cobrajocky

I am really hoping someone out there has a copy of the January 1998 of Model Airplane News still around. There was a great article "Upgrade your Hitec Focus IIss to three channel" by Alan McSwain (the Focus IIss was exactly the same as the IIIss minus a few PCB components and the throttle pot) and I desperately need the three (3) or more Diagrams and pictures from that article. The Model Airplane News archive only has the text portion of the article and no images or diagrams.

I am trying to convert two Hitec Focus IIss radios I have had for a while, for two 3 channel 2m EP gliders I'm building for my two sons. The Hitec Focus IIss and IIIss were great radios and I hate to see them unused. (besides I'm too cheap in these economic times to buy new Neons - which aren't as good)

If anyone has that issue, would you scan the Diagrams and pic for the article and post them, please. I wrote Model Airplane News and no answer.

Thanks,

Dsegal

Order a reprint from the AMA Library.

cobrajocky

Don't have the extra money and I certainly don't need the WHOLE ISSUE! Duh.

Dsegal

Let me explain how libraries work- they do not sell you the volumes on their shelves. You don't get the whole issue, just a few dollars for the photocopied pages.

crossman

I recall that article. I looked for it awhile back, but I couldn't rememeber what issue it was in. I also have a 2ch focus radio laying around. Now that I know what issue to look for, I while see if I can put my hands on it tonight.

cobrajocky

I was hoping that there were some other Hitec Focus IIss owners out there that might be interested in this simple upgrade!

Thank you, thank you ,etc. if you can find that issue and scan the diagrams and pics to post!

crossman

I have the article scanned to a pdf file. If you PM me with your e-mail address, I will send it to you. I had quit looking for it a while back because I realized that the AM receiver I have is only 2 channel, but the article includes modifing the rx as well. Let us all know how it turns out.

cobrajocky

PM Sent, thanks!

crossman

The article is on the way to you. Glad I could help.

J-3

I modified my Hitec IIss to 3 channel and it has worked great for years.
Many thanks to Alan McSwain....Brian

cobrajocky

Do you recall where you found most of the component parts? Or, maybe suggestions where best to find them now?

Did you go with the suggested rotary type Pot for the throttle 3rd Channel?

I'd like to find an equivalent sliding pot instead (like the factory IIIss uses), as it looks like it could be installed in the same place the throttle is on a factory Focus IIIss (I have a IIIss FM that I use with my Delta Rocket EP shown as my avatar). That area on the Focus IIss is a blank spot, that the factory could punch out during production for the IIIss.

mcswain

I came across my baggie of parts that I have inexplicably held onto for years just the other day.

I'm really surprised that people are still making these mods!

Alan McSwain

goldsticker

Well sure we are still modifying the receivers.... AM still works even in the 2.4GHz world...


I found a typo in my copy of the article. (Which was very hard to find, the online version of the article that is, not the typo.)

The capacitors are called out as 0.0047uF and 470pf which are not the same value!!! 0.0047uF = 4700pF!

I put the 0.0047uF capacitors in before I caught the typo. Please tell me I got the right value!

Thanks
Mike