There hasn't been much talk about it, but the annual Chicago Hobby Show is this weekend. Info at http://www.ihobbyexpo.com

I will be attending on Thursday, getting some good info and taking some pictures to post here. Plans are to take pictures with my camera and also with my cell-phone camera.

If I can get a good cell-phone connection, I will upload my cell-phone photos to our Photo Album directly from the show floor. You will be able to find the photos at http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showmobile.php?cat=522 Be sure to look for the link below the photo that you will need to click to get a larger view.

Hopefully my room will have an Internet connection and I will be able to upload Thursday night the pictures I take with my regular camera. Keep an eye out here for those photos (if I can get an Internet connection).

Cool Hank, thanks!

any thing from today???

I have some pics in the Photo Album at http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showgallery.php?cat=518

Take a look and I'll explain more about the pics later tonight... have a few people to meet right now.

If you will be there tomorrow, could you snap a few pics of Protoform's new Dodge Intrepid?

TIA!

I;m going back in the morning so I'll ask Dale to take it out of the case so I can get a couple goodpics.

Reedy Brushless System - They showed and ESC that is ready to hit the market (didn't ask a date) and a mockup of the motor. Interesting thing about their unit is the ESC can be used with both a brushed and a brushless motor! The ESC as both forward/reverse and forward/brakemodes.

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2409

You can the picture (and all following pics) to ge a much larger picture.

Horizon Crystalless Transmitter/Receiver - A TRUE crystalless transmitter module and receiver. Uses spread spectrum tech. in the 2.4Gh band. Super trick system automatically looksfor an open part of the band to use so you never have to worry about what channel anyone is using... it finds an open "channel" and uses it... no switches change...ever! Up to 79 cars can be run at once! FCC legal... soon to be ROAR legal.

First available for Airtronics in Dec., others shortly after. Street price for transmitter module and receiver is about $130...extra receivers about $60.

Picture at http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2408

Trinity 1/18 Scale Truck - 4wd with the normal 1/18 goodies. Usde you own electronics... normal hop-up will be available.

Pictures at http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2407 and http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2406

Wow, thanks a bunch for ALL the info Hank!!!

RCP-Tracks Rubberized Racing Surface - Slick (in use, not in texture) rubberized racing surface. Proven in 1/18 scale racing and they are trying to break into 1/10 scale racing. Price is close to Ozite. Track is repairable... have a damaged tile... just replace the damaged area. Super traction when using foam tires and very good traction with rubber tires. Could be a economical alternitive to Ozite if testing proves out in 1/10 scale.

Pictures at http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2405 and http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2404

Assocaited RC18T - AE's entry into the 1/18 scale truck market. 4wd, bearings and you can use you own radio gear.

Pictures at http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2403 and http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2402

Losi Mini-T Pro ARR - Losi's Mini-T Pro uses the most popular hop-ups and the ARR (almost ready to run) version allows you to mount your own radio gear.

Picture at http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2401

Losi JRX-S Touring Car - A couple pics of Losi's new TC... rear mounted batteries with a front mounted motor. Many innovative features... something Losi seems to excel at doing!

Pictures at http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2400 and http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2399

Thunder Tiger 1/18 Scale Truck - Looks like another competitor in the 1/18 scale truck market.Comes in a "racing" version and a monster truck version. 4wd, bearings, oil shocks, use your own electronics, etc.

Pictures at http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2398 and http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2397

DuraTrax Warhead - Huge new MT, looks very beefy. A peek at the chassis shows the main "uprights" offer most of the strength. The picture of the bottom of the very narrow chassis shows a very different approch to MT design. Normal MT features include .27 engine, 2-speed, reverse, etc. Chassis can be easily lowered for racing.

Pictures at http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2396 and http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2395

DuraTrax Mini Quake - DuraTrax focused on making a MT for thier 1/18 scale entry. Dual oil filled alum. shocks, use your own electronics, bearings, etc. Seemed durable from all the abuse it was taking in the demo.

Picture at http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2394

DuraTrax Firehammer - Tired of small? Try this 1/5 scale gas buggy! Oil filled shocks, bearings, 2-cycle engine, 1/4 scale steering servo,Futaba radio gear, etc., etc., etc.

Picture at http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2393

That's it for tonight. Will try and get a few more pics on Friday.

Hank,
There is a local 1/18 track here that uses the RCP rubberized track panels... They are awesome.
If they worked for 1/10 scale, it would cure the need to replace the entire carpet should a section become damaged. That would be much more cost effective for the local tracks. This would also be great at races like the Snowbirds, where the carpet was worn through to the wood by Friday night to the point where they had to lengthen the infield of the oval track a bit to miss the holes.
It appears that you my also be able to eliminate tire traction additives as well, which would be moe user-friendly to the tires, the track and the racers... :thumbsup:
Keep your cell battery charged, and keep up the good work...

