Frankenthumb

My Feedback: (2)

A friend bought an old Futaba radio at an estate sale. It's an Attack 4 AM radio. Does anyone know if it's legal to use at an AMA field?

Thanks!

ronwc

My Feedback: (404)

Yes, they are legal - it should have a gold sticker (narrow band) on the transmitter.

pt19 flyer

My Feedback: (1)

hi

go to the Futaba website and I think it's under faq or questions and answers, they list the numbers of legal and not legal rc equipment. this is the best way to find out for sure. it the receiver is not narrow band I would not use it, you will lose you plane

I think if its older than around 1995 and not gold stickered it may not be legal. web site is best solution

happy flying
joe

hilleyja

My Feedback: (3)

The key here is the radio must be narrow range. Some of the older radios can be modified and subsequently gold-stickered.

Having said that, I have seen some fields that will allow you to use the wide-band radios. When you do so you have to reserve the channel plus the 2 adjacent channels. I think it is still illegal per FCC.

newbieT

I also have an older Attack-4, the GOLD sticker on the back says '91, btw. Is there any drawback to me learning with this radio? I was into the hobby about 10 years ago, and I really need something good to get me away from computers (which I work with now day and night). I thought perhaps it's lack of buddy-box capability maybe a problem...not sure. I was hoping not to spend a whole lot on a new radio...TIA

-newbieT

hilleyja

My Feedback: (3)

It should be fine as long as you have a good instructor that knows how to work without a buddy box. An alternative is to checkout Tower's complete package specials. BTW, this hobby is not cheap. You expenses increase exponentially after you learn how to fly -- He He He!!!! Hell, just a couple of weeks ago I took a lot of stuff that was hanging around my workshop I wasn't using and sold it dirt cheap at a RC flea market and still came home with almost $900.00.

newbieT

Oh, believe me, I know from the little experience I had when I was younger that it's not cheap...this time 'round, though, I'm taking my time. I was into all sorts of things as a kid, kit cars, boats, submarines, hovercraft, motorcycles...you name it, I was lucky enough to build/run one. I got to planes and life started heading downhill, more on that later...

This time around I'm starting with a Great Planes PT-40 MKII Trainer Kit .35-.46 (since I really enjoyed the model building) and plan to join a club and make sure everything is well planned. I was much younger before (12-14 or so) and unfortunately, my father who bought me a whole ARF (avistar) with the aformentioned Futaba, couldn't make the time to help me get organized with a club and instructed properly. (In his defense, my parents were getting divorced as well his company, which he personally owned and ran, was going down hill). So, as I said, I'm taking my time (much to my chagrin)...I've bought all the necessary parts to start down the long path of modeling (kit, glues, pins, sanders, etc.) and plan to get the finishing parts (engine, new radio) a little while down the road when I'm closer to finishing the work (esp. since they're needed for fuse completion, duh ;-). I hoped if I wasn't able to get a new radio when I had completed this model, that I could use the one I already have in the meantime. I tried looking all this info up on Futaba's site as suggested, but didn't find anything concerning the subject, but now I know it'll do the job if need be.

I'm sure, since it's evident from your amazing number of posts to the forum, that'll you'll see more questions from me concerning building in the near future (my kit and supplies should be here next week!!!).

Thanks for the info.

-NewbieT (Dave)

mav1000

Can any of the radio experts out there tell me if, a radio is referred to as narrow band that it means it is an a.m. radio. Or do am and FM radios come in narrow band. Trying to learn the proper radio jargon and understand what people are talking about. Thanks to anyone who can help with my question

hilleyja

My Feedback: (3)

A narrow band radio has channel separation of 20K. Before narrow band came out the separation was about 3 times that. If your club allows wide band radios (still may be illegal with FCC) make sure you block off the designated frequency and both adjacent channels on your frequency board. AM or FM has nothing to do with whether the radio is narrow band or wide band. They are the types of data signal modulation used. Both of them ride on the same range of 72MHz signals.

This is the 72 MHz, for Model Aircraft Use ONLY Channel, band (note each channel is 20K from the adjacent channesl):

(11) 72.010
(12) 72.030
(13) 72.050
(14) 72.070
(15) 72.090
(16) 72.110
(17) 72.130
(18) 72.150
(19) 72.170
(20) 72.190
(21) 72.210
(22) 72.230
(23) 72.250
(24) 72.270
(25) 72.290
(26) 72.310
(27) 72.330
(28) 72.350
(29) 72.370
(30) 72.390
(31) 72.410
(32) 72.430
(33) 72.450
(34) 72.470
(35) 72.490
(36) 72.510
(37) 72.530
(38) 72.550
(39) 72.570
(40) 72.590
(41) 72.610
(42) 72.630
(43) 72.650
(44) 72.670
(45) 72.690
(46) 72.710
(47) 72.730
(48) 72.750
(49) 72.770
(50) 72.790
(51) 72.810
(52) 72.830
(53) 72.850
(54) 72.870
(55) 72.890
(56) 72.910
(57) 72.930
(58) 72.950
(59) 72.970
(60) 72.990

mav1000

Thanks, you have been a BIG help!!!

prebres

My Feedback: (7)

With a gold sticker it is very legal!

hilleyja

My Feedback: (3)

Gold stickers were used to show that a TX had been modified so that it utilized the narrow channel frequency bands. They are legal because they are no longer wide-channel TXs.