VR/CS 2015

Vintage RC - Flying with Reeds 9:24

Back before transmitters had proportional controls and joysticks, reed transmitters used switches for all flight controls. At the 2015 VRCS Fly-In, Bruce Tharpe brought a reed emulator for everybody to try. The reed emulator shown in this video was developed by Cal Orr to operate like an old-style transmitter from the '50s or '60s. Instead of joysticks, reed transmitters use switches - elevator on the left and rudder on the right (it also has a switch for throttle). The emulator plugs into a modern transmitter so it can be used like a buddy box. The plane is a Digester, a Don Mathes design that was published in the December 1964 issue of RC Modeler. This model was built by Bruce Tharpe, Sr. Flying site is Agate Skyways near Medford, Oregon, home of the Rogue Eagles. Vid by Bruce Tharpe.