RC Helicopter FISHING! Dave tries hand at "Heli Fishing"
In recent years RC Models have enjoyed a period of renewed enthusiasm. Many new models have appeared on the market including some fantastic RC helicopters, rc tanks and even a range of UFOs.
And its worth noting that RC models shouldn't really be considered as toys, although there are many models aimed at younger children. The typical RC model enthusiast today is a middle aged man with a keen engineering interest.
To really get the most from an RC model it helps to have a basic understanding of how they work. There are several basic components in every radio control system. These are the transmitter, generally held in the hands; the receiver, which is contained within the model; the drive motor which powers the wheels or propeller; and the steering system which may be a rudder or control of a vehicles wheels or tracks.
The transmitter or controller is the handheld device that you hold. It will generally provide a couple of joysticks used to control the speed and steering. This device transmits radio waves over a relatively short range. An antenna mounted on the vehicle or craft picks up the radio signals. The radio signals are modulated with control information that is decoded by the receiver and used to tell the motor how fast it should be running and the steering mechanism (rudder or wheels) which way the vehicle should be going.
Of course all of these electrical components need power which is usually provided using rechargeable batteries. In RC aircraft these batteries need to be small and lightweight so they can need to be recharged regularly. RC Cars can use either electric motors or tiny nitro powered engines, but they will still need batteries to power the electrical devices.
Although RC models are very simple there is a lot that can be done to tweak their performance. It is this aspect of the hobby that can make it very engrossing as hobbyists attempt to get the most from their systems by customised engineering.
