| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 1591.1 | Go to the show | QUIVER::WALTER | | Tue Apr 26 1994 20:00 | 20 |
| Hey, I've got an old Dynaco PAT-4 preamp and a Stereo 120 amp! Yeah,
good stuff! I can tell you a lot about that, but not much about the RC
cars. Most (but not all) of us in this notefile concentrate on RC
aircraft. There used to be some active notes on cars, but they must
have migrated to another notefile (?).
I do know there are some car tracks around here, I think there's a
place on Rt. 20 in Northboro that does weekly races. Haven't heard
about roller rinks getting involved, but it seems like you could set up
one bodacious track inside a rink.
I recommend that you attend the Wilmington RC Show this weekend. It's
at the Shriner's hall, off the Concord St. exit of Rt. 93 in
Wilmington. Last year they had plenty of participation from the RC car
industry, including an "indestructable" truck which they routinely
drove into a brick wall at full speed. Great entertainment. I'm sure
you could get some tips there.
Dave
|
| 1591.2 | Race at the show | NILPS1::WHITE_R | Pigaholic | Wed Apr 27 1994 16:20 | 7 |
| Addendum to Wilmington show. Hobbies Etc. of Nashua will be holding
the Wilmington Challenge RC race. Classes are 1/10th direct drive
stock, 1/12th 4 cell modified, and open truck (meaning anything goes).
I've pre-registered but doubt that I'll be able to make it. If there's
an RC Racing notesfile, I sure would like to know where it is.
Robert 'whose flying and driving RC'
|
| 1591.3 | Don't use an air frequency on the surface | KAY::FISHER | BXB2-2/G08 DTN 293-5695 | Thu Apr 28 1994 10:55 | 21 |
| > <<< Note 1591.0 by ELESYS::JASNIEWSKI "Why not ask why?" >>>
> -< Stone cold RC car Beginner - with equipment. >-
...
> Ended up with a bunch of junk; 4 NiCad battery packs, a 27 Mhz
> Traxxas transmitter (joystick style), a Futaba magnum sport (72Mhz,
> with two xtals), an MRC quick charger, several blown servos, some type
...
Joe - you should double check that Futaba Transmitter. 72 MHz is only
legal on airplanes. 75 Mhz is what is used on surface frequencies.
It's important - also the owner may have actually purchased a 72Mhz
and banded up by using 75Mhz xtals. Check what channel number it
says on the xtals.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 1591.4 | Dissappointed. | ELESYS::JASNIEWSKI | Why not ask why? | Fri Apr 29 1994 13:00 | 41 |
|
Well, I checked my transmitter - it's got a 75.870 Mhz xtal in it,
so no worry about interferance with stuff operating at 72. Those
typos...
I still dont know what I have as far as my cars go. I wish someone
could recognize them - though perhaps no-one is left since the "heyday"
of this file seemed to be circa 1988-1991.
I've been reading some of the record here and I gather that my
stuff is 6-10 years out of date. Too bad it's not still 1988! I called
the rink in Hudson and - on either pre-recorded message - heard nothing
about RC car racing.
Perhaps this is a fad that's died around here, like "slot cars" had
their heyday in the 60's for a time in my home town. I read a note about
racing at the rink off rt 2 in Leominster - but that was in 1988 too.
I am discouraged by this, but also by the apparent level of
involvement and lenghts those in the hobby would go to - matching
batterys, selecting tires, tuning motors and having a multiplicity of
this stuff on hand in order to, er, participate.
Even if it were 6 years ago, the car, controller and battery packs
I have currently would probably be just a "joke" at any on-road venue -
*today* I take it that if you dont have something with at least 4
wheel drive, electronic motor traction control and battery regeneration
braking and maybe even dynamic gyroscopic/accelerometer controlled
suspension rate and damping - you'd just be "in the way" of those who
do.
So I guess my rear wheel drive, untweaked differential, no suspension
at all, foam tire'd and Kyosho 250 powered Traxxas - with ordinary "C"
grade batterys - wouldnt even be in the *arena* of competitiveness, if I
brought it to a place where folks raced tomorrow. Whether it's a TRX-1 or
not.
I guess I'll just run it in parking lots, until the bottom wears
off, then toss it. That'd be fun for a while!
Joe
|
| 1591.5 | still going... | CHAMP::WHITE_R | Pigaholic | Mon May 02 1994 17:12 | 29 |
| > Even if it were 6 years ago, the car, controller and battery packs
> I have currently would probably be just a "joke" at any on-road venue -
> *today* I take it that if you dont have something with at least 4
> wheel drive, electronic motor traction control and battery regeneration
> braking and maybe even dynamic gyroscopic/accelerometer controlled
> suspension rate and damping - you'd just be "in the way" of those who
> do.
Actually if you were to show up with a car that had all of the above it
would be in the way!
> So I guess my rear wheel drive, untweaked differential, no suspension
> at all, foam tire'd and Kyosho 250 powered Traxxas - with ordinary "C"
> grade batterys - wouldnt even be in the *arena* of competitiveness, if I
> brought it to a place where folks raced tomorrow. Whether it's a TRX-1 or
> not.
Really all you need to get it competitive would be a good motor and
some decent batteries. You could turn it into a truck and be
competitive in the truck class with no problem or reconfiguration.
Besides Hobbies Etc. in Nashua, there is a hobby/bike shop on Rte 20 in
Northboro that has an outdoor banked asphalt track. Can't remember the
name of the place, but they raced every Saturday afternoon and had
beginner classes for vehicles like yours. Also Bill's Hobby Barn in
Salem, NH (who btw is mostly into airplanes) also holds races every
Sunday afternoon with a run what you brung attitude. There are still
tracks around, just gotta hunt for them.
