Frequently Asked Questions - 2004/12

82 MODEL AVIATION
Bob Aberle
F r e q u e n t l y A s k e d Q u e s t i o n s
E-mail: [email protected]
The new AstroFlight Super Whattmeter II. This new version of the popular meter now
has the ability to operate at less than 4.0 volts. Text has details.
THIS IS THE ninth monthly column in
which I try to give the best possible
answers to questions that you write in or
E-mail to me. Each question is given a
sequential number for identification
purposes.
Because space here is limited, part of
this column will be published and spillover
material will be posted on the AMA Web
site at www.modelaircraft.org/mag/faq/
index.asp. All questions and answers are
posted on the Web site. Let’s start!
Q72: “Last month in Q65 you talked about
the fact that the popular AstroFlight
Whattmeter would not operate below 4.0
volts. You referenced a modification that
would permit such use. You also said the
following: ‘If enough people show an
interest, Bob Boucher of AstroFlight might
offer a meter specifically for this
application in the future.’
“Well I have good news: AstroFlight
just announced a new version of their
meter. Would you please verify that fact?”
A72: That’s progress for you! I’m sure
Bob was working on this for a while, but
the coincidence is amazing. I just
contacted Bob, and he immediately
shipped me one of his new AstroFlight
Super Whattmeter IIs (item number 101).
It is shown in an accompanying photo.
The meter is shipped with the excellent
AstroFlight Zero Loss connectors, but
since they are not standard in my shop, I
replaced them with APP connectors.
Consider using adapters that will bridge
the gap from one brand of connector to
another.
Notice the extra cable exiting the meter
case. That is the new addition. When you
want to read less than 4.0 volts, you attach
a standard four-cell receiver battery pack
to this cable. After you do that, the meter
will read voltage almost down to zero.
In this same modification, Bob
improved on the resolution so that instead
of the meter reading current to 100 mA,
the new version reads to 10 mA. Now one
meter will handle all of your needs, even
when it comes to parking lot and indoor
micro-flying.
For more details and price information,
go to www.astroflight.com. When the
home page comes up, click on the photo
“Digital Peak Chargers,” then select Super
Whattmeter.
Q73: “I’m looking for an add-on device
that will mix two channels for elevon
control, like on a flying-wing aircraft
design. I heard that someone is offering a
device, such as this, that includes several
other functions, like a lost model alarm
and an audible battery checker. Could you
help me locate this product?”
A73: I found what the reader was asking
for purely by accident. I monitor the EFlight
Digest and the SFRC nets every
day, and I saw a reference to a company
called FirmTronics RC Products. I looked
up the Web site (www.firmtronics.com)
and not only found the accessory item the
reader wanted, but several other products
that sounded interesting.
I have no firsthand knowledge of this or
any of the company’s RC equipment, but it
certainly appeared worth looking into.
The device the reader inquired about is
called the WingMax. It weighs only 6
grams and sells for $24.95. This little unit
provides onboard mixing of two channels
(such as ailerons and elevator) for flyingwing
and/or V-tail operation. It also
A typical page in the Peck-Polymers catalog.
Cover of the latest Peck-Polymers
catalog. It caters to the non-RC enthusiast
and has 50 pages of interesting items.
12sig3.QXD 10/25/04 11:10 am Page 82
84 MODEL AVIATION
A “gold sticker” in the 1985-1992 time frame. If your old RC
transmitter doesn’t have one, get it checked out.
features an in-flight low-battery-warning
alarm. If the transmitter signal is lost (or
turned off), the device will provide a lostaircraft
warning alarm.
FirmTronics also has the PathFinder
LMA, which is just the airplane locator
and low-battery alarm. Additional products
include a servo reverser (for use at your
receiver) and the DigiFailSafe which
allows you to program servo positions in
the event of a lost signal or interference.
I hope I can obtain several of these
devices to review in the near future.
Q74: “I recently experienced a flying-site
separation problem where two local clubs
were operating from flying fields in very
close proximity to one another. To help
resolve this problem I was advised to look
up AMA document 548 ‘Procedure for RF
Interference Testing Between Model Sites’
(reference this specific AMA Web site:
www.modelaircraft.org/templates/ama/PD
F-files/548.pdf).
“Well, I did and it appears that this test
procedure depends on a device referred to
as a ‘Glitch Detector.’ The only problem
is, there is no reference as to what this
device is or even where one could buy it.
Can you help me out?”
A74: Being a longtime member of the
AMA RC Frequency Committee, I was
aware that this document was in the
preparation phase, but quite honestly I
didn’t see the item that was released to the
AMA Web site. I quickly looked it up and
realized that the reference to the Glitch
Detector was missing, and then I did some
investigating.
The Glitch Detector was originally
designed and developed by fellow
committee member George Steiner
roughly 10 years ago. He prepared a
construction article about it that was
published in the April 1994 Radio Control
Modeler magazine, and at the time he
offered some assembly kits.
Although the kits are no longer
available, George recently indicated that
he has some PC boards remaining and will
give them away for the cost of the postage.
You will have to purchase your own parts,
but it should be a simple process. Contact
George at [email protected].
