Notices
RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros Discussion all about rc radios, transmitters, receivers, servos, etc.

Radio interference between different channels

Old 07-11-2003, 05:29 PM
  #1  
Dazzler_BE
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Kessel, BELGIUM
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Radio interference between different channels

I'm facing this problem:

Me and some friend use a local field nearby to fly our planes (it is not a club, it's in the field with no surrounding building/houses or people living there - and the farmer who owns the field has agreed that we may fly there, so no problems there)

Now, this week, suddenly a cop turned up at the farmer's house, inquiring about us, and asked the farmer if he would have us contact the police. The field is about 5 miles from a small commercial airport, and is directly in the lengthening/prologation (??) of the landing course of that airport. (We do see same sport planes or very small passanger planes comes over from time to time)

Now it appears that there is a beacon there somewhere, to aid those planes in there uprun to the landing course. And there was some sort of "interference", the cops told the farmer.

I have looked up the frequenty plan in Belgium, and have have the frequenties 34.995 - 35.335 and 40.575 - 40.695 available specific for scale radio controlled models.

I checked and aircraft communication has some frequenties available between 5000 khz and 10000 khz available, and 74-75 Mhz en 108-117 Mhz for aircraft navigation.

I'm flying on the 40.xx range indicated, so, there couldn't be any interference from us right ? I mean, we're not even near those frequenties !

It's just, before we show ourselves there again, or contact the cops, I just want to know what to expect...
Old 07-11-2003, 06:19 PM
  #2  
transmission_dr
Member
My Feedback: (1)
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Radio interference between different channels

Hi,

I would suggest that you contact the airport or whatever directly and get the straight story on what was being "interfered" with. You might also arrange a demo and show that your equipment is not causing any interference.

I can't comment on Belgium law, but in this country interference would not be a police matter, radio problems fall under the domain of the FCC. As I understand it legally, if the equipment that you are using is certified and operating correctly, then interference becomes the responsibility of the owner/designer of the equipment that is being interfered with. Interference probably means that there is a failure/design problem with the equipment being interfered with.

My 2 cents

Jerry
Old 07-11-2003, 08:50 PM
  #3  
Lynx
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 1,373
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Radio interference between different channels

If for some strange reason they 'order' you to desist after you talk to them it'd be best for you to contact a lawer and familiarize yourself with your rights. There has to be a pretty decent burden of proof to show an RC transmitter could cause inteference with actual aircraft.
Old 07-11-2003, 09:31 PM
  #4  
causeitflies
 
causeitflies's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: EASTERN OHIO
Posts: 2,431
Received 42 Likes on 32 Posts
Default Radio interference between different channels

Could they have meant that you were interfering with the flight path of the aircraft on approach and not with the radios?
Old 07-12-2003, 07:43 AM
  #5  
golf_lake
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Radio interference between different channels

Dazzler_BE if they are complaining about TX interference this would normally be controlled and policed by a government department, check with who ever issues licences for radio spectrum usage.
Not sure about your country, but we are secondary users in the US and Australia and we can be stopped from using our equipment at any time if we interfere with any primary service.

The second issue you may have is the flight path, I have heard of police stopping people from flying kites because they show up on air port radar and the air space around all airports is controlled space.

Ether way you are possibly screwed, I would speak to them and find out what the problem is, you may find they only want to limit your altitude or the direction you fly in.

Good luck, let us know what the outcome is.
Old 07-12-2003, 09:55 AM
  #6  
causeitflies
 
causeitflies's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: EASTERN OHIO
Posts: 2,431
Received 42 Likes on 32 Posts
Default Radio interference between different channels

Originally posted by golf_lake


....the air space around all airports is controlled space.

Depends on the airport. Not all airports are controlled or in controlled air space. But you're right and it may be five miles by road but a much shorter distance as the crow flies.
Old 07-12-2003, 01:39 PM
  #7  
Dazzler_BE
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Kessel, BELGIUM
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Radio interference between different channels

Frogot to say, the 5 miles I'm talking about was already in shortest distance, meaning a straight line.

By road it would be like 10 miles far.


Thanks all for replying, the farmer was actually talking about "radio interference", we do fly way below the flightline of the bigger planes, By the time we would be that high it would be impossible to see what direction to planes would be in.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted as we find out more ourselves...
Old 07-12-2003, 05:24 PM
  #8  
strato911
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: West Jordan, UT
Posts: 1,479
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Radio interference between different channels

Is anyone in your group using a radio designed for use in North America? American RC frequencies use 72Mhz for aircraft, and 75Mhz for ground vehicles (cars, boats, etc...). If someone in your group bought equipment on the Internet, they MAY have ended up being on the wrong frequency by accident, thus causeing potential radio interference with the marker beacon(s).
Old 07-12-2003, 07:03 PM
  #9  
Dazzler_BE
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Kessel, BELGIUM
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Radio interference between different channels

Nope, we're all using 40 Mhz equipment.

However, I just discovered that I use 40.835, which is beyond the range reserved for radio control models. (See my first post)

I checked what range it is in, and it appears to be in a "military equipment" range.... whatever that means.

No, there's no military anywhere near that area, and the airport is strictly non-military planes.

I also would not expect police inquiring about this in case we are interfering with military stuff, I would expect the MP's or so to show up instead.

Well, we'll find out sooner or later anyway.

P.S. While checking the internet about radio regulations in Belgium, I also discovered that we need a valid license to use our trasmitter. Oops! We were unaware of this. We are with 3 friends, all bought our radio equipement seperately at 3 different hardware stores, and none of them told us that we required a license !!! So we have been flying there now for > 2 years without a radio license.

So, before we will contact the police and ask about further details, I guess wel best get ourselves some radio licenses....

Is this normal, that if you require a license for something to be legally in order, and you buy this stuff in shop (shops with decent reputation that have been around for decades) they don't tell you this ?? I mean, how are we supposed to know if nobody tells us ?
Old 07-12-2003, 07:15 PM
  #10  
strato911
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: West Jordan, UT
Posts: 1,479
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Radio interference between different channels

In North America, the RC radio equipment operates on "unlicenced" frequencies, so no licence is required (except when using Ham frequencies). I don't know the specifics in Belgium, but always believed it to be the same overseas as here, just a different frequency band.

I agree that it's odd a regular police officer was sent to investigate...
Old 07-13-2003, 03:20 AM
  #11  
crashed2
Senior Member
My Feedback: (4)
 
crashed2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Steamboat Springs, CO
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default My Personal Opinion,

it sounds like someone complained about you flying there, and they had to come up with something, but what do I know!

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.