COMPETITION NEWSLETTER
A Note From the Technical Director
Bob Underwood CompuServe: 76117167
"Frequency"-Asked Questions
Recently the office scenario has become quite familiar: the phone rings; the Technical Director answers, "Hello, Bob Underwood here." The voice on the other end: "This is John Smith; I'm a new club president, and I have some questions about RC frequencies." From that point on there are very few variations in the dialogue. The following information represents the most frequently asked questions.
Q. "Many of our members have perfectly good, older equipment, and they don't see why they need to have the frequencies changed to new channel-numbered frequencies. Do they have to?"
A. Yes — they do. To continue to operate models on 72.080, 72.160, 72.240, 72.320, 72.400, 72.960, and 75.640 MHz violates Federal law (FCC Regulations, Part 95, Subpart C). Beyond this, there are several reasons why it is important not to continue to operate on the so-called "old" frequencies beyond December 20, 1987.
- The potential for interference is extremely high since the new channel-numbered frequencies to be phased in are often only 10 kHz away from the old ones. Older equipment was designed for 80 kHz spacing, so attempting to operate it only 10 kHz away from newer equipment can be problematic.
- The "old" frequencies are shared and are used by industry (pagers, mobile cranes, etc.). This situation has escalated in recent years and is likely to worsen.
Q. "Aren't our new, channel-numbered frequencies shared with other users?"
A. They are not. A check of FCC permits for industrial operation showed no permits issued on our specific channel frequencies. In some areas you may find operations on frequencies 10 kHz away, which is legal; if those stations are high-powered and close to the flying site, they may make operation on one or more channel-numbered frequencies difficult. That is the primary reason the FCC granted many frequencies for model use — so groups can find channels without interference problems.
Q. "You've gone and changed the flag identification system! Why did you do that, since there was nothing wrong with the old two-color system?"
A. The decision to change the system from two-color flags was based on several reasons:
- As new frequencies are phased in beginning January 1988, the same two colors would represent different frequencies (for example, Channel 24 vs. Channel 42 reversed colors), causing confusion.
- Two-color flags have not been foolproof due to dye and manufacturing variations and fading in sunlight.
- Color vision deficiencies ("color blindness") have posed problems for some people.
Q. "Are we going to have to throw away all our old equipment?"
A. This must be addressed case by case. If the equipment is very old, the manufacturer no longer exists, and you cannot locate a service facility, it should be retired. If it can be serviced and the frequency changed to a new channel-numbered frequency (channels 38 to 56), it can be operated at least through 1991. There have been examples of 10-year-old transmitters brought within 1991 specifications with little cost and effort. Many solid-state transmitters (but not receivers) can be modified. Given declining equipment costs, it may not be practical to repair some older gear — you must determine the value to you.
Q. "What are these guidelines I have heard about?"
A. The Academy, through its Frequency Committee, developed a set of operational guidelines that set required specifications for radio equipment to function in a 1991 environment. These comprehensive specifications were the result of field work, committee studies, and independent research. The guidelines were provided to industry and have been supported by the Radio Control Manufacturers' Association (RCMA).
Q. "In a nutshell, what are the specifications the AMA is looking for in the Gold Star transmitter checks at trade shows?"
A. For a transmitter to be classified "Narrow-band" and acceptable for 1991 operation by the AMA:
- Frequency stability must be no more than ±1,500 Hz of its stated frequency.
- Sidebands must be at least 55 dB down at 20 kHz from the stated frequency.
For the present 40 kHz spacing, "Broadband" requirements are:
- 55 dB down at 1,500 Hz, and
- At least 35 dB down at 25 kHz out.
If your equipment is outside these specifications, it should be serviced.
Additional information: contact Bob Underwood at AMA Headquarters (703) 435-0750.
Gold Star RC Transmitter Checks for 1987
Voluntary transmitter checks will be held during 1987 at the trade shows listed below. This testing program is conducted to help modelers determine whether their equipment is operating within FCC guidelines. Due to time and test-equipment limitations, a limited number of registration cards will be available each day at the trade shows, and transmitters will be accepted on a first-come basis.
