Now you're Talking

George M Myers Bob Underwood M w Fe time time section will present thought-provoking ideas modeling/AMA issues Timeliness available space factors may affect publication opinions expressed authors should construed being AMA Headquarters staff AMA officers IVE BEEN ASKED several times message Thanks Bob appears head fifty 72 MHz RC channels listed Membership Renewal Form Well realize 50 exclusive separated license-free RC channels conferred FCC because have pretty face took hard work AMA member volunteers over period 10 years get included face-toface meetings FCC Commissioners own offices Washington time AMA Washington offices too has taken another 15 years-long effort AMA people volunteers employees keep channels Exclusive Yeah Nobody else pagers taxicabs EPA police portable phones dog trainers inflight sound systems airplanes etc can use though theyve tried grab some own purposes Separated Right Fifty Airplanes Only 72 MHz channels 30 Non-Aircraft 75 MHz channels Making work took convincing lot people including US Japanese manufacturers Some History Right after World War II Amateur Radio people Hams got nonexclusive 27 MHz channel whole AMA used crash time traffic lights reset then-legal Nassau County traffic control radio using super-regenerative receivers Super regens light simple sensitive wide-open interference could recognize blue triangular transmitter flag Seen lately Shortly afterward AMA Hams got us five licensed channels $20 per year half weeks pay 27 MHz Citizens Band shared users keep transmitter output power below 3/4 watt 1/4 wave handheld antenna Heavier complex ie expensive single-conversion superheterodyne receivers came use Crashes happened less often think lost tried fly airplane RC channel shared mobile transmitter boat car Illegal kilowatt Citizens Band transmitters soon made RC flight impossible Government couldnt control situation AMA Hams members created Frequency Committee led John Strong guided John Worth Jeremiah Courtney got us five license-free shared channels 72 MHz plus channel 75 MHz may remember old pair colored ribbons lived situation until large Saint Louis pager business, putting 300 watts high-gain antenna 300 feet above ground appropriated channels Another AMA Frequency Committee volunteers worked eight long years 19751983 improve situation W2QPP chaired Frequency Committee 1979 through 1983 during time cajoled persuaded yes coerced people keep working together get us better deal Among committee members Jack Albrecht employed Kraft later Airtronics did mathematics resulting frequency interference data printouts feet thick Walter Good RC pioneer Bill Hershberger radio engineer pioneer 72 MHz systems Fred Marks designer first FCC-certified narrowband receiver RC models Silver Seven sold ACE R/C kit 1979 electronic kits have built lately Fortunately AMA knowledge Washington contacts Jeremiah Courtney AMA counsel brilliant young lawyer office Jack Smith Jack also held Bachelors degree Electrical Engineering knew enough radio theory radio engineer W2QPP kept committees noses grindstone working secure separated exclusive narrowband channels enjoy nowmeanwhile persuading manufacturers provide narrowband systems make useable problem convincing AMA modelers give up old wideband stuff own good job Considering immense effect 50 Aircraft Only RC channels have growth AMA since went effect 1982 might think AMA would want W2QPP people named above Hall Fame Last year committee met consider Hall Fame candidates couldnt remember should tell AMA HQ what think know stuff 1941 AMA number AMA 193 IR built first RC radio flew 1950 before W2QPP some members HOT committee flew RC volunteer publicist Frequency Committee eight years talked people kept records heard saw AMA HQ Executive Council model magazines AMAs Frequency Committee might have existed Which say no help John Worth AMA Executive Director 1965 Carl Wheeley Model Aviation publisher about 20 years Bill Winter Model Aviation editor same time very supportive ran column Radio Technique 20 years discussed significant changes hobby hobby horizon W2QPP & spent years together out field flying doing tests analyzing results passing out theyd good W2QPP call sign Bob Aberle AMA 215 George M Myers AMA #1370 response Bob Underwood As current chairman Frequency 52 Model Aviation