us020140

My Feedback: (28)

I'd be very interested in anyone else's experiences dealing with our AMA organization regarding frequency problems. We have had half a dozen shoot downs in the past month at our field. Last night I nearly lost my Aresti on its fifth flight of the evening. It was about fifty feet in the air and went crazy. It couldn't have been more than seventy five feet from the transmitter when it happened. All the other incidents happened the same way. AMA headquarters told me to get a frequency monitor from the distict. I called the frequency coordinator who basically acted like I was a moron, told me that my FMA dual conversion receiver should have been fine tuned to my JR transmitter, but that I still should only be using a Hitec Supreme receiver, and that JR radios are calibrated inaccurately. The other incidents involved different types of transmitters and receivers altogether, but this didn't deter him from insisting that our equipment is at fault. These incidents have happened in such a way that we are suspicious of deliberate interference. He is reluctantly sending me a frequency monitor. I guess no organization is perfect, but I did expect a bit more concern to be shown.
Phil

mscic-RCU

My Feedback: (6)

Good luck with the AMA! Our club purchased an ICom frequency monitor for only $150.00. Works real well and is a pretty good insurance policy. I probably would have bought one on my own if the club didn't.

bvmjethead

My Feedback: (10)

I can't stand the AMA! Absolutely the ONLY reason I belong to that ancient organization is so I'm able to fly in contests. They don't provide insurance, contrary to popular belief, AND they dont do anything to help with frequency control or infringement into our frequencies. The powers that be in the AMA heirarchy (sp?) remind me of the powers that be in the Deland Florida club :stupid:


This is all just my own personal opinion based on my own personal exeriences with them, so if you don't like what I have to say.........flame away I'm not listening and since I'm not listening I certainly won't take offence.


Scott

mscic-RCU

My Feedback: (6)

hear hear scott, I totally agree with you!!! and so does most of our club members!!!

stomper

My Feedback: (20)

Hello Mscic
Do you have a web site for Icom ? Sound's like a good idea.


TIA
Doug

Herb-RCU

I would like to know more about this comment. I was always thought that they did provide insurance. I guess they don't actually provide it, but they do arrange it, right? Can I get the same insurance coverage through someone else easily? Homeowners should do it, but I currently rent and only have a renter's policy.

I was also under the impression that the AMA worked with the FCC to keep our frequencies free. I imagine that without an organization such as the AMA, we would not have these dedicated frequencies, but then again, I really know very little on this topic.

As you can probably tell, I am ignorant on these issues. I am not arguing the validity of what was said. I am mearly seeking to be informed!

Thanks,
Herb

us020140

My Feedback: (28)

ICON is located at http://www.icomamerica.com

stomper

My Feedback: (20)

Thank you us020140


MSCIC what model did your club buy and where? I am looking at IC-R2 handheld.


Thank's for any help
Doug

rctrax

USO20140 pEWRHAPS YOU WOULD LIKETHE AMA TO COME AND FLY YOUR PLANE FOR YOU. NO ORGANISATION IS GIONG TO BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE. i THINK WE GET MUCH MORE THAN OURMONEYS WORTH AS IT IS . YOU HAVE TO TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOU OWN ACTIONS jUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN INCIDENT WITH EQUIPMENT FAILURE OR WHATEVER YOU CAN'T EXPECT THE AMA TO RUSH RIGHT OUT AND MAKE IT ALL BETTER FOR YOU.

bgi

My Feedback: (7)

Sorry to butt in here, but the AMA actively advertizes the availiblity of the frequency monitors/scanners and actively claims to be ready and willing to loan you one should you have or suspect a problem. They ALSO claim to assist in solving problems with frequency infringement.

Taking up a pissy attitude telling someone with lots of experience that they don't know what they're doing and assuming that his equipment sucks (and as much as saying so) - then RELUCTANTLY sending the frequency monitor is:

1) Rude

2) Unprofessional

3) Not in line with the spirit which the upper management of the AMA claims to (and should) set forth.

4) More likely some politikin' dweeb who wanted to brown-nose by keeping the monitor available for his buddies.

5) Not what we should expect from our AMA representatives.

I didn't read in this thread where anyone asked the AMA to rush out and solve the problem.

Maybe you missed the statement, "We have had half a dozen shoot downs in the past month at our field." From where I come from, that's a LOT. Equipment failure? That's a lot of equipment to fail in a short time span, don'chathink? Could it be interference? Hmmm.... :idea:

So, if I were a moderator, I'd be tempted to tell you, "Back off, monkey-boy." But I'm not, so I'll just sit back and watch the more tactful and eloquent members tell you how asinine your post is.

At the same time, I'll agree with you and state that I think that JUST THE INSURANCE we get for the dues is a good deal. There was talk of cutbacks or dues hikes due to a large increase in claims payouts. I can't say that I could in good faith complain about a slight dues hike to cover the insurance.

