I have been meaning to make myself a watt (volt, amps... anything) meter for quite some time now but I keep putting it of, so, I decided finally that the best way for me to make one was to get everyone else involved and get them to demand I make them

So, I've now created the "You know Watt" meter. I'll feature a 16x2 LCD, though possibly up to a 20x4 LCD if I can find a good reason to use all that screen area.

Ultimately these will become a commercial item since that's the business I am in, but at the same time genuine hobby people who know their stuff can also make their own.

(NOTE: The attached photo doesn't show the LCD that will be fitted on top).

Well, with all the great prices and high availability of brushless gear, why on earth would I even bother to make my own brushed speed controller, let alone contemplate even selling them. Simply put it's because often brushed motors can be a bit easier to setup and use especially for dual or triple motor configurations on small park machines. Not only that, it's a great little project that people can get into for themselves.

I am a reseller of GWS gear and so I could simply purchase things like the ICS480Li, however there's a few features that I'd like to have on my ESCs which none of theirs do, things like 3-stage arming and full throttle range along with superior safety with zero-throttle lockdown... oh yes, Li and Ni* autodetection amongst other things.

Anyhow, the ESC is designed, in production and other people can also get a hold of the schematic and board if they want, yes that's right, the design is free to home consumers who want to build one for themselves.

More details are available at the NQRC PLD ESC thread located here on RCGroups.

I doubt there's a person on RCGroups now who doesn't know about UnitedHobbies, who can possibly not notice the massive rush to get great savings with usually prompt delivery and fantastic freight costs!

So, as an online hobbystore based in Australia, what does one do to try and compete? Short answer, you don't.

Realistically, the prices that UnitedHobbies are offering on goods are lower than what a reseller can bring the sames goods into the country for (after you've added tax, duties and shipping). Straight off the mark you're at a 25% disadvantage in terms of profits and a lot of goods usually run at less than 25% margin to start with, so either you run at a loss or you don't bother carrying the products.

As for myself, I've dumped most of my product lines that are now present on UnitedHobbies. In their place, I've started my own line of electronics, designed and built here in Australia, additionally I'm also reselling MountainModels kits which are made in the US of A (and they licence several of my designs like the QFII, Slipso400 and Seether).

Trying to remain a package stuffer / stock mover just isn't going to work domestically anymore, we cannot compete on base price and we certainly cannot compete on postage rates. Innovation, home-factory and exclusive product lines are about the only way to make a living out of this R/C business now, which is fine as I quite enjoy the innovation/home-factory side of things. Hopefully in 12 months time enough of the "me too" box shifters will have given up and gone away from the domestic market.

Paul