- Mid-Atlantic Show, Baltimore, MD — October
- Radio Control Hobby Trade Association Show, Chicago, IL
RC Aerobatics Rules Changes
By vote of the RC Aerobatics Contest Board on November 20, 1986, the wording of two sections of the AMA RC Pattern Judges' Guide in the 1986-87 AMA rule book was changed to read as follows (new wording emphasized here by presentation):
"Inverted Spin. Model establishes a head-high, roll-to-is-inverted, power is reduced, the model is held in a nose-high attitude until it stalls and commences to spin. The model will autorotate through three complete turns, then descend vertically without turning for about one second, then half-roll to an upright position."
"Three-Turn Spin. The model establishes a heading, power is reduced, the model is held in a slightly nose-high attitude until it stalls and commences to spin. The model will autorotate through three complete turns, then descend vertically without turning for about one second, and recover on the same heading at a different altitude."
Downgrades remain the same. The Contest Board voted to have these changes become effective as soon as they are published; they are now official.
National Records (processed/approved March 1987)
RC Soaring — Closed Course Distance
- Class A Open — 1.10 km, George J. Ritter, 1/18/87
- Class A Junior — 0.70 km, Christopher G. Ritter, 1/11/87
RC Soaring — Altitude
- Class A Open — 505.71 ft, George J. Ritter, 1/18/87
- Class C Junior — 309.79 ft, Christopher G. Ritter, 1/18/87
RC Soaring — Speed
- Class B Junior — 182.0 mph, Christopher G. Ritter, 1/18/87
- Class C Junior — 182.0 mph, Christopher C. Ritter, 1/18/87
- Class D Junior — 182.0 mph, Christopher G. Ritter, 1/18/87
Indoor — Category I
- Novice Pennyplane Open — 8.34, Jim Clem, 12/6/86
- Pennyplane Open — 8.43, Doug Barber, 12/14/86 (ties Walt Van Gorder’s record of 8/16/86)
Indoor — Category II
- ROG Stick Junior — 7.04, Don Slusarczyk, 11/30/86
RC Helicopter Team Finals
The team-selection program for the U.S. FAI Helicopter team is running on a compressed schedule this year. Items of business and procedures have been modified to meet the timetable. Because only one month will elapse between the finals and the World Championships, any competitor in the finals must be ready to be on the team going to the Champs. If you are planning to compete in the finals and have not been contacted by the Team Selection Committee, send a self-portrait photo (at least 3 x 5 in.) to Horace G. Hager, F3C TSC Chairman, 15 Parkway Pl., Red Bank, NJ 07701 by May 1, 1987. Obtain a passport no later than June 1, 1987 to be safe.
Entry fees:
- Advance entry fee: $50 if postmarked on or before April 23, 1987.
- Late on-site entry fee: $100.
A team manager has been appointed: Robert F. Harris, Rt. 3, 257 Estevez Rd., La Plata, MD 20646. See the March, April, and May 1987 editions of the Competition Newsletter for other team-selection and World Championship items.
CL Aerobatics Team Finals Set
The team-selection finals for the three-member U.S. CL Aerobatics team will be held September 5–6, 1987, at Purolator Field, Indianapolis International Airport. Rain date: September 7, 1987. Advance entry fee (payable to AMA HQ, Attn: Competition Dept.) is $100 per entrant and must be received by August 26, 1987. On-site late entry is available for an additional $25 and must be paid before the first flight and no later than September 3, 1987 (the day before model processing). Entry to the finals is open to current AMA members who possess the $10 FAI stamp (available from AMA HQ).
Scale Team Finals
The Scale team-selection finals entry fee is $50 and must be paid to AMA HQ no later than June 15, 1987. No on-site late entries will be permitted. See the May 1987 Competition Newsletter for more information.
1988 FAI Indoor Team Selection Program
Schedule
- 1985 — Unlimited local contests after Labor Day, 1985.
- 1986 — Unlimited local contests; one Regional contest in each zone; two At-Large Regional contests (USIC and Nats).
- 1987 — Unlimited local contests; one Regional contest in each zone; two At-Large Regional contests (USIC and Nats); single-site Finals (site chosen by Team Selection Committee) — Santa Ana (CA) Airdock, Labor Day weekend 1987.
