In another thread I spoke about the failure of the hobby shops to prevent 72mhz equipment from getting into the hands of people that aren't aware of the possibility of interfering with another flier. Basically, some of the RTF airplanes are available in 27mhz and 72mhz and most hobby shops don't care who gets what. I'm wondering how you guys would address this problem to the owner of such a shop. I know some of you guys that fly in parks are getting bent out of shape, but hold on. What I'd like to know is how to get help preventing such interference.

When talking to the LHS owner would you ask him to:

1: Keep the 72mhz stuff behind the counter so only people who know the difference would ask for it?

2: Include a flier showing local clubs and interference zones?

3: Have anyone that doesn't belong to a club or the AMA sign off on an agreement not to interfere with clubs shown in #2?


Contrary to Rat1's wayward comments, I'm not against people using 72mhz equipment in parks. I'm against ignorance and am wondering if there's a solution that won't cost the LHS any money or sales. Any additional ideas are welcome.

The flyer is a good idea along with a coupon of some sort for the new flyer to possibly join the club. Depending the the due for the club and what kind of money we are talking then the club would be more willing to let ALL newcomers into the sport even if they are flying "TOYS".

The club officers could be on hand at any time to set a side some time for these newcomers.

Also a copied page of the AMA rules and safety rules. But keeping these systems out of view is not an option. I go into hobbyshops and if it is not in the case then I walk out. I am not going to ask. I knwo many other people that are just like me. We walk in looking for something and if we do not see it then we move on to a place were we know there is what we want.


But I believe it is up to the hobbyshop to inform people about local flying areas, about possible interferance in or around these flying areas and that the newcomer might experience troubles with his/her new model if they fly within a certain distance of the club field. I know this would scare me enough to stay well away from club fields.

How bout directing them to a nice public flying field where they can fly and/or learn what they need to know?

With all the internet sales and direct sales ads in the magazines, the local hobby shops are strictly interested into making a sale. They sell the newcomer everything the LHS thinks they can get him to buy. Actually they don't want a newbie to get involved with a club. Once the newbie gets into a club, he will not be back to the LHS very often as soon as he learns the ropes.
Now I can be very critical of the LHS because they really stiff the newbies especially in this area. However it's a two way street and the dealers don't really support the clubs very well, as the club members don't support the dealers very well.

However when I have to drive 2.5 gallons of diesel to the shop and 2.5 gal. back, then I find it very difficult to not use the computer or telephone to have my specialty items delivered to my door at 50-75% of what the LHS wants. Besides he seldom has those specialty items that I spend the most of my RC $$ for.

So what here is the relationship? Simply that it is utterly foolishness to expect the LHS to waste his time or pay an employee's time to try to persuade some newbie that knows not the difference between a frequency/channel and a propeller. When the newbie crashes he will either go back to the soccer field or come buy another one. The latter is the LHS' desire.

In addition most of the people working in a hobby shop don't really know a whole lot about the stuff, especially with today's advancements in technology. Back when I owned a hobby shop it was pretty clear-cut and not so much other than experience and the latest engine-kit hot fad. _ell today I don't know and I don't care what the difference is between electric motor sizes, I have no experience with and don't intend to have experience with Li-Poly batts, and all the brushed, brushless, outrigger stuff is pure garbage for me. If I was working part time in a LHS I would not be worth a tinker's dam to the current clientele. []

Therefore I do not expect the LHS to give up sales just to try to educate totally clueless newbies about something that is over their head and something they will pay absolutely no attention to.

If just 10% of all the airplanes sold in this hobby made it to all the flying fields on one given day, there would be not enough room to set them all on the available real estate. So it is a waste of a dealer's time and resources to inject another factor into an equation where he has no control over either the factors or the equation itself.

I work at a hobby shop and take offense at this comment....

We discuss safety with any and all of our customers... we provide an AMA application, and directions and info on at least 4 of the nearest clubs and which night is training night......






actually your entire post is so off base that I am really loathe to comment
and with an attitude such as yours, we wonder why more people don't want to come out and join clubs.......

Use Berg receivers from Castle Creations, that pretty much solves the interference probs. I didn't believe it either until I tried one of'em. Now I have berg RX's in all of my fuel planes.

Ronnie

This was what I did


I made up a sheet of all the local parks, and all the (then known) parkflyers, I then went around to all the LHS and asked if I could hang it there.

This list had the parks and the channels we used.

AND oddly enough in the 2+years this has been in place, every one knows who, where, and on what channel every one is, this also HELPED the LHS.

It allow the LHS to help it's established flying customer base (because they know the freq and location) with out impeding it's ability to make a sale, a new person may know/demand a certain radio but usually don't care as to the channel it is on.

And to the BEST of my knowledge no one has been shot down in our park flying community and we credit a portion of that to this program we put in place.

Brent

Take whatever you wish. I will not bill you for it.

All I said was that I do not fault the LHS for not spending a lot of time with the newbies. Now if YOU DO, that is most commendable and I certainly have no problem for those that do. Actually I would be happy if some of your concern filtered down to the LHSs here in the Houston area.

I could well be off base but you really have to have much better arm to throw me 'out'. Sonny when it comes to establishing and/or building clubs, owning a Hobby Shop, helping newbies, running events of all disciplines, and even funding a large RC field, with now a club of 130 members, well I have "BEEN THERE DONE THAT" and will compare notes to anyone wishing to do so.

The AMA and FCC has set the rules and basics of frequency use. Technology has run away from both of these units. I can fly on any frequency any time. It is a waste of time and resources for a LHS to try to run the local show. That is up to the club.

It is up to the dealers to try to entice the club members into their door. That is simple yet so few know how to do it. They rather just sit and wait for the crowds to beat a path to their door. That is their problem, not mine. If you're one of those few that can "git 'er done" then I applaud you.

Most kits and radios that are purchased in the USA has something about the AMA and
general flying guidelines included in the box. in my neck of the woods interference
from off site flyers has not been a problem that im aware of.

Brent, good info. Glad to see this has already been done and is successful.