By Scott Fuller
For those of you flying FPV down at the field.. As a board member I have a request:
PLEASE CHECK YOUR VIDEO CHANNEL VIA YOUR GOGGLES OR MONITOR FIRST BEFORE YOU TURN ON YOUR VIDEO TRANSMITTER!
Drones and FPV can be flown from any station at the field. At the flight line and at the helicopter pad. I’d like to keep it that way. We’ve discussed a frequency board numerous times at board meetings. Since FPV was a small part of the club we’ve held off placing a FPV frequency board at the field. This could change.
Please, take the extra fifteen seconds to power your video receiver on first. Look if anyone is on your channel. If someone is on your channel.. Go make a friend. It’s better than becoming an enemy after you’ve knocked them out of the sky. A few members have also spotted folks flying FPV from different parts of Mission Bay Park. So don’t be surprised if you power on your goggles and see someone flying from Fiesta Island or down at the Jetty! San Diego has no ordinances regulating model aircraft. So folks are free to fly from almost anywhere. As an AMA field we are obligated, by the safety code, to yield to rogue/renegade signals (105-Sec-B:5).
Also, if you’re flying FPV do you have your amateur radio license? I’m sure many FPV pilots have forgot their call signs by now. If you don’t have a call sign you can use the No-Nonsense Study Guide to study for the test. The PDF copy of the study guide is free!
http://www.kb6nu.com/study-guides/
If you’re more a classroom person, you can check schedules.
http://www.jsg.org/sandiegohamclasses/San_Diego_Amateur_Radio_Classes/Home.html
Once you’ve studied for the test, you can contact the folks at SDARC to take the test.
http://sandarc.org/index.php/typography/2013-10-21-13-29-46
The test is cheap. Usually under $20. Which is far cheaper than a self imposed tax in the form of a $10,000 fine. Not to mention the AMA rules require you to have a license if you’re using on amateur frequencies (105-Sec-B:4). Let’s do our best to keep black vans and no drone zone signs away from the field!
–SF/Out
