Notice from rcRacingEvents.com

[Bill Britton]

New statement in effect as of today regarding FM frequencies.

This is due to recent abuses of the FM frequency designation. Many clubs, districts, and people have called me to complain, and urge me to assist in doing something about it. Your individual club will determine if there is to be a penalty, and to what it may or may not be.

 

[Danny King]

3….2….1

 

[Bill Britton]

3….2….1

Oh i know!

 

[Don Ferrette]

Geeez................

 

[Grimracer]

As wrong as this is.. its also right.. Bill has to play middle man here.

I have spent most of my racing time making an effort to get to the point were a caller is just that.. count my laps and tell me where the dead boats are.. "please don't tell me when to turn, and please don't coach my driving. I dont mind the lessons a new guy gets when they are tossing for me.. and if we swamp the boat.. we did it as a team.. I have done it to others and will likey do it again.. and have it done to me too.. so what.. thats the "Drama" that I love about NITRO boat racing!

So in the end this is a non issue for me... still.. just seems like if you are using 2.4 then that's best.. because in the end "Choosing" who you DONT race with, is not the sprit of the contest.

Let her eat!

Grim

 

[Wasted wages]

Maybe I don't understand the issue ?

Are people signing up with a FM frequency and then found to be using AM or 2.4 radios ??

I trust my old PCM FM radios, I don't care what anyone says... As long as they are still legal to race with, I don't have a problem with the rule...

What am I missing here ??

 

[Bill Britton]

It has gotten so bad that in a Florida race, we had 12 entries in a class and six of them were conflicted frequencies. You can't hold a race like that. It's not my job to dictate this but many clubs are having this issue. Most entrants don't realize the problems they create when they do this. I was asked to help with this problem and this is the extent I can go on my end. But clubs are starting to push back on people entering as FM when they are really running DSM just to avoid "racing their pitman" when the real question should be "why is your pitman running in the same class as you?"

 

[Mark Grannis]

Why would any racer or competitor contact Bill of RCRE's to raise this as an issue? Contact your organization's district director and get them to address this situation. RCRE's is a service and not a sanctioning body.

CD's should be contacting racers with all radio conflicts prior to the participant(s) arriving at the event.

 

[Wasted wages]

It was done that way before 2.4 ever came into the picture... And I know there were a hell of a lot more than 12 entrees in a class...

most everyone that ran FM frequency kept a box full of crystals..We always worked it out..

I never thought about entering on a certain frequency to purposely dodge racing someone.... that's BS...

 

[Wasted wages]

In fact most of the later FM radios had dial up frequencies built into the radios... didn't even have to swap crystals....

 

[Bill Britton]

I never thought about entering on a certain frequency to purposely dodge racing someone.... that's BS...

Entering as FM when you are really on DSM has become the primary way to avoid racing your "pitman" when like I said, the real question should be why are you and your pitman racing the same class?

 

[Wasted wages]

Well, I never had a designated pit man... I used to just ask around,,, that's how we got to know other people.. I guess times have changed..

 

[Bill Britton]

Why would any racer or competitor contact Bill of RCRE's to raise this as an issue? Contact your organization's district director and get them to address this situation. RCRE's is a service and not a sanctioning body.

CD's should be contacting racers with all radio conflicts prior to the participant(s) arriving at the event.

Mark, you are correct. But when I start getting calls from district directors asking for help/advice, I will help where I can. Like it states. It's up to the club to create the policy, not me. the statement is there to let entrants know that some clubs are going to start pushing back.

Grimmy nailed it. Don't shoot the messenger...

 

[Mark Grannis]

Mark, you are correct. But when I start getting calls from district directors asking for help/advice, I will help where I can. Like it states. It's up to the club to create the policy, not me. the statement is there to let entrants know that some clubs are going to start pushing back.

Grimmy nailed it. Don't shoot the messenger...

Then those district directors are not producing the effort required of their position!

 

[Bill Britton]

CD's should be contacting racers with all radio conflicts prior to the participant(s) arriving at the event.

Yes but when it is almost half of your entrants it becomes a real pain in the butt (and blatant abuse) and a ton of unnecessary trouble when the real problem is the entrant is entering as FM when they are really on DSM in the first place...

