radio control question
 

Hello,

My son is about to purchase his first RC aircraft and I have a few concerns that worry me. He wants to fly the plane in a place where there are many other RC planes in the air at any given time. I am worried he could lose radio control of his plane because nearby signal overload from other RC radio controllers. Should I be concerned or are today's transmitters and receivers protected from other signals?

RE: radio control question
 

There are 2 or 3 common systems in place to ensure that one transmitter does not cause interference to others. The newest technology is 2.4 gHz transmitters. These have been out for a couple years. Typically these are found in systems costing several hundred dollars or more. With 2.4 gHz (brand names: JR Spectrum, Futaba FASST, etc.), the transmitters are designed to dynamically choose a frequency that is different from the others already in use at the time. Basically with 2.4 gHz, there is no worries.

The other popular technology is 72 mH transmitters. With these transmitters, each transmitter comes from the store with a predetermined frequency. There are about 50 unique frequencies. So you can interfere with each other if two people happen to show up at the same time on the same frequency. To avoid this, fields that are routinely used for RC planes adopt a frequency board where everyone checks in on their frequency.

At public parks (unmanaged places such as school soccer fields etc,), your best bet is the 2.4 gHz systems. This is certainly the way of the future.

RE: radio control question
 

One of the more experianced members could answer this better but from my experiance their are a few concerns. Yes signal interferance is very very possible. It can cut your signal and shoot your plane out of the air. Many of the new, more expensive systems have technology to prevent this like the spektrum series of controlers. Sounds like you are flying at an RC field? If so then the other flyers have this same concern. Their is probably a board were pilots place their AMA card and take a marker "contains the frequency number" and attach it to their antenna. The best advice would to be to ask the others who are flying. I would extremely recomend having him start with an instructor. An instructor will show you the ropes and tell you all the important info about frequency and flight line and flying protocol as well as teach you how to fly. Here is a link that has tons of usefull information http://www.modelaircraft.org/ while you are their you need to get an AMA liscence. This is for your and everyone elses protection.. It's like insurance.

Good luck and have fun

RE: radio control question
 

I would go with 2.4ghz if he plans to persue the hobby. And an instructor is highly recomended;)


Austin

RE: radio control question
 

If you are going to fly at a park, then go with the 2.4 GHz. If you are going to fly at a regular club field or controlled field, then the 72 MHz system is fine. All my radio's are on 72 MHz except one - my park flyer Spektrum which is 2.4 GHz.

Hogflyer

RE: radio control question
 

A bit of advice here, answering questions you didn't ask yet. Before buying anything, contact the club that uses the field he wants to fly at and talk to at least one of the trainers. With my club, traning day is very casual and there are usually 10-15 people there. Ask what to buy and where to get it. The trainers at the club know what has worked well for their students before and can save you hundreds of dollars in crash damage if you will listen to them.

RE: radio control question
 

Forget about your sons plane getting interfered with what about one of the clubs planes getting shot down when your son turns his radio on. I know I would not be happy at all.
If you know others are flying in the area it is YOUR responsibility to make sure you will not cause interference.
Check with the local flyers and see what channels and frequencies are being used.

RE: radio control question
 

Yep.
Before doing anything, talk to the guys who fly there - They will have lots of good info for you

RE: radio control question
 

I will chime in on that too. And follow up on what Minnflyer and Jester wrote.

At our club, we have a frequency control panel that has one alligator clip for each of the channels (frequencies) in use for 72 MHz operation. Each clip (actually a spring clothes pin.. you know the ones that look like an alligator clip) has the frequency or channel on a large (1.5" x 2") plastic plate that is glued to the pin. So, that frequency is visible to all at the field. (the same goes for the ham band, 50 MHz radio systems in use by some amateur radio people).

When a person shows up at the field, the very first thing that person will do is go to this frequency control panel and check to see if his channel/frequency is in use. This will be obvious because the person that wants to use a particular frequency grabs the pin for that frequency and replaces it with his/her AMA card. The new arrival will know know two things: 1. that his frequency is in use by someone at the field, and 2. who has that frequency pin (the AMA card).

Then it becomes HIS responsibility NOT to turn his radio on until he has the pin in his hand, which means the other flyer has turned his pin in and has taken his AMA card.

We also do this for 2.4 GHz only to keep track of who is on what at that time, and to be consistent with our practice of having 72 MHz people take the pins for their active channel.

This way, in theory at least, no one will come to the field and accidentally turn his/her radio on until he/she has their channel pin.

And another thing is that we limit the number of people flying at one time to 5. Never more than five people on the flight line flying their planes.

If you look at the picture I uploaded, on the left is our frequency control panel. You can see the frequency clips on the left and an information panel on the right.

Hope that helps.


CGr.

RE: radio control question
 

Good job on finding out the facts first.

We had a similar situation where a young man showed up and turn on and knocked a rather large and expensive plane right out of the air, one of the 35 percenters, mom wrote a very large check and I'm sure the kid has been permanantly discouraged from the hobby.

RE: radio control question
 

I'm impressed that they paid up. It's too easy to realize your mistake and get in the car before the pilot catches you. That seems to be the modus operandi for the sort of people who act so irresponsibly.