Thirty Years of RC Model Aviation
A MILESTONE: In 1992 the St. Paul Model RC club (SPMRC) marked 30 years of continuous club activity. In so doing, SPMRC then became the second-oldest club in Minnesota and the oldest continuously operating club in the state. SPMRC ranks as one of the largest clubs in Minnesota, with a membership of between 150 and 200, and it probably rates in the top 10% in the country. Most other area modeling clubs have benefited from having members from the SPMRC as part of their group. Throughout the years, the SPMRC has developed many local and national champions. Originally organized by a group of radio amateurs as a recreational RC flying club, it quickly evolved into a competitive club with primary interests in pattern and racing events. As the club grew in size, it slowly reverted to a sport-flying organization with a group of skillful racers and pattern fliers within its ranks.
Simple Servo Tester
I HAVE FOUND a servo tester to be one of the handiest gadgets an RC modeler can have on his workbench. It may be used, for example, when installing servos into a new model; one need not use the rest of the airborne pack to set up travel. It is also useful for providing a signal source for servicing servos, and provides a neutral standard to align servos after servicing. There are several servo testers available on the market and several magazines have published articles on constructing different designs, some extremely complicated. The circuit I have used is outstandingly simple; it uses only seven components in the basic circuit, which practically guarantees that it will work for you. The components are low cost, not critical in size or tolerance, and one can easily add to the basic unit to create a custom unit with features such as meters, deadband check, pre-set neutral, limits, and the like. However, this article is aimed at keeping it simple, and modifications are up to the individual.
