Plane tracking device: Any use this one?

[Fly2High]

Check this out:

http://www.theplanelocator.com/csi_site/index.html

The transmitter($50) and receiver ($200) together only cost $250 compared to the Walston where the transmitter is $150 - ~$200.

How good is it?

Anyone own one?

Anyone use alternative devices to home in on their plane. Please do not list the plane buzzer types.

Thanks

Frank

[oracle_9]

There is another hobby called "fox hunting". No, not the animal and gun type. I mean the fox is a hidden transmitter in a forest, and a receiver with similar configuration. Like us r/c flyers, you do also build your own gear. And if you google in the right terms, you may find lots of free circuit schematics on how to build it home made, which can be a lot cheaper. The receiver electronic components can be a matter of dollars, not hundreds. And if you look for animal tracking circuits, you can also find transmitters the size of your thumb powered by a single wristwatch battery for 4-6 months with a 3/4 mi range. Contact a fox hunting club for more info. and help.

Anyway, I am just mentioned this an alternatives, since you asked. But also mention its "at your you own risk", but if properply done and tuned, it should be ok.

Ok, to be fair, these completed units saves you time, and headaches.
I also look forward to hear reviews on that unit you mention.

[Fly2High]

Does anyone use anything besides the Walston????

[BMatthews]

Would it be totally innapropriate to suggest learning to fly well enough so that the model can return to somewhere near it's takeoff point?

Or learn some basic free flight skills of observation. In the event of a remote downing for whatever reason don't immediately panic and throw the Tx on the ground. Instead visually mark the apparent crash location and from that point start pinpointing near and far landmarks and their relationship to each other so that you can lock these into your memory and from there either walk a line to the crash site or dogleg around obstacles and return to the sight line using the near-far landmark relationships.

Of course if you fly near a cornfield or dense orchard then I suppose there's a reasoning for such a device......

[CactusJackSlade]

Here is a good thread on the subject: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=396806

Us folks over in the aerial photo forum have a good interest in things like this... not only do we risk losing a plane, but potentially several hundred to thousands of dollars in camera(s), gps and other onboard equipment... let alone a custom built plane for the application.

I suppose if you live in a desert with no vegetation what so ever you might not need one, but I have nearly lost a coupl gliders when they went down in dense brush in clear view... I was certain I knew where it went down, but only an hour late with several helpers did I find it...

...and i'm an experienced pilot and catch my planes on most landings... sometimes things just go wrong.

CJS

[aeajr]

Great review of the Locator. Thanks for posting the link!

[rcflyerx]

Wow, never knew of such a thing!

[aeajr]

Would it be totally innapropriate to suggest learning to fly well enough so that the model can return to somewhere near it's takeoff point?

Or learn some basic free flight skills of observation. In the event of a remote downing for whatever reason don't immediately panic and throw the Tx on the ground. Instead visually mark the apparent crash location and from that point start pinpointing near and far landmarks and their relationship to each other so that you can lock these into your memory and from there either walk a line to the crash site or dogleg around obstacles and return to the sight line using the near-far landmark relationships.

Of course if you fly near a cornfield or dense orchard then I suppose there's a reasoning for such a device......

On the surface your comments make sense, but they don't take the whole picture into account.

I fly RC Sailplanes in the 2-4 meter range. While working a thermal my plane can reach 1500+ feet and be as much as a mile out. Seeing a plane with a 12 foot wing span is not a problem at that range.

Now, about 6 months ago I had an aileron servo freeze up. put the plane into a spiral at about 3/4 mile out. I could not save it. It went down in the woods. 4 people and several hours later we could not find it.

Normally I would have my Walston in the plane and been able to locate the crash pretty quickly. Unfortunately I had forgotten to put it in. 3 days later I got lucky when a biker found the plane with my phone number on it and called me. Otherwise I would never have found it.

Not too long ago a monster thermal took one of the sailplanes up into the sky. We lost sight of it. It has a walston in it. We found it 3 hours later when it came down about 1.5 miles off the field. Again, no locator, no plane.

In my parkflyers I use beeper/plane finders as I never fly them out that far. Perhaps 1500 feet with the 42 inch wing span planes. If you drop a 30-40 inch wing span plane in 4' tall grass 350 feet away, you would be amazed how hard it can be to spot. With the beeper, it is pretty easy. Get within 100 feet and you are all set. These cost $15-$30. I have them in almost all of my planes.

But for the big planes, you need a long range finder.