turbojoe

My Feedback: (8)

Contemplating what I'm going to do with my no longer legal wide band 4 channel radio. I guess I could take the sticks off and use the gimbal holes as small cup holders. A bookend? A doorstop?

R Plante

Next fun fly use it for a transmitter toss. Everyone tosses a buck in and whoever tosses it the furthest wins 1/2 club gets the other half. Draw for order before you start as sometimes there is a little less for the last ones to throw.

ReallyUglyStick

My Feedback: (5)

you could use it for a pc joystic: http://www.soldcentralfl.com/flyingpenguin/rcstick.htm

turbojoe

My Feedback: (8)

Now that's COOL. Now I have another project to add to the list.
Thanks.

Billy Hell

My Feedback: (2)

My fater-in-law bought me an old Futaba AM 5 channel TX. After being informed by the boys at the field (my first radio) that it wasn't legal I bought the RCJOY usb adapter and use it with FMS at the office.

cassidy

My Feedback: (5)

I have had old Kraft and Futaba AM sets updated so I could fly them with my Oldtimers and some of my very large Electrics. Fortunately I had a supply of the now discontinued Hitec model 1500 Seven channel Platinum Dual conversion receivers so it made sense and I wasn't concerned about the expense and the work PERFECTLY.

However, be aware that in most cases it is cheaper to just go out and buy an new set. You will never recover your money if you try to sell the old updated set.

Another MAJOR consideration is the fact that in many clubs there are people who just do not know what they are talking about when it comes to Gold Stickering an old set, don't know anything about what is techanically factual about AM/FM/PCM , or what is legal or not legal. Thus the use of OLD STUFF can get to be a hassel and you may have to prove your LEGAL right to use it.
One man's opinion.

Paul Ryan

visioneer_one

My Feedback: (506)

One of the fellows here has an old JR Century 7 TX - not narrowbanded. He flies a Nexus heli with it.

We all land and shut our gear off so as to avoid conflicts. He doesn't come out very often so it really isn't an issue.

turbojoe

My Feedback: (8)

It may not be an issue at your field but what about the legal issue? Anyone know what the ramifications are for using a wide band radio? Aside from the broken nose if you shoot down someone.

visioneer_one

My Feedback: (506)

I'm not aware that using wideband gear was 'illegal'. So long as the radio in question is transmitting within our hobby-use 72mHz band the FCC should have no problem with it.

He'd run into problems if he tried to fly at an AMA-chartered field or at an AMA-sanctioned event, though. The AMA requires gold-stickered gear.

As far as shoot-downs... the chances are pretty slim of that happening here. There aren't but fifteen people on his island that fly R/C (off and on) and we all fly at the same field...

amcross

My Feedback: (2)

There's far more to it than shootdowns, and it definitely IS against FCC regulation in the US and as of 6/02 in Canada as well.

there are other primary users between our channels. Every time a modeler chooses to use a wide band radio you are risking interfering with these primary users. While its not likely to be caught, if you are the fines are nasty but far more important is every time such an infraction occurs it risks the entire band for ALL modelers.

visioneer_one

My Feedback: (506)

Ooo. You're right - I reread the FCC regs; here's what I found:

FCC reg NG49:

Railroad yards, manufacturing plants, logging sites, mills and similiar industrial sites are operating on the following freqs: [72.020 to 72.600, snipped for brevity]

FCC reg NG56:

In the band 72.0 ~ 73.0 MHz, the use of mobile remote control of models is on a secondary basis to all carries domestic public stations, to remote control of industrial equipment operating in the 72 ~ 76 MHz band, or reception of television signals on channel 4 or 5.

Oh, no!

I dug up a list of our (current) channel allocations and found that these freqs fall in between our channels. We use the 'odd' frequencies; licensed users have the 'even' frequencies.

After additional reasearch I learned that the old wideband gear is centered on the even frequencies with 80 kHz spacing between each channel. 72.080, 72.160, etc. I think my friend's TX is on 72.320.

Using the FCC frequency search database I've also found that the local telephone company has a transmitter on 72.340.

Hmm.

I'll have to have a chat with my friend next time he comes out.

amcross

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks for looking, and for listening, visioneer. Both are appreciated!