ImRich
Veteran
Location: Derry, NH USA
| Hey guys,
Thanks for this input, but the technology suggestions (including the ham freq's) does not solve the issue! 
Yes, 3 miles is all that is needed for some separation, but what if you're within 1 mile of the club? Our club is close to town. I guess I live in a much more congested area and this is my issue alone?
This folllowing pertains to the USA, other countries will be different.
As to the spread spectrum technology, that will be cool when it's released and working and proven to work with my 600mw 2.4 GHz transmitter running right next to the 2.4 GHz SS receiver in my helicopter. I'll believe it when I see it and it has a lot of flight time on it! But it's not here yet and certainly is not proven with a high powered 2.4 GHz transmitter sitting right next to a 2.4 GHz SS receiver.
As to the amateur radio frequencies...
I'm already a licensed ham, Extra class, been licensed since about 1975 when I had to do it the hard way with CW at 20 wpm, worked my self up the ranks in '75 (or was it '76) from Novice, to Technician, to General to Adanced, to Extra, and am now also an accredited VE on top of it all. Heck I used to write some software to help people get licensed (ever hear of AutoExam or AutoCW?)
I know this will be controversial, but here are my thoughts on the ham frequencies:
1) 53 MHz is totally useless in the New England area. We have too many active 53 MHz repeaters in the area and almost all of these frequencies are in use by them. I'm not going to take the chance that a repeater may fire up at any moment and shoot my bird down. If you fly on 53 MHz, I urge you to check a local repeater directory and be informed. Also realise that a lot of repeaters may not be coordinated or listed in the directories. Plus see my propgation issue mentioned below.
2) The 50 MHz frequencies are much less secure than the 72 MHz frequencies. In the ham bands, there is no exclusivity and there certainly isn't in the 50 MHz for Radio Control model use. This means that anyone can turn on their ham transmitter on these frequencies and inadvertantly shoot down a flying aircraft. Also, the ham frequencies can be used for both land and surface use per FCC and AMA rules. So a ham who likes to run boats, cars or anything else could be on the same frequency as you are with your heli. (see http://modelaircraft.org/comp/frequency.htm for the AMA on this).
3) The 50 and 53 MHz bands are prone to long distance signal propgation at times (I know several hams who have low power 'Worked all States' awards, well at least the CONUS, I don't remember if they actually did Alaska and Hawaii on low power). This means that during a sunspot peak (like now) or during a meteor burst (which can happen at anytime) a 50 or 53 MHz signal can propgate from a long distance away and cause interference. This has been known to happen and in fact a lot of hams who have been flying on the ham freq's put their R/C equipment away or switch to 72 MHz during such peak times.
If you don't think this can happen, here is an independant message from Don (callsign NN4S) which states that he has this issue at times:
| Quote |
|
. . .
One more thought: you might want to keep it for the peak sunspot cycle years. I have been flying on 50 MHz since `92 and have seen major differences in the level of interference on the band during the cycles. I won't fly on six meters during the sunspot peak years because I prefer to keep my planes under my control! I have a few old SS radios that are current and on 72 MHz channels for use during those times (especially since the arrival of the 100w HF/VHF/UHF radios en masse here in the states). I've talked across the country on six meters with 1 watt when conditions were good & certainly don't wish to have my airplanes dancing around to the tune of someone else's voice! Although we have "protected" areas for RC by the bandplan, the fact is that not all people know or follow it (although they should!) and I'm not willing to risk my equipment (or liability) against it. When propagation is poor, no problem; I just monitor the frequency I'm flying on with my Kenwood F6A and get the plane down IMMEDIATELY if I hear something happening other than the normal signals coming from it. But I'm not going to go out & put a plane in the air on 50 MHz if I know there's good propagation afoot; that'd be like going out to fly knowing that there's a mean fellow with a 12 guage shotgun just waiting for you to get the plane in the air so he can use it for target practice!
< Message edited by Don T. - NN4S -- 3/18/2004 10:09:07 AM >
|
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_1.../tm.htm#1635942 (you need to read down the thread to where he discusses this).
4) More and more hams are now driving around with 6 Meter capable radios in their cars. This is becoming more and more popular as time goes on as the newer radios are multi-band and include 6 meters (50 and 53 MHz). This means the likely hood of someone driving by your flying site and transmitting a strong signal which could interfere with your receiver is getting much higher every day. Yes, if you live in a rural area, you are much less prone to this than I am, but I have several members of my flying club who have these radios in their cars now.
At least the 72 MHz R/C frequencies are much more controlled and regulated. There is less of a chance of someone causing interference. I beleive the only other use of these frequencies are from some sort of commercial crane operations which can also use 72 MHz for R/C use of their cranes.
So being an informed Amateur radio operator, I don't fly using these frequencies because I think it's safer not to! Call it my own personal paranoia, but I feel safer not using them knowing what I know.
Now some would argue that the chances of a fellow R/Cer turning on his transmitter and 'shooting me down' before securing his frequency may be greater than the chances of any of the other things I mentioned
here. I don't study statistics, so I can't comment on that. But I have seen "Murphy's Law" in action once too many times in my life so I prefer to keep things simple!
Thanks for the post to the AMA link that shows flying clubs. That locates the club's secretary's mailing address, but not their flying field. At least that's a start! Thanks a lot! Just to show you what I mean, I have 18 flying clubs within 30 miles of my home Zip code!
---
Rich |
Hopefully he's not on the same channel as you! 