ALL CONTESTS SHALL BE CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FAI SPORTING CODE AND THE AMA RULE BOOK, EXCEPT AS OUTLINED IN THIS DOCUMENT.
Program entry
- a. Current AMA license with $10 FAI stamp required.
- b. Program may be entered by sending a $3 Local entry fee to AMA HQ c/o Micheline Madison, who will send you a form for entering a Local meet (prepaid).
- c. Program may be entered at any Local or Regional meet.
- d. No date restriction. Program can be accomplished entirely in 1987 if desired.
- Note: A prior finalist living more than 500 miles from a Regional may petition the Team Selection Committee in advance to enter at the Finals, provided penalty fees are paid and approval is granted.
Model Specifications
- Wingspan — 20 in. minimum, 25.6 in. (65 cm) maximum.
- Weight without motor — 1 gram minimum, 2 grams maximum.
- No Pennyplanes, no Easy Bs.
- All models must be processed prior to official flights (weight and wingspan).
Local Contests
- a. At least 3 entrants are required to hold a contest.
- b. No limit on the number of Local contests entered.
- c. No qualification level is required to go on to a Regional contest.
- d. Scoring: Total of best 2 flights out of 6; top score counts 100 points; other scores receive a percentage based on entrant’s 2-flight total divided by the winning 2-flight total. Only the best Local score is counted.
- e. Entry fees: $3 for Open members per Local; Juniors and Seniors free entry.
- Any AMA-sanctioned contest where FAI Indoor is flown as a contest event may also be counted as a Local, provided at least 3 of the contest entrants have FAI stamps and pay the Local entry fee prior to flying. The same flights will count for both the contest and the Local.
Regional Contests
Final Contest
- a. A single-site Team Selection Final competition will be conducted over a 3-day period.
- b. Flying will be conducted by rounds, 3 rounds per day.
- c. Scoring: Total best 2 out of 9 flights; top score counts 1,000 points; other scores count as a percentage based on contestant’s 2-flight total divided by the winning 2-flight total.
- d. Entry fees: $15 for all age classes; $35 penalty fee additional if no Regional was entered; prior approval of the Team Selection Committee required in that case.
- e. Certificates of performance will be awarded to all fliers at the Finals (arranged by the Chairman).
- f. Finals will use a three-man jury unless waived by the Executive Council as required by the AMA rule book.
Team Selection
- The team is selected by adding each competitor’s best Local score, best Regional score, and Finals score. The maximum score attainable is 1,110 points. The top three places form the team. The fourth-place finisher shall be considered for the position of manager, to be approved by the team members and by vote of the Team Selection Committee.
Travel Funds
- Travel assistance to the Finals will be awarded only to those scoring 100 points in a Regional contest. The amount of assistance will be determined by the Indoor Team Selection Committee based on funds available and awarded as a percentage of total funds based on straight-line distance from the competitor’s home to the Finals site.
Stopwatches
- Effective with the 1987 Team Finals, electronic stopwatches are mandatory for all flight times (battery-powered stopwatches). Mechanical stopwatches may be used for accumulating postop time during steering.
NATS Jury System — new in 1987
The final authority for all protest matters at the NATS (except CL Combat competition, which has a special Combat Jury) will be the NATS Jury. The Jury is called by the AMA Technical Director and will consist of the Technical Director and two of the three Category Directors not already involved in the protest. The NATS Jury may decide on all rule book and procedure protests at the NATS (except Combat flying).
UNOFFICIAL EVENTS at the NATS (examples)
- Lee Renaud Memorial — old + new 1/2A Texaco event — Sunday, July 12. Contact Joe Beshar, 198 Merritt Drive, Oradell, NJ 07649.
- RC Old Time events — Antique, Texaco, Combined L.E.R., 1/2A Texaco — Wednesday, July 15 in Omaha. (I/T contact: John Pond)
- Free Flight Old Time events — Class A, B, C, 30-second Antique, 020 replica, Rubber Stick, Rubber Cabin, Twin Pusher mass flyoff — Friday, July 17 at the NATS Free Flight site.
- Control Line .15 Carrier — profile, no Scale points, sliders, rudder movement or ailerons, 52' lines × 8 laps. Contact Melvin Schuette, PO Box 293, Auburn, KS 66402.
