I like how everyone is going to 2.4!

Safer than before - almost no chance of being shot down!

Idon't feel like a weirdo anymore lol

Some clubs are ignoring using pins with 2.4 gHz. When the 2.4 people bring out an old radio they are used to just flipping the transmitter on without frequency checking. We have seen a few planes shot down this way last year. We try to require pin use for 2.4 and 72, but the 2.4 people think it is a hassle..... I am building two new planes using 72 mHz, but be aware, it could be more dangerous than before.....no worry with 2.4. Airtronics is coming out with a 5 channel 2.4 for $125 so cost is not an issue....

bob

Futaba 9-C ch. 15

I am still flying all of my planes on channel 35. My daughter's plane is channel 26, and she is the only one in our club on that channel. There used to be 2-3 guys on my channel, but they have all switched to 2.4 gHz. I do not expect to make the switch any time soon.

Our club has always had excellent frequency control. I have not seen anybody get shot down.

HI on FUTABA 72mhz for 20 yearschl 54 never a radio issue-the more people that go to 2.4 the less traffic on the frequency boardonly a few people on the board at my fieldTHERE IS LESS CHANCE THAN IN THE PAST THAT 72 IS GOING TO HAVE INTERFERENCE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS ( it is being used less )WE DO USE THE PIN METHOD TO PROTECT A GIVEN CHANNELS USE -if it ain't broke don't fix it ! ! ! ! ENJOY REGARDS TONY

25 on the 9C and 55 on the JR. 38,50,52 on the Krafts.

Most guys don't know this yet but 2.4 is already on it's way out. 5.8 will be much improved.

Don't tell me that..........I just got a 2.4.........
Where did you get this info? I'd like to do some research on it.......Ron

While I own 3 different 2.4 radios (Airtronics SD-10G, Futaba 9C with 2.4 module, and JR X9303) and have most of my planes moved over to them I still have a few that I still fly on 72 Mhz. However, with the recent reductions in pricing on Airtronics receivers I've purchased enough to move everything over to it. So I'll be all 2.4 soon. But I'm going to hand on to my 72 Mhz gear just in case I need a backup radio.

Warning - prediction ahead - Warning.

Ok guys, this is strictly Ole Ken's Crystal Ball working. I have no hints, clues, inside info, winks, or nods that tell me this is starting to happen. This is just what I see happening. And I am willing to bet it will happen sooner than later. Last year saw two major happenings that IMHO spell the end of our use of 72 Mhz radios eventually. First was the auctioning off by the FCC of the older UHF television frequencies. These were the old TV channels above channel 13. Last January these were frequencies were set up for auction by the FCC and the winning bids for use of those frequencies was the highest ever paid for any frequencies in the history of the FCC. Then in June of last year the official switch for broadcast to Digital TV (DTV) happened. When this happened it made the old TV frequencies (channels 2-13) unused. It is expected that these frequencies will soon be put up for auction as well. All of the major telecoms and internet providers are drooling to get their hands on these frequencies. The characteristics of these frequencies that allowed them to broadcast television signals at extremely long distances also make them perfect for transmission of broadband internet over long distances. So there are some major players out there waiting to pay out extremely high dollars to get ahold of this chunk of bandwidth. So how does that affect us?? Simple. The 72 Mhz band that we use is sprinkled neatly smack dab in the middle of those old television channels. So there are going to be some very high priced players that are going to want our frequencies, and I'm predicting that they are going to go up for sale.

As I traveled last year I shared this theory with several people, including several AMA officers and staff. And of course their immediate reaction was "well, the AMA will be there to protect them". In all honesty, in a room with players such as AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, TimeWarner Cable, and any other huge tele-com/internet provider the AMA is going to be nothing more than a small speck in the back of the room jumping up and down trying to get noticed. This will be strictly about money talking and BS walking. AMA isn't going to have the money to influence the discussions. And the only argument that we had that could have saved those frequencies is now gone.. We could have argued that we didn't have anything else, but now that we have 2.4 radios that is gone.

This isn't going to happen tomorrow obviously, but when it starts brewing it's going to go quickly. I totally understand that some people are hesitant to upgrade to 2.4 simply because of the cost of converting all of their equipment over. For those I would simply say that it's easier to do it voluntarily now when you can do it a little bit at a time than it will be to convert it all at once if forced to by the FCC.

Ok, that's my 2 cents worth on the issue.

Ken

Actually, this isn't quite true. The Spread Spectrum technology that's being used right now will work on ANYfrequency range. Currently it could be used in 2.4 Ghz, 5.8 Ghz, or even 900 mhz. All of these are open frequencies that do not require licensing in order to operate equipment in those frequencies. A simple change to 5.8 Ghz is nothing more than transmitting in a different frequency range and will not change much of how it all operates. 2.4 Ghz was chosen over others because of the current use of 2.4 by computer equipment. All of that equipment is designed to operate without interfering with each other, which allows so many different devices to operate in the same small footprint of frequencies. Idoubt that 5.8 Ghz will ever be used for RCsimply because A) there is no such cooperation agreement in that range, and B) the large amount of wireless equipment already using those frequencies. 5.8 Ghz is a widely used range for wireless internet providers. Almost any city you go to these days are going to have the 5.8 Ghz totally full with wireless internet providers using to sell there services. In addition, many businesses use those frequencies to wirelessly network thier locations together. Iwork ITfor a living and Iknow first hand just how much this equipment is used.

