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How do I change the frequency of my transmitter?
For a unit with crystals: We CANNOT recommend changing crystals to a different frequency. Changing the crystal on your transmitter is illegal unless you have the proper license. The FCC has established guidelines for the modeler's safety and for the safety of spectators. For safety and FCC reasons we must request that both TX and RX be sent to the service center to ensure proper crystal change and retuning to the new frequency. Crystal based radios cannot be converted to another band without parts replacement, and may not be able to be converted at all. Certain radios can be converted, for example, from 72 to 75MHz. Please contact the service center for any other conversions.
The applicable Federal Regulation is as follows:
TITLE 47—TELECOMMUNICATION COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
PART 95—PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES

Subpart E—Technical Regulations
Sec. 95.645 Control accessibility.
(a) No control, switch or other type of adjustment which, when
manipulated, can result in a violation of the rules shall be accessible
from the transmitter operating panel or from exterior of the transmitter
enclosure.
(b) An R/C transmitter which incorporates plug-in frequency
determining modules which are changed by the user must be certificated
with the modules. Each module must contain all of the frequency
determining circuitry including the oscillator. Plug-in crystals are not
considered modules and must not be accessible to the user.

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[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 5]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR95.221]
[Page 539]
TITLE 47TELECOMMUNICATION CHAPTER IFEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
PART 95_PERSONAL RADIO SERVICESTable of Contents
Subpart C_Radio Control (R/C) Radio Service
Sec. 95.221 (R/C Rule 21) How do I have my R/C transmitter serviced?
(a) You may adjust an antenna to your R/C transmitter and you may make radio checks. (A radio check means a one-way transmission for a short time in order to test the transmitter.)
(b) You are responsible for the proper operation of the station at all times and are expected to provide for observations, servicing and maintenance as often as may be necessary to ensure proper operation. Each internal repair and each internal adjustment to an FCC certificated R/C transmitter (see R/C Rule 9) must be made in accord with the Technical Regulations (see subpart E). The internal repairs or internal adjustments should be performed by or under the immediate supervision and responsibility of a person certified as technically qualified to perform transmitter maintenance and repair duties in the private land mobile services and fixed services by an organization or committee representative of users in those services.
(c) Except as provided in paragraph
(d) of this section, each internal repair and each internal adjustment of an R/C transmitter in which signals are transmitted must be made using a nonradiating (``dummy'') antenna. (d) Brief test signals (signals not longer than one minute during any five minute period) using a radiating antenna may be transmitted in order to:
(1) Adjust a transmitter to an antenna;
(2) Detect or measure radiation of energy other than the intended signal; or
(3) Tune a receiver to your R/C transmitter.

(Secs. 4(i) and 303(r), Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i) and 303(r), and sec. 553 of the Administrative Procedures Act, 5 U.S.C. 553) [48 FR 24890, June 3, 1983, as amended at 49 FR 20673, May 16, 1984; 63 FR 36610, July 7, 1998]

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[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 5]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR95.222]
[Page 539-540]
TITLE 47TELECOMMUNICATION
CHAPTER IFEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
PART 95_PERSONAL RADIO SERVICESTable of Contents
Subpart C_Radio Control (R/C) Radio Service
Sec. 95.222 (R/C Rule 22) May I make any changes to my R/C station transmitter?

(a) You must not make or have anyone else make an internal modification to your R/C transmitter.
(b) Internal modification does not include:
(1) Repair or servicing of an R/C station transmitter (see R/C Rule 21, Sec. 95.221); or
(2) Changing plug-in modules which were certificated as part of your R/C transmitter.
(c) You must not operate an R/C transmitter which has been modified by anyone in any way, including modification to operate on unauthorized frequencies or with illegal power. (See R/C Rules 9 and 10, Sec. Sec. 95.209 and 95.210.)
[48 FR 24894, June 3, 1983, as amended at 63 FR 36610, July 7, 1998]

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[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 5]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR95.645]
[Page 561]
TITLE 47TELECOMMUNICATION
CHAPTER IFEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
PART 95_PERSONAL RADIO SERVICESTable of Contents
Subpart E_Technical Regulations
Sec. 95.645 Control accessibility.
(a) No control, switch or other type of adjustment which, when manipulated, can result in a violation of the rules shall be accessible
from the transmitter operating panel or from exterior of the transmitter enclosure.
(b) An R/C transmitter which incorporates plug-in frequency determining modules which are changed by the user must be certificated
with the modules. Each module must contain all of the frequency determining circuitry including the oscillator. Plug-in crystals are not
considered modules and must not be accessible to the user.
[53 FR 36789, Sept. 22, 1988. Redesignated at 61 FR 28769, June 6, 1996, and further redesignated at 61 FR 46567, Sept. 4, 1996; 63 FR 36610, July 7, 1998]

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ORIGINAL: lnewqban
I believe the legal issue only applies to the transmitters.

