Is AM used in Aircraft these days? I picked up an Attack 4 cheap
and could use it in my trainer if it's appropriate. I bought the kit for
the servos and batteries so the Radio and receiver are extra. Don't need
to use it unless it's ok to do so.
I have flown many a Futaba Attack four channel AM radio in the modern RF
environment and have never experienced a problem. I have even owned and
flown a couple of them and could see no difference between the performance
of the Attack and the Conquest FM version. Have a ball.
Ed Cregger
| Is AM used in Aircraft these days? I picked up an Attack 4 cheap
| and could use it in my trainer if it's appropriate. I bought the kit for
| the servos and batteries so the Radio and receiver are extra. Don't need
| to use it unless it's ok to do so.
As Ed said, AM is still used and works fine. FM gives you better
range, but AM still lets you go further than you can see the plane. I
guess that FM should reject interference better, but in practice I
haven't seen any real difference.
Many of the low end radios, especially on the 27 mhz and 75 mhz bands,
are AM. They're still making lots of them today (mostly for cars, but
there's some for planes too, especially for small park fliers.)
With any old radio, there's the danger that it's not narrowband, but I
think all the Attack 4's are. There's probably a gold AMA sticker on
the back -- if so, you're fine. If not, you might want to ask Futaba
about it.
You say it's for use in a trainer? I have an Attack 4 radio, and I
don't think it has a buddy box connector. So if that's your plan,
forget it. And even if it does have a buddy box connector, it won't
work with an FM radio -- you'll need to use another AM Futaba radio
for the buddy box.
They haven't been made in a while, so the batteries are probably dead
or dying. Replace them, or at least cycle them and see what kind of
capacity they've got left.
I have a Futaba FP5UA that I still use today. I also used it in a
trainer and buddy boxed it with a Skysport 4 FM radio and it worked
fine. (FP5UA master / Skysport slave) Some AM radios will buddy box
just fine with FM boxes. I still use it from time to time but not as
much as my FM radio's simply because of the computer TX's. I have to
say though, next to my 6XAS, the FP5UA is the most feature rich TX I
own and it is much easier to set up than the 6XAS. If I could find
more receivers for it, I would use it more often.
David
AM or FM does not really matter.
In tune - now THAT matters! Especially if it is an older radio It would not
hurt to send it off to the radio doctor and get a little piece of mind - AM
or FM.
At the very least do a range check before you fly - AM or FM!
I am flying both.
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