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[Matt Hoyland]

Thanks to Peter Jenkins an updated CD Guide is now available on the GBRCAA website - http://www.gbrcaa.org/acrobatfiles/CD%20Guidelines%202018_V1_2.pdf

[Stuart Mellor]

Hi Peter/Matt.


Had a brief look at revised C.D. guide - & noted 1.7.4 is hopelessly outdated! It's not what we do anymore in relation to a Tx compound.  I remember last using this at the Nats in err, approx. - 2000.

The peg off system only applies to 35megs not 2.4, so frequency arrangements need to be in place for 35mH only. As to the compound - not used anymore at GBRC/AA comps for  many practical reasons. (especially at club sites)

''1.7.4 A Transmitter compound & peg off system for 35 MHz & 2.4 GHz equipment must be provided.  Competitors must obtain the correct frequency peg before switching on a transmitter.  All BMFA Safety rules apply.  Security of transmitters & other equipment during the competition is the responsibility of the owner.  Where possible, the compound should be under cover, but if transmitters need to be retrieved from a compound, say for bad weather, the competition must not restart until all transmitters are returned to the compound.''

[Ashley Hoyland]

As we do not ban 35MHz in my opinion it has to be in there just in case we do get a competitor using 35MZG.


Ashley

[Stuart Mellor]

Ashley, As I suspected any point involving BMFA rules may be treated with some scepticism ...

1. Yes, of course there needs to be  peg off system for any used frequency where clashes can occur, currently 35mH & 27mH.
At our P.B's the C.D should know what frequencies the competitors are using. The onus is therefore on the competitor to use the frequency he's nominated. If there is a frequency clash between 2 or more competitors, then the peg board should be used. If there is no clash - a peg board is itself redundant. (unless we want competitors to use a frequency peg to protect them from other club members). In which case  - it may be better to use the clubs pegboard if available.

2. The compound? What compound? As the rules state  - a Tx compound should be used. It has not been used for years for any discipline in any domestic comp. At the Nats - it might be preferable (for P.R. reasons) to say a compound is being used - but nowadays competitors take away their Transmitters. I don't blame them after a Tx went missing some years ago at the Nats.

A compound  history of time:

The Tx compound was brought in for BMFA competition when R/C was in its infancy. Then equipment was Super regenerative & no specific frequency control. Any transmitter switched on would cause immediate interference to a flying model Thus the need for a compound. In C21 I like to think we've moved on..... If we think anyone is going to leave a £2000 transmitter in an unsupervised place & probably open to the elements -we need to get real. The 'rule', as I explained is archaic, & a relic of its time & it's unreasonable to place a prospective C.D. in that position.

We can't expect the competitor to be responsible for his equipment & then also expect him to relinquish that control for some ancient 'rule which no one will take notice of anyway.

No - if need be , a responsible committee needs to take up this with the BMFA if needs be & let's stop paying lip service to rules which are no longer used, especially when we have our own procedures, which are no doubt  superior.


One further point -  Really appreciate Peter's efforts in the update but can't understand why the new guide was not provisional & posted on the members section before the final version was published. My eyes fell on the above compound anomaly, but there may be others.....


Stuart

[Mike Wood]

I wonder if the time is near when the BMFA should consider only allowing 2.4 GHz for competitions?

In the meantime perhaps at least 2.4 GHz should be removed from 1.7.4.

Mike

p.s. I think it was the beginning of the end when Mike had his transmitter stolen 

[Stuart Mellor]

Hi Mike - perhaps understand your point - but the nub of the argument is the compound, which has not been used now for years & yet is still in our rules, although was never used, even when 35mH was still the dominant frequency. Can you remember the last competition (Domestic/ Centralised Team selection/Champs/Triple Crown/World cup, etc.) when it was used? No? - well, relax, neither can anyone else. The Nats is probably the exception, as referred to previously - but even that did not prevent a Tx going missing, although continuously manned.

Can remember a F.O.F. a few years ago when I asked another discipline' CD  (begins with P & ends with ylon) why they weren't using a compound (before 2.4gig) . I received the reply that the CD was satisfied that his competitors were using a peg board & for personal security & other reasons he was satisfied that it was better if competitors removed their transmitters from the flight line.
Ok - what if a competitor left his Tx on? Well, a compound wouldn't help anyway. So then you need someone to make sure its switched off etc......


So the important thing is that the Tx is switched off - not that its placed in a compound.

ps - if anything has ruffled my feathers -its probably that the revised CD guide would put a prospective CD in an embarrassing position by his thinking he would have to implement the compound rule. Rather than being on a public forum - should have been on the members site to be scrutinised.


pps- not expecting anything material to happen.

Stuart

[Mike Wood]

Hi Stuart

Good point, yes, only ever at the Nats, no other competition.

m