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<hr>Originally posted by: snoopy10
I'm completely new to R/C flying and I have a couple of questions regarding field gear.

1. I have seen voltmeters available at hobby sites that seem to be manufactured specifically for R/C modelling. I already own a multimeter with all of the typical functions (I use it mainly to measure voltage on my NiMH rechargeable batteries used for a digital camera) Is there something special about these R/C voltmeters which would require me to buy a new one, or is my current multimeter likely to be fine??[/b][/i]<hr></blockquote>

In order to accurately check the in-flight battery pack, you need to place a load on it. I don't know whether that is what the commercial units do. There is a construction article on my web page for a unit that you can make for about $3.00 that will do this and allow you to use your existing VOM. The unit was designed by Red Schoelfield who is a recognized authority of batteries within the modeling community.

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<hr>2. I notice there are glow plug starters which plug into the power panel, and there are glow starters which have a NiCad battery so there are no wires. Is one preferred over the other, or do most people have both??[/b]<hr></blockquote>

I have both the plug-in type ignitor and the clip-on ignitor. I used the plug-in type for several years and always felt uncomfortable having a wire that close to a spinning prop. I still keep it in my field box strictly as a backup should my clip-on ignitor run down.

I also got a battery pack for my starter to eliminate that wire also but my Thunder Tiger engines start so reliably that I seldom use my starter. At this point, I hardly ever use my power panel anymore.