I also learned that the Schulze company
of Germany makes a “glitch counter” or
detector called the blinki-mc4. Icare-
Ikarus Inc. of Canada (www.icare-rc.com)
sells it for $45 US. You can find details
and photos at www.schulze-elektronikgmbh.
de/.
Still another variation on the same
theme involves the fact that the new Flight
System Receivers (FS5 and FS8) that
FMA Direct offers also have a built-in
glitch-counting capability. A detailed
review of that product was published in the
November 2004 MA.
But that isn’t the end of the story. Dan
Williams, the AMA District II frequency
coordinator, recently updated the Steiner
Glitch Detector with a new microprocessor,
making it easier to use and calibration free.
Dan is making several of these devices for
each of the AMA districts.
The Frequency Coordinator for each
district (which is listed at the top of the
respective vice
president’s column
in the “AMA News”
section each month)
will eventually
receive these Glitch
Detectors. When you
have a flying-site
separation problem,
contact your
district’s
coordinator. He or
she will be able to
loan you one of
these devices and
coach you on how to
use it effectively to
solve your problems.
Q75: “Although I enjoy building and
flying RC models, I still like to also try my
hand at some ‘non-RC’ models, like Free
Flights, rubber power, and Towline
Gliders. Most of the magazine
advertisements are RC oriented. Can you
recommend any literature or catalogs that
concentrate more on the ‘non-RC’ areas of
our hobby?”
A75: I still, to this day, fly an FF model or
Hand-Launched Glider on occasion. I
started in the hobby in 1950, flying FF
models and won many contests as a teenager
before getting actively into RC.
I can appreciate your comments
concerning the fact that most present-day
hobby-magazine advertising concentrates
on RC, but quite a few people in our hobby
still specialize in products, supplies, and
accessories for what I call “non-RC”
model aircraft.
I recently received a new catalog from
Sandy Peck of Peck-Polymers. This
business has been going for many years,
and its catalog features all kinds of good
things, such as Peanut and Walnut Scale
rubber-powered models, sport rubberpowered
models, solid jet-fueled aircraft
and motors, Hand-Launched Gliders, CO2
FirmTronics’ WingMax goes onboard your model and allows
mixing of two channel functions, such as ailerons and elevator.
The Schulze blinki-mc4 provides a “glitch counter” or “glitch
detector” function, as explained in the text.
12sig3.QXD 10/25/04 11:10 am Page 84
motors and accessories, tiny electric
motors, and a variety of hard-to-find
hobby supplies.
I consider this 50-page catalog one of
my best reference sources for this area of
aeromodeling. You can obtain a copy by
contacting Peck-Polymers at Box 710399,
Santee CA 92072. The telephone number
is (619) 448-1818, the E-mail address is
[email protected], and the
Web-site address is www.peck-poly
mers.com.
I realize that other companies provide a
similar service. To be fair to everyone in
this area of our hobby business, I’ll give
you equal time; just send me a copy of
your current catalog.
Q76: “I recently blew the dust off my old
RC model aircraft and RC systems. They
were put aside when I went off to college.
I now would like to introduce my two little
boys to this wonderful hobby. The radios I
have date back twenty years or more and
operate on AM. Will I be permitted to use
these radios at AMA sanctioned clubs or
events? Are there any FCC rules or
regulations that prohibit the use of AM
radios?”
A76: I’m not sure of your particular RC
transmitters’ exact year of manufacture.
Until March 1982, there were seven RC
channels available to us on 72 and 75 MHz
for RC use. At roughly that time, the FCC
granted us a total of 50 new channels
between 72 and 73 MHz that were
expressly for the radio control of model
aircraft.
By 1987, these older channels were
phased out while the 50 new channels
were being phased in. By 1991 we were
using only those 50 channels. These new
channels were spaced much closer
together, which warranted the
development of what we call “narrowband”
RC equipment.
To this day there is no distinction
between AM and FM. Although FM is
predominant, you can still buy a few AM
systems that work just fine.
The real problem you may face is that
your older AM RC systems may
broadcast a wider signal than is now
acceptable. This could result in your
knocking someone else, on an adjacent
channel, out of the air!
All of the older RC transmitters had to
go through an inspection process during
that “phase-out/phase-in” period. Some
transmitters had to be adjusted or corrected
and some had to be retired. Acceptable
transmitters for narrow-band operation
were given a “gold sticker.” If you have an
old transmitter that doesn’t have that
sticker, it needs an upgrade.
All new equipment since 1991 has been
sold as narrow-band compliant, whether it
is AM or FM. I doubt if any major RC
manufacturers still offer a checkout-andupgrade
service. It is possible that some
independent service centers still perform
that function.
A 20-year-old or older RC system may
be “suffering” from such things as
internally corroded wire, dirty or corroded
potentiometer controls, and a variety of
other problems that might prove to be
costly to correct.
The fact that you can purchase many basic
RC systems today, with new batteries, for less
than $150 leads me to suggest that you retire
your old equipment and buy one new system,
to “test the waters” with your young family
members. MA
86 MODEL AVIATION
Our Full-Size
Plans List
has hundreds
of models
to choose from.
See page 183
for details.
12sig3.QXD 10/25/04 11:11 am Page 86