[NSRCA-discussion] Fact/Rumor?

Mon Feb 27 08:14:38 AKST 2006

No argument there. What's legal to the FCC should determine what's legal to
the AMA, not vice versa. However, the AMA TD has made his stance
known--whether it's a truly informed, researched decision backed up with FCC
data or not is only for him and the AMA Frequency Committee to know--for now

Here's the AMA TD's response to a letter written to him concerning the issue
 pasted from the RCGroups thread:

 From: Steve Kaluf 
Date: Monday, February 13, 2006 3:09 pm
Subject: RE: Need your guidance on the following

> Ed, Horizon Hobby and the AMA Frequency Committee agree that the 
> practice of putting the RF section of the DX 6 system into any other 
> transmitter is a violation of FCC regulations. As such this practice 
> is a violation of the AMA Safety Code, as well as illegal under the 
> Code of Federal Regulations. The practice should not be tolerated at 
> clubs fields, events or any where else.
> 
> Steve Kaluf
> Technical Director
> Academy of Model Aeronautics
> United States of America 

Interestingly, I have not been able to find anything specific in the AMA
safety code or other documents that disallows transmitter modifications,
except for user-performed TX crystal changes. The only references made are
to that, and that all transmitters must function only on FCC-allowed
frequencies set aside for R/C use.

Rick 
-------Original Message-------

From: DaveL322 at comcast.net
Date: 02/27/06 10:54:20
To: NSRCA Mailing List; 'NSRCA Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Fact/Rumor?

Legal in terms of the FCC and legal in terms of AMA may not be the same, but
in anycase, the AMA would not advocate the use of a radio system which has
not been approved by the FCC for the specific use.

None of the radio manufacturers would advocate the type of modification
discussed.  AMA requires equipment be used within limits/guidance put forth
by the manufacturers.

Regards,

Dave Lockhart
DaveL322 at comcast.net

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: "Dave Harmon" <K6XYZ at valornet.com> 

The JR 6102 is FCC certified with the standard JR module. 
The 6102 mainframe is not certified to operate with the Specktrum RF module
and vise versa.
If Larry has it tested and assuming it passes the certification tests, the
paperwork must be sent to the FCC.
They may not certify the combination anyway because Larry is not the mfgr of
either equipment.
If the FCC does pass it Larry will have to have the proper ‘stickers’ made
up to put on the transmitter etc, etc.
I’ve previously been involved with this certification process and it is a
real hassle.
Definitely not worth fooling around with unless you are the mfgr of the
equipment involved
..and I don’t think the 
FCC will cert it anyway
regardless of the tests.
In this case, I think the AMA is correct, especially from a liability
standpoint.

Regards

Dave Harmon
NSRCA 586
K6XYZ[at]valornet[dot]com
Broken Arrow, Ok. 
-----Original Message-----
From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
[mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Rick Kent
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006 8:56 AM
To: Cameron Smith; NSRCA Mailing List
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Fact/Rumor?

Would that friend's name be Larry?

If so, anyone interested in the details can read all about it here.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=458314&page=48#post5099686

If it isn't, then this guy Larry's already done all the hard work. In the
interest of full disclosure, I was the one of the major posters who were
raising the question in the thread about FCC legality. Not so much because I
believed it was illegal or even dangerous, but to make 100% SURE it wasn
t--before a slew of folks went out and hacked up their 6102's.. 

The AMA, as of right now, has taken the stance that it is illegal, and
therefore does not sanction the modification. You can read the AMA Technical
Director's comments on it in the thread.

FWIW, I emailed Tony Stillman myself several weeks ago about this
modification. He seemed to think it was within FCC rules. Apparently the AMA
and he are at odds on this. We'll have to wait and see how the testing pans
out. Hopefully the AMA will take another look if all goes well.

Rick

-------Original Message-------

From: Ron Van Putte
Date: 02/26/06 11:27:01
To: Cameron Smith; NSRCA Mailing List
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Fact/Rumor?

On Feb 25, 2006, at 10:13 AM, Cameron Smith wrote:

> Have you asked Tony what he has heard? That would be great IF this
> was a
> option.

I sent an e-mail to Tony Stillman and am awaiting his response.

BTW, I thought the following might be of interest to some followers
of the List.  A friend of mine is an electrical engineer and he likes
to do electronic modifications to his radio equipment.  He bought one
of the Specktrum systems and took the back off the transmitter.
Based on what he saw, he ordered a JR 6102 transmitter and installed
the Specktrum RF module in it.  Here's the interesting fact:  He says
that the RF module appears to have been designed for the JR 6102,
because the predrilled holes in the board match up to the back of the
6102 and all he had to do was screw the board down and solder three
wires.  He's now using the modified 6102 transmitter with the
Spectrum receiver.  For those who might scream that this modification
invalidates the FCC type certification of the system, he responds
that the FCC regulations say that he can do what he's done if he gets
the modified transmitter tested at a certified testing station.
There is such a station in Georgia and he plans to have his
transmitter tested there next week, on this way to the Southeastern
Model Show in Perry, GA.  Once he does this, other qualified
individuals can legally perform the same modification.  Interesting.

Ron Van Putte

>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
> [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Ron Van
> Putte
> Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006 10:00 AM
> To: NSRCA Mailing List
> Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Fact/Rumor?
>
> I heard that Futaba is planning to market a transmitter module which
> will plug in the high-end Futaba transmitters, enabling  owners to
> use their transmitters with the Spektrum 2.4 GHz receiver.  Is it
> more than a rumor?
>
> Ron Van Putte
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> NSRCA-discussion mailing list
> NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
> http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
>

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