7 Simple Steps
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| 300FT MEASURING TAPE |
| Bob Sadler holds a 300 foot measuring tape, purchased for about $35 at Home Depot. With it, you can record the exact distances of engine-off and engine-on testing, for quantitave comparison. Any significant reduction would lead one to consider looking for troubles - ignition modules giving off interference, transmitter modules low on output, or out-of-tune receivers are common considerations. |
Site Selection
Your flying field is best, but to do this right there must not be any other transmitters on while you're testing. The reason? Their antenna will be up and they'll be putting out high power compared to yours. Will it affect your model? Not necessarily, but possibly. Next best is an area where you can control the variables. The point is to get an area where you can have consistency - year-after-year. You want the system to be repeatable, to look for changes that might be an indicator of degraded performance. (Note: Horizon's R&D manager, John Adams believes the field
is far and away the best choice because it will give you an indication as to whether any site-related interference exists.)
1 Place the model perpendicular
Place your model perpendicular to the direction you'll be walking. Which side faces you should not be an issue (test it if you're concerned).
2 Program Up-Elevator Fail-Safe
Program your radio so that when you lose your signal, the elevator goes full up to provide your helper with an easy
indicator of when you lose the signal (don't worry, we're going to take this out in the next phase!) It's pretty easy with both the 8103 and the 10X systems - after a few tries it'll become second nature. To check that your fail-safe is programmed correctly, simply turn the transmitter off - you'll see the programmed surface move to its commanded position.
3 Collapse or Remove Antenna.
There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding whether one should check range with antennas installed or removed.
Here's the correct method:
JR 10 channel transmitter: Antenna REMOVED
All other JR transmitters: Antenna COLLAPSED
Because of the 10X's unique ball-swivel feature, the transmitter's output without the antenna installed is roughly equal to all other transmitters with their antenna's collapsed.
Worried about hurting the 10X's output? Don't be. It's true that lengthy, continuous operation of a transmitter without the antenna places extra load on the output transistor in the module. Your module will get hot and it is the heat that weakens the transistor. But for short periods - 5 minutes or less, heat build up is minimal and not a factor.
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| Range Testing |
| Team Member Mike Gregory shows us good form in the range test. Pat Hartness' field is an ideal site for controlling the variables - an open field, with no planes present. |
4 Hold the transmitter at arm's length, facing the model
This helps with consistency - see "Variables" text.
5 Walk backwards until the programmed surface deflects
Once the receiver goes into hold, drop your hat to mark the spot where it went into hold. This is your reference point. Record the feet (or paces). You now have your engine-off value.
6 Re-program Fail-Safe for engine idle
Remove the surface deflection you used in the engine off test and program the radio to go to low throttle (idle) in hold. This is a good habit more and more modellers are following - not only for an indication of when your model is at the limit of its range (without affecting its direction of flight), but for good common sense and liability protection.
7 Perform the exact same test with the engine running at mid-power
Next, start your engine. Have a helper restrain your plane, or use a nylon rope with a sturdy stake to hold your plane in place. Advance the throttle to mid or full throttle and then with the transmitter held in the same manner as the earlier test, walk backwards until the engine drops to idle. Mark the spot again, and record the feet (or paces) heading back to your model.
Your range testing is complete. Whether you re-program your model to remove the throttle fail-safe is your choice. Most professional modellers I know choose "hold" for all functions except throttle - which is pre-set to idle.
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| Think your restraining system won't affect your range? |
| Think your restraining system won't affect your range? Think again. When this Advance was restrained by the Midwest Aero-Mate (on the left), we got a reading four times what the range was when restrained by the nylon loop on the right. Evidently, the metal yoke re-radiates the signal for a false reading. |
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