SCAT Electronic News 28 September 1999
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SCAT Electronic News 28 September 1999
Table of Contents
=================
Luddite News - staff reporter
Lost Headings
Remote DT - Murphy
Old FAIer [a Luddite ?] - Thorkildsen
Spelling lesson - MARKOS
Australia for Easter? - Lagan
Luddite News
============
At at breakfast meeting last Saturday there was a strong push
by one section of the assemebled flyers to the Luddite Flyin
Club. Now known as the Luds. There was some confusion of
who the officers were [as to be expected in a revolutionary organization]
but Robert Preston White emerged as the Sergant-at-Arms.
Mr White had better be careful as he was heard to say that he would
be using carbon in his next F1G .. sorry Coupe d'hiver [the true
Lud does not use the new fangled F1 words]. I expect it will be
alright if he does not use a computer or electronic calcuator
to determine the material sizes. The slide rule or Log tables
[when greater precison is needed] are the computation tools
of the true Lud. Bob is straight on the measurments units front
as he uses inches rather than the metric system. Millimeters are
a strong no-no for the Lud.
Speaking of Mr White he has been working on his P-30. There
is a heavy weight 3 cornered contest for dawn P-30 here in CA.
The 3 main contendors are Stan Buddenbohm, Clarence Mather
and the Sergant-at-Arms. Stan and Clarence's P-30 have very
low aspect ratio wings to get maximum area, while Bob's climbs
like a rocket. In fact no F1B flyers will launch at the same time
as the P-30 for fear of humilation. I did see what rubber size
and strands Bob was using but have been sworn to secrecy in the
battle of the giants. All contestants had heard of the
Art Ellis P-30 as published in the latest NFFS sympo - but
the young spokeman for the Troika expessed some skeptism
and questioned the crediability of the write up as the
description of the tail surfaces does not match the plans.
Lost Headings
=============
Applogies for the unexplained missing few lines from the top
of the last issue.
Remote DT
=========
Author : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Remote DT Systems
Jerry Murphy AMA 917
I am the District IX FFCB member and have been trying to generate a
meaningful discussion on this topic for some time. I did have an article
published the NFFS Digest about 18 months ago asking for feedback and I did
receive some. As you might guess the feedback ranged from "over my dead
body because it RC" to "it sounds like a great idea, when can I get one".
I was hoping to have a AMA rule change proposal drafted to define the
operation of such a system in AMA events for this new cycle but simply ran
out of time.
Most people believe that such a system would operate in the 72 MHz RC
frequency spectrum which is simply not the case. Today, many of us enjoy
the benefits of such a system with remote control locks on their car and
remote control garage door openers.
The FCC rules are very specific as to what kinds of radio transmissions are
allowed for such operation in Part 15 section 15.231 titled "Periodic
operation in the band 40.66 -40.70 MHz and above 70 MHz". In this rule the
FCC states "the intentional radiator is restricted to the transmission of a
control signal such as those used with alarm systems, door openers, remote
switches, ect. Radio control of toys is not permitted. Continuos
transmissions such as voice or video, and data transmissions are not
permitted. The prohibition against data transmissions does not preclude the
use of recognition codes." The FCC rule goes on to define the transmission
time as being less than 5 seconds in duration.
So there you have it. The FCC is happy if we were to have a device that
transmits a radio signal for less than 5 seconds that can cause a high
flying model to enter its DT mode. Now the question is what about the
aeromodeling community? I believe that if the devise were simply used to
command the DT there should be no problem. You can think of it as a shotgun
that doesn't result in a recovering job after each use. If the remote DT
system is expanded to command trim changes then we are in the RC business
and it should be banned. The question of engine shut off is an open issue
in my mind. I can see a system that on the first press on the button the
engine is killed and on the second press the DT is commanded. (The electric
train that I had as a kit worked this way.) Such a system would simplify
timer setting changes for flyoffs but is getting very close to the control
thing.
I would say, go fly it and see what happens. I know that the FAI rules were
modified to allow Thomas Koster to use it in F1C and it seems to me that the
only reason that F1B and F1A have not followed suit is nobody has ask.
Let the discussion begin.
Old FAIer [a Luddite ?]
=======================
Author : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Actually I did fly FAI when I was in high school and college but then it
was called A-1, A-2, and wakefield. A state of the art model was a gas
model with auto rudder and an Oliver tiger diesel. I had a lucifer and
a derivative thereof that fly really well for its time. As we all know
you can't do it all so each must choose what he has the most fun at.
For me it is AMA gas, Nostalgia, Pampa Stunt, 1/2A combat and surfing so
I have a full plate, but I feel we can all learn from the stuff
published in the newsletter.
Keep up the good work and Thermals,
Terry Thorkildsen
Spelling lesson
===============
Author : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
I saw the Hoosier Cup results in the Sept 25 SCAT newsletter reported by
Marv Wud and think my name was at the top of the list, only that Mike Woot
spelled it incorrectly. Just to make sure that Mart gets it right right
next time, I'm sending this note to all that it's Markos, not Marcos. It
seems that Mark wants exclusive use of the letter "K" for himself ! Who's
next?
[Chuck you drummed it into me sometime back -
and I get it right most times. I do not
proof/correct material sent so ypu will have to take it up with Mr Woot
yourself]
Australia for Easter?
====================
Author : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dear Roger,
As most SCATermites will know, the World FF Champs
for 2001 will be in Australia in
April. Wagga Wagga in New South Wales (NSW) is the
nominated venue - it is a small city
about 300km from the coast (and about 400km from Sydney).
Mainly grasslands, I recall
from spending about a month there one Autumn that the
April weather was great for FF
with light winds, calm morning and evening, morning dew on the
grass and maximum
temperatures around 24deg C. It is a lot further
from the coast than Goulburn ( where the
1983 Australian FFWC were held) and is thus rarely
influenced by any sea breeze effect.
It is also being held at a time of year when NSW enjoys it
best aeromodelling weather.
I understand that the actual venue for the World Champs might
be some 75km from Wagga
Wagga (pronounced WOG-AH-WOG-AH, not wag-ah wag-ah) but I don't
know in which direction as yet!
Next year, the Australian FF Champs are being held at
Easter weekend at the World Champs
venue and we have just had notification that they will
incorporate World Cup events for
F1A, F1B and F1C. Not only that, but starting the Wednesday
after Easter (on April 26),
the Australian Nationals start at Nowra, which is right
on the east coast 150km South of
Sydney and nearly 100 km from Canberra. It is also being listed
as a World Cup event in
F1A, F1B and F1C. There are no World Cup FF events planned
for New Zealand next year
but any overseas visitors planning a combined Australia-NZ
itinerary would be most
welcome to visit/chat/fly with the NZ FFers in either
North or South Islands; and I know
that visiting overseas FFers to Austraia are always very well received.
Paul Lagan
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
.............
Roger Morrell
