Important! Prposed frequency changes and reorginazation

[Dave Robelen]

Hi All,
I have learned that there is a proposal coming up very soon to change all of the park and small model flyers (indoors and out) to a diffrent frequency band. Personally I feel there are other less costly solutions to a perceived problem where a park flyer might interfere with someone flying at an organized AMA sanctioned field. Does anyone have thoughts on this?
The other issue is a desire on the part of some outside the small model world to bring all park and small models into the AMA NIRAC (indoor special interest group). Do you all have any feelings on this?
The frequency issue is a "hot" one since there is a meeting of the AMA on January 16, 2002 where this proposal will be brought up. You might want to contact your AMA Vice President and share your feelings on this matter.
Take care, Dave Robelen

[GHMBO]

Hi Dave
Thanks for the alert. My question is "do we have to become AMA members to fly RC?". We seem to be a very unorganized and independent bunch. Is this an AMA or FCC thing? If it is an FCC (Federal Communications Commission) concern then it is serious, otherwise it is a hobby clash of the use of public resource and hobby politics. The interesting thing about our hobby is that we can fly almost anywhere and not only at sanctioned sites. I doubt if my backyard or driveway would be sanctioned. I live almost 200 miles from a sanctioned site and even there the AMA can not be assured that the site is interfearence free.

Again, thanks for the alert.

[Dave Robelen]

Hello GHMBO,
I am glad that you picked up on this. As for the frequency issue, AMA is the only hobby "voice" the FCC listens to. The AMA and it's frequency committee are responasible for the 50 channel band we now enjoy. There is an upcoming membership general meeting in mid January at Pasadena CA where the frequency committe is going to meet. The issue that is being raised is the potential for people flying the smaller models at locations other than AMA club fields causing interference for the modelers at the club fields.
A solution that will be proposed by the frequency committe chairman Bob Aberle will be to require al of the smaller models to operate on a different frequency band, probably the existing 27 mhz group. As far as the FCC is concerned all of the model flyers have equal rights to any of the frequencies. It is the AMA that speaks with a unified voice representing a very large block of modelers that the FCC listens to. As far as the mechanics of the proposal, I have no clue as to how the Frequency committee would propose to "police" such an action with all of the independent folks that are purchasing and using legal equipment without belonging to the AMA.
To clarify one point. As an AMA member, anywhere I fly is a legitimate site as long as I abide by a very reasonable safety code for operations. It is this AMA membership and the attendant insurance that has gotten myself and others access to a variety of excellent flying sites, indoors and out. The insurance program is the highlight for these people, as the insurance covers both liability on the part of the flyer and liability on the part of the site owner for any problem related to model operations.
Take care, Dave Robelen

[Blackhawk]

From the way this reads, Dave, it doesn't sound like a solution by AMA, just a way to get rid of the small folks. The trouble with all of this is that there are a lot of small electric flyers coming into the hobby to the point where AMA finally woke up--about 3 year too late. Now they want to protect their interests and sponsors by getting rid of the little guys by banning them to another frequency.

Sort of makes you wonder if we wouldn't be a whole lot better off if AMA had another serious group competing against them--then maybe they would stop building monuments in the middle of cow pastures and get serious about recognizing that there is a revolution going on in this hobby and it is rcmicro electric flight. They should be providing leadership and working with this part of the hobby. The fact is they just ignored it for several years--look at Model Aviation--hardly a word or photo about rc micro stuff until the last year. Now that folks like GWS are selling thousands (maybe tens or hundreds of thousands) of little electric arfs the AMA gets nervous. I have yet to see any literature about the AMA in these little kits--wonder why?

Pat

[pease1]

Well it the AMA supports limiting micro and parkflyers to another band it will be the last time they get my $45. I fly large models and small models, both at AMA sactioned events and fields and away from them. I'll be damned if I'll be forced to have 2 different sets of radios to fly the same model at the two kinds of sites.

[Dave Robelen]

Hi Friends,
There is an important distinction here. The AMA is not yet behind this proposal (atleast not yet). Rather it is being fielded by a very small vocal group within the AMA. There is a membership open meeting at Pasadena CA in mid January where this will be brought before the AMA frequency committe. If enough of us AMA members contact our elected area VP's and let them know our feelings it would be a big help. Caught now, this move is probably stoppable.
Regards, Dave Robelen

[Ralph B]

Dave:
Thanks for the heads up on this issue. I just Emailed my district VP to express my oposition to this proposal. I hope everyone will take the 5 minutes or so to do this.

Pat:
Thanks for your comments, I couldn't agree more. I just wish I had said it.

Ralph B

[Ralph B]

I emailed my district VP about this issue. He has responded to my email and ask me to post his reply:
"THAT YES THERE WILL BE A GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING AT THE AMA/IMS CONVENTION...

WHERE ANY AND ALL CAN SUGGEST INPUT...

I FORSEE NO ACTION BY THE AMA ON SUCH A PROPOSAL...

SANDY FRANK
AMA DIST.8 VP"

I sincerly hope that it goes no further than Pasadena. Thank you Dr. Frank for your response.

Ralph B