kchmn

Is anyone out there flying a plane with a steel tube frame? I am building a 1/4 scale J-3 Cub with a steel fuselage, and am wondering if and what kind of radio problems I might encounter. I know that some people say you can't have metal parts touching, but the whole thing is steel and brazed together into a solid fuselage. Would a 2.4 radio work better than a 72MZ. unit I would imagine the antenna has to be on the outside of the steel frame for best reception. I haven't found anyone that has any experience with steel frame planes. Any ideas? Any info wil be appreciated.

sidgates

My Feedback: (2)

I think that Jerry Nelson was building some metal tube fuselages. I don't know what his experience concerning radio problems is. The last I heard he was living in FT. Worth, Tx. area.

LesUyeda

"I know that some people say you can't have metal parts touching,"

The problem is not with metal parts touching, it is with metal parts touching intermittently; solid contact is not a problem.

Les

TFF

Loose metal parts touching like metal on metal hinge or metal clevis on a metal horn. Metal should be steel; brass and aluminum will not do it. the biggest question will be antenna and trying to plant it inside or out. If 72mhz, PCM wold be good to use.

dirtybird

My Feedback: (5)

You should have a lot less trouble with 2.4. Use a receiver with extended antennas. Place one antenna on the top of your AC and as far away from the fuse as possible. Place the other antenna out the bottom of the fuse and again as far from the fuse as possible.Orient one antenna vertical and the other horizontal.
Satellite receivers such as used by Spectrum would help.You will have no trouble with metal to metal contact,solid or intermittent if you use 2.4, but you need to get a straight shot from your tx as far as possible

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

Several 2.4 systems have receivers for use in carbon fiber fuselages. They are as described above and have two very long antenna leads. Those would be the 2.4 receivers to use.

pilotpete2

All the receivers that use coax antennae have the micro UF-L connectors. Longer coax antennae can be swapped out for the stock ones very easily.
I would also think that using a XXMhz radio with the antenna strung from the top of the cabin to the top of the vertical stab would always be an option for this situation.
My bigger concern with this project would be the projected weight of the fuselage
Just this past Saturday I was at the WRAM show in NJ. I got to hold a piece of aluminum girder from the Hindenburg, it was much lighter than you would have guessed by looking at it.
Pete

dirtybird

My Feedback: (5)

I have a well known friend, Francis Reynolds.Francis used to write a column for the old magazine "Model Builder". He was inducted into the AMA hall of fame in 2001http:.
He built a 1/10 scale model of a crawler crane. http://seattletimes.com/pacificnw/2002/0414/cover.htm.
For scale authenticity he obtained a 1/10 scale diesel motor to power it.
But when he ran that engine he was unable to get reliable radio control. The crane was made of steel girders and when he ran the engine the steel girders grinding together made too much electronic noise that wiped out the 72mhz radio system we had in those days.
Francis went to one of the top Boeing electrical engineers for assistance. Unfortunately they were unable to solve the problem and he wound up powering the crane with an electric motor.
I'd stay away from 72mhz if I were you.