Aboout Spektrum

At the heart of the solution to the interference issue is a worldwide agreement whereby all 2.4GHz devices have some type of ‘collision avoidance’ technology incorporated into their method of operation so that they cannot interfere with any other devices using that same frequency.
A Spektrum radio has no crystals. When it is turned on the first thing it does is to scan to see if any other similar devices are using any of the 80 channels available to it. Once it has done that it selects a free channel and locks onto and occupies it. This process typically takes around 3 seconds, so as long as all the channels aren’t taken it will just seem like turning your transmitter on. If it can’t find any free channels however it goes into a hold mode and continues to scan but does not transmit any kind of signal. Once it does find the free channel it starts to transmit a programmed unique identification code called a GUID (Global Unique IDentification). This is a code that is recognised only by its receiver and while it’s transmitting the receiver is scanning looking for that code. Once found the two lock to each other and form a solid RF link.

So it is impossible to turn on and transmit with a transmitter that is on a frequency that is already in use, impossible to have the wrong crystals installed. The old peg board is now rendered redundant but safety around the track and any other area in which a model car maybe driven takes a massive leap forwards.

Along with collision avoidance, international agreement has made it mandatory that all devices on 2.4GHZ also will have no more than one watt of output power. This is more than enough for modeling use, in fact DX2.0 and 3.0, like all commercially available modeling radio systems have a much lower than one watt. So there can be no high output transmissions to create interference as on the old systems.

RF noise can be generated within a model by numerous things. On-board electronics, power surges, gear trains, bearings, mechanical control systems and arcing on brushed motors along with numerous other things can produce it and create real problems for modellers. All of this noise is generated under 300MHz making 40 and 27MHz systems vulnerable. Spektrum operating at 2.4GHz is way, way above this and simply won’t see any of it.

Spektrum’s real-time telemetry is a tool that no serious racer will want to do without—it’s a tool that instantly delivers the kind of data that’ll help you tweak your car for the absolute maximum in performance.


	You’ll begin by plugging the ultra-micro Telemetry Module into your receiver. Then you’ll add any or all of four performance parameter sensors. Head, Motor or Battery Temperature, Battery Voltage, Lap Timer and RPM.

	Held by your pit man, the Handheld Display constantly updates all of the performance parameters being sensed in your vehicle, plus it monitors the Quality-of-Signal feature of your car’s DSM receiver. And for pocket use by drivers, the Handheld Display features a vibrator that activates when a pre-programmed engine temperature or battery voltage threshold is reached.

	To operate your Telemetry’s lap timing feature, you’ll set up your trackside Lap Timing Trigger to send an infrared beam across the track, which— when it’s read by the vehicle’s on-board sensor—records the lap time. And at the same moment, another lap will register on your telemetry system’s Handheld Display.

	If you’re a serious racer you’re probably way ahead of us in figuring out Spektrum Telemetry’s benefits. But we’ll list them nonetheless. There are payoffs like temperature feedback to help maximize performance while preventing costly failures and rebuilds. And the elimination of dumped receiver packs means no more crashes or DNFs due to battery failure in nitro-powered vehicles.Besides that, Spektrum Telemetry’s lap timing helps analyze the effectiveness of tire and gear selections, suspension tweaks, etc. Plus it backs up race organizers’ lap counting systems. Add its rpm sensing to give you a handle on your car’s actual speed, plus the Quality of Signal feature to monitor RF link strength, and you’ve got the whole package. See the Spektrum DSM control equipment and new telemetry gear at your local dealer’s.

The long and short of it is, is that Spektrum is the answer to an interference-free day of racing! Actually it really is. With this superb system so many of the issues that have caused problems for model racers in the past have disappeared. Not just pushed aside, but really disappeared. So with Spektrum you will never have to worry about getting the peg before you switch on, no more waiting if your peg is in use, no more RF noise of any type causing problems, and because the signal is purely digital, there will be no more glitches or inter-modulation issues that have caused problems in the past. With DSM they too are gone. The bad news is, the excuse of blaming a bad qualifying run or ‘accidentally’ wiping someone out is a thing of the past!