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Futaba AM Receiver

Old 05-09-2012, 06:28 AM
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mustangman177
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Default Futaba AM Receiver

I bid on and won a Futaba 7 channel 'AM" channel 18 receiver on e-bay. Not knowing it was AM when I bid on it, thought it was a FM receiver. Knowing that AM is waaaaaay outdated, what is it good for ? Will my 7 channel Futaba 7CAP work with a AM receiver ?

I'm only out $9.99 plus shipping, so no big loss if cannot use it.....
Old 05-09-2012, 07:07 AM
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DadsToysBG
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver

Your radio is FM. throw it in a box. Dennis
Old 05-09-2012, 07:13 AM
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mustangman177
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver

Does anyone even sell a AM transmitter anymore ?
Old 05-09-2012, 07:20 AM
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BarracudaHockey
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver

A few people on an island way out the Pacific still use them, or so thats the urban ledgend.
Old 05-09-2012, 07:27 AM
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carrellh
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver


ORIGINAL: mustangman177

Does anyone even sell a AM transmitter anymore ?
Futaba AM transmitters:
72 mhz, 3 channel, single stick http://www3.omnimodels.com/cgi-bin/w...I=FUTJ51**&P=0
Old 05-09-2012, 07:34 AM
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver

To a person of my generation, the word "won" has a bit different meaning than as in won on E-bay
Pete
Old 05-09-2012, 08:42 AM
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver

He thought that he won something but in fact he lost $9.99 plus.

Karol
Old 05-09-2012, 10:21 AM
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mustangman177
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver


ORIGINAL: karolh

He thought that he won something but in fact he lost $9.99 plus.

"Such is Life"
Old 05-09-2012, 10:45 AM
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fizzwater2
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver

He didn't "lose" it.. he knows right where it went. Just converted it into something to occupy space in a drawer somewhere.....

I've done that with LOTS of stuff!

Old 05-09-2012, 11:31 AM
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pilotpete2
 
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver

Haven't we all
Pete
Old 05-09-2012, 12:48 PM
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DadsToysBG
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver

Such is E-bay. Dennis
Old 05-09-2012, 01:34 PM
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prichiuso
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver

You have 2 choices, either buy an AM radio transmitter to work with the receiver or put the receiver back on e-Bay.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both AM and FM. AM signals will travel farther but are subject to radio frequency interference (RFI). FM tends to be line of sight (good for aircraft, not so good on the ground) but is less prone to RFI. It can be "masked" by buildings and terrain. I'm sure you've experienced "dead spots" on your FM car radio on occasion. I use 27 MHz AM for my ground systems radios. It's a lot better since the CB craze is over. I have 75 MHz FM for ground stuff but haven't yet used it. I have both 72 MHz FM and 2.4 GHz (haven't flown it yet) for my aircraft. As more and more people switch from 72 MHz to 2.4 GHz there will be less a chance of interference, just like on the 27 MHz band.

Oldflyer
Old 05-09-2012, 02:28 PM
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fizzwater2
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver

the primary difference between AM and FM in the car radio is frequency. Being a higher frequency, the FM broadcast band is more line of sight. That, and path losses are higher as you go up in frequency, so there is a LOT more signal loss at the FM broadcast band than there is at the AM broadcast band (roughly a 100X frequency difference between them, 40 dB difference in path loss)

AM really doesn't "travel" any further than FM on the same frequency at the same power level. The big advantage of FM in the models is better noise immunity - with the ASK (amplitude shift keying) used in AM radios, there is a "hole" in the transmitted signal between each control pulse, and the receiver is wide open to noise during that hole. FM is "on" continuously, helps add some noise immunity to the receiver. FM is also somewhat less susceptible to multipath problems - the "flutter" you hear in an AM car radio as you move is multipath interference.

Old 05-10-2012, 03:34 AM
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EyeflyRC
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver

The only seven channel Futaba AM receiver that is narrow band is R117H and it can still be used with a narrow band AM transmitter at most AMA club fields. Any other product code on your seven channel receiver would be wide band and not acceptable at AMA fields. Also, AM receivers will work with AM transmitters of mixed brands.
Old 05-10-2012, 04:01 AM
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fizzwater2
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver


ORIGINAL: EyeflyRC

TAlso, AM receivers will work with AM transmitters of mixed brands.
Ah, the good ol' days.. don't you wish there was a similar standard for 2.4G equipment?
Old 05-10-2012, 04:36 AM
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K-Bob
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver

I would send the seller the $9.99 and tell him to throw it in the trash for me. At least I wouldn't be out the shipping charges.
Old 05-10-2012, 06:55 AM
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EyeflyRC
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver

I don't think you said what you meant to say. Your statement makes no sense as it stands.
Old 05-10-2012, 06:57 AM
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EyeflyRC
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver

Sorry, I got it. Assuming seller has not already shipped.
Old 05-10-2012, 07:05 AM
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mustangman177
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver

Payment has been sent and receiver- received. Will make good paper weight for now.
Old 05-11-2012, 12:21 PM
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sidgates
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver

AM radios are still being used in some rural areas. They work just as good there as they ever did. The main problem at most club fields is that most AM receivers were "wide" band and can't be used where all 50 frequencies are used.
Old 05-11-2012, 12:54 PM
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Rodney
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver

As long as the AM transmitter has been verified to be "narrow band" it will have as good a range as any equivalent FM transmitter with the same output power. Now, both AM and FM transmitters on the 72/75 MHz bands have the same maximum power input to the final as authorized by the FCC in the USA, which, if I remember correctly it less than 1 watt into the final amplifier in the transmitter. The AM will be less tolerant of man made noise than the FM but will have equal range. Of course range is more a function of the receiver than of the transmitter so I am assuming that you are using a receiver with a good design.
Old 05-11-2012, 02:38 PM
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A.T.
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Default RE: Futaba AM Receiver


ORIGINAL: BarracudaHockey A few people on an island way out the Pacific still use them, or so thats the urban ledgend.
No urban legend, AM is still used in this corner of the world by the "old fellas" with RC Yachts, Cars & Tanks -
(including Raratonga last time I was there)
If not broken, why spend extra $ for unnecessary "upgrade"

Alan T.

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