Anybody having troubles with getting shot down there?
I got STOMPED today. No ifs, ands, or buts, definitely interference...on three different aircraft...on channel 52. Anybody else?

All right ..................which one of you guys got ET's number????????????????????? For all those posts???? LOL

Could be! But the only jet guy there today was Vinny...and he left before I flew. He MIGHT have been hiding in the bushes, though...


I'm not paranoid, either, and I don't blame pilot error or wind or whatever for interference...it was DEFINITELY hits. I had a brand new plane smash into the pits, could have hurt someone!

Anybody?

ET, get the scanner out of the shed to see what is going on. I've found, here in NJ, when three other guys flew together I would get hit on channel 40 even though neither of them were on my channel. I've also seen three brand new radios with the wrong labels on them. The sticker would say one channel but the X'tal inside was another. I discovered all of this while scanning my channel before flying.

Mark

I agree with checking your freq. with a scanner b4 you fly.
Were you flying PCM or PPM?
Did you use the same radio on the same channel for all 3 models?
Maybe you want to check out the radio equipment also>
I have been flying there for 5 years now and have gotten hit on PPM a couple of times but never got hit on PCM there yet.

Curtis, we have seen Vinny hiding in the bushes numerous times at FBF. Please be careful with this one as we have a dont ask dont tell policy in place for Vinny ! Sorry to hear of your troubles. I have seen guys with park flyers trying to fly in an open area between us the the RC car area without regard to frequency control. Beter get the scanner out next time.

Three different aircraft..three different transmitter's? All PCM? Fail-safes set for low throttle & slight up elev? Or just the factory default HOLD on everything? Or PPM...How did each aircraft act, i.e. exactly like type radio and setup should act if R/F interference?

If you were using the same transmitter for all three aircraft I would naturally take a close look at it.

Great example for the application of synthesized channel select trans & receiver's... also having a portable frequency scanner handy to help confirm interference any sort of Outside interference.

Of course there is almost nothing you can do about shooters, I say almost nothing because a few actually have been caught in the act. True outside interference is very rare.. usually the problem will come from another modeler intentional or not. Shoot, I heard about one fellow on one particular day actually shot himself down!! Yep, two transmitter's same frequency... and yep he forgot to turn the other one off[&o]
Lee

I really do NOT think it was a deliberate shooter type thing. I really don't.
I think someone had a radio that was mismarked.

What about this:
There was a cop at the end of the runway bagging speeders with a radar gun. It was JUST like someone was switching interference on and off.
Radio was a Futaba 9c on PPM, failsafe not set(DF models, and it would not have mattered anyway...we are NOT talking about a loss of signal...a glitch...we are talking about massive INTERFERENCE, all controls going extremes, etc) all three receivers were Futaba dual conversion R127, premium units. Two had full antennae, one was a dean's base-loaded antenna. All range-checked just fine before and after the accidents.

I do have an ICOM scanner, I had not brought it that day. I will next time.

The only thing I can think of that was similar is when I was flying a single conversion RX at Liberty Bell, and someone broadcast on a hand-held unicom and shot me down. EXACTLY the same type of reaction. Only this time, we are talking dual-conversion RXes.

What do you think about the radar gun? I talked to the cop, he was NOT broadcasting on his police radio at all. But he WAS using the radar gun. Should have asked him to test it to see if it interferes, but somehow I just worked it out in my mind that radar was completely different...like SONAR! But when you think about it, radar is most definitely radio!

Also...keep in mind that 40mph over the 25mph limit at FBF is an automatic license suspension, so don't be tempted like all the bikers and car guys are out there! The state park cops write people up ALL DAY.

I really don't think the TX is suspect, it range checks fine...

ET...............sorry to hear about your aircraft losses. I usually would keep quiet, but I will say.........I highly doubt it was the radar gun (you will see why shortly). Also, there have been plenty of planes speed checked with radar guns and no adverse effects whatsoever, low altitude, head on, FM and PCM.

DX6 may be a thought.

Rgds,

Bryce

I have the same doubts that you do about the radar gun. But it's the only thing I can think of.
The Spektrum would do it, probably, for these three 18-sized df models, but the larger stuff, I dunno. And I have 16 models ready to fly, so model program memories are definitely an issue. How many memories does the Spektrum have?

Also...the Futaba has never let me down before, the problem was only at FBF, and only yesterday...

I've flown Futaba for quite a while now and I'm hard-core Futaba guy, but I have heard a die-hard Fubaba rep. call the R127 "a crash in a box." With the exception of the DX6, I will no longer fly PPM - my labor on ANY plane is worth more than the $50 extra for a 138, 148, or 149...

