Technical Update - 2007/06
Author
Steve Kaluf Technical Director [email protected]
This past month has been largely devoted to preparing for our Electronic Technology Committee (ETC) meeting on April 16, immediately following the Weak Signals trade show in Toledo, OH. Because of that, I don’t have a lot to report in this month’s column, but I will have much more next month. As a quick update, I’ll recap the spread spectrum radio systems the AMA has examined to date. The Weak Signals show is always a venue for new product releases, so this list will likely grow after the show.
Spread spectrum systems reviewed (chronological summary)
- Spektrum RC — initial offering: a three-channel module/receiver for the surface market.
- Spektrum — first aircraft offering: a six-channel system designed for park-size models.
- Nomadio — a three-channel system for surface use.
- Spektrum — a full-range seven-channel system.
- Futaba (February 2007) — a six-channel full-range complete system.
- With both Spektrum and Futaba available, we now have two different manufacturers offering aircraft systems.
Retrofit modules and new entrants
- Spektrum announced modules and receivers to retrofit many popular transmitters, converting them from 72 MHz to 2.4 GHz spread spectrum operation.
- Futaba announced, shortly before the Weak Signals show, that it would soon offer modules, receivers, and a new 12-channel transmitter/receiver.
- Xtreme Power Systems (XPS) — a new company that announced modules and receivers to retrofit almost any transmitter to 2.4 GHz spread spectrum operation; XPS planned to sell these products at the Weak Signals show for the first time.
Testing status
AMA Headquarters has working samples of everything mentioned above except the new Futaba modules and the 12-channel transmitter (those items are too new). We continue to test each system to ensure it works as advertised and, most important, that it operates safely alongside similar transmitters. Some new systems that are essentially based on already-available technology will not be separately tested, since there is no need to repeat tests on the same basic item.
Looking ahead
Next month will be full of news from our ETC meeting and reports on any new products I noted at the Weak Signals show in Toledo.
'til next time... MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
