aeajr
10-29-2005, 05:13 AM
Spread Spectrum - Perhaps the perfect solution for parkflyer and electric Helicopter pilots
In the old days, when glow planes were king and you had to spend a long time building your plane, you almost had to have the help of a a club and the use of a club field. Finally, after investing all this time and money, you really WANTED the help of an instructor to help you preserve and protect your time and money investment. The club instructor system was, and still is a very good system. But new technology has brought new options, and change.
Enter the small electrics, often called parkflyers. RTFs, ARFs, and foamies mean you can get into the air quickly. The small, quiet nature of these planes means that they can be flown in more places without drawing attention. People are flying them in parks, school yards and some of the slow flyers can even be flown in front yards and in school gyms. And, because they are inexpensive and easy to buy and fly, people are teaching themselves to fly. If you crash the plane, some will just bounce, and many of the others are easy to fix with good parts availability. For relatively little time and money expense, you can replace the whole plane. What could be bad about this?
THE PROBLEM - Channel Conflict on 72 and 27 MHz
One of the concerns of the RC flying community is that people flying off the club fields are not being taught about frequency control within the 72 MHz RC airplane hobby band. The feeling is that these off field flyers are begining to represent a danger to the safety of planes and people on and off the club fields. If you are flying your RC plane at some school yard you could interfer with those on the the club fields or with other parkflyer pilots elsewhere. You could be causing crashes and not even know it. Or you could be subject to loss of control of your plane and not know why.
The issue is channel conflict. If you are flying on the same channel as another flyer, one or both of you will crash. With the range of today's equipment, you might be a mile away from the other flyer and still effect each other. The AMA recommends that club fields be at least 3 miles apart for this reason.
In the past channel conflict has been handled by frequency control procedures on club fields. But, with the dawn of the low cost parkflyers, many new pilots are not members of clubs and are flying ourside of the frequency control procedures of the clubs.
Pilots using 27 mhz may feel they are not at issue here as their radios typically have shorter ranges and don't impact 72 mhz club radios. However some of the 27 mhz planes are being flown on club fields. In addition, 27 MHz is not dedicated to airplanes. Someone running an RC car on the other side of the park could easily turn your plane into an out of control missle or, at least, turn it into a pile of junk. This could happen and the two of you might not even be within sight of each other. So 27 MHz carries its own problems. What to do?
THE SOLUTION - Spread Spectrum 2.4 GHz
Enter a new offering, Spread Spectrum 2.4 GHz radio systems for parkflyers. This technology was introduced to the RC car community a while ago and has been growing in popularity. This new system is extremely well suited to the parkflyer community and does not interfer with the 72 MHz radio that are traditionally used by the club flyers. It also does not conflict with 27 MHz planes, cars or boats. In fact, by design 2.4 GHz devices of all kinds are made to work around each other without conflict. No channel control is required as it is designed right into the specifications of the radio. It is totally automatic!
So, what does this mean to the parkflyer pilot looking for his first RC radio system? It means a new 6 channel computer radio choice that may be the best of all worlds in a radio system. And, it is competitive in price and features with the entry level 5 and 6 channel 72 MHz computer radios while avoiding the whole channel conflict issue. You avoid conflict with the airplane clubs and with other pilots, rc cars and rc boats in the area. Sounds good!
Horizion Hobby has begun distribution of a 2.4 GHz Spread Spectrum system from SPEKTRUM. SPEKTRUM has been selling these systms for RC cars for a while. When you compare it to entry level computer radios like the Futaba 6EXAS, the Hitec Flash 5SX or the Airtronics VG 6000, it is quite competitive in price and features. And since the radio is targeted at the parkflyer community, it is packaged with 4 micro servos and a micro receiver that are very appropriate for these planes.
If you are considering an entry level 6 channel computer radio to fly your planes, add this one to the list of radios you consider.
DX6 DSM 6CH Park Flyer/Micro-Heli System $199
Includes 6 channel micro receiver and 4- S75 micro servos
http://www.spektrumrc.com/DSM/Better/DX6-glance.html
http://www.horizonho6 Channel Park Flyer System
http://www.rchobbies.org/spektrum-dx6.htm
Digital DSM* Spread Spectrum Modulation
10-model memory
Dual rates on aileron and elevator
Exponential rates on aileron and elevator
Dual and exponential rates can be combined on one switch
Trainer system compatible with Spektrum* and JR® radio systems.
Adjustable stick length
Throttle trim only affects idle position
Two-speed scrolling
Throttle-smart fail-safe system
Digital trims for precise adjustment
Airplane Specific Features
Aileron to rudder mixing
Elevator-to-flap mixing
Flap-to-elevator mixing
Flaperon mixing
Delta wing mixing ( elevons)
Aileron differential
V-tail mixing
Three programmable mixes
Helicopter Specific Features
Two 3-point throttle curves
Three 3-point pitch curves
Flight mode switch can combine throttle curves, pitch curves, dual and expo rates,
and gyro sensitivity
Throttle hold
Revolution mixing up and down
One programmable mix
Supports 120° CCPM mixing
Independent digital trim setting for each flight mode
More information - Spektrum
http://www.spektrumrc.com/DSM/Better/DX6.html
In the old days, when glow planes were king and you had to spend a long time building your plane, you almost had to have the help of a a club and the use of a club field. Finally, after investing all this time and money, you really WANTED the help of an instructor to help you preserve and protect your time and money investment. The club instructor system was, and still is a very good system. But new technology has brought new options, and change.
