gene6029

My first radio was an MRC single channel escapement system. The transmitter wasnt any larger than a transistor radio. If i remember it was light blue in color with a single push button in the middle. I would kill to get one today, heck i would be happy to just see a picture of one. Any body other than me ever seen , or had one? I cut grass all summer long to buy it used off a guy at the local R/C field. It was on 27.145mhz. Dont know how i remember that. Wish i had it now.......Gene[&o]

jfuller

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Hi,

No help with your radio, but it brings back memories of one that I owned. It was an F&M tube type that used one tube. I have been looking for one for several years. I saw one on Ebay but it went for over $200.00. Amazing. What's really awful is that it was the kind of thing that you threw away in the 60's. Every new issue of MAN had something newer and better.

Jamesf

ps. your description sounds like a futaba. Could it have been?
jf

fritzke

My Feedback: (1)

Well, mine is black!
E-bay purchase, natch.
These were just a little before my time.
My 1 channel raqdio was the Ace Pulse Commander.
This is an MRC*Futaba
Dave

gene6029

I finally got one of those MRC/Futaba single channel radios i've been looking for! Mine looks exactly like yours Fritzke. I got it off of ebay for $60 complete system. I now have the radio & original kit of a Stearling Mini Mambo like my first R/C system when i was a kid. My original radio may have been black but my memory thinks it was blue, but hey im thrilled i got one. My original was on 27.145 & this one is on 26.995MC. Im a happy camper now........Gene

Strat2003

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I had one of those, a blue one. Not sure where the transmitter is now, but I think this is the reciever.
Much bigger and heavier than my 6-channel 2.4 gHz Futaba!

gene6029

Yep! thats it, looks exactly like mine. glad to hear you had a blue one also, i was beginning to second guess my memory....Gene

Strat2003

My Feedback: (1)

I wonder if the black one was a little later to make it look less toy-like?
I also seem to remember that the escapement didn't have any ratchet device on it (like the Babcock ones we had) to slow it down, so it was a little tricky to learn. Is yours like that?
Scott

BobHH

My Feedback: (18)

Well, I’ve been flying escapement stuff for many years now. Its been quite reliable with my little Controlaire Mule system and Citizen-Ship escapement. I’ve found this setup to be the best in both operation and ease of control. Here are pictures of the DQA with her system in her as well as the demo unit I had for shows and such.

Bob Harris

gene6029

Scott, mine has a paw on it like my babcock escapement, just smaller. Bob, thats really a great idea you have there. Its easier to explain the system to those that dont understand them with a display that works....Gene

Strat2003

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BobHH, we had a Mule with a sort of paddle on the top that we used with an Adams acutator. I guess that was a later model?

Scott

BobHH

My Feedback: (18)

Strat2003, yes that was a conversion kit to make the Mule a single channel pulser. I actually have the kit new in box to convert the Mule. I also have a transmitter somewhere that has been converted. The also used the same setup for the World Engines Digit Migit transmitters that were single channel proportionals.

Bob Harris

maxpower1954

World Engines also had a GG TX conversion for the the Mule. Russ Farris

buzzard bait

I had the blue MRC TX, but it came with a very light RX, from America's Hobby Center. I got an SN escapement to go with it. It lasted exactly one flight on my TF Schoolboy. Big disappointment...cost me a lot of lawn mowings back then. But the Schoolboy was a great success, with or without the radio. That experience encouraged me to teach myself to fly with a Schoolmaster and an Ace Digital Commander, years later.

Jim

singlechannel

Facinated to read that your still flying single channel radio. I would have thought that those old sets would not cope with the modern, much busier radio,environment. At least not near a big City where I fly. Surely you must be flying superhet xstal controlled and not the older superegen systems, so as to reject unwanted signals.
Anyway do such vintage working radios still come up on ebay ?
Ps did'nt occur to me that anyone would even know what single channel meant letalone be flying the stuff. cheers, single channel (rob)

BobHH

My Feedback: (18)

Yes, this older stuff still works quit well if well maintained. I’ve been flying mine over 10 years now with no issues at all. Most are superhet but I have a some super regen stuff that works quite well also. Many years ago Dad actually put a super regen system in a plane and stuck it on the roof of the car at the flying field turned on. Never had any hits at all the whole day long. Same for the pulsers and galloping ghost systems. Seems the slow pulse does not bother anything. Again the cell phone popularity has almost kill 27 MHz CB radios over here.

