Radio Control

Radio control units used for hobbyist pursuits may be adapted to perform a number of operations, both electrical and mechanical. Heavy-duty professional units are also available commercially.

Master controls

For operations such as flying model aircraft or controlling model ships, radio control can be made to perform several functions by the use of a joystick. This is convenient where the left/right and up/down motions can be set to mimic the motions of the device being controlled. Simpler devices operate from a series of switches.

Explosions

The triggering of explosions is often carried out by the use of radio control units, but the equipment for this type of operation should be in the professional range. The use of a single frequency in the hobbyist band should never be considered, if only for the reason that it could be activated by someone using similar equipment with the same frequency.

Where the operation is of such critical importance two different frequencies should be used, each operating an individual part of the circuit or, alternatively, a coded signal.

Where, say, a distant boat or a model ship must be blown up it is more convenient to use radio control than to lay out long runs of cable. However, this can sometimes mean the non-recovery of the slave unit. The alternative is to float the receiver out-of-picture and run a firing line from that to the explosives.

The dangers implicit in wiring up explosives to a radio receiver are obvious, and sensible procedures should always be adopted. The operator whose task it is to make the connections to the slave unit should always be at a safe distance from the explosives should these fire prematurely.

Big explosions look more dramatic if two or more charges are fired in quick succession. This is easy to achieve with the rotary switch of a firing box, but when radio control is used the delay can be accomplished either by connecting the charges together with quick fuse or by employing a stepping switch pulsed from the master control unit.