OLD KO PROPO TRANSMITER NOT TRANSMITTING!!!

[longboardnj]

KO PROPO radios gave me some trouble in the past and i junked them. seems like some of the old radios get lazy (dont want to work all the time) your best bet is to get full new radio gear . you can get am radio,rec,servo,the full combo on ebay for $30 - $40 just do that and save yourself the headache

this is rc10talk, man... not rc10b4.1rtrtalk...

Right on Lonestar!!!!

nice. im sure i have owned and own more vintage rc stuff then most of the people on this site so ive delt with stuff like this alot and i thougth that maybe id save the guy a bunch of time
(bet its broke and he will need new radio anyway).. its so funny how people will bust on me for being too oldschool runining nimh batterys. a part that works fine just not as powerful as new lipo batterys.then when i try to tell people to do something so there vintage investment dosnt drive down the road glitch into a curb and total there car ,i get "this is rc10talk, man... not rc10b4.1rtrtalk" "Right on Lonestar!!!"

[EXAEROCAR]

UPDATE.

So, I went to see a buddies dad on Saturday morning who is a ham radio guy. He is more comfortable with tubes than solid state electronics but he looked over my transmitter with hi equipment.

after a little bit, he decided that I should check out some of the transistors on a board. He felt that one is bad.

I had a busy weekend that kept me from the workbench so I will post my findings latter this week when I can get back on the project.

Tom

[jwscab]

to kind of speak to Longboard's position, one of the problems with the older radio gear is that in order for it to work the best that it can, it needs to be tuned with test equipment. Most of the systems didn't rely on the newer PLL type of transmitter or receiver, and are also designed as cheaply as possibly(for cost savings, not 'quality' per se), so the end result is that most radio gear will need a re-tune after being used for years, and then un-used for years. It has to do with tuning of capacitors and inductors which form filters and tuned resonators because the radio systems are 'narrow' band. that narrow band means you have to finely tune everything. It's also why when you had many guys in races, the channels were often spread as far apart as possible, ie, you could get cross glitching with guys running on channels 66, 68, and 70 say.

so for the average guy without test equipment, yes, it is better nowadays to replace rather than muddle through a repair if your goal is to just drive something. If your interests are with radio repair, then your challenge is in making them work again.

[Lonestar]

If your interests are with radio repair, then your challenge is in making them work again.

exactly... and given that the thread creator is asking about electronics, schematics and all, it looks like this is his point of view too...

Longboard, sorry if i offended you, that was rather meant to be funny than anything else... having said that, i dont think you can compare vintage subCs being replaced for modern lipos with vintage radios (esp KO!) replaced by modern chinese 2.4Ghz gear.

and dont underestimate the vintage collectors on this board either

Paul

[longboardnj]

If your interests are with radio repair, then your challenge is in making them work again.

exactly... and given that the thread creator is asking about electronics, schematics and all, it looks like this is his point of view too...

Longboard, sorry if i offended you, that was rather meant to be funny than anything else... having said that, i dont think you can compare vintage subCs being replaced for modern lipos with vintage radios (esp KO!) replaced by modern chinese 2.4Ghz gear.

and dont underestimate the vintage collectors on this board either

Paul

i dont think you can compare vintage subCs being replaced for modern lipos with vintage radios (esp KO!) replaced by modern chinese 2.4Ghz gear.

not trying to compare items (i think ko is junk most of my old futaba stuff works, all my ko stuff is in the trash)more just pointing out the fact that any angle you post there are always people just posting to disagree and not really comprehending what your trying to say or do .

dont underestimate the vintage collectors on this board either

i dont i know some people here have nicer stuff then me . i bet some people have more stuff and have been doing it longer (25+yrs) but not many

Longboard, sorry if i offended you, that was rather meant to be funny than anything else...

all good no worries

[Lonestar]

dont underestimate the vintage collectors on this board either

i dont i know some people here have nicer stuff then me . i bet some people have more stuff and have been doing it longer (25+yrs) but not many[/quote]

we're from the same era then - '84 for me

[EXAEROCAR]

longboardnj,

I was only joking around with my "Right on Lonestar!!!!" comment Yeesh!

As far as your opinion of KO stuff goes, that's your opinion.

I have 12 KO radio systems and all but this one have never let me down any ware in the world.

Even Musami ran a KO, and I think that speaks volumes about reliability.

As far as the new stuff or Futaba, I have some too.

As far as this old radio I am repairing, it as all about nostalgia, not practicality.

Although all of my old radios with this one exception work fine still.

I will be back at my bench Thursday night to try to solve the problem.

I am sorry if I "torqued" anyone up....

Lonestar, what was your 1st rc car? mine was a sinsie firefox, then a rough rider.....

Tom

[Lonestar]

i know some people here have nicer stuff then me . i bet some people have more stuff and have been doing it longer (25+yrs) but not many

we're from the same era then - '84 for me

[slapshot1979]

I have nothing to add, but do enjoy your commitment to repair things in a throw away society.

this is why we're here isnt it? to fix old stuff.

and I learned a thing or 2.

