A Vexed RC Tinker

If you’d like to experiment with an RC transmitter/receiver operating on an unusual channel (Channel 89; 75.970MHz) that could require microcontroller support for an add-on industry-standard servo receiver, then All Electronics has a deal for you. An outdated VEX 6-channel transmitter/receiver combination (#JS-6; $29.95) that was originally marketed as a supplemental secondary RC unit for the VEX robot design system might be applicable to more common terrestrial RC projects. Provided that you are willing to build a Parallax SX PPM to servo output conversion unit. This VEX receiver decoder circuit (complete with software; written by Jon Williams) is provided by All Electronics. Furthermore, another All Electronics customer (known simply as “A Viewer”) has provided a couple of starting points for interfacing this RC unit with an industry standard servo receiver. If you try to make this jury-rigged contraption work, please let us know your results via our comments link. —Dave Prochnow

(Image: All Electronics)