Radios

[secrtwpn1]

Could a person use a 72MHZ radio for a sub????????????

[thor]

I think there are a couple of questions to be asked here. Both have different answers.

1) Could a person use a 72 MHz radio for a sub? Answer: Yes. Absolutely. 72 MHz works well for surface and submarine use.
2) Should a person use a 72 MHz radio for a sub? Answer: No. 72 MHz was designated for aircraft use only. A lot of guys still fly using 72 MHz.

[subdude]

Which then brings up another question. Since so many aircraft guys are going to 2.4 and selling off their 72MHz gear, would it be worthwhile to start some sort of action (petition, whatever) to see if the FCC would be willing to lift the aircraft only restriction? Maybe they would want to restrict aircraft to 2.4 anyway?

Jim

[Rick Teskey]

Who is to say I am not flying ln a park or a field or a pond somewhere that is not a flying club.
I doubt there are enough fcc /crtc agents lurking around too catch a submarine captain.

[Guest]

Quite often found independent modellers using 35mhz instead of the legal 40mhz and 27mhz bands. Sometimes down to blissful ignorance, other times down to wilful indifference.

It's very difficult to enforce either way, but in this instance I don't think the regulations are unreasonable, and who really wants to risk getting their collar felt for such a silly contravention?

[David F]

We had similar thoughts about being allowed to use 35Mhz for subs in the UK (the original airplane frequency before 2.4Ghz became the one mostly used.)

So we (as the Association of Model Submariners) approached the frequency control body in the UK . (We were in touch with them anyway regarding the increased use of 458Mhz for subs.)

They were absolutely clear that they could never see it being allowed. The risk of airplanes being brought down was just too great.

So the SubCommittee could make an approach to your Authorities but you may well get the same answer.

But yes, I am sure that there some individuals using 35Mhz for surface use.

David

[wingtip]

interesting thread... in feb of 2015 i bought a broken 14mz at a price i couldnt pass up... it came with both a 2.4 module and a 72mhz module, 8 different recievers and some other stuff... fast forward to now when im able to afford to send it to futaba services to get the touch screen fixed ANNNND have it converted to 75 mhz for sub duty, however i was informed they can not do that... they no longer have the boards to do this conversion not to mention they wouldnt have been able to convert the two 14 ch rx's anyways... the closest they could do is 50mhz which you have to have a ham license and you'd still have to find rx's as they could only do the tx..

all the radio manufacturers are shoving 2.4 down everyones throat and its basically going to kill the sub hobby eventually because even the surface dwellers are going to 2.4ghz... sure there are some off the wall chineese radios around with like 4 or 5 or 6 channels but with no programmability on 75mhz... i bought this to be the only sub radio id ever need but looks like im going to be forced to use 72.... but there are fewer and fewer 72 radios that "could" be converted which is why i snatched this one up

As for radio south i cant even confirm if they are still in buisness cause everytime i email them i never get a reply...tomorrow i had planned on trying to locate a phone number and actually call them to see if they can offer a conversion... but im with you subdude... it would be nice if the fcc would let 72 change to surface since you cant even buy any radios on 72 anymore... theyre all shoving 2.4 down our throats which we cant use...



EDIT: well since i live just 3 hours south of him i called and sure enough he was still up and answered and yep, im F*&^g screwed.... guess ill fix the touchscreen and sell this off if i dont just use it on 72 which is what ill probably just end up doing.... its just to stupid to waste a perfectly good 14mz with all its functionality because its not legal on 72 for sub duty when barely anyone uses it for air anymore....

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

Information about Radio South.
Tony has a web site. http://radiosouthrc.com/
His phone number is just about the first thing listed.
Warning, Tony is not an E-mail person.
Call him and he will talk with you all you want.
He lists his turn around on repairs as 3 to 5 days.
Think a little more.

Tony has a day job so make sure to follow his listed business hours.
Business hours are 5:30PM until 9PM Eastern Time, Monday thru Friday.

Tony reconditioned one of my Tx.
He had it for two weeks.
Turned out, the problem was me.
I have the multiple channel Tx modules.
The one Tx I was having issues with stopped transmitting.
Turned out that the module dial was one number off.
I put it on 70 and it was actually on 71.
I sent it to Tony because I am not a radio person and had no intention of opening it up to try and fix it.
Came back and I have been happy ever since.
The Module was adjusted to read the correct channel selected.
=====================
Option are to look for a good radio on ebey.
Keep looking a bidding on the type you want.
There are sellers out there and I find if they have one of the type you are looking for and it is bidding high, after the bid is over, they will list another exactly the same and it bids lower.
I got 2 Futaba T9CAPs for under $125.
Not at the same time but about 7 months apart.

There are other type available, I just happen to have mostly Futaba stuff.
Started with Kraft.

There are a couple of sub builders who have admitted they are collecting 75mhz Tx.
Not sure what their plan is but they are collecting a lot of them.

There are a couple of sub builders building and testing 433mhz Adriano system with very good results.
I think that is the next to come to submarine hobby.
Talk is about making instructions with parts list on how to build your own system.

anyway, the submarine hobby has several ways to keep going.

[thor]

Bob Martin and I have acquired a very large stash of 75 MHz radios. 4, 6, & 9 channel.

They will be sold through Subtech and Nautilus Drydocks.

The radios are all new, but we also have an agreement in place with a professional radio shop to recondition and refurbush high end 75 Mhz systems.

In addition to that, Bob and I are also working the 433 Mhz plan, as well, with plans to offer ready to go 433Mhz system packages.

[wingtip]

I will definately look into one of those when available but since they still dont have the amount of channels i want/need i will still plan on using this 14mz. Tony told me as well that the 9c was probably the most channels of a radio you can get that can "easily" be converted still... which isnt enough for what i have planned (insert evil sinister laugh)

[Guest]

Why not just do the HAM license, then go 433mhz with a Taranis- 16 channels should be enough? Better than a 14mz IMO, as the system is totally open ended, assign any control to any channel, mix any channel with any other channel etc. Complete flexibility, and easy to use.

There seems to be a lot of fretting about the end of the hobby owing to unavailability of equipment. This isn't the problem IMO. The real issue will be one of mortality.

Simply put most model submariners are not in the blush of youth, and in ten to fifteen years the scene will look a lot smaller than it does presently.

[thor]

Agreed, Andy. Our local flying club is the same way. If it wasn't for the airplanes at the field you would think it was a meeting of the local chapter of AARP.

[wingtip]

ill look into the taranis andy and see what its about.... thanks for some options....