As a small factoid about spread spectrum. This technology was actually invented and patented by the actress Hedy Lamar. It's a technology that is not new and actually dates back to the 40's.

Ken

I am the only one using the frequency or pin board,.............and I will until the economy improves[sm=cry_smile.gif]

I love my JR6102 radio on ch45...long live 72mzh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RC Ken mentioned that Hedy Lamarr invented Frequency hopping. This is actually an interesting story if anyone wants to research. Hedy was married a number of times and one was to a weapons producer. Something in this field rubbed off on her from him. In Hollywood, she met a guy named George Antheil who she shared the patent with. Antheil was a musician, but the story goes that she actually approached him over breast enlargement. The subject eventually turned to weapon developement and they came up with an idea for torpedo guidance by frequency hopping. This was to be achieved with piano rolls. There were 88 frequencies to be used....the same number as keys on a piano. A patent was granted, although no one thought it would work. The Navy blew them off. In the 50's, someone at Sylvania rediscovered the patent and was eventually used for secure satellite communication. This was also put to use for ship to ship communication during the Cuban missile crisis. The patent has long expired and is in many technologies we use today, including R/C. Hope I got all this right....I am surprised there is no movie on this...or maybe there was....

bob

I think the name Hedy Lamarr was satirized in the movie Blazing Saddles. Im glad that movie wasnt about frequency hopping
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blazing_Saddles

Yep!!It was played by Harvey Korman and he played the villian in the movie. He went by the Hedly Lamar. It's a classic movie that everybody should see at least once!!!

Ken

When Futaba finally(!) released the TM7 2.4 module and receiver combo, I tried one out in my 9CAPS. Flew my old dependable Big Stik, because I was extremely familiar with it's characteristics, and I was sold right then and there. Within 3 weeks I'd sold all my 72mhz equipment - 24 rxs and several txs - and bought 10 2.4 rxs with the money. Within three months, the 72mhz stuff lost another 40-50% of it's value. When the 10C came out, I sold my 9C and upgraded for a out-of-pocket cost of less than $250. No regrets whatsoever.

If I'd waited until now, it would have cost me substantially more money. I got ~$1000 out of the 72mhz + 9CAPS on 2.4, and spent ~$1300 on the 10C and 2.4 rxs. Today, I'd struggle to get $500 out of the old, and the new would set me back $1600.

The advantages to 2.4 are worth the $ to me. I started with 27mhz AM, then 72mhz AM, FM, 512PCM, 1024PCM - and the 2.4 is so far superior I can't find words....

I'm by no means a high-dollar flyer, but it's not hard to get $1300+ wrapped up in a 50cc gasser, or $500+ in a .60-sized 2-stroke warbird. Putting the most solid radio connection in the plane just makes sense to me, even if it costs $70 more - which it doesn't. The 8 channel high-speed 2.4 rx costs less than I used to pay for 8 channel PCMs. The "feel" is amazing with 2.4.

The peace of mind that comes with knowing I won't be shot down is exceeded only by knowing I won't shoot someone else down. If I want to spend an extended amount of time experimenting with the radio in the pits, I'm not pressured to hurry so someone else can fly. If some newby turns on or someone grabs the wrong pin or Tx or sets their dial-a-crash module to 47 instead of 38, I'm not picking up wreckage. If I screw up (yes, it could happen!) there's no harm done.

To each his own. I got out when I did for two reasons - once I tried 2.4, I was never going to enjoy 72mhz and secondly was the rapid decline in value of used 72mhz equipment. No regrets here.

I got 6 on 55 and 2 on 2.4.

I almst lost a plane to interference on 72mhz last year. Don't no where it came from and couldn't re create it. But every once in awhile we get some wierd stuff at the field. My planes on 2.4 have never had a glitch but I've only been using it for less than a year. I think PCM recievers might help but the cost is as much or more than the 2.4ghz ones.

Futaba 9C
I have both modules
I like the 72mhz because I am into Warbirds.
Hence: Channel: 40, 47, 51, 34, 28 F(19)0, etc.
I name the models in the module by numbering them, have bold # on the tail and recheck the module before flying.

Just kidding, I know 5.8 is not going to replace 2.4. I just wanted to see how many responses I would get for those that just bought a 2.4 as I did. I love my 2.4 go for it!!

I have 6 Futaba and Tower radios that all work fine. Until I need a new radio I'm sticking with 72 Mhz/FM.

Contests or events.........advantage 2.4 and pretty soon you're not going to have a choice, major man power is saved at events like IRCHA (900+ pilots) by not having to man a frequency control trailer.

Large clubs (both mine have nearly 200 members each)............advantage 2.4

72 mhz is perfectly serviceable........BUT it won't help you when some kid rolls up with a Walmart special, with no concept of frequency control, and before asking fires up his 50 dollar toy and knocks a 1000 plus dollar gasser or heli out of the air. Been there, done that, seen it happen.

2.4 best thing that has ever happen to this sport

Thats HEADLY!

I do not see 72 mHz going away anytime soon. This is a good thing. I recently got a Spektrum Module for my 10x, and am now going to put my CH24 9C on that auction site to fund more planes. I was using the 9C up until last week.

(OT on the abbreviations like mHz, gHz, W for Watts, m for meter etc. The rule on which letters get capitalized is that Hertz, and Watt were persons, meter is not.)