Focus on Competition
Technical Director
Steve Kaluf
Contest Board Meeting (November 11, 1995)
On November 11, 1995 the chairpersons (or their representatives) of the Contest Boards met to discuss proposed changes to the Contest Board Procedures. The meeting was held in conjunction with the Executive Council meeting that same weekend.
Attendees:
- Cal Ettel (Electric)
- Al Scidmore (Soaring)
- Bonnie Jenkins (Free Flight)
- John Thompson (Control Line)
- Wayne Yeager (RC Racing)
- Ron Hesselbrock (RC Aerobatics)
- Horace Hagen (RC Helicopters)
- Bud Tenny (Indoor)
- David Platt (Scale)
- Bob Underwood (AMA Educational Director)
- Steve Kaluf (AMA Technical Director)
- Teresa McKee (AMA Competitions Department Administrative Assistant)
The existing Contest Board Procedures document was used as the basis for discussion. Proposed changes submitted by several members were reviewed line-by-line for inclusion or exclusion in the document.
Proposed changes and outcomes
Six main areas were identified and addressed, including:
- meeting timing
- vote percentages
- lack of interim vote procedures
- change-document acceptance procedures
- proposal rewrites
- other related topics arising from the above
The meeting proceeded in a cooperative spirit and much was accomplished. Many proposed changes were accepted (some after modification). A few items were referred to a Contest Board Project Team: Ron Hesselbrock, Steve Kaluf, David Platt, Bob Underwood, and Wayne Yeager. This team will meet on December 8, 1995 to discuss those items.
Among the topics to be considered is the possibility of moving to a three-year rules-change cycle. The idea is to allow rules a longer period to be evaluated in normal competition, particularly at the Nats, before being incorporated into the Competition Regulations.
The amended Procedures document will be sent to the Executive Council for approval at its February meeting. If approved, the new Procedures Document will be available then. To request a copy, contact AMA HQ, Competitions Department.
Competition Regulations (1996–97)
The 1996–97 edition of the Competition Regulations is now available. If you did not send in the carrier from your 1996 AMA license, you may obtain a copy by writing or calling the Competitions Department. Each Open member is entitled to one free copy; clubs that have sanctioned an event will receive a copy with their sanction package.
Highlights of the new edition:
- Bright red coated cover stock for greater durability and visibility.
- Entire book (including artwork) was electronically reproduced for the first time, improving quality control and speeding up revisions.
- Plans under consideration:
- Larger 8½ x 11 format placed in a three-ring binder for visually challenged members.
- Offering the book as a complete, tabbed binder or as separate sections (e.g., only Control Line plus General sections).
- A subscription option to receive automatic updates or changes during the cycle so sections can be inserted into the binder.
If you are interested in the binder/section or subscription options, contact the Competitions Department for project approval status and cost information.
AMA/RCMA Sticker Program and Narrow-band Requirements
Background:
- The AMA/RCMA Sticker Program placed a gold sticker on transmitters that met the 1991 narrow-band (20 kHz) requirements. Earlier, a silver sticker was used for wide-band (40 kHz) transmitters.
- The sticker program was discontinued on January 1, 1995. As a result, some manufacturers no longer affix these stickers to transmitters, causing concern among members who must demonstrate narrow-band compliance at clubs and contests.
Current status and advice:
- Transmitters manufactured since March 1, 1992 have been required by federal regulation to meet narrow-band specifications. To our knowledge, transmitters currently comply with this requirement.
- If you purchase a new radio without a sticker:
- Keep a copy of your sales receipt with the transmitter.
- Keep or carry a copy of this article to help present your case if questioned.
- Your club may borrow district scanning or frequency-test equipment from the Frequency Coordinator at no charge (subject to availability and possible time limits). Check your district VP's column in Model Aviation for the coordinator's contact information.
- The Membership Manual (mailed around January each year) contains an empirical test that clubs can perform to determine whether receivers meet narrow-band requirements. Note: the FCC requires transmitters to meet narrow-band specs but does not require certification or specific acceptance procedures for receivers; receivers are often the root of interference problems. Clubs can use the manual's test to check receivers with a high degree of accuracy.
The bottom line: full narrow-band equipment should be in use. The phase-in has been underway for years. On March 1, 1998 the FCC will require all transmitters in operation to meet narrow-band specifications; wide-band transmitters will then be illegal. Upgrade systems now to avoid being caught short.
If you or your club have questions about this program or FCC regulations, contact the Competitions Department for assistance.
— P.U.
NATIONAL RECORDS UPDATE
INDOOR AMA CEILING — CATEGORY I
- Ornithopter, Op. 09:01 — Roy White, 10-01-95
INDOOR AMA CEILING — CATEGORY IV
- Ornithopter, Op. 21:44 — Roy White, 09-02-95
- Easy B, Op. 30:52 — Larry Cailliau, 10-01-95
CONTROL LINE
- F2A, Op. 180.55 mph — William Naemura, 09-23-95
- F2A (Sr.), 174.36 mph — Robert K. Fogg III, 09-24-95
- Profile Carrier (Sr.), 296.8 pts — Todd Ryan, 10-08-95
- Electric B Speed, Op. 77.76 mph — William G. Stewart, 10-14-95
OUTDOOR FREE FLIGHT
- Wakefield (F1B), Op. 49:56 — Michael Achterberg, 10-08-95
RC PYLON
- Quickie 500 (2½ mi), Jr., 1:17.14 — Henson Bartle, 10-01-95
- Quarter 40 (2½ mi), Sr., 1:06.84 — David Wright, 10-28-95
- Quarter 40 (2½ mi), Op., 1:05.91 — Mickey Crawley, 10-28-95
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
