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The German radio control marketplace is completely different from the rest of the world for several reasons. They have a very strict receiver specification which means that they cannot sell the type of receiver commonly seen elsewhere. In addition, their customers have become used to a level of flexibility in radio equipment which is not only uncommon in the rest of the world, but is even illegal in some places. One example of this is that plug-in crystals are not permitted in Japan.
The German company Johannes Graupner have, for many years, produced equipment for the German market using the expertise of Japan Radio Control (JR). This is quite a novel arrangement because JR are themselves known for a lack of flexibility in most of their equipment. Quite how Graupner have managed to accomplish the degree of flexibility in their radios that they have, is a mystery when JR won't even consider changing the position of a single switch.
Nonetheless, Graupner/JR produce a large range of equipment which, while undeniably of JR origin, is essentially of German character. The equipment which forms the subject of this review is no exception to this.
As an aside here, at least two German radio manufacturers preface their equipment type numbers with 'mc', always in lower case. This stands for 'micro-computer' or 'micro-controller'. (My thanks to Anders Karlsen for that information).
It is very obvious that the 'mc-10' is aimed as an entry level set and, apart from the transmitter and receiver, you only get one servo, a receiver battery box designed to take four dry cells and a basic switch harness with no charging lead. Add a set of servo hardware and a slim instruction booklet (in German) and that's it. It is a 35Mhz FM system, using what we know as PPM modulation.
While this modest equipment is reflected in the price (around £125) the purchaser is left with the option of having to decide just how many servos he needs and of what type. Not what this writer would call an entry level decision. As the BMFA handbook ("What's that?", asks our beginner) advises against the use of dry battery boxes (hear, hear), this means yet another decision on which battery pack to buy - and more outlay. Then add a dual charger. By the time you've added that lot together it ain't cheap at all and the potential for wrong decisions is increasing exponentially
The transmitter is quite hefty, despite having a plastic case. The reason for this (and surprise number one) becomes obvious on opening it, in the form of an eight cell, 9.6v 1700mAh battery pack! I would expect a normal operating time of at least 6 hours. With no sign of a fuse (normal in JR gear) it constitutes a major fire risk (no exaggeration that - there is enough power here to start a car and any carelessness would certainly burn out the lands on the PC board in milliseconds).
Opening the case is very easy because the back panel is released by operating two sliding catches at the top. This panel has a recess which accommodates the aerial. It also clamps the battery in position. When the panel is removed the battery is retained only by two soft wire wraps which cannot support it's weight.
The case is of average size with nicely rounded corners. There is an angled panel at the top which can accommodate up to eight switches or rotary knobs, four on each side. This portion also serves to support the aerial socket in a position which places the aerial above the horizontal. Below the aerial socket is a charge socket and the plug-in crystal (no removable RF module).
Next we have the sticks which, apart from being a part of the moulded front panel, appear to be almost entirely JR, with their familiar adjustable length ends, locked by an Allen screw. The trims are rotary type with a very solid ratchet action. As supplied, all four stick axis are spring loaded, but it is a simple matter to remove the spring from whichever stick you require to be used for the throttle function. Tucked away in the servo hardware pack is a metal ratchet spring if you prefer, but there was no screw to attach it. I assume that this is a glitch in this particular outfit.
Between the sticks is a moulded-in attachment for a neck strap. This is positioned so that the transmitter hangs with the aerial pointing up. This is normal for all JR equipment, so there must be people out there who like it that way.
Below the neck strap loop is the on/off switch with a slide action. Left is on and right is off. This is very flush mounted with protective rails, so there is no chance of accidental operation.
At the bottom of the front panel is an liquid crystal display (LCD) with a rocker switch (up/down action, spring-loaded to the centre position) at each side of it. The left switch is labelled 'MODE' in the up position and 'CH' in the down position. The right switch is labelled 'INC' and 'DEC' respectively.
This is a refreshingly clean layout with all of the important bits on the front panel. The two areas at the top which can take the additional switches have the four holes covered by a label. This label has pictures of switches and knobs on it in case you don't get the idea. No, you don't have to drill out the holes to add things, additional labels are available with the holes filled by rubber blanking plates.
The label on the front of the case around the display and rocker switches bears the words, "Intelligent Real Time Rotary-Select-System". As supplied, there isn't a rotary anything in sight (the rocker switches certainly don't qualify here, because they are nothing more than a centre-loaded switch), nor does the manual contain any reference to this.
Surprise number two is the receiver, designated 'C 17 FM S', which is an eight channel JR 'slimline' type with their patented 'ABC&W' circuitry. That isn't what the manual says it is, but take my word for it, that's what it IS. A check revealed that it also has the facility for a direct servo connection (DSC) although there are no similar facilities incorporated in the transmitter.
The servo is the well-known JR '507' type, designated 'C 507', which can be easily converted to a ballrace type, when it becomes a '517'. Just about as basic as you can get, but a servo that I have used for years in many types of model, without problems (clutches large lump of wood).
It could well persuade you to learn German!. Don't bother, English instructions are on the way and should be available by the time that you read this.
One thing that needs explaining before we go further is that, in European parlance, what we call one proportional channel is two 'Kanals', right and left, up and down, etc. Thus, two sticks controlling 4 channels is 8 Kanals. So, our 'mc-10' transmitter is 8 - 14 Kanal, meaning that it is 4 channel, expandable to 7 channel. Likewise, the receiver is 16 Kanal - 8 channel. However, as the display is in English it uses 'CH' to designate each channel.
As supplied it has 4 channels, with servo reversing, travel adjust and sub trim. With the addition of two switches, you can have dual rate on channels 2 and 3. By adding another switch, you can have that unique European institution the 'Combi-switch' which allows you to couple the ailerons and rudder. All the software is in there, and adding the extra switches should be straightforward with the English instructions.