Robert
|
| 1591.6 | Thanks | ELESYS::JASNIEWSKI | Why not ask why? | Wed May 04 1994 10:05 | 48 |
|
Hi Robert,
Thanks for your reply.
>Really all you need to get it competitive would be a good motor and
>some decent batteries. You could turn it into a truck and be
>competitive in the truck class with no problem or reconfiguration.
Ummm, so what's a good motor? I have a Kyosho 450 "gold" motor too.
The 250 "red" motor I have seems to "*really* scream to me"; you can do
much better? Just curious; what's the realistic "order" of improvement
available between these two motors and one of the best in 1993; 1.5X?
3X? 10X?!
I've got a bettery pack that's blue, and has a 7th cell. It says
"matched Sanyos" on a sticker on it, but because it doesnt have a
connector, I've never gotten around to charge it up. If this unit can
be made operational, would it be more along the lines of what I'd need
to realistically run?
This Traxxas car has no suspension - it's just two FR4 plates bolted
together with standoffs. The rear axle has _some_ flexability, the front
is rigid. I dont see how I could turn it into a truck - and have it
compete with people that have oil-filled shocks and are fooling around
with different spring rates w.r.t. their car's handling.
IMHO, the best place to run this car - guaging from how it's built
- would be a roller skating rink, but as I alluded to, I'm fairly sure
they dont offer their facility for car racing anymore.
>...there is a hobby/bike shop on Rte 20 in
>Northboro that has an outdoor banked asphalt track. Can't remember the
>name of the place, but they raced every Saturday afternoon and had
>beginner classes for vehicles like yours.
I know where that is. I guess I'll take a jaunt down there to see
what's happening and maybe talk with some of the folks doing it. It's
close to home; thanks for pointing it out.
>Also Bill's Hobby Barn in
>Salem, NH (who btw is mostly into airplanes) also holds races every
>Sunday afternoon with a run what you brung attitude. There are still
>tracks around, just gotta hunt for them.
Thanks for that pointer too.
Joe
|
| 1591.7 | Another confused beginner... | APACHE::POLAR::THIMOT | | Wed May 04 1994 10:56 | 27 |
| Hi There;
I can relate to the mysteries of finding an old car/truck in a garage
sale and trying to find a good place to run it. Fortunately for me I
had a friend point me in the direction of a good shop here in town. As
for your questions about the batteries and motor, well that are has a
thousand different answers depending on what you want out of your
truck.
I do think the best option is going out to the track and finding out
what everyone else is using, from the 14 yr old kids on a really tight
budget to the 40 yr old semi-pro's with all the latest "toys." It can
be a real education in several new areas for you, I know it was for me.
Around here the winter season seems to be occupied by indoor, carpet
racing. Either NASCAR or GTP styles, or both. These are cars with
little or no front suspention and a limited amount of tweak to the
rear. We all seem to run the same type of motor, a "Green Machine",
this is a stock motor and they all are equal (in theory..).
As for batteries, well.. the popular ones around here are the Sanyo
SCRC cells. They are sub-C size and are very reliable.
Hope this helps and not confuses you too much.
Al
|
| 1591.8 | onroad or carpet | NILPS1::WHITE_R | Pigaholic | Wed May 04 1994 14:53 | 38 |
| re .6
> Ummm, so what's a good motor? I have a Kyosho 450 "gold" motor too.
> The 250 "red" motor I have seems to "*really* scream to me"; you can do
> much better? Just curious; what's the realistic "order" of improvement
> available between these two motors and one of the best in 1993; 1.5X?
> 3X? 10X?!
Sorry, but I do not know much about Kyosho products. Mainly use Trinity and
CAM motors. Like the previous noter said, Green Machine and Slot Machine
motors presently are the most popular among the stock classes. For modifieds
just about anything goes...
> I've got a bettery pack that's blue, and has a 7th cell. It says
> "matched Sanyos" on a sticker on it, but because it doesnt have a
> connector, I've never gotten around to charge it up. If this unit can
> be made operational, would it be more along the lines of what I'd need
> to realistically run?
Check the individual cells to see if they are wrapped in a yellow with red
labeling (1300 SCs, ok for practice or fun), yellow with black labeling (1700
SCEs, good for racing modified motors), red with black labeling (1400 SCRs,
good choice for all types of racing) or black with multicolor labeling (1700
SCRs, best).
> This Traxxas car has no suspension - it's just two FR4 plates bolted
> together with standoffs. The rear axle has _some_ flexability, the front
> is rigid. I dont see how I could turn it into a truck - and have it
> compete with people that have oil-filled shocks and are fooling around
> with different spring rates w.r.t. their car's handling.
Sorry don't know much about Traxxas vehicles either, but you're right it sounds
like you've got basically an onroad type vehicle. If you can't identify it
take it to your local hobby shop and maybe someone there will be able to help
you out.
Robert
|
| 1591.9 | | ELESYS::JASNIEWSKI | Why not ask why? | Fri May 06 1994 10:59 | 15 |
|
re -.1
Thanks for the info - I have the battery pack with me; it's got
red and yellow SCs, so, nuthin' special really except for the 7th cell.
I've tried some Gates 2AH lead-acid units (3X2V) for just "driving
around" - they fit in the car I have that has suspension and seem to
work okay; gives a bit more time than the 1.2AH NiCads.
I've also got a 6V, 4.5AH battery that fits in the car and 3 gates
2V 5AH units. Maybe I might actually get bored with driving before the
battery dumps!
Joe
|
| 1591.10 | | WRKSYS::REITH | Jim WRKSYS::Reith MLO1-2/c37 223-2021 | Fri May 06 1994 11:12 | 2 |
| be careful with the lead-acid units. Many off them donn't like to be deep
cycled. You can end up with greatly diminished capacity after a few cycles.
|