No,
 

And I don't know if the TNC is $70 better than a Hobbico tach.

Guys that have Alpha 4's swear by them..guys that have TNC tachs swear by them, guys who run Jett engines swear by them.

They all perform the basic function as their lower priced counter parts.

Using a Digital Tach
 

I've been using the airwild wildgage for about a month now... its pretty good. It has a some kind of magnifying glass looking cover over the light sensor, keeps oil and dirt out of it. Works really well from about 4-8 feet with good sunlight (yeah, I was taching my 35%, and got a good reading just pointing it anywhere near the prop arc from all kinds of wierd positions :) ). THe downer is it doesnt work hardly at all at dusk or if its really overcast. It has the added benny of being a volt/ohm meter as well, its a real handy little box. Its built really well, has a nice large display, and has a great pricetag. just another option....

TNC TACHS
 

TNC tachs are better and worth the money because they were designed by an engineer who understands pulse and digital circuitry. The TNC uses a focused optical diode instead of a cheap photo resistor. Six years ago, when Tony began making the TNC tachs, I had a lengthy phone conversation with him and it soon became evident that he understands what these instruments are supposed to do and how to do it accurately and with a precision that the cheap tachs can not hope to achieve. His expanded range models have an absolute accuracy of 10 RPM.
That means that a turbine flyer who might want to measure 25,000 RPM can know within 10 rpm what the exact reading is. Most of the cheap units need direct sunlight to get a decent reading, but the TNC works on a cloudy day and from several feet away. I bought the Sensitach model from Tony six years ago and have never regretting the $85.00 it cost then. I know a fellow who has four(4) of the cheap units and is always fiddling with them to get one of them to work when it is the least bit cloudy. You couldn't talk me out of my TNC, it's that good. When you consider the thousands of dollars some of the RC flyers spend on their models, it is being pennywise and pound foolish not to have a decent tach.

Regards, Duane

Using a Digital Tach
 

Thanks for the answer

And I agree with you that an instrument of this precision would be neccessary in the high dollar applications you're refering to.

Using a Digital Tach
 

MECHANIC pretty much nailed it on the head. Anyone who has ever talked to Tony will learn that the guy knows what it takes to make a good tach .... a GREAT tach. The optics on the TNC are the best in our industry IMHO. I have had one for years and would not trade it for ANY of the new tachs on the market today.

This post is of MY opinion ... not a direct view of PowerfLite. It is sometimes hard to voice my opinion when I am associated with a company within the industry.

Using a Digital Tach
 

Heads_Up,

You are absolutly right. MECHANIC is absolutly right but since I'm the average sport flyer with engines costing between 65-250.00 there isrealy not any justification for such a percision piece of equipment. For now I'll go with the "cheaper" units and when I graduate to the more expensive engines I'll invest in the higher quality TNC tach. for the average sport flyer that 50-80 price difference could be invested in another engine.