Proudly Made
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Custom, hand-built electronic circuits designed to improve and enhance the fun and thrill of radio-controlled models.
Spotlight On...
Servo Reversers and Spektrum
We continue to be contacted by customers regarding the compatibility of our Servo Reversers with Spektrum receivers. After talking with these customers individually, I decided that it might be good to address the issue here, to answer some who may be wondering, but who have not yet reached out to us.
It appears that some modelers have experienced problems when using certain reversers (not ours) with Spektrum radios, and I understand that a spokesperson from Horizon has suggested in various RC forums that reversers of any kind should not be used with Spektrum receivers, as they create some type of interference that can disrupt the receiver's operations, even though they are operating on the 2.4GHz band, which is supposed to be much less susceptible to EMI or RFI interference.
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I'm not sure which reversers have actually been causing problems, but I do know that we have been providing servo reversers for several years now to users of every brand and type of radio system out there, and we have received absolutely ZERO reports of problems or incompatibility with any brand of radio, including Spektrum.
Electronically, there are several ways that the PWM signal used to control a servo can be produced, and it is very possible that some reversers being made overseas use a design that is faulty, and that indeed creates interference. Our reversers, as well as most of the other circuits we make, like Navigation Lights, Servo Speed Reducers, Servo Testers, etc., all use a microcontroller to create the PWM signal, and they do not produce any interference of any kind. There are thousands of our devices in use in models around the world, including reversers, and we've never received a complaint about a single one being non-compatible.
Our reversers "read" the signal from the receiver, do some math on it to switch it from one side of the channel's center to the other, and then send it back out to the servo, all done in a few microseconds! They can be safely used in Spektrum systems. -David
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News from the Bench
Well, this isn't really news "from the bench, maybe it would be better to say "news from the office". We have just implemented a new shipping program on our website that uses Shippo, a company that provides shipping services to lots of companies big and small. It integrates with the website, pulling all of the information about an order directly from the site, and creating all the documents required to ship a package, like the mailing label, the return address label, the tracking number, even the customs forms required for international orders. One advantage for us is the time we save in printing labels, but the real advantage is for our customers, Shippo provides us better rates than those provided by the carriers themselves! We can now ship a package for less, using the same US Postal Service package options (or UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.) for less than what those same carriers charge us in their stores!
The differences aren't huge, about 50 cents to $2 per package, depending on the destination address, but these savings will be passed directly to our customers. You should begin noticing the reduced rates immediately on your orders. This is just one way we are trying to remain competitive, and offer you the most bang for your RC bucks. Thanks to all our wonderful customers, we really appreciate your loyalty and your business. -David
How to Subscribe to our Facebook Page
Everyone knows how important social media has become in today's world, and that it is now one of the best ways for vendors to connect with customers and potential customers. We don't buy ads on social media, and for that reason subscribing to our Facebook page will not subject you to the annoying ads that constantly pop-up when you're browsing the internet for other reasons. We only use our Facebook page to inform customers of new products, products that are "in the works", and other information that we think might be of some help to them, and we then direct them to our website for more information. You won't receive any bulk emails, or other unwanted messages, just an alert whenever we post something new on the page.
So please consider subscribing now. Just click on the blue Facebook link at the bottom of this page, it's that simple. Thanks! -David
We hope to meet you on the road...
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Two New ARF Light Controllers are Now Available!
We've received a number of requests over the last year or so from customers looking to upgrade the LED light controllers that come with ARFs made by companies like Seagull and Multiplex, as well as by several other manufacturers. Many of the current crop of ARFs are coming with 5mm LEDs pre-installed in various locations, but the controllers included with these models are rather "simple", all of the lights are on all the time (including the landing lights), and there's no control of them from the transmitter. Our new controllers will solve that problem easily.
Our new ARF Light Controllers allow you to replace the OEM controller, using the same connectors, and provide you with full control of your lights from the transmitter. The lights can all be turned on/off from the radio, and the landing lights can be switched on/off separately from all of the other navigation lights. In addition, we give you the option of making either the white light in the tail, or the red (left) wingtip light, or both, a double blink strobe!
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The ARF Light Controllers are available in two versions, Version 1.0 is designed to replace OEM controllers that power the LEDs directly from the receiver. These LEDs in these models are usually marked with a voltage rating of 3.0 to 6.0 volts, Version 2.0 is designed for OEM controllers that are powered by a separate, external battery. The LEDs in these models are usually rated for 12 volts, and may be marked for use with a 3S battery.
The pre-installed LEDs are plugged into the connections along the bottom edge of the board, and these are marked to indicate the function and color of each LED. The 3 connections marked "Navigation" are for the Green, Red, and White LEDs in the wingtip and tail, and these outputs are solid "on". The connections marked "Strobe" are for the white LED in the tail, and/or the Red LED in the left wingtip, and provide a quick, double-blink output for either or both. The connections marked "Landing" are for the white landing lights, and they can be switched on/off separately from the other lights.
Give us a call if you have any questions, we'll be happy to help you decide if one of these new sets will work with your model!
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