Bob

I may be mislabeling the 127...these are the standard dual-conversion PPM RXes that come with a new Futaba system. NEVER had an issue with them before. Don't want to convert my rather large fleet to something else like PCM...we are talking some 16 receivers. If I had to do that, I would just wait a year or so for the next generation spread spectrum.
I also have Hitec receivers of several types, with no issues.

I really do not think it WAS the hardware at all, but something outside.
And it was like interference was switched on, then switched off.

The first plane was an F117, it's a very stable and slow flyer, it got hit twice, and I came down.
The second was a brand-new model for review, it got damaged pretty badly, it's a real pain, as I had not gotten flight shots on it yet, but repairable.
Third one was a Toki Sabre, I just ripped the rudder off and bent a few things, at least I did not total out three aircraft. I consider myself lucky. But also a bit stupid, as after two incidents, I should not have tried to fly the third aircraft. Obviously.

No, I think you're right, I believe that the 127 is Futaba's main-line PPM RX (or is one of them anyway). I just don't think that this receiver is very "tight" for lack of a better word, in maintaining good contact with the TX in the midst of any significant interference.

From what you described, you were having an issue with an outside interference source and you need to try and figure out what was going on there (I don't believe it was the radar either), its just that from what I've heard and my experience, the 127 will have issues long before the Futaba PCM stuff will...

I don't have 16 planes (wow!), but I do have more than the number of PCM RX's I have and so I do an RX swap when I need to. The acquisition of the DX6 will help that tho as the 148 that was in my TRex will be coming out in favor of a DX6 RX so I'll have one more PCM RX to throw in the mix...

Bob

Hello


Do you no guy litlle fuel motor do some interferene in the 72mhz not the one in your plane just the one on your fuel jug and pager too and data terminal when plug to your tubine too!


PLEASE LOOK AT THAT SITE WWW.NADES.NET

CLICK ON UK FLAG THEN FADEC CONTOLLER THEN FADEC CONTROLLER AGAIN THEN EMI TEST INTERFERENCE. YOU WILL SEE WHAT I TALKING ABOUT![:'(]

Hello Bob.. just as a update on the old debate on PPM, my Futaba PPM Roo is still flying almost every weekend.

I started flying it with a R127DF in 99 and later changed it with a 8 channel R148DF PPM.. the R127DF went to a F3A plane that has a considerable amount of flying time too. No problems whatsoever, and all this in a very crowded club, with high tension power lines and cell phone towers nearby, etc.

Althought I used a PCM receivers in jets like the Superhotspot, I still believe that PPM is a good choice to fly jets.. specially in everyday beaters like the Roo.

Enrique

Awaiting Approval

Several of the receivers in question were the R148, I checked today.
And I FLEW again today, in the same place, with no problems.

I'm stumped on this one. But I don't want to do a whole change in my operations because of one day's problems just yet....
I also don't feel a need to convert over to PCM, like Enrique, I have had no problems(till the other day!) with PPM...

Looks like Futaba just discontinued the Futaba 127DF, or at least tower isn't going to carry it anymore. Tower lists the 168DF as the replacement.

Sounds to me like you need a scanner... The ICOM IC-R5 will do it:

http://www.icomamerica.com/products/receivers/r5/

Bob

I've got one, it's an older ICOM, the R-2(?) I think, it's not as selective as the newer ones, but still does the job. I USED to keep it in my TX case, and stopped, because I never used it. Wish I had it with me the other day...

Each and every unfamiliar field I fly at, I do an R-2 scan from the flying site, and from surrounding roads or access points. The R-2 is selective down to 5 kHz plenty for our purposes. Scan all of our channels and more importantly scan all of the pager primary channels. The one's 10 KHz up or down in-between each of our channels. Do a goggle of transmitter and antenna location's in the area of your field.. you might be surprised and find out you've been very lucky for years. The frequencies and power output of those transmitter's are public information.
Lee

This is one field you don't need to have your own scanner. There is already a scanner at the field. It scans all freq's at the same time and gives a readout of signal strength. They keep in in the box with the phone.

I think ET was the victim of a park fly'r. Most likely that person is wondering why they couldn't fly straight as well.

Mark

Wise counsel indeed. But this was not an unfamiliar field. Still, the R-2 is going back into my TX case just in case.

Park flyer? Could be. But I tell you, the nature of the interference was different. Like a breif voice transmission...two or three seconds of overwhelming interference, then control regained. Makes you wonder about all the voice transmissions going on...the sanitation school, the park police, the boats out in the bay, police aviation...maybe somebody way off frequency from where they are supposed to be...
Like many intereference issues, this will probably remain unsolved. Nobody seems to have had similar problems.