At last! The ultimate guide to hot tips and reviews for the RC hobby enthusiast

If you are an RC hobby enthusiast, chances are that you collect both the most basic and sophisticated radio control cars and vehicles.

Radio controlled airplanes are a great addition to your RC hobby. The more models that you add to your collection, the more choices of frequency and vehicle movement you have as well.

Collecting radio controlled airplanes is a great RC hobby, because without any wires connected to the toy, you truly feel like you're flying. Radio control cars and airplanes give you a greater feeling of freedom to really move and to fly.

Radio control cars receive signals from a handheld transmitter via its antenna and circuit board. You can activate any of your RC hobby vehicles by turning wheels, steering, and more.

RC Toys

Radio controlled toys come in many different forms like cars, nitro cars, boats, airplanes, helicopters, jets, trucks, tanks, blimps, hovercrafts, submarines and more.

Each RC vehicle moves at a different rate, depending upon the type of toy that it is. You can find RC toys in anything from fantasy vehicles, sailboats, motorboats, and submarines.

If you’re not interested in RC vehicles then you can also try RC robots, animals and action figures.

Radio Controlled

Radio controlled toys have several components that work together to get your RC toy moving. Your handheld transmitter controls the RC toy by moving it forward, back or at full throttle.

These are the most important parts of RC technology:

• Transmitter
• Receiver
• Battery

These parts work together to send signals by radio frequency from the handheld remote control to the RC vehicle or toy.

The transmitter works from the handheld controls using a 9-volt battery as its power source. The RC toy is equipped with a receiver, which activates the movement of the toy or vehicle.

Frequencies

Depending on its level of refinement, RC toys operate at frequencies that are approved by the FCC:

• 27 MHz
• 49 MHz
• 72 MHz
• 75 MHz

You will find that transmitters vary, some have basic single-function controllers while others offer full-function controllers.

Single function controllers allow the RC toy to go forwards and backwards, while full-function controllers come with up to six different control functions, allowing for more improvisation.

Some manufacturers make duel joysticks so that you are able to simultaneously control two RC toys with different frequencies.

Manufacturers

RC manufacturers like Cox, Nikko, Schumacher, Tamiya, and Serpent provide quality RC toys.

Comparison shop online with more great merchants like Estes, Megatech, K’Nex, Yoymax, Fisher Price, Toys ‘R’ Us, Super Racing, and MGA Entertainment.

Find more great tips on this one-stop web site of radio controlled toys and vehicles.

Visit our Buyers Guide 

CPSC, Tek Nek toys announce recall of children's riding vehicles
March 26, 2006


In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Tek Nek Toys, of Mokena, Ill., is recalling about 294,000 battery-powered children's riding vehicles to replace the battery chargers. The vehicles' battery charger or wires can overheat, presenting fire and injury hazards to children.

CPSC and Tek Nek have received 17 reports of battery chargers and wires overheating, while vehicles were being charged. Two consumers burned their hands while unplugging or charging the vehicles.

The Tek Nek vehicles being recalled are powered by one 6-volt battery and were manufactured before April 2000. The vehicles are made of plastic and were sold under the following model names: Prowler, Dodge Ram, Corvette, SPX Motorcycle and Honda. The model name appears on each vehicle. Some models have working lights and horn, engine and music sounds. A label on the vehicle reads "MADE IN CHINA." Tek Nek vehicles are intended for children 1-1/2 to 4 years old, and the vehicles' speed ranges from 1 to 2 mph, depending on the model.

Toy stores and discount department stores sold the vehicles nationwide from July 1998 through April 2000 for about $89.

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