[longboardnj]

i know some people here have nicer stuff then me . i bet some people have more stuff and have been doing it longer (25+yrs) but not many

we're from the same era then - '84 for me

yea 84 was when i got into hobby grade rcs(tamiya frog).ill be 34 in nov so i started very young with alot of store bought rcs. tyco buggy,tyco truck,sears lobo truck to name a few of many one hit wonders (1 good hit you bust something and no parts so you junk it)..

[longboardnj]

longboardnj,

I was only joking around with my "Right on Lonestar!!!!" comment Yeesh!

As far as your opinion of KO stuff goes, that's your opinion.

I have 12 KO radio systems and all but this one have never let me down any ware in the world.

Even Musami ran a KO, and I think that speaks volumes about reliability.

all good, stuff happens.. not trying to bash you about ko its like you said just my opinion, but just wondering why do you like them so much you have 12? ive only delt with like 4 of these radios (2 were complete systems) they were nothing but problems and all components could not be mixed with futaba stuff so it was all junked (80%of my stuff is futaba) . i still use old radios here are 2 of my favs ( pics from online )

[EXAEROCAR]

longboardnj,

I was only joking around with my "Right on Lonestar!!!!" comment Yeesh!

As far as your opinion of KO stuff goes, that's your opinion.

I have 12 KO radio systems and all but this one have never let me down any ware in the world.

Even Musami ran a KO, and I think that speaks volumes about reliability.

all good, stuff happens.. not trying to bash you about ko its like you said just my opinion, but just wondering why do you like them so much you have 12? ive only delt with like 4 of these radios (2 were complete systems) they were nothing but problems and all components could not be mixed with futaba stuff so it was all junked (80%of my stuff is futaba) . i still use old radios here are 2 of my favs ( pics from online )

Hey Retro,

Those are some oldies!

Back in the 90's I and my at the time business partner started a company called Aerocar Technology, lubricants.

To do R&D we started a race team. I decided to step it up and go pro. We hired a driver and went all out. I got us some partial sponsorships {Discounts} with some of the big manufacturers in the business, such as Team Associated, Ko Propo, Tekin and hand wound motors from Chris at Team Cobra. Those were the days!!!!!

My partner, through some dirty trickery, issued himself and his kid extra shares in the company and pushed me out of Aerocar.

I kept the stuff from the team, he still does a meager business off of my ideas and I am left out in the cold!!

So sour grapes aside, I have always had good luck with KO and also if I am correct, they were the 1st with the "pistol grip"-wheel transmitters.

As for compatibility with Futaba, all you must remember is, like Air Tronics, the polarity of the servo connections are reversed. Just switch the sockets in the plug around and a Futaba servo works with a KO receiver. Same when hooking up an ESC.

PM me about some excess Futaba stuff I've got.

Tom

[Lonestar]

Some of the members on this site have 12 rc10's... some have 12 old wheel radios... some have both... (some have 100's of tamiyas) I do have a sizeable collection of vintage radios from 80's and early 90's, ideally high-end ones... because 25yrs after it feels fantastic to play with toys I couldn't afford when I was a kid. Driving a vintage RC car with a vintage radio is just what turns me on



Yes, KO were the first one with the pistol radio, the EX1. Futaba had done a few "wheel" radios before, in a big brown square box. Then before that were the slot-adapted controllers... but the EX1 basically defined the standard that has lasted since then. There was a great thread showing all generations of the EX1 radio but I can't find it anymore

Hope you can bring that EX5 back to life!

Paul

[EXAEROCAR]

Some of the members on this site have 12 rc10's... some have 12 old wheel radios... some have both... (some have 100's of tamiyas) I do have a sizeable collection of vintage radios from 80's and early 90's, ideally high-end ones... because 25yrs after it feels fantastic to play with toys I couldn't afford when I was a kid. Driving a vintage RC car with a vintage radio is just what turns me on



Yes, KO were the first one with the pistol radio, the EX1. Futaba had done a few "wheel" radios before, in a big brown square box. Then before that were the slot-adapted controllers... but the EX1 basically defined the standard that has lasted since then. There was a great thread showing all generations of the EX1 radio but I can't find it anymore

Hope you can bring that EX5 back to life!

Paul

Paul,

Awesome setup, the PCM Magnum and a hydradrive Losi!

BITD if you had the PCM Magnum you were da man!!!!

You are right about driving the old stuff with the old radios and ESC's. Kinda makes you feel younger...

Cool stuff! thanks for posting!

I have to work on stuff at my parents place tonight, can't wait to get back to that radio tomorrow night after work.

Tom

[longboardnj]

As for compatibility with Futaba, all you must remember is, like Air Tronics, the polarity of the servo connections are reversed. Just switch the sockets in the plug around and a Futaba servo works with a KO receiver. Same when hooking up an ESC

this is true with newer ko stuff the older stuff had a different plug (check out pic). another reason i like newer radios,futaba had connectors reversed back in the day.
.