DSM and races.. is it time?

[Grimracer]

Is it time to call out DSM only at races? Will it ever be time? Could we make it so the signups are DSM and if you run MHZ you do so at your own risk? Not sure any of the above make sense..

Lets have a discussion over it.

Grim

 

[Grimracer]

yea.. Im not sure its worth touching this with a 10 foot pole ether..

LOL

Grim

 

[DPeterson]

Agree with the DSM. However a couple of us traveling buddies was considering using AM numbers at sign up so when we travel 6 plus hours to a race we don't get stuck racing each other in the same heat all weekend long.

A different subject but somewhat related.

Doug

 

[Ray Sametz]

Agree with the DSM. However a couple of us traveling buddies was considering using AM numbers at sign up so when we travel 6 plus hours to a race we don't get stuck racing each other in the same heat all weekend long.

A different subject but somewhat related.

Doug

9 out of 10 times traveling buddies sign up on a channel radio to avoid racing each other, then run DSM at the actual race. Opps, did I open a can of worms!!!!

 

[Danny King]

9 out of 10 times traveling buddies sign up on a channel radio to avoid racing each other, then run DSM at the actual race. Opps, did I open a can of worms!!!!

Well it should be opened.

 

[HTV Boats]

I don't see enough non DSM that it is much of an issue anymore. Ray is correct the old number frequencies are more often used to avoid running in the same heat. I don't like the term avoid as moreover you are pairing with a friend or in my case son or grandson to have a pit person familiar your starting equipment and knowing how your boat needs to be launched, Drive hours and spend a bunch of money and time, then run around the pits finding anyone to pit. Then you get a bad launch, heat gone. Also someone you trust watching the course and knowing how to communicate dead boats ect. A familiar pit person is more a safety issue to me.I consider it a courtesy for a club to allow race partners who travel to their events. I have no problem running in the same heats jumping through hoops when not enough boats entered to split. We have friends in our area and 5 of us get put in the same heats when there are multiple heats and boats. No reason to travel when we can run each other at home.
Then the issue is your avoiding someone. Back in the day I did see people use the same frequency as someone they might not want to race. I would rather run the fastest boats as if you can beat them you keep them down on points. You can lay down and allow a partner higher points but separated you cant affect the outcome.
There has been so much crap about racing partners and it does nothing to advance the hobby. Then some of the same people who think your manipulating the system say things like "it's just toy boats". Lets make it hard for people to pair up and travel. And people ask why I don't go to certain sites.

Mic


Wonder why the hobby might decline? My son and I have run for 30+ years together. Now bringing my grandson along introducing him to competition we might have 3 in one heat. Even just a courtesy allowing one of us to get the kid on the water and pitting for him helps. Many times we have had to start two boats with the same equipment for a heat then having to recruit someone unfamiliar with our setups. We run the same classed to simplify setups and also to promote numbers in the boats we like. So it is not a simple as just running different classes. Sorry I have lived this issue for years and all it does is keep us home. Should be the best case in the hobby passing down generations. NOT

 

[John Beardslee]

As Mike already knows most of the large model aviation events are DSM only. Yet in r/c boat racing we have a different set of perimeters than is affecting aviation. I wouldn’t like to see a racer not compete because they couldn’t afford or ??? to make the shift to DSM, I’d rather nudge them to move the better battery chemistry or ??
Thanks John

 

[Don Ferrette]

I don't see enough non DSM that it is much of an issue anymore. Ray is correct the old number frequencies are more often used to avoid running in the same heat. I don't like the term avoid as moreover you are pairing with a friend or in my case son or grandson to have a pit person familiar your starting equipment and knowing how your boat needs to be launched, Drive hours and spend a bunch of money and time, then run around the pits finding anyone to pit. Then you get a bad launch, heat gone. Also someone you trust watching the course and knowing how to communicate dead boats ect. A familiar pit person is more a safety issue to me.I consider it a courtesy for a club to allow race partners who travel to their events. I have no problem running in the same heats jumping through hoops when not enough boats entered to split. We have friends in our area and 5 of us get put in the same heats when there are multiple heats and boats. No reason to travel when we can run each other at home.
Then the issue is your avoiding someone. Back in the day I did see people use the same frequency as someone they might not want to race. I would rather run the fastest boats as if you can beat them you keep them down on points. You can lay down and allow a partner higher points but separated you cant affect the outcome.
There has been so much crap about racing partners and it does nothing to advance the hobby. Then some of the same people who think your manipulating the system say things like "it's just toy boats". Lets make it hard for people to pair up and travel. And people ask why I don't go to certain sites.

