The current 2.4 excitement is partly deserved and partly justified. At the moment it gives rc pilots a new freedom...it has taken frequency consideration and a need for its administration, concern out of the equation of rc soaring...in a way its like there isn't radio waves being used as part of our hobby....its as though we are preparing a free flight airplane, there isn't any thinking about 'channels'.
That freedom means that our minds to can shift to other components of the flight when we come to the field...and preparing the flight....the absence of radio. We still have controls to fool with but that's where it stops. Having said that, 72 has worked safely, does work safely and will continue to work safely. Arguments could be made that if anything it will be even safer and easier to use, with the drop in its population of users. Sure the doomsday guy will throw out the possibility that channel-consideration by pilots will be come lax ...making 72 a dangerous gamble. Clothespins and freq boards will come to disrepair and with it the discipline we all learned to respect as gospel on the field. Possible, but not realistic. I highlighted "at the moment" because 2.4 is in its sailplane infancy, ( and actually the term 2.4 is only a nickname for these kind of systems because they all currently share the same rf frequency right now there are at least two kinds of systems using 2.4) we can't tell for sure what the future holds when the 2.4 population expands.... course with the population of sailplane pilots decreasing as our age increases....:-( What price that freedom? About $650 for the TX and one RX. Gordy **************It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms, and advice on AOL Money & Finance. (http://money.aol.com/tax?NCID=aolprf00030000000001)