On a strange note, I’ve got an Ace pulser on 72 MHz. I’ve turned it on and tried to bother it with my Futaba and JR transmitter on the same frequency. Twirling the sticks and even wrapping the receiver antenna around the transmitter antenna. The Futaba and JR never bother it at all. Again must be the pulse width.

Bob Harris

PS: As for single channel, I've had guys wait at the field to see me fly one of my single channel planes. They can't believe it will fly without elevator!! Then you have to explain the theory of lift and other things!!

singlechannel

Thanks for replying,
I'me sold; I've just got to get one somehow. And I already have the plane, I've just finished a Veron Robot that presently has 3 function gear in it. With single channel installed I could splashout on the next decent ED 2.46 racer that comes up on ebay. Then I would have a replica of one of .the first radio controled planes I ever saw as a 9 year old kid back in 1960.
Cheers Rob

PeterC

I don't have a MRC but I do have a old Futaba model FT-3A. Can't say I ever had a lot of luck with it but when I forst got it I did'nt know much about RC. You can see that it is quite small and it has an old escapement with the pawl to slow it down. Are there any more out there and has anyone had any success with them?
BTW I have a spare transmitter (minus antenna and battery case) and a few (two) escapements if any one is interested.
Peter

singlechannel

I would be very interested in having all of it off you. Thesecond tx might be good for spares and I always prefered rubber driven escapments anyway. More authentic to my way of thinking. So how much would you be asking for it all. Cheers rob

TommyWatson

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Hi Rob,

I live in Sydney and have a replica of my first RC model (Aeroflite Invader) with OS .15 engine and OS Pixi radio. I fly it sometimes and it always brings comments form the guys.

Here is a video of my first flight in 1964,

http://www.youtube.com/user/tommywat.../0/kcz0C2UoJdY

By the way I have a good ED Racer that I would let go for a reasonable price. PM me for details and perhaps we can do a deal.

I am coming to perth for the Red Bull Races next month.

Regards

SGC

Tom,
That was my combination for my first R/C model as well, still have the Invader plans and the OS Max III .15 R/C from it, sadly gave away the OS Pixie R/C system many yrs ago.
Stewart

singlechannel

Hi Tommy,
Thoroughly enjoyed your video of first flights. I well remember the running launches and the necessity of launching prettywell dead on the flying speed and attitude. Its all to easy now with elevater and everything.
I will have to sort out how to get some shots of my Robot onto this thread. Cheers Rob

PeterC

Tom, I was very impressed with the video of the single channel flying. I imagine the OS Pixie and the MRC/Futaba systems are not that far apart in performance. Perhaps you could give me, and others, a clue as to how to get some degree of reliability into the system. I am fascinated by this type of control but most of my attempts have been pretty poor by comparison. I noticed you had a battery taped to the back of the transmitter; I assume that is so you can use a larger battery and not replace it so often. What do you think of the idea of using a single cell Lipo for the airborne pack? Would it damage the receiver? Any pointers will be more than useful.
Many thanks,
Peter

TommyWatson

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Peter,

The TX had a small 9V battery inside,(Just like a small Transistor radio). I was advised by my friend to use the larger 9V battery to give much longer usable time. I had many flights from that setup. The airborne setup was , OS Pixi RX, and two OS single channel servos. They had two power supplies, one powered the RX and the other powered the servos. The Rudder servo had a small wiper assembly on the output shaft and it allowed you to stop the servo at 90 degrees, 270 degrees and about 290 degrees. When it was stopped at 290 degrees, it would cause the motor servoto advance one step. There were three positions on the motor servo and you had to adjust the throttle to give the required throttle positions. that took a while to get right. I was able to get on Ebay, two new OS servos. My plan, if I ever get around to doing it, is to install the same setup into the old Invader, or perhaps build a new one. The problem is that the servos are controlled by a relay in the RX. So it will be necessary to have a relay controlled by a modern RX.
Here is some pics and a cct diagram.

Regards

SGC

Tommy ,
My memory of my OS Pixie opperation is almost as you describe, but my motor "servo" would cycle continuosly till the Tx button was released then stop at the next parking point (there were 3) - high- medium-low throttle . Maybe I had a different version of the motor control servo ?
Stewart

TommyWatson

My Feedback: (1)

You could be correct. I remember i did three clicks of the button and the motor servo would step to the next position. I can't remember if I held the third click until the servo moved and the engine responded or if I just clicked three times and released. I should wire it all up and find out !!!.

Regards