockpit MM, and now a profi mc 3030.

Michael

(in reply to Bob Laine)
       Post #: 4

What was your first Radio? - 3/29/2002 9:04:28 AM   
Gill


 

Posts: 84
Joined: 12/6/2001
From: Prescott, AZ, USA
Status: offline 		Bob,

No, not a Ham, just obsessed with trying to do it myself. Never have lost that desease, still enjoy the building and designing part of the hobby as much or more than the flying.

My latest project in RC is a turbine sport jet design that is taking back seat right now while I build a Mick Reeves Super Reaper sport jet with a prop engine on the back to help me earn my turbine waiver. I just today got a Multiplex Profi 4000 12 channel set for the controls. Picked it for the versatility of the programming and the 12 channels.

Maybe these are the "Good Old Days"!

_____________________________

Jerry Gill
Prescott, Arizona

(in reply to Bob Laine)
       Post #: 5

What was your first Radio? - 3/29/2002 10:22:10 AM   
RED HOT


 

Posts: 17
Joined: 3/29/2002
From: Big Spring, TX, USA
Status: offline 		My first radio was home built single gas tube with Sigma 4-F relay and an escapment. Transmitter was also homemade with a tall whip on 27.255 - just like everyone. Think the plane was a Windy Jo -Bill Winters design- A good day was when you got to take a plane home!!!
RED HOT

(in reply to Bob Laine)
       Post #: 6

I feel like a pup - 3/29/2002 11:25:39 PM   
bob_nj


 

Posts: 3498
Joined: 12/3/2001
From: Vineland, NJ, USA
Status: offline 		You guys go back a ways! In 1976 I bought a ready to fly set up with a blue metal case Heathkit radio installed. It had 4 channels and the brick servos that were sort of a push pull arrangement. From there I bought one of the first Ace Silver Seven transmitters. Man, those were the days when you reversed your servos manually and changed your own potetniometers. Some of the Kraft radios out then had a servo with a red dot for the reversed one. AAHHhhhh, those memories play second fiddle to the seventh inning jazz band of my memory

(in reply to Bob Laine)
       Post #: 7

What was your first Radio? - 3/29/2002 6:21:06 PM   
bpannier



Posts: 177
Joined: 12/29/2001
From: Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Status: offline 		Orbit 4 channel reed, bonner servos 2, bonner escapement for throttlel ( a blip down and a blip of left and you got a change only 2 or 3 each flight.high or low.as rubber band was unwound) fox 35 stunt with exaust restrictor for throtle. Veco white cloud for air craft. Sure learned to wiggle your thumbs on those toggle switches. If I recall the tx batteries cost as much as the radio 37volt? times 2plus somthing else. was about 1954 0r 55. If you got one flight and no repairs in a day it was great. Half the time was spent repositioning the radio RX so the reeds did not vibrate.

_____________________________

73s Bud. AMA 739, WB7NDL

(in reply to Bob Laine)
       Post #: 8

What was your first Radio? - 3/30/2002 5:57:10 AM   
dk1


 

Posts: 1
Joined: 2/19/2002
From: Mesa, AZ, USA
Status: offline 		I flew a Rudder Bug model with a K&B 19 for power. The radio receiver used an escapement powered with a twisted rubber band to drive the rudder. That was the only thing the pilot could control!! No engine or elevator control. The home brew tube transmitter operated on 27.255 MH and had a single push button for inputs, the button was depressed once and held for a left rudder command and two pushes for right. Just let go of the button to center the rudder. This was approximately 1956 and I only had one flight where I did not crash the plane. On that single occasion, I forgot the turn on the receiver and the flight was perfect and landed near my feet after a huge 360-degree turn almost out of sight.

_____________________________

Dale Kister
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

(in reply to Bob Laine)
       Post #: 9

What was your first Radio? - 3/30/2002 5:58:09 AM   
Scorpionjack



Posts: 656
Joined: 12/3/2001
From: Minot, ND, USA
Status: offline 		Galloping Ghost with a rotary phone dial for doing left and right turns.

