Showing Why He Won "Most Improved"

A photo of Ayrton showing why he won the most improved racer last year. Racing with the old and experienced racers is a daunting task that has reduced many to tears.

Prize Giving - Members

Ayrton

Phil

Mike

Costa

Ashwin

Brad

Prizegiving for 2008

We held our prizegiving slightly late this year but it was thoroughly enjoyed by all who where there.

The more prominent prizes were as folows:

Outstanding Performance - Tony Ball

Kits Knockout Champion - Tony Ball

Scalex/Fly Handicap - Tony Ball

Most Improved Driver - Ayrton Psannis

The prizes where handed out by Celest - a big thank you for assisting us.

Ecurie out and about with Newcastle slot car racer Tim Murch

Hobbyists often dabble in all forms of modeling. Three of us aero modellers stayed with hard core Newcastle slot car racer Tim Murch and his wife Ann this past weekend.
In addition to knife making, slot car racing and aero modelling, Tim has a yen for off road rc racing. So much so that he has built this stunning off road track in his back yard for his 1/16 & 1/18 electric off road race cars.

The serious esses remind one of the old Newscastle slot car track and Tim and his buddies have a ball on the tight and fun track with their Associated and Anderson off road racers.

We also from time to time lead Tim astray to some mountain top slope flying at Volksrust, a midway mecca for the Highveld, Free State and Kwazulu Natal RC slope fliers:

http://springfieldchickens.blogspot.com/

http://berg-gliders.blogspot.com/

http://www.easternthermalbusters.blogspot.com/

slot cars of the sky....?

Is electric control line to model flying what slot cars are to model car racing.....?

For a change of pace, read the story here:

http://springfieldchickens.blogspot.com/2008/09/out-and-baout-3-magic-day-of-control.html

Checking transistor controllers

After battling with Gordon's' economy transistor controller, I had to come to the conclusion that the transistor may be fritzed. Before getting round to testing the transistor, I spotted this simple way to test on a web site:

"With the meter set to measure ohms, clip one meter lead to the base connection of the transistor. Touch the other lead first onto the collector lead and then onto the emitter lead. The readings should both be the same, either both high resistance or both low resistance.
Now reverse the leads and repeat the procedure. The results should be the opposite of those obtained before. If they were both high before they should now be both low. If they were both low before they should now both be high.
Now measure the resistance between emitter and collector. It should read high resistance in both directions.

Note that for this to work the internal battery of the meter must supply a voltage high enough to overcome the forward resistances of the transistors. Many meters have a position marked with a diode symbol which must be selected when checking transistors or diodes."

http://www.hobbyprojects.com/test_and_measurement/testing_transistors.html

(not sure where I lifted the reference pic but suspect in was from Chris Frost's excellent web site on transistor controllers).

The Next Step in Scale Racing

The guys in Cape Town are taking Scale Racing to the next level. Al Paterson has produced the bodies shown in the picture above for and endurance race at the Cambridge track. They will be mounted on 1300U chassis and raced for 9-hours. The bodies and interiors are vac formed. For more information please go to http://www.slotcars.co.za/phpBB3/index.php and check out the EVENTS section.

These Group C cars will more than likely be what we will be racing in the 2009 Ecurie April Event for Open Class, although the bodies will be fibreglass laminated with Vacuum formed windows & headlights. The idea behind this being that the "kits" will be cheaper, stronger and easier to put together, resulting in less waste and quicker build times for entrants.