RE: Time to make the switch!!
Some carbon fiber weaves will shield a 2.4GHz signal. That is why you see some sailplanes advertised as "2.4 friendly." The radio compartment on these planes is made without carbon fiber. The objection I have to 2.4 in sailplanes is that the receivers have a larger footprint than the really small 72MHz receivers. Both Futaba and JR use multiple antennas to get around the reflection problems that don’t bother 72 MHz. Even if you only have to contend with two antennas, it is still more of a hassle than a 72MHz single long wire antenna. 2.4GHz receivers can be installed in a sailplane. Some in my club have gone to 2.4GHz in their sailplanes but the majority haven’t. As a former electrical engineer, I cringe at some of the installations I’ve seen. But they work.</p>
2.4GHz gives better protection against someone turning on to your frequency than will 72MHz receivers. But there are receivers on the market, such as the Berg, that incorporates transmitter signal recognition, TSR. This and the older PCM technique provide an extra measure of protection over FM. Ilive in an area where soaring is not really popular. There may be at most a half dozen of us flying at one time and I haven’t had a frequency conflict in years. If I were flying in a more populated area, I would be more receptive to using it with my sailplanes. To make the point clear that I’m not against 2.4, I use it almost exclusively on my pattern planes.</p>
Allan</p>