[NSRCA-discussion] Speaking of 2.4GHz

Sat Mar 1 10:54:28 AKST 2008

That's good to know. So I guess the main thing to consider is how good is the support from the people who sell the XPS product. Also, what does the FCC have to say about people installing an "aftermarket" 2.4 GHz module in their 72 MHz transmitter? I know when we change ANYTHING on one of our products it has to be re-certified. I'm pretty sure they would want all combinations of transmitters and modules to be tested / certified. Not to say they won't work - I'm sure they do but I remember a big argument that started when people were putting HiTec synth. modules in the Futaba transmitters. This is the same situation as far as I'm concerned. On the other hand if you buy a Futaba or JR radio with a 2.4 GHz module installed at the factory I'd like to think that it's "legal". And hopefully if you upgrade your 72 MHz Futaba or JR transmitter with a "factory" 2.4 GHz module, it should be OK also.

John Pavlick
http://www.idseng.com
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Tim 
  To: 'NSRCA Mailing List' 
  Sent: Saturday, March 01, 2008 2:21 PM
  Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Speaking of 2.4GHz

  Hello everyone!

  If you look closely at the pictures of the XPS product, you see a small daughterboard module.  This is made by a very large company called Maxstream http://www.maxstream.net/.   All of the radio stuff is handled by this module - including the frequency hopping etc.  From a small company point of view, this was an excellent design decision (I use them too in my product - not RC stuff) since all of the governmental approvals have been done by someone else, all of the costly design and development, improvements - all by a larger organization.  

  Additionally, since Futaba and JR both went the route of designing their own from scratch, they would have to debug all of their own problems.  Also, since Maxstream's product is in MANY MANY different and diverse industries and used by thousands of engineers (unlike JR and Futaba to a large extent), the problems would be worked out to a much finer point that just used by modelers in their environment.

  My $0.02 .

  Tim

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  From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of John Pavlick
  Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 11:49 PM
  To: NSRCA Mailing List
  Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Speaking of 2.4GHz

  Yeah, how many people experienced the bug in the early Spektrum stuff? We didn't hear too much about that one. The best part is they addressed it and used their resources to solve the problem quickly. Futaba is going through their teething pains now. NOTHING is perfect. It is in your best interest to use ANY new technology with extra caution until it develops a proven track record. I would be a little "extra" apprehensive about the XPS stuff only because it's not backed by large company like Futaba, JR or Airtronics. Small companies tend to have a harder time solving problems similar to the ones that we've seen with the Spektrum and Futaba systems.

  John Pavlick
  http://www.idseng.com

  From: Ed Alt 

    To: NSRCA Mailing List 

    Sent: Saturday, March 01, 2008 12:15 AM

    Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Speaking of 2.4GHz

    Spektrum is going to come out with Telemetry for airborne radios.  They've had it for years in their ground radios, so they have a handle on it.  I also like the fact that their lead engineer who started the entire Spektrum line with Horizon came from Cypress Semiconductor, the chip vendor for the Spektrum stuff.  Futaba has a great base of experience with Spread Spectrum.  Their teething pains seem to have more to do with re-packaging their existing technology in a scramble to play catch-up with Spektrum.  

    Every radio has problems here and there, as we've seen over the years with 72 mHz gear, so when I hear that something just totally died in a few isolated cases, it does not alarm me.  However, "the big 3" have proven that they deliver good products overall and will address problems that do exist.  XPS on the other hand has made some questionable claims and really has no solution to provide path diversity for the receiver.  If you look at Futaba and also Airtronics full range SS receivers, they get path diversity from placing each antenna at the end of thin coax leads that allow them to each have a unique RF environment, much like Spektrum accomplishes with actual receivers at the end of data leads that feed a central unit.  

    If it was me trying to use XPS, I would spend a couple of years test flying it in stuff I could afford to lose, same as I did with Spektrum when it first came out.  I wounded a foamy with a AR6100 receiver that had an early firmware bug, which Horizon acknowledged and fixed. It had nothing to do with radio reception; it was the one that would slap down elevator and stay there.  Nice!  Since then, all of my foamy kills have been directly traceable to my thumbs.

    Ed

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    Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:17:06 -0800
    From: edvwhite at sbcglobal.net
    To: nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
    Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Speaking of 2.4GHz

    Ed,

    I've been digging into (ie, poking around RCU) for XPS issues and as is usually the case find mostly secondhand and anecdotal problems along with a few really unhappy people.  I also find a lot of happy XPS users.  I am attracted to the XPS because it offers the future possibility of telemetry, something I would like to play with.  Lastly on the Spektrum, I've seen only a handful of systems fly at our local field.  I've also seen two crashes on two different Spektrum systems due to total loss of control, at close range.  At least one of those verified good battery voltage under load after the crash (the other one didn't check).  

    I know there are a huge number of satisfied Spektrum users.  I know of two locally who are not quite so satisfied.  Neither ever did figure out the reason for the loss of control.  And with Futaba's recent problem (which they have fixed), well I think we all have to realize there is no bulletproof system.  Just looking to see if people have had problems with the XPS.

    Ed

    Ed Alt <ed_alt at hotmail.com> wrote: 

      With a proven solution from Spektrum / JR and with Futaba introducing what will undoubtedly be a solid solution, why play with XPS?  I can't think of any advantage that it offers and it apparently has some issues to dig into and understand.  

      Ed

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      Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:44:14 -0800
      From: edvwhite at sbcglobal.net
      To: nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
      Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Speaking of 2.4GHz

      Anybody have experience with the xtremelink systems?

      http://www.xtremepowersystems.net/

      Ed

      Ken Thompson <kthompson at stx.rr.com> wrote: 

      That's pretty cool, thanks for bringing this to the list.  I saw this in the Flying Giants first thing this morning.

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

        From: Kevin Brice 

        To: nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org 

        Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 11:25 AM

        Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] The Great 2.4GHz DSM Giveaway

        For those on the 2.4 fence, this may encourage you to upgrade to DSM.

        I am not sure if the html graphics will show so here is the link to Spektrum's Receiver Giveaway. 

        http://www.spektrumrc.com/giveaway/ 

        Kevin Brice

        kevinbrice at earthlink.net 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

        From: Spektrum Signal [mailto:webmaster at spektrumrc.com] 
        Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 10:00 AM
        To: kevin at wenzlerarchitects.com
        Subject: The Great 2.4GHz DSM Giveaway

        Having trouble viewing this email? Click here.

                    February 28, 2008

                                PLEASE VISIT WWW.SPEKTRUMRC.COM/GIVEAWAY FOR MORE INFORMATION

                                Copyright © 2008 Horizon Hobby. All rights reserved.
                                If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe
                                Please send any questions, comments, or concerns to webmaster at spektrumrc.com
                                Mailing Address: Horizon Hobby, Inc., 4105 Fieldstone Rd., Champaign, IL 61822
                                Spektrum is used with permission from Bachmann Industries, Inc.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

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