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Step 4Main Components: Radio Control
For RC, you don't need anything fancy. Any 2 Channel surface radio will do the job, either the pistol type or stick type. You need a transmitter (TX) and a receiver (RX), and a 4AA battery pack. If you purchase a package system, you'll get all of these, and probably some servos as well.
If you are not familiar with Radio Control (RC or R/C),
here is a quick overview of radio systems.
Notes about Frequency:
Take special note of the frequency - use only 27 megahertz, or 75 megahertz, they are for ground use. The exception is 2.4 Ghz system, which binds a particular receiver, to a particular transmitter, and are glitch free.
72 megahertz is for aircraft only. If someone nearby crashed their expensive r/c helicopter because you turned on your transmitter using the same frequency, you'd better hope that he doesn't find you.
Crystals:
Different frequencies uses special crystals, which are just little tiny things that you plug into your transmitter and receiver, that allows your receiver to listen to your the commands of your transmitter. They must match, and must be made for the mhz that you are using.
2.4GHz Spread Spectrum:
For my turbine tank I used a Spektrum DX6. Spektrum uses 2.4GHz spread spectrum technology, that doesn't need crystals, because you "bind" you receiver to your transmitter, and it will not be interfered with other radio systems. Going with 6 channels is over kill for this particular project, but I already have it, because needed a radio system that I can run all of my steambots (one of them uses all 6 channels). It is especially important at events such asRoboGames & Maker Faire, where there are a lot of radio interference, and chances of someone mistakenly using your channel is pretty high. I also didn't want to take the chance of interfering with someone else's robots in the middle of combat, or have someone else's transmitter drive my steambots into the wall :)
You will also need 2 servos... which will be described in more detail later.
If you are not familiar with Radio Control (RC or R/C),
here is a quick overview of radio systems.
Notes about Frequency:
Take special note of the frequency - use only 27 megahertz, or 75 megahertz, they are for ground use. The exception is 2.4 Ghz system, which binds a particular receiver, to a particular transmitter, and are glitch free.
72 megahertz is for aircraft only. If someone nearby crashed their expensive r/c helicopter because you turned on your transmitter using the same frequency, you'd better hope that he doesn't find you.
Crystals:
Different frequencies uses special crystals, which are just little tiny things that you plug into your transmitter and receiver, that allows your receiver to listen to your the commands of your transmitter. They must match, and must be made for the mhz that you are using.
2.4GHz Spread Spectrum:
For my turbine tank I used a Spektrum DX6. Spektrum uses 2.4GHz spread spectrum technology, that doesn't need crystals, because you "bind" you receiver to your transmitter, and it will not be interfered with other radio systems. Going with 6 channels is over kill for this particular project, but I already have it, because needed a radio system that I can run all of my steambots (one of them uses all 6 channels). It is especially important at events such asRoboGames & Maker Faire, where there are a lot of radio interference, and chances of someone mistakenly using your channel is pretty high. I also didn't want to take the chance of interfering with someone else's robots in the middle of combat, or have someone else's transmitter drive my steambots into the wall :)
You will also need 2 servos... which will be described in more detail later.
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Aug 3, 2011. 2:11 PMNotquitepinoy
says:
" If someone nearby crashed their expensive r/c helicopter because you turned on your transmitter using the same frequency, you'd better hope that he doesn't find you. hahaha I love that sentence, you're funny crab fu
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