Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Water Models / July 2003

First, if you are interested in submarines, check out www.subcommittee.com -
you will find all kinds of great info there, and they publish a quarterly
magazine on model subs that is very well done.

There are two possible answers to your question about radio channels.  First
off, there is the frequency of the radio, which for a submarine in the US would
most commonly be in ther 27 or 75Mhz band.  Within those bands are discreet
channels - 64 through 90 (?) so that models can be operated at the same time,
on different channels, to avoid interfering with each others operations.

Another interpretation is that radios themselves are categorized by how many
channels they can control.  The most common are two channel radios, with four
being the next in popularity.  This refers to the number of servos or other
controls that the radio can control.  A typical example of a two channel
operation would be one channel for a rudder servo, with the other to control
the speed of the motor.  For submarines, 4 channels is the most widely used,
with the other channels being dedicated to stern planes and ballast system
control.

As far as cheap subs, there is a big gap between the Nikko subs and the more
serious R/C scale subs.  Two manufacturers worth checking out are SubTech
(www.rcboats.com) and Small World Models -
(www.geocities.com/smallworldmodels).  They both have entry level kits that
require no engineering and are very scale like.

Hope this helps

Kurt

Kurt Greiner

SeaPhoto Maritime Photography ...delete "net" to reply
http://www.warshipphotos.com - now taking online payments via Paypal

Learn about large scale r/c model warships-  
Warship Models Underway    http://www.warshipmodelsunderway.com