You also have a built-in V-Tail mixer and a Delta mixer (with servo reversing available, anyway, it's much the same thing, really).
'Sub trim' needs some explanation here. In this instance it serves exactly the same purpose as the stick trims but has a greater range (plus or minus 70% of normal travel, compared with about 10% for the stick trim). They both move the travel limits (end points) as well as the centre. If you use too much sub trim, you will find that you will severely limit the opposite stick movement. It's worth pointing out here that on most JR sets, the stick trim doesn't move the end points.
There are two model memories, but only one model type. Just what type isn't too clear, fixed wing certainly and probably mainly glider types. If you want to fly a helicopter, this won't do it. By adding switches, or rotary knobs, you can add three more switched or proportional channels, all with reversing, travel adjust and sub trim.
All of which leads me to believe that it is primarily intending as a glider set, which would explain that enormous transmitter battery.
The manual notes that this equipment is available on 35Mhz, 35Mhz 'B' band, 40Mhz and 41Mhz.
Various rechargeable receiver batteries are available (all 4.8v) ranging from 270mAh to 2000mAh.
One other option is a special encoder and decoder which utilises one proportional channel to give up to five switched outputs. The encoder replaces one of the transmitter front panels and the decoder plugs into one receiver outlet. This is referred to as a NAUTIC-Multi-Split-Modul and is primarily intended for boats or vehicles. This is a common option with most European sets.
This is an area of all computer type radio equipment that causes problems for most people. The trouble is that a really user-friendly system with easy to understand graphics costs money. This is made worse by the fact that there really aren't enough people flying toy aeroplanes to cover the development costs, let alone get quantity discounts for production. Very few of the displays used in our equipment is actually made for the purpose. Most of them are adapted from other things like cameras or domestic appliances.
Things like pushbuttons are not only expensive, but difficult to weatherproof. Small wonder that the input system used with R/C gear has to use methods which reduce the number of buttons and display features.
I have long held the view that JR have two design departments and they don't speak to each other, or look at each others work. Thus, we have the 'Function number' programming system used by the original 'Apex Computer' and 'PCM10', and the menu driven system used by the 'x-347' and it's derivatives. At one time I was even tempted to believe that there might be three departments. This was when the little known 'PCM8' appeared, which had a much simpler and logical system of programming which hasn't been seen since!
Previous knowledge of JR equipment came to the rescue here, since the programming system is very similar to such outfits as the 'Max 6' or '622' and onwards, though actually somewhat simpler.
Holding the two rocker switches down ('CH' and 'DEC') and switching on the transmitter puts you into 'System-Rotation' mode (JR call this 'System Setting Mode') and lets you select the model (1 or 2), decide what certain switches do, select the stick mode (1 to 4), turn the V-Tail mixer on and off, or reset the stored values for either model.
Why four modes. Apart from the usual Mode 1 and Mode 2, it also caters for left handed versions of both. Left handed Mode 2 has aileron and elevator on the left stick and throttle and rudder on the right, OK? Unless you are flying something with specialised mixing, such as a helicopter, it doesn't make a lot of difference really, since you can get the same result by swapping the rudder and aileron servos.
Holding down the two rocker switches with the transmitter switched on puts you into 'Einstell- Rotation' mode (or 'Function Mode' to JR users) and lets you select the function that you require by means of the left hand switch only ('MODE' or 'CH'). The functions available are shown in the manual in the form of a flow diagram which you steer your way around following the solid arrows (MODE), or the outline arrows (CH). Once you have the diagram in front of you it is pretty obvious. That is assuming that you have some idea of just what the object of the exercise is. A total beginner needs help here, but this is true of any equipment.
It's not as bad as it may sound. The MODE switch selects the functions and the CH switch selects the channels. If you have grappled with a JR 'Max 6', this is much simpler.
Once you have found the function that you want, the other switch ('INC' or 'DEC') allows you to get the value that you want. This value is expressed as a percentage, like most equipment. If you have problems visualising percentages, you are not alone. It doesn't bother me, but then I enjoy this silly game.
That little lot is worth summarising:
Holding down both switches and switching on allows you to select the model and
certain other features.
Switching on and then holding down both switches allows you to select the various
functions.
Pushing the left switch up selects the function that you want.
Pushing the left switch down selects the channel that you want.
The right switch increases (up) or decreases (down) the selected value.
It looks much more difficult at first sight. Note that dual rate is only available on channels 2 (aileron) and 3 (elevator) and somewhere in there is a function that allows you to set the aileron/rudder mix percentage.
Summary of available functionsSystem-Rotation Mode (System Setting Mode)
Select model (1 or 2) Einstell-Rotation Mode (Function Mode)
Servo Reverse (Channels 1 to 7) |
It is difficult to see the justification for the large transmitter battery (If only JR themselves would follow suit with their more sophisticated equipment). Even when taking that into account, the fact remains that the receiver is probably worth more than all the rest of the equipment together. We can probably thank German R/C equipment specifications for that.
As an entry level set it does have a certain appeal. Certainly, the low price may make it attractive at first sight. That £125 buys you a servo (£12?), a switch harness, a pair of crystals (£12?) and a high quality 8 channel receiver that would cost around £100 if bought separately – so the transmitter could be said to be free.
The provision of a servo means that you can play with the set while you are building a model, fit the servo mounts and even set up the controls while you are saving up for the other servos. The dry battery box will also allow all of this, but is something that might have been better left out to avoid the temptation to actually use it in a model.
If the price persuades one modeller to enter the hobby, who are we to criticise?