There - my first post to this site which could be considered rude. I'm not happy about it. Mr. Moderator, tellmewhatchathink.

stomper

My Feedback: (20)

WELL PUT bgi

us020140

My Feedback: (28)

I have gone and ordered myself the ICOM IC-R2. It must be very popular, as it is on backorder. With a street price of less than $200 it seems like a steal.
All I can to rctrax is: I would certainly let the AMA come out and fly my plane. But, I would not let the gentleman I spoke to about the frequency monitor at the AMA fly my plane. I will not let rctrax fly my plane.

mscic-RCU

My Feedback: (6)

We bought the IC-R2. Works great, kind of a pain to program though. If the AMA has our best interest at heart, why did they schedule a fly in on Father's day weekend to conflict with a major national event at Shelby, OH? The Shelby event just celebrated its 19th annual event. That show attracts all of the top giant scaler's from across the country and some from Canada. It seems to me that they don't have the best interests of modelers at heart, they have the best interests of the AMA at heart. A few years ago we had an alternative, called Sports Flyers. AMA run them out of business and took them to court. So RCTRAX, you tell me if the AMA is looking out for your best interest, or better yet, when the Cleveland, OH club was going to lose its field a few years ago, AMA's response was, what do you want us to do, call the Cleveland club and ask them what they think of the AMA.

MHawker

My Feedback: (16)

us02...,

You mentioned that it was the 5th flight on your Aresti. Could the erratic behavior be related to a low battery? I only have a 700mah rx battery and would usually think about giving it a quick charge at that point.

Not trying to insinuate anything, just wondering.

Mike

bgi

My Feedback: (7)

What was the deal with AMA vs. Sport Flyers?

us020140

My Feedback: (28)

I checked the battery by leaving the plane on for about 30 minutes then moving the controls. Next I discharged the battery with the Dymond cycler and found it to still be well charged. The radio still works great. Again, we're not talking about an isolated incident involving loose controls, dead batteries, stalls, etc. This has happened to all of us at the field at least once. We are veterans of other clubs where we never had any problems whatsoever. Once a few weeks ago I left another plane turned on the ground without the transmitter on and suddenly the controls started moving on their own...not just twitches, but full deflections...and then it quit and didn't happen again the rest of the day. So we're kind of suspecting sabotage at our new site. I'll keep you posted.

rctrax

I apoligize for the fact that some thouight i was out of line with my response to .uso20140 I just get a little tired of hearing of someone losing an airplane and then blame the ama for not keeping their frequency clear. They are not the frequency police. I have lost a number of planes due to unexplained circumstances. I have many times suspected frequency interferance.I once sent a newly purchased computer radio in for a channel change because I was convinced the the channel I was on was a bad one in our aera. I didn't start blaming ama for my possible dumb thumbs.
Any rx left on without it's macthing tx on will hunt for and will posibly accept any spurous signal it might come across while looking for its own tx sig. I have seen this happen at our field with tx's several channels away. When thier own tx was turned on they settled right down That's one of the reasons for turning tx's on first and off last.

us020140

My Feedback: (28)

We are all familiar with the phenomenon of spurious signals causing servos to move with the transmitter off. Sustained deflections in non random fashion are something else altogether. Why would anyone object to a 20 year rc veteran trying to figure out a destructive and possibly dangerous problem?

MHawker

My Feedback: (16)

I heard a rumor at that our field (a long time ago) someone was using a TX to pull planes down from across the freeway.

It's never out of the realm of possibility, and I'd sure hate to be that guy when someone figured out who was doing it.

Good luck with this problem.

Hey, anyone have a Freq' scanner they want to loan him?

Mike

us020140

My Feedback: (28)

We tried the frequency monitor we got from the AMA at our field. It wasn't going off, even as my friends plane was being knocked around by interference. We had thought the monitor worked as you could set it off with a transmitter. When range checking the monitor itself, it appears that even a transmitter could only set it off if the transmitter was within 6 feet of the monitor! Fortunately, I've already ordered (purchased)a new monitor and it should be here soon. I had hoped there would have been a happy ending here and the AMA would have been at least partially responsible.

Mike Bogh

My Feedback: (14)

Hideho all,

My first point is that the AMA is not an insurance company.

It offers secondary coverage, not primary. That is you must completely exhaust your homeowners property liability coverages first.
Next there's the whole getting the AMA to pay issue.

Finally on the tellmewhachathink moderator....I try not to moderate opinions....and the AMA issue does invoke strong opinions either way.

But, name calling is definitely out...example monkey boy... butt munch....ignoramus....knuckle dragging booger eating moron..., these are definitely out

us020140

My Feedback: (28)

FMA (not AMA)has requested that I send in my Extreme 5 receiver with my JR transmitter so they can confirm the frequency integrity of both. I'm going to do this as the frequency monitor I bought is back ordered. More to come.

mscic-RCU

My Feedback: (6)

As best I know, AMA sued sport fliers. I can't remember all of the details, but it essentially put them out of business.

bgi

My Feedback: (7)

Ok, no problem.

I'll just say to myself, "Back off, Monkey Boy!" and retract the hint that I might have said that to someone else.


As for suing Sport Flyers, does anyone know why? What was the basis, like drain the coffers and make lawyers rich? Or was there some real legal basis for the suit?

Thanks.

-brad

bsumpter

I'm curious about the AMA vs. Sports Flyers issue as well. I'm just now returning to the hobby after a 10 year absence, and was wondering what happened to the "other" model organization.

Anyone have any details?