R/C Tri-ang British Adventurer

[Robert PutleyParticipant @robertputley]

My brother has purchased an as new 1956 Tri-ang British Adventurer. No instructions came with the boat.

Problem is he has no idea as to the battery requirements.

Can anyone help please.

[Robert PutleyParticipant @robertputley]

WHAT are the battery requirements?

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

If you look at these on EBay there are some illustrations of the original and new battery boxes for the drive motor which suggest that it worked off 3 x 1.5v AA cells in series for a total of 4.5 volts which would seem about right for the period.

No idea about the radio which if still working would probably cause quite a bit of interference!

Colin

[Charles OatesParticipant @charlesoates31738]

Hi Robert, a while ago I wrote a piece for Model Boats about putting modern radio in one of these, with reference to the Tri-ang original. As far as I can remember without digging out my notes, the transmitter used 125 volts ( 2x 67.5) and 1.5 volt filament battery. The boat has 3 x 1.5 volt and a 22.5 volt hearing aid battery.

I'm hoping you just need the info for historical reasons, because there is no way an amateur should power that set up now. Some of the components are probably time damaged and with that voltage in a pond environment it would be unsafe and in my view foolish. There's also a problem with the kind of signal transmitted, the output was a called a super regenerative system, and put simply it covered all the 27 meg band with a signal swamping everything else that uses the band.

Sorry if I've preached a bit, maybe you grew up with equipment from those days and know the problems and dangers, I'm being ' better safe than sorry'

Charles.

[Robert PutleyParticipant @robertputley]

Hello Charles,

Yes I did grow up around that period. Did my boating at Southchurch Park, about halfway between Southend and Thorpe Bay. Had my first RC boat around 1960. I was using my father's six channel ED radio, built from plans. First duty on arriving at the pondside was to do a range ceck anf if necessary tune the rx with a plastic handled srewdriver !! also remember on one occasion seeing a RC Tri-ang liner on the water.

Your info has been most helpful, thank you. One other question:- Would you know the purpose of the various knobs/switches on the TX box?

[Charles OatesParticipant @charlesoates31738]

You've grown up in the era of radio affected models, so I'm sure you'll know the downfalls of old gear.

The transmitter was the radiomaster, here is a picture that should help.

Being an old school pulse system of the mark / space type, the four buttons are just left , right and motor control. The round knob is for control adjustment, the arial is sectional an should just slot together. and I think the rest is obvious.

Charles

[Robert PutleyParticipant @robertputley]

Hello again Charles. All is understood.

You have been more than helpful, cannot thank you enough,

Cheers.

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