After the total loss of control and crash of my very expensive Turbine Cobra I did some investigation into the cause. I found that the Mobile Phone which was clipped to my belt had interfered with my Syntherzised tranmitter causing the total loss of control to the heli. I can recreate this fault very easily. The mobile phone interferes with the TX when someone calls the mobile or when the phone transmits to find a base station.

The latest instructions from the TX manufacture states a minimum distance to a mobile phone should be 2metres!!!!!

As a direct result of this crash the British Model Flying Association (BMFA) has issued the following safety bulletin which will be printed in all the UK flying magazines.

From the BMFA:....
""Following the crash of an expensive gas turbine model helicopter, the investigation into the cause revealed that the synthesised transmitter being used to control the helicopter was interfered with by a nearby mobile telephone. In this case it was a Multiplex transmitter but it is possible the same could occur with other synthesised transmitters.

The transmitter manufacturer’s instructions were scrutinised and found to contain a warning that mobile telephones were not to be used within the direct vicinity of the transmitter and subsequent trials revealed that the incident was repeatable with that transmitter. The UKRCC will be carrying out further investigations to determine the extent of the problem and will be advising in the future.

The BMFA already recommends that mobile telephones are not taken into the pits or flying area for other reasons but be aware that mobile telephones could interfere with synthesised transmitters.""

http://runryder.com/helicopter/t129...ht=mobile+phone

Not just synth modules

Don't Email me as I wont reply - PM Only (spam countermeasures)

There does seem to be some difference between the manufacturers here depending on the module...

From what results we got in the last thread the JR's seem to be the least susceptible to mobile phone interference..

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9z synth

same here , i talked wile flying gliders or park flyers. no problems at all/. Using T mobile /GSM.

really depends on the freq i would thing that you where flying , and the cell/carrier. too many variables.
but i would not say it as a rule now Synth + Cell bad thing. i'm sure actually that u can find problems with some combination of regular tx without synth and a cell. ...

If I put the normal crystal module into the TX (remove the synth module) then there is no problem with mobile phones.

With the synth module fitted and a mobile phone within 18 inches of the back of the TX case the radio goes crazy!!

Hi Dave, Which Multiplex TX do you have ? Some friends of mine have a customer who had problems with an Evo 12.
I have A ZAP WC 11 and have had an synthesised module for many years and have had no problems having a mobile on me while flying.

Why fly the rest when you can fly the best. What are the best these days anyway ?

The transmitter manufacturer’s instructions were scrutinised and found to contain a warning

It takes a real man to admit he didn't read the instructions. Every crash is painful, regardless of the models cost.

Tom

part of my start of the day pre-flight is to unclip
my phone and put it in my field box or TX carrying
case.

It NEVER goes on my belt when I'm actually
flying. Our pit area is about 20' from the flight
stations which are about 20' apart.

Sorry to hear about your turbine loss

The Tx is an EVO12.

I have been using this Tx all year, I normally leave my phone in the car...this time I forgot...anyway this is not really the issue because if someone walked upto me while I was flying and they had a mobile phone then the same could happen!!!

The instructions that came with my radio were an old set and does not mention mobile phones....however this does not really matter because Multiplex now state a minimum distance of 2metres so there could be a problem if someone walked upto me while I was flying and they had a mobile phone!!!

So basically don't use the Synth module (mine is now removed!!!) or ban phones from all pits/pilots areas...which is hard to do

The crash was at a flyin.. the remains of the heli are shown here..
http://www.runryder.com/helicopter/gallery/5152/

Multiplex aren't really interested because they have put a safety warning in the instructions... I wonder what their reaction would be if the heli had hit someone, which could easily have been the case???

I've had at least 30 incoming calls and have answered some with differant types of phones in my pocket while flying and not had a problem........so far.

Futaba 9ZWC2

I think I'll leave the phone in the car anyway!

Todski

I have answered the phone while flying..... never had a problem... I will make sure to keep phone in car from now on!

Use synth 9z

So this is proven stuff right, not urban legend????

Mike

DrScoles

Try the test on your heli as shown in the thread I posted above

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I did a test with my nokia 6310i and 6230, JR 3810 with no probs so it jsut goes to show that not all equipment has this problem but even so, is it worth the risk? Don't think I'll fly with mine on my belt anymore.

Stephen

I only open my mouth to change feet.....

I'm sure this caused my PCM lockout at the Nats this year, wiped out my Freya, just forgot to take the phone out of my pocket, went out after the hovering maneouvers and got locked out while turning round for the aeros.. At the nats they have frequency monitoring with computers so they can check if i got shot down. There was no other radio activity at the time on my frequency but my phone rang in my pocket at the time of the lockout. I have since rebuilt the heli and flown it without replacing any of the radio gear ( the receiver was in a strong box ) and no problems. This is a standard WCII so make your own conclusions.......
Possibly aided by the fact that the heli was nearer the aerobatic fixed wing flight line at the time the phone rang.
DenisS
P.S. Dave, there's no chance of a mode change for me to have a go with the Cobra now then???

Possibly aided by the fact that the heli was nearer the aerobatic fixed wing flight line

Dennis, Was there any chance a heli's radio could have been a factor? I'm guessing you don't care for planks?

Tom

Tom
I fly fixed-wing too, only not very much. I enjoy them when I fly them. I wasn't trying to be unkind, just stating that the combined effect of the phone ringing, the heli being a long way down wind and being nearer to the fixed wing line may have all contributed. I wasn't infering any bad intentions from the fixed-wing guys. If you knew the layout at the British Nationals site then you would understand that it is less than ideal, but we are all in the same situation when we fly there.

Hmmmm,

I've had 2 unexplained lockouts with my new Eolo and I wonder if it is my cell phone? I've never had the problem before, but after going through the heli I cannot find a cause so off with the phone.

Has anyone had a relatively certain lockout caused by a cell phone and a 9Z synth?

keepin' it real

Well i am lucky as i have not got a synth radio yet,and as galifery says
http://runryder.com/helicopter/t129...ht=mobile+phone
even on my FF9 i now make the point of leaveing my phone in the flight box,, at least thats one excuse for the crash sorted ,,,,Iwonder how the new futaba radio will fair??

.

MEMBER OF THE 601 CREW!!!! QUICK UK RULES......

My lovely glider had dived into ground from 100 m height by my cell phone interference yesterday. I bought the Evo 9 with crystal module one year ago. There is no any instruction of RF module with it. I always took my Motorora cell phone on my waist about 20 cm far away Evo Tx and without any problem. Last month, I bought another Evo 12 with sythesized module and new Nokia phone. After reading the instruction of RF module, l misunderstood the safety note of "2 meter away the mobile telephone" is about the cell phone base station ,not the handset. I also misunderstood "the mobile telephones should be switched off, together with any other equipment whhich could affect the pilot's concentration" is about the mind interference, not electrical. After crash, I tested the interference distance and found it under 5 cm.
Is there no responsibility about Multiplex company?

Jinn Tsai
Director of Taiwan aviation model asscociation

Jinn
Welcome to RR
.

affect the pilot's concentration

that alone is probably the best reason not to carry a cell phone
I have tested my cell and no interference but I still keep it in the
car it is just not worth the risk

.

You don't stop laughing because you grow old, you grow old because you stopped laughing.