- NFFS Free Flight events — Autogiro, Helicopter, Ornithopter — Monday, July 13; other NFFS events July 14–18. Contact Terry Rimert, 367 Orange Avenue, Baldwin, FL 32234.
- Bostonian (1/4 gram) Indoor event — Nebraska Free Flighters. Contact Hank Sperzel, 203 Chevro Lane, Bellevue, NE 68005.
- Old Time Stunt — Monday, July 13. Garden State rules with 1–10 plus K factor scoring. Contact Bill Zimmer, Box 72, Varna, IL 61375.
- Compressed Air — time and date to be announced. Contact Bert Pond, 128 Warren Terrace, Longmeadow, MA 01106.
Advance and Late Entry Fees / NO SHOW Policy
Advance and late entry fees have been restructured to encourage advance entry. More of the entry fees are refundable to no-shows in 1987; late entry at the NATS is more expensive.
- NO SHOW POLICY — A contestant who enters in advance but cannot attend will have all fees refunded except a $20 Open and $10 Junior/Senior handling fee.
- LATE ENTRY FEE — For those not entering by June 26 and entering at the NATS site. The basic late entry fee is $50. Open-class late event fees: Free Flight events — $10; Control Line events — $15 (except CL Aerobatics — $25); Radio Control events — $25.
Note on Channel 46
With frequency changes in 1988, Channel 46 would have been assigned to two classes in consecutive years. To reduce confusion and frequency changes, Channel 46 was left off the 1987 Pattern frequency assignment.
Maps, Camping, and Motel Information
Maps to Lincoln area sites, dorms, and practice areas will be available upon arrival at AMA NATS HQ at the Lincoln Airport facility. Camping and motel information is available from the Lincoln Convention Bureau — (402) 476-7511.
RC Soaring Team Patches Available
The U.S. RC Soaring team is raising funds for their trip to the World Championships by selling team patches, pins, WC hats, and collectible 1985 team patches.
- $5 donation — choice of a hat, team pin, or the 1985 team patch.
- $10 donation — embroidered five-color team patch.
- $15 or more — selection of items above plus an entry into a sweepstakes drawing. Top six prizes: Adante Sailplane kits with Airtronics radios.
Donations may be sent to: F3B Soaring Team, P.O. Box 9328, Albuquerque, NM 87119.
Canadian Nats: U.S. RC Frequencies Are OK
Recent changes in RC radio frequencies have created a situation where some U.S. legal frequencies cannot be used in Canada generally. For U.S. modelers attending the Canadian Nats at Arnprior, Ontario, July 19–25, a special dispensation has been obtained from the Canadian government for the duration of the contest and at the contest site only to allow use of all U.S. RC frequencies.
For more information: Canadian Nats ’87, P.O. Box 5477, Postal Stn. "F", Ottawa, Ontario K2C 3M1, Canada.
Technical Director (continued)
Additional Q&A and clarifications from the Technical Director:
- Older equipment spaced for 80 kHz may cause dangerous interference when used only 10 kHz from new equipment.
- The Frequency Committee’s operational guidelines were developed from extensive field work and independent research and have industry support.
- The AMA Gold Star transmitter checks focus on frequency stability and sideband suppression (see specs in the Q&A above).
For further information contact Bob Underwood at AMA Headquarters (703) 435-0750.
FAI Program Participants Must Have FAI Stamp
Some AMA FAI team-selection programs allow contestants to qualify at local contests if their performance is certified by a Contest Director (CD). The CD must determine that the contestant has a currently valid green FAI Competition Stamp ($10) affixed to the AMA license before certifying performance. CDs may collect the $10 FAI-stamp fee and forward it to the Competition Dept., AMA HQ, with the contestant’s name and address so the stamp may be sent directly. In such cases the contestant is considered to have the required FAI stamp, so certification may be made.
Although the CD is responsible for checking for the FAI stamp, this does not relieve the contestant from the responsibility to possess the stamp. Each program participant must inform himself of the rules of participation in the FAI team-selection program. In all AMA FAI team-selection programs, the basic qualifications for entry are current AMA membership and possession of the green FAI Competition Stamp prior to competition.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
