El Lobo

Hey Guys,

I'm need to purchase a decent transmitter for an RC project I'm building. Which is the "better" piece of equipment, AM or FM?? How come??

Lobo in West Virginia

XJet

Compare the quality of reception produced by a regular AM broadcast radio with that of an FM broadcast radio and I think you'll have the answer to your question.

FM offers a number of advantages, such as a significantly greater resistance to interference and the ability to "capture" the signal from *your* transmitter even if there was another on the same frequency some distance away.

Go with FM, the price difference isn't that great and it's a much better option.

Lynx

AM systems are harder to find anyways.

apteryx

If it's in the air, 72Mhz FM. If it's on the ground/water, 75Mhz FM

Rodney

Check out www.torreypinesgulls.org/Radios.htm for a pretty good explanation of the different types of modulation. For most of our hobby usage, either AM or FM will usually suffice. Both are equally sensitive but some types of interference will be more noticable on one than on the other. For most types of interference, FM usually wins out. You do not say whether you are going to use this on airborne or ground/water type vehicles or if it is a vehicle at all. For short range, none airborne, there are other frequencys that may do your job too; 49 MHZ, 27MHZ and several in the HAM bands. You cannot legally use the 72MHZ for anything except airborne vehicles.