(in reply to Bob Laine)
       Post #: 10

What was your first Radio? - 3/30/2002 7:12:45 AM   
Bob Laine



Posts: 1351
Joined: 1/7/2002
From: Loganville, GA, USA
Status: offline 		Stay tuned guy's. I'll post a puiture of my Rudder Bug, tomorrow.
The most famous cry hver heard back in the 60's, was to see someone running after tha airplane yelling, "I ain't got it. Boy those really were the good ol days. The cheepest 4 Ch radio sold today, would have brought $2000.00 back then, simply because of the reliability of it. Heck, I paid $600.+ for my 10 channel Reeds.

_____________________________

"Georgia on my mind"
AMA 8143 "Leader Member"

(in reply to Bob Laine)
       Post #: 11

What was your first Radio? - 3/30/2002 9:17:40 AM   
Big_Bird



Posts: 3321
Joined: 12/18/2001
From: Arlington, TX, USA
Status: offline 		My first radio was a Heathquit oops no, a Heathkit GD47 on 26.995 mhz, red flag I think. My second radio was a Heathkit GD19 on the 53.3 mhz ham band. It was a real step up from the GD47. I think the price was $219.95. In those days (1967) a simple 4 channel Kraft was around $400. Think about what price a radio would be today in 1967 dollars. Things have sure changed for the better.

Ken
K5VYL

(in reply to Bob Laine)
       Post #: 12

What was your first Radio? - 3/30/2002 9:35:56 AM   
bigbri


 

Posts: 584
Joined: 2/11/2002
From: salem, MA, USA
Status: offline 		Wow!!!! most of you have me beat. I save for 2 years to buy an EK Logitrol 4-channel dry/w the brick servos. I still remember the frequency 72.240 (Red and White flag)
Brian

(in reply to Bob Laine)
       Post #: 13

first radio - 3/30/2002 10:55:49 AM   
Harley Condra


 

Posts: 1120
Joined: 12/7/2001
From: Kalispell, MT, USA
Status: offline 		Berkely Super Airotrol single channel tone--took two 67.5 volt batteries and two 1.5 volt D cells for the Tx. Don't remember what batteries the Rx took to light up the filament. Cost way too much for the batteries. More than a kid like me could afford.
It wouldn't/I couldn't make it work too well, so I got a Citizenship single channel tone set. Had problems with that one too. We're talking about the middle 1950's here. Time goes on......1966 came, and I had an OS Minitron single channel set that actually worked.....sometimes. Ate batteries like the devil. Crashed my Falcon 56 every weekend...both Saturday and Sunday. Whole week to rebuild....then crash some more..Bought stock in Amberoid. (glue)
1967 was a good year. Bought a Galaxy 5 from the one and only Ted White, the pattern champ. Had monsterous servos, but was a great radio. Got a PCS that year too, then followed with a Kraft. It took about a months pay to buy a radio then.
All of those old radios are still in the cabinet. My two uncles and I learned to fly on them, and have many memories to look back on. One of the uncles is gone now, but he'll always be loved and never be forgotton.....we had more fun together than any three guys should have been allowed to have. The fun police are still looking for us!
I'm 58 years old, and have been flying for 51 years....loved every minute of it. Met alot of really neat guys and made alot of long time friends; that's what this hobby of ours is all about.
Treasure it.....we are a small community.

Harley Condra
AMA 2045
BVM REP
RAM REP

(in reply to Bob Laine)
       Post #: 14

What was your first Radio? - 3/30/2002 7:43:51 PM   
Bob Laine



Posts: 1351
Joined: 1/7/2002
From: Loganville, GA, USA
Status: offline 		Farve, I remember the "Gallaxy Brand, well. Designed by Ted White when he was in Santa Fe, NM. He later went to work for "EK", in Dallas, TX, and went on to prefect that line of equipment. He now lives in Hurst Texas.

_____________________________

"Georgia on my mind"
AMA 8143 "Leader Member"

(in reply to Bob Laine)
       Post #: 15

What was your first Radio? - 4/2/2002 6:23:45 AM