A hitec product Caswell might want to carry....

[tsenecal]

Mr. Caswell...

based on some footwork i just did on the wfly WFT08 transmitter you carry, you might consider buying one of these for Mr. Merriman to do some field testing with:

http://www.hitecrcd.com/products/surfacerra/surface-transmitter-accessories/spectra-75mhz-module.html

the combination of this in a WFT08, and a sombra labs sl-8 should allow an individual to have a transmitter/receiver combo that would be able to use all 30 of the 75mhz frequencies with about 6 seconds of configuration.

if it passes Mr. Merriman's testing, it would be a benefit for the caswell store.

of course none of this is sanctioned by either wfly or hitec, so warranties would be void if they were to be used together.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Agree with tsenecal on this -- to fully exploit the capabilities of the SL-8, giving us at-the-field ability to chose the specific frequency on the band we use -- offering the Hitec RF module is the way to go. Agreed, Kevin?

Thanks for the heads-up on this, tsenecal.

David

[KevinMc]

Agree with tsenecal on this -- to fully exploit the capabilities of the SL-8, giving us at-the-field ability to chose the specific frequency on the band we use -- offering the Hitec RF module is the way to go. Agreed, Kevin?

Thanks for the heads-up on this, tsenecal.

David

Hey guys, sorry for the late response - I just got back from the annual RNM Sub Regatta in Ottawa. As ususal I had my OSCAR II and my KILO, and the WFT08 + Spectra 75 + SL-8 is the exact radio setup I use for driving my KILO. In fact I've been using this combination for more than a year now, and preaching about how great it is at every opportunity. It rocks!

As for the warranty thing I'm not sure how to respond to - let's face it, the W-FLY radio was designed to use a module of the exact same physical footprint of the HiTec, and has the exact same pinout. Maybe they don't endorse using someone else's module, but they sure didn't do anything to prevent it. (Besides - how much different is this from plugging a HiTec servo into a Futaba receiver? Food for thought...)

[tsenecal]

Kevin,

plugging a different manufacturer's module into a transmitter, even though someone had the fantastic idea of making the module identical, is different than plugging a different manufacturer's servo into a receiver because using a different servo doesn't modify the RF deck, and create possible FCC ramifications. I think hitec and wfly and futaba ignore the fact that these things inter-operate because they don't want the liability, or the FCC testing necessary to publicly endorse it.

[KevinMc]

Kevin,

plugging a different manufacturer's module into a transmitter, even though someone had the fantastic idea of making the module identical, is different than plugging a different manufacturer's servo into a receiver because using a different servo doesn't modify the RF deck, and create possible FCC ramifications.

I begrudgginly agree, but it's not that much of a stretch. (As much as anything else I wanted to get the idea out there that they do fit the same electrical and mechanical connections.)

I think hitec and wfly and futaba ignore the fact that these things inter-operate because they don't want the liability, or the FCC testing necessary to publicly endorse it.

This is where the real issue lies - Because the RF deck is wholly enclosed in the module except for the antenna in the eyes of the FCC the radio must be certified as a unit with the module, the "type certification" is not just the based on module alone. Because of this technicality mixing and matching one manufacturer's module with another's transmitter is technically in violation of FCC regs, and none of the manufacturers want to qualify their modules with someone else's box (especially when it depends on their antenna). I for one think that it's splitting hairs though since the antenna connection is literally a single wire which goes from the antenna pin on the module to a lug on the base of the antenna and has no other interaction with the "radio" box. I also find it interesting to note that with the advent of 2.4GHz modules where the antenna is a part of the module we're now seeing radio modules desiged to plug into competitor's transmitters...

[Outrider]

I own one of the 75 MHz HiTEC modules, having picked it up on Kevin's recommendation. Cost was under $70 US.

A synthesized module is much more flexible than crystals. Frequencies don't adjust on the fly, as the channel selectors can't be accessed while the HiTEC module is in the Wi-Fly T/R. That's likely a safety design feature as an inadvertent frequency change could be hazardous to your health, your wallet, or both.

Would be great to be able to order an SL-8, a W-Fly 8, and the HiTEC module from Caswell.