Receivers

[Roy Watts]

Being fairly new to flying i have been told to ask for full range when buying receivers. I have invariably finished up with 8 channel sc GWS, which I have had no trouble with. I have read recently that these have a range of 1000ft. Is that full range? Because I have been told that I am in danger of flying out of range using these. Can you tell me is the range measured vertically or horizontally or both?. I fly with the transmitter aerial held vertically, I am told this is wrong and should be held nearer horizontal for better reception. I fly a Cotswold Novice powered by a ASP12 and Futaba 6exa transmitter

[Myron Beaumont]

I am so tempted to ask how far can you actually see the orientation of a model 1000 ft away Roy ? Don't ever point the aerial AT the model !You've been given wrong advice) - At short range - no real probs ,but keep the aerial at right angles to the flight path as near as you can .It radiates the signal sideways not from it's tip.
Grumpy Myron.

[Roy Watts]

Yes I do have problems with orientation especially flying high. I really shouldn't fly as high as I do. The Novice can climb if you let it.

[Mike Bell]

I am personally not keen on using those type of receivers in anything more than a park fly type of model. The range is fine for these and it sounds as though you have been OK so far on your own model. My concern is that if you fly with other transmitters swithched on or in other circumstances where the signal could be weakened the limited range of your receiver could be reduced further.
Certainly if you progress to bigger and more powerful models you should really consider a higher end receiver.

[Roy Watts]

Thanks for the feedback. When I am proficient with the Novice I am planning on a super Sixty 4 channel. I do own a 60" wingspan spitfire with an SC61 but it will be a few years before I even consider that. I think the upgrading I should is the receivers. Thanks again.

[John Neale]

Earlier on this year we formed a new club that was going to use a site 1.8 miles from a slope soaring venue so we carried out range checks to see if there was likely to be any chance of a conflict. Using a FF9 transmitting on ppm from the top of the hill to my model the full 1.8 miles away( 9500ft) I was amazed to hear that I had full control over the model evem though it was impossible to see where it was. Air to air would probably have been even greater.
The model was equipped with a schultz receiver.
Co-incidentally this last weekend I had a model using an indoor receiver go out of range at no more than 100 metres so clearly there is a vast difference in reception strengths for different receivers. This range can also differ between receivers of a similar type from the same manufacturer so only by carrying out a full range check of the equipment you are using will you get full reassurance of the range you can expect.