Mavi91

I recently obtained a dual stick Ace Olympic V transmitter and an Ace ProStar 8 channel receiver, both on channel 18. A few questions:

How old is the transmitter? Right now, I lack a battery pack and wanted to know more before making the investment. The transmitter has a "gold sticker" dated 1991 so I'm assuming it will be ok to use(?). Is this a Mode II setup? Does anyone know where I could get a manual? Barring that, can someone explain the purpose of the 3 toggle switches on the front panel? Are these dual rate switches?

I was able to check out the receiver and it seems ok. Is it safe to assume that it will be able to reject signals in adjacent channels?

Thanks. . .

KB9STD

My Feedback: (1)

If it has a gold sticker it is legal to use.I'm not sure when ACE quit making the "Olympic" system, But it's safe to assume that if has been gold stickered it's older than 1991(unless the user wanted the sticker,just to be able to show it had one). Incidentally, the transmitter circuit is the same(uses the same IC "NE5044") as the Hitec Focus 4 & 6, or the Futaba Atack & tower systems produced until a few years ago,So it's hardly outdated and "obsolete".You can tell if it's mode 1 or 2 by which stick does Not center itself( throttle).If it is the wrong mode just move the "centering" spring from one stick to the other.Adjacent channel rejection is all done by the receiver, the ProStar is a good receiver and clearly OK to use. You could always send it to a shop for a "Tune-up",But whether it's needed is a matter for debate.It never hurts to have a system tuned,but how often it's Needed is a matter of opinion.

The PIPE

Dear Mavi91:

The PIPE Here again...and that Ace RC Olympic V radio you've got is REALLY an ACE RC SILVER SEVEN radio in disguise!

Fred Marks of FMA designed this radio for Ace RC, and used the Silver Seven encoder design for its "innards"...and if you "really" want to make sure this radio is narrowbanded, there IS one part you can check out on that board.

The capacitor labeled "C11" on the Silver Seven WAS originally a 2000 picofarad (pF) part, in the "pre-gold sticker" days of RC up through the early 1980s. For narrowband compliance, though, the C11 capacitor was changed to a 22,000 pF part, and my OWN single stick Silver Seven has one of these increased value C11 caps installed in it...I did it myself some three years ago! If you'd like, I can send you a JPEG file of just where this C11 capacitor is located on the LEFT hand side of the Silver Seven's encoder main board...check your Olympic's main circuit board to see if it's in the same place!

If you're not too sure about the RECEIVER, though, you CAN use ANY of the fine FMA made receivers that are on 72 MHz...and the Hitec model 3800 "Shift-Selectable" seven channel FM receiver is ALSO a perfect match, as I use one of these with my Silver Seven "knobby box" on Ch.40! And if you ever want to change frequencies on the TRANSMITTER end of things on your Olympic, also be advised that FMA's "RFD1FM" RF decks...which you can check out at https://www.fmadirect.com/site/Detai...465&section=10 ...are MEANT to be used in Ace RC gear like your Olympic V radio! Fred Marks has NOT forgotten his Ace RC customers of the past!

Should the joysticks ever start giving you trouble, Marv Jensen, at
http://www.jensenjetmodels.com/id30_...el_gimbals.htm has what you COULD have the old gimbals replaced with, should you ever need to have THAT done...and he's even got a new version of the standard Ace RC "separate" single axis trim lever available now!

I'd say, get that Oly-V BACK into service...and now you know where to get NEW parts to get it working even BETTER, if you need to!

Yours Sincerely,

The PIPE!

Mavi91

Pipe,

Thanks for the information! Yes, I would like that .jpg for C11. I'm just not familiar with the Ace transmitters, so I'm afraid I don't know what a "Silver 7" was. I'm also still in the dark about the 3 toggle switches...what are those for?

I had to cobble together some adapters for the receiver, but it checked out fine against my Hitec Eclipse/Spectra and I flew it today.

Thanks again,

Mavi 91 (N4AUP)

The PIPE

Dear Mavi91:

The PIPE Here yet again...getting late [YAWWWNNNNNNNN!] so I'll make this one short...

In order for me to send you the "C11" graphic from my OWN Ace RC Silver Seven RC transmitter construction directions, annotated by myself to help you find it, I've got to have YOUR Email address...just send me an Email using the appropriate button along the bottom edge of this post, and I'll get it, so I can send you the C11 graphic tomorrow!

It's VERY likely the three toggle switches on YOUR radio ARE dual rate switches, as the Silver Seven radio DOES have TWO servo travel setting pots for each channel...and these set up the DUAL RATES that radio has for the aerodynamic control channels! Just wondering, does your radio have servo REVERSING slide switches on the main board inside the transmitter? If it DOES, then it's very likely that those toggle switches ARE dual rate switches!

And you're a fellow Ham, too, I see...don't forget to check out FMA, at https://www.fmadirect.com/site/Detai...465&section=10 to see just WHERE you can get a HAM BAND FM RF deck for that Olympic-V radio of yours!

Got to get back to completing my first COMPUTER single stick radio, based on Gordon Anderson's fantastic MICROSTAR encoder assembly, viewable at http://mstar2k.com/ ...and hope to be flying with THAT new radio within the mext month's worth of time!

PLEASE send me that Email SOON...so I can get your address "privately", to send you that "C11" graphic for the Silver Seven, and very likely the Oly-V as well!

Yours Sincerely,

The PIPE!