[NSRCA-discussion] Noise rules

[Gray E Fowler]

John

To add to Lance's experience (he and I authored that specific noise rule) 
most of the loud boys start out having no idea how loud they really are. 
103dB is real easy to obtain , almost all of our planes are under 100. 3dB 
= 2X loud. The "A" weighting discards any sound below 500mhz. This is 
important as "bass" does not irritate but can easily place you over the 
limit. 1000 to 4000 is the most irritating to Mr Bob Complainer. This 
brings up problem #2 which is large supersonic prop tips. Guess what 
frequency they pop at??? right at 1000-2000 and now matter how quiet on 
the ground the plane is, a supersonic prop in a dive will not only piss 
off the neighbors but club members too. We dealt with this by limiting 
prop size...that is making the IMAC type planes go to 3 blades. You cannot 
believe the grief I got by putting this in place....a guy spends over 
$5000 on his plane and then bitches about having to buy a $150 prop. He 
ended up selling his whole rig...plane, 5th wheel to haul it and all. The 
prop issue is much more contrversial, and harder to regulate. Our rules 
state "no supersonic props" so if at the field and you hear it any club 
member can ask that person to stop flying. How to enforce that I do not 
know but luckily the rules alone got rid of all the problems...that is, 
nearly all those people quit, which was not the intention, but hey......we 
still have our field and only one psychotic lady to deal with-and the 
County/Judges on our side.

We never have to check now. Like Lance mentioned if someone brings out a 
plane above 103dB you will know it immediately. By the way the IMAC planes 
4 years ago were 107-108 dB at 10 feet WITH supersonic props while flying. 
 That is about 3.4 times louder than a pattern plane plus prop noise.

A wise Vulcan once told me "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of 
the few", or something like that.....



Gray Fowler
Senior Principal Chemical Engineer
Radome and Composites Engineering
Raytheon



"Lance Van Nostrand" <patterndude at comcast.net> 
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06/19/2006 10:30 PM
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Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Noise rules






John,
I've been part of setting noise limit in 2 clubs.  One because I was an 
officer and we put them in place just in time because when the complaint 
came in the town saw that we were being proactive.  In the second, I got 
roped in because I had "experience".  I've got the same sound meter that 
they use at nats.  First rule is to get a great meter and spend the money. 
 You don't want to make a rule that limits a persons flying if, when you 
go to enforce it, the defensive pilot points out the uncertainty of your 
equipment.  McMaster Carr has a +- 1Db meter, which is as good as you can 
get.  Its self calibrating too, which is important since it will probably 
be stored at your field in the cold and hot.
 
Second: I 've measured tons of planes from close and far, upwind and down 
and talked to observers.  You must not succumb to claims that you can 
measure from 25 feet (or more) and get reliable results.  Way too many 
variables.  Measer from 10 feet at a consistent location.  use A 
weighting, slow response to average the results.
 
Third: after doing this twice with different observers 103dB limit (10 
feet over hard surface) is reasonable.  Thisis where both clubs ended up. 
It is a lenient threshold that few planes will exceed, but when they do 
you and everyone will know it.  If the law still complains you can lower 
it, but no one will say you are being too restrictive with this.  Even the 
loud boys will agree, but they'll probably violently oppose the concept of 
a noise rule.
 
--Lance
 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: John Ferrell 
To: NSRCA Mailing List 
Sent: Monday, June 19, 2006 8:08 PM
Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Noise rules

If someone out there has a set of noise rules for a general purpose RC 
club? Especially a set that works. 
 
I cannot expect the masses to conform to pattern numbers, but I need 
something to start with. "Reasonable" does not seem to mean the same thing 
to every one. 
 
 
John Ferrell    W8CCW
"My Competition is not my enemy"
http://DixieNC.US

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