Last day at model-expo, my first try at using google video!
First the new Futaba 2.4GHz radios. There are two wheel-model radios already on the market, and I was told two stick-radios (a 3-channel and a 6-channel model) will be in stores very shortly. Priced close to the Spektrum offerings at around 200 eur. Then to the pool for some scale-models. A fast electric racing boat after that, followed by some aerobatics, and some car-racing at the end.
(the noise from the fans was not as bad as it sounds in this video...)Then MicroMagic sailing! We had a lot of fun and a fair bit of spectators for each of our sailing shows, about 15-20 minutes every hour. You can see that the two fans we brought with us don't cover all of the pool, and that the wind speed is quite fast near the fans and lighter downwind. More boats and more fans for next year!
When someone interested came to talk to us it was so easy just to point to the many MicroMagic vendors and say 'there, that's where you get it and it costs around 250eur with everything (boat, radio) included.' This relates to what I wrote earlier, I believe the success of the micromagic largely depends on it being cheap and easily available.
So, for the IOM class to experience continued growth I think it would be a great help if a competitive boat would be mass-produced (in ABS or similar). I know Graham B in the UK and John E in the USA have had some plans... but nothing seems to have materialized yet. Newcomers to our sport don't want to send 1000 or more euros overseas and then wait 3-6 months for a (hand made) boat, they want their new boat now, cheaply, and from the local hobby store.
Thanks to Jari for lending me his MiniDV camera.
The new futaba stuff seems to be at:
http://2.4gigahertz.com/
The 6EX Tx+Rx is supposed to be priced at 189eur, which is good news.
For the new IOM season we will see the Spektrum DX6, DX7, and at least one of these new 6EX's on the water.
Nice to see more MM in FIN. I think that the MM is an ideal platform to make people aware of R/C sailing and they soon will be addicted form the large MM comuniti in the NL there is born an IOM group and some Local sailing groups which are sailing al different kind of boats from Old IOM too VO70 models. I think of it this way Start low butget whit the MM and there are people that al going to buy more R/C boats like an IOM.
Come and race the MM internationaly on 2-3 november
http://www.micromagic.nl/forum/viewforum.php?f=38
yours Freark