Enter the small electrics, often called parkflyers. RTFs, ARFs, and foamies mean you can get into the air quickly. The small, quiet nature of these planes means that they can be flown in more places without drawing attention. People are flying them in parks, school yards and some of the slow flyers can even be flown in front yards and in school gyms. And, because they are inexpensive and easy to buy and fly, people are teaching themselves to fly. If you crash the plane, some will just bounce, and many of the others are easy to fix with good parts availability. For relatively little time and money expense, you can replace the whole plane. What could be bad about this?
THE PROBLEM - Channel Conflict on 72 and 27 MHz
One of the concerns of the RC flying community is that people flying off the club fields are not being taught about frequency control within the 72 MHz RC airplane hobby band. The feeling is that these off field flyers are begining to represent a danger to the safety of planes and people on and off the club fields. If you are flying your RC plane at some school yard you could interfer with those on the the club fields or with other parkflyer pilots elsewhere. You could be causing crashes and not even know it. Or you could be subject to loss of control of your plane and not know why.
The issue is channel conflict. If you are flying on the same channel as another flyer, one or both of you will crash. With the range of today's equipment, you might be a mile away from the other flyer and still effect each other. The AMA recommends that club fields be at least 3 miles apart for this reason.
In the past channel conflict has been handled by frequency control procedures on club fields. But, with the dawn of the low cost parkflyers, many new pilots are not members of clubs and are flying ourside of the frequency control procedures of the clubs.
Pilots using 27 mhz may feel they are not at issue here as their radios typically have shorter ranges and don't impact 72 mhz club radios. However some of the 27 mhz planes are being flown on club fields. In addition, 27 MHz is not dedicated to airplanes. Someone running an RC car on the other side of the park could easily turn your plane into an out of control missle or, at least, turn it into a pile of junk. This could happen and the two of you might not even be within sight of each other. So 27 MHz carries its own problems. What to do?
THE SOLUTION - Spread Spectrum 2.4 GHz
Enter a new offering, Spread Spectrum 2.4 GHz radio systems for parkflyers. This technology was introduced to the RC car community a while ago and has been growing in popularity. This new system is extremely well suited to the parkflyer community and does not interfer with the 72 MHz radio that are traditionally used by the club flyers. It also does not conflict with 27 MHz planes, cars or boats. In fact, by design 2.4 GHz devices of all kinds are made to work around each other without conflict. No channel control is required as it is designed right into the specifications of the radio. It is totally automatic!
So, what does this mean to the parkflyer pilot looking for his first RC radio system? It means a new 6 channel computer radio choice that may be the best of all worlds in a radio system. And, it is competitive in price and features with the entry level 5 and 6 channel 72 MHz computer radios while avoiding the whole channel conflict issue. You avoid conflict with the airplane clubs and with other pilots, rc cars and rc boats in the area. Sounds good!
Horizion Hobby has begun distribution of a 2.4 GHz Spread Spectrum system from SPEKTRUM. SPEKTRUM has been selling these systms for RC cars for a while. When you compare it to entry level computer radios like the Futaba 6EXAS, the Hitec Flash 5SX or the Airtronics VG 6000, it is quite competitive in price and features. And since the radio is targeted at the parkflyer community, it is packaged with 4 micro servos and a micro receiver that are very appropriate for these planes.
If you are considering an entry level 6 channel computer radio to fly your planes, add this one to the list of radios you consider.
DX6 DSM 6CH Park Flyer/Micro-Heli System $199
Includes 6 channel micro receiver and 4- S75 micro servos
http://www.spektrumrc.com/DSM/Better/DX6-glance.html
http://www.horizonho6 Channel Park Flyer System
http://www.rchobbies.org/spektrum-dx6.htm
Digital DSM* Spread Spectrum Modulation
10-model memory
Dual rates on aileron and elevator
Exponential rates on aileron and elevator
Dual and exponential rates can be combined on one switch
Trainer system compatible with Spektrum* and JR® radio systems.
Adjustable stick length
Throttle trim only affects idle position
Two-speed scrolling
Throttle-smart fail-safe system
Digital trims for precise adjustment
Airplane Specific Features
Aileron to rudder mixing
Elevator-to-flap mixing
Flap-to-elevator mixing
Flaperon mixing
Delta wing mixing ( elevons)
Aileron differential
V-tail mixing
Three programmable mixes
Helicopter Specific Features
Two 3-point throttle curves
Three 3-point pitch curves
Flight mode switch can combine throttle curves, pitch curves, dual and expo rates,
and gyro sensitivity
Throttle hold
Revolution mixing up and down
One programmable mix
Supports 120° CCPM mixing
Independent digital trim setting for each flight mode
More information - Spektrum
http://www.spektrumrc.com/DSM/Better/DX6.html