Focus on Competition
The suggested new name for the group
is the Electronic Technology Committee.
This name is still subject to final approval,
but we feel it is a good fit. The new
mission of the committee is “to support the
Academy by monitoring, maintaining and
developing electronic technology areas of
modeling through liaison with governments,
industry and membership groups.”
The Radio Control Manufacturers
Association (RCMA) was also discussed at
the meeting. This organization is made up
of manufacturers in the radio-control
industry. The group has not been very active
the last few years; however, there are some
new issues that the RCMA will be helping
the Frequency Committee (Electronic
Technology Committee) deal with to
provide assistance to the industry.
RCMA will be hosting a meeting in the
next couple of weeks to begin this process.
Many issues will be addressed, including the
establishment of some industry standards for
several items. The most prominent of these
will be spread spectrum but could include
such items as nomenclature used to label Li-
Poly batteries, servo torque ratings, and
many other things.
There is a need within the radio-control
industry to provide some basic standards
that our manufacturers will voluntarily agree
to adhere to. This is a major step in the right
direction. The AMA committee will help the
RCMA establish these standards. As they
are created and put in place by manufacturers,
members benefit a great deal when
purchasing products that meet or exceed or
have been tested to these standards.
The transmitter-frequency/channelidentification
system we have recommended
to be utilized for many years was also
discussed. This is the channel-number
plaque and wind streamer that would be
attached to the transmitter’s antenna. Please
don’t confuse this with a frequency-control
Technical Director Steve Kaluf
I’VE JUST RETURNED from an AMA
Frequency Committee meeting. We hosted
the meeting in Champaign, Illinois—
home of Hobbico and Horizon Hobby and
for this past weekend the E-Fest. This was
a large indoor radio-control flying event
hosted by Great Planes.
More than 200 pilots attended; it was a
great deal of fun and featured many flat
foamie’s, helicopters, some great-looking
Scale aircraft, and many slow flyers.
You’ll read more about the event in a
future issue of MA.
The Frequency Committee meeting
was purposely set up to coincide with the
event. This afforded committee members
the opportunity to see this type of event
and witness the use of some newer
technology firsthand.
Additionally, thanks to the good folks
at Hobbico and Horizon Hobby,
committee members were treated to a tour
of each facility. I’d like to thank Don
Anderson (Hobbico) and John Adams
(Horizon Hobby) for taking time out of
their busy schedules to accommodate our
large group and personally guide the tours.
These two companies are huge!
Walking into one of their warehouses is
an eye-opening experience; we are talking
hundreds of thousands of square feet filled
with modeling supplies of all types. The
hobby is alive and well in Champaign!
Back to the meeting. It was held for two
days prior to the E-Fest. Our agenda was
long, but a great deal was accomplished.
I’d like to touch on a few of the
significant issues we discussed.
One of the first things covered was the
committee’s changing role. The group no
longer deals only with frequency-related
matters. The technology used in our
hobby has been changing at a rapid rate.
As such, the committee decided to open
its scope up a bit to include the electronics
and technology used in our hobby/sport
and no longer limit itself to frequencyrelated
subjects.
system used by clubs or at events.
Many committee members felt that the
system was not being used much any
longer. Additionally, it was agreed that the
plaques and streamers can pose a hazard
when the transmitter is placed in an
impound. Workers can bump into them,
causing a transmitter to fall.
Based on these comments and a few
other concerns, AMA will remove that
recommendation from the Membership
Manual. Clubs and events may still want
to make the plaques and streamers a
requirement. If they do, AMA will stand
behind that decision and members should
be respectful of that rule.
The committee updated the Frequency
Use Chart for Model Operations. The
biggest change to the chart was the
inclusion of the 2.4 GHz band. A few
wording changes were also made.
At my request the committee will be
developing a “How Stuff Works” series of
articles. We are hopeful that some, if not
all, will be published in MA and/or posted
on Sport Aviator. This series will be
available separately as it is compiled.
The impetus for this series is the
number of new people who are coming
into the hobby. Many do not know much
about how radio-control systems, other
electronic devices, batteries, etc. work.
The series will explain these items in
simple terms using lots of graphics.
The majority of the rest of the meeting
was a time for the committee to learn
about the 2.4 GHz band and spread
spectrum. This was a valuable discussion,
and everyone learned a great deal. I feel the
discussion also helped the manufacturers.
There will be more published about this in
the not too distant future. In the meantime,
please contact me if you have any questions.
Til next time … MA
2006 Key Dates
April 7 - 9
Toledo Show 2006
Weak Signals R/C Exposition
Toledo OH
April 4 - 10
Sun n’ Fun
Lakeland FL
April 26 - 30
Top Gun
Lakeland FL
May 6 - 7
RCX Radio Control Expo
Anaheim CA
May 30 - June 4
Indoor Free Flight National
Championships
Johnson City TN
July 24 - 30
EAA AirVenture
Oshkosh WI
July 4 - August 6
Outdoor National Aeromodeling
Championships
AMA International Aeromodeling Center
Muncie IN
(Events attended by AMA HQ staff and/or officers)
April 2006 171
04sig6.QXD 2/27/06 12:07 PM Page 171
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/04
Page Numbers: 171