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ORIGINAL: Deadeye

Only way to be 100% sure is to replace only the RX crystal. I have had one in flight RX crystal failure. Airframe was destroyed.

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How do I change the frequency of my transmitter?
For a unit with crystals: We CANNOT recommend changing crystals to a different frequency. Changing the crystal on your transmitter is illegal unless you have the proper license. The FCC has established guidelines for the modeler's safety and for the safety of spectators. For safety and FCC reasons we must request that both TX and RX be sent to the service center to ensure proper crystal change and retuning to the new frequency. Crystal based radios cannot be converted to another band without parts replacement, and may not be able to be converted at all. Certain radios can be converted, for example, from 72 to 75MHz. Please contact the service center for any other conversions.
The applicable Federal Regulation is as follows:

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TITLE 47—TELECOMMUNICATION COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
PART 95—PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES

Subpart E—Technical Regulations
Sec. 95.645 Control accessibility.
(a) No control, switch or other type of adjustment which, when
manipulated, can result in a violation of the rules shall be accessible
from the transmitter operating panel or from exterior of the transmitter
enclosure.

b) An R/C transmitter which incorporates plug-in frequency
determining modules which are changed by the user must be certificated
with the modules. Each module must contain all of the frequency
determining circuitry including the oscillator. Plug-in crystals are not
considered modules and must not be accessible to the user.

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ORIGINAL: Sport_Pilot

Yet the FCC has been certifying them with the crystal easily accessable from the front, therefore changing them also legal?

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ORIGINAL: Sport_Pilot

This is outdated as the license is no longer required, unless recently re-established.

Yet the FCC has been certifying them with the crystal easily accessable from the front, therefore changing them also legal?

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ORIGINAL: bruce88123

I have no problem with him swapping the TX crystal for a BRIEF test like he did as long as he made sure no other pilots were flying at the time. Improper crystals CAN (but not always) do strange things in the way of spurious signals. Swapping in a friends RX crystal and seeing if the friends TX could control the plane would be a valid test. (TX must be a compatible type of course).

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ORIGINAL: opjose


Even a brief test is a no-no!!!!

I was flying a new 50cc plane on a specific channel. It's third flight.

While flying low over the field I experienced a glitch, the engine cut out and the plane augured in HARD.

I went to talk to another person there who had co-incidentally turned his radio on at this time. He was NOT on my channel....

A few months went by...

This time I was flying a smaller EP aircraft.... same channel as before... same guy at the field...

I noticed that whenever it passed in front of his location while he was flying my plane would glitch....

I went over to talk to him

It turns out he had changed his TX crystal.

I pulled out my new frequency checker which dynamically displays over/undertones, interference, etc....

Sure enough, his TX was producing an overtone signal smack in the middle of the channel that I was using ( ch 45 ).

This is because he swapped the crystals and in so doing "detuned" his TX.

I told him he owes me at the least a new airframe, but he refuses to own up.

Fortunately he also doesn't show up anymore as well.

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ORIGINAL: bruce88123

I did say "as long as he made sure no other pilots were flying at the time". Perhaps you missed that point. It is indeed an important one.

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These radios are sold worldwide and they aren't going to redesign their cases to sell just of the US.

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Should I assume that you are referring to the old "CB" type license that used to be required to operate an R/C TX?

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ORIGINAL: Sport_Pilot

No, there is no FCC licience to repair RC radios. There is nothing in the regs that require a licence, only Futaba and other demanding it is so. If you go back and reread the reg it says you cannot MODIFY the radio, it does not say you cannot service it. However it says NO ONE may modify the radio and that messing with the frequency so that it transmits on a non RC frequency is a modification. Therefore if you change the crystal you may be modifying the radio. Only someone with the proper frequency analyser and skill can do this and be sure he is not modifying the radio.

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ORIGINAL: bruce88123

Re-read post #3 above. You are absolutely in error.

"E). The internal repairs or internal adjustments should be performed by or under the immediate supervision and responsibility of a person certified as technically qualified to perform transmitter maintenance and repair duties in the private land mobile services and fixed services by an organization or committee representative of users in those services.

This mean a LICENSE.

Changing the crystal IS an adjustment which may cause a need for FURTHER adjustments. It certainly causes a need for further testing to determine the status of operation.

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