Samba Model

Pike Perfect sailplane with 2,4 friendly fuse
All 2,4 friendly fuses have been specially marked from the factory with labels to show that they are ready for easy installation of 2,4Ghz. If your sailplane fuse is marked this way the front area of the nose will consist of rigid layers of kevlar and glassfiber. These materials does not stop the signals from your transmitter so your receiver can be installed all inside of the fuse.
There is still a few things to watch out for. Installing a 2,4Ghz system still includes a receiver antenna just like any older system. This antenna has to be free from carbon / wires / servos / switches / etc. The transmitter needs to "see" one of the antennas at all time and it is crucial that two or more antennas have a slightly different angle from each other. There is no "this is the only way" installing these systems. But both Futaba and JR Spectrum do have a way to check if your range is sufficient.
In the 2,4 friendly sailplane fuse you will install the receiver just as any other installation. The antennas should be straightened out and supported so that they are rigidly placed even after hard landings. You will see that the fuse have a glassfiber canopy so that one antenna can stand "up" and one backwards under the servos. If you own a JR Spectrum system you can install the remote (or two) in front together with the battery pack.
Be sure to take range tests with the model on a stand in one meter height. Try all directions top and bottom to be sure you do not have any blind zones. If blind zones are found try to change the direction of the antennas and be sure they are not blocked by metal or carbon.
First flights should be done with transmitter antenna pointed to the plane. If a lock out occurs one can point the antenna sideways and one will have better range.

Pike Perfect electro fuse with 2,4Ghz
There is not yet a 2,4Ghz friendly electro fuse though it can be ordered in glass/kevlar and by that be very 2,4 friendly. Weight will then go slightly up.
The way to install these systems is to get the antennas out of the fuse in two or more directions. There is a hole aft of the wing screws for receiver and receiver battery. Make two holes in the fuse. One bottom and one on the side. If you have JR Spectrum you can make a third hole in a third direction for the remote receiver. If you have problems installing the antennas it is possible to lengthen them (especially older JR Spectrum with short antennas).
There is two ways to lengthen a JR Spectrum antenna:
1. Lay a small wire (standard servo wire) beside the original antenna and shrink tube them together. The lengthened wire is then fed out thru the fuse and secured tightly with glue. The outside length of the antenna must be cut to 32mm.
2. Open the receiver or remote and carefully solder on a longer antenna. The lengthened wire is then fed out thru the fuse and secured tightly with glue. The outside length of the antenna must be cut to 32mm.
Tip: Extra shrink tube on the lengthened wire also will make it more rigid for landings/handling.
First flights should be done with transmitter antenna pointed to the plane. If a lock out occurs one can point the antenna sideways and one will have better range.

Pike Perfect carbon fuse with 2,4Ghz
The full carbon fuses is also possible to install 2,4Ghz equipment in. Beware that most installations in these fuses needs a bit more care on range testing.
The antennas will have to be taken out of the fuse to get sufficient range.
Make two holes in the fuse front. One bottom and one on the side. If you have JR Spectrum you can make a third hole in a third direction for the remote receiver. If you have problems installing the antennas it is possible to lengthen them (especially older JR Spectrum with short antennas).
There is two ways to lengthen a JR Spectrum antenna:
1. Lay a small wire (standard servo wire) beside the original antenna and shrink tube them together. The lengthened wire is then fed out thru the fuse and secured tightly with glue. The outside length of the antenna must be cut to 32mm.
2. Open the receiver or remote and carefully solder on a longer antenna. The lengthened wire is then fed out thru the fuse and secured tightly with glue. The outside length of the antenna must be cut to 32mm.
Tip: Extra shrink tube on the lengthened wire also will make it more rigid for landings/handling.
First flights should be done with transmitter antenna pointed to the plane. If a lock out occurs one can point the antenna sideways and one will have better range.
It is also possible to install a remote receiver in the tail section of the fuse. This part has only glassfiber and can therefore take a remote JR Spectrum receiver. This will have a weight penalty since it is far aft in the fuse and more weight will need to be installed in the nose. It is NOT possible to lengthen the small antennas to reach the rudder. The reason for this is the overall length of the antennas. 2,4Ghz signals can not travel thru this much wire without big signal loss.
If you do not want to make holes in your fuse it is possible to make holes in your canopy for antennas. Make one hole each side and feed the antennas out. A new canopy is easy to order later if the model will be sold. Be sure the antennas is pointed to the side of the fuse. A glassfiber canopy like the 2,4 friendly fuse have is also very easy to order and can be sent by standard mail.
First flights should be done with transmitter antenna pointed to the plane. If a lock out occurs one can point the antenna sideways and one will have better range.
Jo Grini (Jojo) have been flying 3 carbon fuses with 2,4Ghz all 2008 season with good success (9th Eurotour position overall) and can take questions on installation especially on JR Spectrum.
jo(at)jojoen.no (replace the (at) with @.)

Larry Jolly have flown the first 2,4ghz Pike Perfect.
Read his first thoughts