Mic


Wonder why the hobby might decline? My son and I have run for 30+ years together. Now bringing my grandson along introducing him to competition we might have 3 in one heat. Even just a courtesy allowing one of us to get the kid on the water and pitting for him helps. Many times we have had to start two boats with the same equipment for a heat then having to recruit someone unfamiliar with our setups. We run the same classed to simplify setups and also to promote numbers in the boats we like. So it is not a simple as just running different classes. Sorry I have lived this issue for years and all it does is keep us home. Should be the best case in the hobby passing down generations. NOT

And that sums it up quite nicely.

 

[Don Ferrette]

As Mike already knows most of the large model aviation events are DSM only. Yet in r/c boat racing we have a different set of perimeters than is affecting aviation. I wouldn’t like to see a racer not compete because they couldn’t afford or ??? to make the shift to DSM, I’d rather nudge them to move the better battery chemistry or ??
Thanks John

Yup, apples to oranges unless there are aviation events that 6 planes race each other at the same time that I don't know about.

 

[Jim Allen]

Your right Don. There are no 5 or 6 plane events for NPRA pylon racing planes. During the 10 lap event it requires four judges at pylon # 1 to call cuts on planes traveling at approximately 200 MPH. The wing of each plane is marked in a certain position with 3" wide tape to give high green, low green, high red, low red. If you are a judge you quickly learn not to take your eyes of the plane once the race begins.

JA

 

[Buddy Benedict]

Well,My son and I still run 75mhz radios. Neither one of us race much anymore but between the two of us we have 15 to 20 boats that are ready to race. I done see either one of us changing to DSM anytime soon. To replace 5 radios and all the receivers would be $2000 or more for good equipment. I would rather put that in my Vette.

Buddy

 

[DPeterson]

Well,My son and I still run 75mhz radios.

I was heavily invested in 75mhz as well. However after having multiple crystals going bad and losing a boat I switched. Just an FYI.

Doug

 

[acaptn]

I still run MHz and have no radio issues. I also race several boats and have a spare radio, several spare receivers. So no wont happen here. I still like and trust my MHz radio. Why would you push to ban MHz radios at races?

 

[Samuel Hagan JR]

Its usually the same people that run the same frequency in each other’s heats. But I get it. They don’t want to race each other and some guys just absolutely don’t like other people coaching them or launching there boats. There are some bad coaches out there. Some people have more money then sense.

 

[John Beardslee]

Yup, apples to oranges unless there are aviation events that 6 planes race each other at the same time that I don't know about.

Don some of the large aviation events have mass hovering with probably 50 plus aircraft in the air at the same time, all within close proximity of the pilots and the pilot in close proximity of each other.
Thanks John

 

[JimZaremski]

Im with HTV, the last few races my clubs have put on have had maybe 2 or 3 analog radios entered.

 

[ZZ RACING]

DSM is probably one of the best advances we have had for RC. Guys that enter on same MHz channels so they can pit or avoid running against each other is fine unless the Shootout formula is used and due to points would have to race each other. It's not broke so no need to fix it but run MHz at your own risk!

 

[Terry Keeley]

At our Can-Am race last year we had all DSM radios, this year we had one non-DSM. The impound is a thing of the past!

 

[Andy Greene]

I have many feelings on this one , but will refrain from a long winded post the best I can - because simply, I dont race any more and its not my place to have a say. That said, Over the 10 years I was racing , I have seen this one first hand many times and to a degree I almost see some of the reasoning that goes into entering on the same frequencies , but have never been a fan of it. They are excuses at best , especially for the ones that have been around for many years and seem to be "in the hunt" at the end of a weekend all the time. It creates an advantage for a group of pretty fast guys right off the bat if you ask me, I get the " they dont know my equip - Im used to my spotter - We work better together " argument , but at the end of the day , they are excuses. If in all these years of doing this , you dont know enough people that know you and your boats - something is wrong, and sharing equipment is a creation of your own doing by running all the same classes, you forced yourself to do that - by choice. Its part of a level playing field is what Im trying to say. thats all, too many people overcome these issues with planning and do just fine................

Thats not the only reason people are staying away BTW.....

 

[HTV Boats]

With so few crystal radios actually being used I see no reason for the host club to impound or offer frequency clips. Let those using non DSM police themselves and things will soon evolve on their own.
Mic