Todd, I talked to the owner and he is looking to provide a track for a major race and we talked about the Snowbirds, Cleveland and a couple other races that would benefit from a track like this. I'm just not sure if an event like those would be willing to be the test bed ;)

Yes, you are right, traction compound doesn't appear to be needed as traction rolling seems to be more of a problem then lack of traction.

I am getting a RED X on all of the photos....seems no matter what computer I am on, they are not working....tried work and home. Anyone else having that problem?

Later EddieO

EddieO:
worked fine here....
Are you logged into Hobbytalk?

How do you think I posted!!!:P:P:P:P

Wonder if I have some setting wrong.

Mainly, would like to see the pic of the AE brushless stuff...if you could email it over to egood@stillaguamish that would be cool.

Later EddieO

Is it just me or does the ne wLosi JRX-S look like a modified HPI pro3 type of layout? Center mounted battery, wide diffs, long layshaft.... It's just a carbon fiber plate chassis laid out kinda backwards. And how the heck do you get the battery in & out?

EddieO - Do you use Zone Alarm? Zone Alarm can prevent the pictures from showing. I'm heading back to the show this morning... I'll try and getmore details on battery removal.

You da man Hank!

BTW, on the Crystal less Auto Frequency thing, What if its operating on a particular frequency, say 82 & someone with a crystalled system on 82 turns theirs on? will it automatically switch with minimal interference to your driving? sure could mess up a race! Also, how would you know what frenquency you're on?

You da man Hank!

BTW, on the Crystal less Auto Frequency thing, What if its operating on a particular frequency, say 82 & someone with a crystalled system on 82 turns theirs on? will it automatically switch with minimal interference to your driving? sure could mess up a race! Also, how would you know what frenquency you're on?
I don't think that would be a problem since normal radio systems, as we now know them, operate in the 27 or 75 Mhz (mega hertz) range. Whereas this is operating in the 2.4Ghz (giga hertz) range. I would think cordless phones, fire and police radios would cause more interference than anything else......

tommckay: read here

It switches the CH.

http://www.radiocontrolzone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=180615

Actually, 2.4Ghz is used for some cheep cordless phones, and WiFi devices. I'm told that there should be no problem with WiFi devices, but as always, we'll see!

Regardless, it's a pretty cool advancement. My only wonder is about range.

I like the concept of more channels...and the capabilty of 79 cars at once, as long as I don't have to marshall it... :eek:
I'd like to see 30+ or so cars on the track at the same time, and see who could swear the longest... :thumbsup:

Todd Putnam

Ohh.. just imagine a full 43 car field of oval racers or mabe run a full heat of offroad trucks just like full scale.

Just be carefull of that first turn.

Thanks for the link Tres. Questions answered. Now if I only had a radio it would work in!

The battery removal in the Losi TC is through the bottom of the chassis. There is a tray the pack sits in and the tray is screwed to the bottom of the chassis.

Picture at http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2410

As with all the pictures, click the picture for a much lager pic!

On the transmitter/receiver, they claim that wireless phones, WiFi networks, etc. don't cause a problem as there is enough bandwidth for all of them. In fact, they had a WiFi router on the bottom shelf of the table where they were demoing the unit.

Also, they plan on bringing out a data aquision system (like the Eagle Tree system) that will use the car mounted receiver to transmit the info back to receiver that would attach to your computer.

Protoform Dodge Body - As requested here are a few pics.

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2411
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2412
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=2413

That's all I have... I'm back home in MI!

Thanks a lot Hank!!!!

Why can I not get any of these links to work. All of the images are broken?

-Monti-

They should show up now.

Thanks hank!

-Monti-

Hay Hank just an FYI the new Specktrum DSM (crystalless) system is from Horizon not GP. I’ve been to several events this summer where we have been testing and the system works flawlessly. I should have a prototype to show everyone at Scotty’s Thanksgiving race next month.

Todd, I talked to the owner and he is looking to provide a track for a major race and we talked about the Snowbirds, Cleveland and a couple other races that would benefit from a track like this. I'm just not sure if an event like those would be willing to be the test bed ;)

Yes, you are right, traction compound doesn't appear to be needed as traction rolling seems to be more of a problem then lack of traction.
Hank, I was at the show on Sunday and the rubber was showing some wear in the corners of the offroad track. They were running E-maxx's but it looked like nicks form body pins and body posts were causing some damage to the surface. Now given that they were running the E-maxx's hard and tumbling often, I'm not sure how this surface would hold up to Stadium. But I think for onroad and oval this would be the way to go!

S Brown, You are right, it is from Horizon and not GP... my bad.

Fish, thanks for the info... since I left early Friday I didn't get to see the track after a lot of use.

Hank.. did big T have anything on display about possible new stock or mod motors. I thought they might be starting to show the new stock motor that Big Jim did some consulting on.

I didn't see anything new there except the 1/18 and monster truck. They had the 2 mag Binary but that really isn't anything new.

Thanks Hankster... BTW, isn't their another big show coming up this month?

I am not aware of one... but who knows?