Just some ramblings of things that you younger guys should be aware of and appreciate what we have today. I am also 68 and went through college without even a calculator let alone a computer, not even a cell phone either. Back in 1971 I started flying radio controlled airplanes. In those days a basic transmitter, receiver and servos would cost $2,300 in today's dollars and top of the line was $3,500. There were only 7 frequencies for aircraft and two could not fly on the same frequency. No digital trims, dual rates or anything fancy. To me the fact that even $50 quadcopters have gyro's, digital trims and other features is just amazing to me.

I do miss my coloured crystal collection and the flags to go with them.

And Radio Shack was a really cool place, where you could buy crystal radio kits, other electronic kits, most any electronic switch, capacitor, transistor, tube,  etc.. and top of the line audio equipment.

But our model rockets, even back in 1965, still went thousands of feet high and didn't cost very much!

droneflyers.com Posted at 2015-1-15 09:59
But our model rockets, even back in 1965, still went thousands of feet high and didn't cost very muc ...

Estes Nanocopters are made by the same Estes Rocket company that made those model rockets in the 1960s

droneflyers.com Posted at 2015-1-15 09:59
But our model rockets, even back in 1965, still went thousands of feet high and didn't cost very muc ...

I still have a Big Bertha, the Saturn V Apollo, and a couple of smaller ones.  But it's been about 10 years since any of them flew.

Then there were the Cox line control planes, with the Cox '.049' glow engines.

It was really great when that NEW technology came out.  I think they called it television.

Gerry1124 Posted at 2015-1-15 10:21
It was really great when that NEW technology came out.  I think they called it television.

I think mom and dad had one before I came along.  But I do remember having to wait for the clock radio tubes to warm up for a quarter to half minute or so, before it would come on, and it was AM only.

Jamie Hellmich Posted at 2015-1-15 10:27
I think mom and dad had one before I came along.  But I do remember having to wait for the clock r ...

No tele when I came along - and NO 'Civil Aviation Authority' either! Didn't need it for the odd 'Douglas Dakota' struggling to take to the skies - and stay there! My Phantom can probably go higher (if the CAA allowed!) Mind-blowing technology - stuff of fantasy just a few years ago!

Just be glad the 2.4 and 5.8 GHz technology came along. It used to be that model aircraft were flown 72 MHz with just 7 frequencies. In 1990 the FCC gave us 50 frequencies but you still had to be sure no one else was on your frequency. The advent of spread spectrum let everyone use the same frequency but the transmitters and receivers were bound to each other. Since optimum antenna length depends on the frequency, 72 MHz receivers need a 36" antenna. With 2.4 GHz it is only 1" and 5.8 GHz a half inch.

Jamie Hellmich Posted at 2015-1-15 10:20
Then there were the Cox line control planes, with the Cox '.049' glow engines.

OMG Jamie, you just brought back memories, my Dad (who passed this last Christmas timeframe from cancer) used to fly an old P40 Warhawk line controlled plane.  I totally forgot that memory until you mentioned it.  Thanks!

Capt. Bill Posted at 2015-1-16 05:06
Just be glad the 2.4 and 5.8 GHz technology came along. It used to be that model aircraft were flown ...

Yep, I had a couple of the old metal case Futaba radios in the early '80's.  I think I still have a frequency ribbon around here somewhere.  A specific color for each frequency, and clipped on your antenna for all to see, so no one would "shoot you down".

We do still have a few holdouts on 72 MHz at the club yet.

mark@eagleputte Posted at 2015-1-16 09:21
OMG Jamie, you just brought back memories, my Dad (who passed this last Christmas timeframe from c ...

Nice.  Line control is still pretty popular in certain areas.  We have one or two at our club that still fly them now and then.

Jamie Hellmich Posted at 2015-1-16 09:27
Yep, I had a couple of the old metal case Futaba radios in the early '80's.  I think I still have  ...

I still have my first radio, a Heathkit blue box on 72.080 with the white/brown ribbons.

When my club had events we used to stay busy impounding every transmitter and passing them out. Now we don't worry about 2.4 GHz ones and only get one or two on 72 MHz

Capt. Bill Posted at 2015-1-16 10:13
I still have my first radio, a Heathkit blue box on 72.080 with the white/brown ribbons.

When my  ...

Wow... "Heathkit"... that's a name I have not heard or seen in years.

Capt. Bill Posted at 2015-1-16 10:13
I still have my first radio, a Heathkit blue box on 72.080 with the white/brown ribbons.

When my  ...

So do you have a 3 digit AMA number or what?

Jamie Hellmich Posted at 2015-1-16 10:16
So do you have a 3 digit AMA number or what?

Not that low, got my AMA card in 1971. Number is 53xxx. I even had an FCC Class C license for my first radio. That Heatkit was $180 when a comparable Kraft radio was $400. Back then almost all the radios were made in the US.

Capt. Bill Posted at 2015-1-16 10:28
Not that low, got my AMA card in 1971. Number is 53xxx. I even had an FCC Class C license for my f ...

My number is 62***, circa 1980.  Another name from the past, Kraft.  That was a lot of money back then.

The technology and production methods of the past few years have really brought the "RC hobby" to the masses via aircraft as these Phantoms.  Though, I'm not sure of the number of folks that would jump into purchasing and flying radio controlled aircraft without the GPS positioning, FPV, and stabilization systems in use now that were not as readily available just 4 or 5 years ago.

These systems make the "flying" much easier, and it does not really take much training (if any at all) to get in the air with them, I do believe that the folks who do learn to actually fly their aircraft with less dependency on GPS and FPV, stand the best chance of saving their aircraft, when things go wrong with these systems, which they occasionally will.

Jamie Hellmich Posted at 2015-1-16 10:59
My number is 62***, circa 1980.  Another name from the past, Kraft.  That was a lot of money back  ...

I agree Jamie. I have been flying RC planes for 42 years and controlling it when it is coming toward me is second nature. Quadcopters will be a new learning curve though. When you get into trouble with an airplane your first instinct is to cut the throttle.

If someone had shown me a smartphone (or even a Motorola flip phone) when I was a boy in the 60's, I'd have thought it was something straight out of Star Trek.
Technology was barely out of diapers.  I used an old Underwood typewriter to do my English homework.
The first hobby plane I ever saw was around 1967---Cox motor---and the plane was on a thin rope, I think, with a handle---and it went around and around----and I was amazed!

birdfolk5555 Posted at 2015-1-16 11:27
If someone had shown me a smartphone (or even a Motorola flip phone) when I was a boy in the 60's, I ...

I am not kidding about this. Back in the early 70s when I was out flying there would often be 4 guys on your frequency. I thought wouldn't it be great if your airplane only responded to your transmitter.