Radio Equipment & Setup questions for 69" Pitts & "rusty" R/C'er
02-18-2005, 10:24 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (2)
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Holliston,
MA
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Radio Equipment & Setup questions for 69" Pitts & "rusty" R/C'er
Hey folks,
I have some very specific radio equipment and setup questions for a 69", 50-60cc gas, Oracle Challenger (ie Pitts). I've been out of RC for 15 years and just getting back in. This is my first airplane bigger than a .60 pattern ship so there’s a lot I don’t know.
First the requirements, highest priority first:
1. Reliability. I'm willing to do redundant receivers & batteries, whatever's needed, but I want a reliable radio and an interference-free setup. The Pitts will be a labor of love and if it's ever going to crash, it better not be the radio's fault.
2. Performance. I'm rather particular about how my airplanes fly. The servos need to be tight. I don't like slop and I don't want to worry about servos stalling under load. Speed is good but precision is better.
3. Longevity. I expect the setup – and the airplane - to last.
4. Weight. The airframe will be built light. I don't like any extra
weight but can tolerate a little if it helps to meet the requirements above.
5. Cost. Obvious.
So here are my questions:
1. I have a now-ancient but barely used JR Century VII PCM radio, channel 50, that's back at Horizon for a checkup. Is there any reason not to use this transmitter, receiver, and switch? I've checked and confirmed that it is legal with the current frequency rules.
2. As best I can tell from various spec sheets and tables, Futaba and Hitec servos can both be run at 6 volts but I've only seen specs for JR's at 4.8v. Are JRs not rated to run at 6v? It seems there are advantages to running at 6v but no real disadvantages other than power consumption. Am I missing anything?
3. What are the best servos for this plane and my particular needs? The plans mfr says 100 in-oz. torque minimum, with one servo on each flight surface (7 total). What are the pros & cons of each brand? I assume I need digital for performance. From what I read, coreless isn't really worth the extra cost. Metal vs. nylon gears? Hitec's "Karbonite"? What brand? What model? Why? What to stay away from?
4. What's the best way to learn about big-bird radio setups, and how to deal with things like gas/ignition engines, long servo cord extensions, multiple servos (ie 4 on ailerons), batteries, redundancy, etc? Books? Web sites? Witch doctors? Miss Cleo?
Thanks!
I have some very specific radio equipment and setup questions for a 69", 50-60cc gas, Oracle Challenger (ie Pitts). I've been out of RC for 15 years and just getting back in. This is my first airplane bigger than a .60 pattern ship so there’s a lot I don’t know.
First the requirements, highest priority first:
1. Reliability. I'm willing to do redundant receivers & batteries, whatever's needed, but I want a reliable radio and an interference-free setup. The Pitts will be a labor of love and if it's ever going to crash, it better not be the radio's fault.
2. Performance. I'm rather particular about how my airplanes fly. The servos need to be tight. I don't like slop and I don't want to worry about servos stalling under load. Speed is good but precision is better.
3. Longevity. I expect the setup – and the airplane - to last.
4. Weight. The airframe will be built light. I don't like any extra
weight but can tolerate a little if it helps to meet the requirements above.
5. Cost. Obvious.
So here are my questions:
1. I have a now-ancient but barely used JR Century VII PCM radio, channel 50, that's back at Horizon for a checkup. Is there any reason not to use this transmitter, receiver, and switch? I've checked and confirmed that it is legal with the current frequency rules.
2. As best I can tell from various spec sheets and tables, Futaba and Hitec servos can both be run at 6 volts but I've only seen specs for JR's at 4.8v. Are JRs not rated to run at 6v? It seems there are advantages to running at 6v but no real disadvantages other than power consumption. Am I missing anything?
3. What are the best servos for this plane and my particular needs? The plans mfr says 100 in-oz. torque minimum, with one servo on each flight surface (7 total). What are the pros & cons of each brand? I assume I need digital for performance. From what I read, coreless isn't really worth the extra cost. Metal vs. nylon gears? Hitec's "Karbonite"? What brand? What model? Why? What to stay away from?
4. What's the best way to learn about big-bird radio setups, and how to deal with things like gas/ignition engines, long servo cord extensions, multiple servos (ie 4 on ailerons), batteries, redundancy, etc? Books? Web sites? Witch doctors? Miss Cleo?
Thanks!