I've been on both sides of this. Like I said I'm trying to help the event coordinators here. The real problem is the abuse of the system. We should address that.

Don't shoot the messenger.

 

[Brandon Atwell]

Good work Bill!
Definitely not your responsibility but glad to see this warning put out there.
Sounds like a radio impound needs to be implemented at races where this is a blatant issue for adjustment. Warnings only go as far as there enforcement

 

[Bill Britton]

Good work Bill!
Definitely not your responsibility but glad to see this warning put out there.
Sounds like a radio impound needs to be implemented at races where this is a blatant issue for adjustment. Warnings only go as far as there enforcement

Thanks Brandon. Like you said, It's up to the club to decide, but where it is a problem I have been asked to help.

 

[Mark Grannis]

I'm not answering this in a harsh tone, but since questions were raised I'll explain a position.

We have 27MHZ in AM, FM and just recently went to DSM. Hell we still have the old 72MHz stuff. We can sign up any way we need to.

Chad & I do pit for each other at national events. We do enter two of the same classes...40 & 60 hydro. Why, because we enjoy those classes, and we are deep in the support equipment in these classes with engines, props, servos, rudders, pipes, turnfins. When traveling to these national events there are usually 16-28 entries in these two classes. My enjoyment is as a family team and individually. This is how Crash & Fixit Racing has been entering races since early 1970's.

Now when we enter district races we also initially sign up the same way knowing if & when the CD and or the class size is unable to accommodate we can adjust to meet the needs.

Now some may consider this unsportsmanlike...that's fine. I'll take the family enjoyment over other's concerns every time!

 

[Bill Britton]

I'm not answering this in a harsh tone, but since questions were raised I'll explain a position.

We have 27MHZ in AM, FM and just recently went to DSM. Hell we still have the old 72MHz stuff. We can sign up any way we need to.

Chad & I do pit for each other at national events. We do enter two of the same classes...40 & 60 hydro. Why, because we enjoy those classes, and we are deep in the support equipment in these classes with engines, props, servos, rudders, pipes, turnfins. When traveling to these national events there are usually 16-28 entries in these two classes. My enjoyment is as a family team and individually. This is how Crash & Fixit Racing has been entering races since early 1970's.

Now when we enter district races we also initially sign up the same way knowing if & when the CD and or the class size is unable to accommodate we can adjust to meet the needs.

Now some may consider this unsportsmanlike...that's fine. I'll take the family enjoyment over other's concerns every time!

Mark

Not taking it the wrong way at all. People have been doing this for decades and it's been tolerated because it wasn't widespread. But now it seems that everyone is doing it. When you have 2-3 heats per round of a class and you can't rack it because of conflicts, and when you know everyone is running DSM,

it's getting out of hand...

I have a dedicated pitman (Nub Kopisca) and we made a decision long ago to not run in each other's classes just for this reason.

 

[Don Ferrette]

Well..... there are two sides to this. I'll be the first to admit I've done it before for the twin hydro class. Is it because I don't want to race my pitman in twin? Hardly and anyone who knows me well can tell you that. No, twins are a completely different animals. I've raced the twin hydro class for well over 20 years and honestly the best pitman for twin is someone who runs or has run one. I've heard and experienced it all. From screw ups in the pits, to people being scared of dealing with them (you'd be surprised how often that has come up) to races lost because of not knowing how to launch a one. Sometimes it's a family father/son thing also, saves on equipment. Have I seen heats in general get manipulated so they don't race their buddies or teammates?? Yup, been going on since I got into this hobby so please don't pin it solely on the 2.4 technology. My opinion, for what it's worth, is the CMB club addressed it quite well on the entry form for this weekend's Fall Nats (still bummed I can't go this year) as follows-

Entries must be in compliance with IMPBA rule book,
Section G, paragraph 1C(1) and the correct frequency
is required for all entries. Twins and the F Hydro
classes are excepted from the rule for the race. All
other classes must comply with the rule.

The reason to also include F hydro is a lot of twins can and do also run in that class, I do it all the time (CMB offers separate single F hydro class BTW) . So my opinion has been expressed and my flame suit is now on.