Just a little note to clarify some allegations made by Jim Drew of XPS.
In recent postings to RCG, Jim drew has made a number of defamatory allegations in respect to myself.
1. he says I'm not an RF engineer
Actually, as many will have already deduced, I am a indeed an RF engineer, with almost four decades of professional experience in the design, construction, implementation and maintenance of systems that include HF, VHF and microwave communications and telemetry. I designed and built my own proportional RC system back in 1970 and over the years have worked for a number of large and small communications companies as a technician and design engineer. The very fact that many of my early criticisms of the XPS system design have now been addressed might be seen as proof that I know quite a bit more than Jim when it comes to such matters.
2. he claims I am in the employ of Chinese RC manufacturers
Let me state quite categorically that I am *not* in the employ of any RC manufacturer, Chinese or otherwise.
Yes, I have assisted a number of RC manufacturers in recent times -- but only because my goal has been to ensure that the best possible products make it to the market. I have never solicited, nor have I ever received payment for providing that assistance. What's more, as readers will be aware, even the products that provided for review are not kept by me so there is no bias or favor in my articles or reviews.
3. he refers to my low-cost cruise-missile project
Well yes, I am widely acknowledged as someone who is skilled and knowledgeable in the area of pulsejet engine design and manufacture. To this end, I've often been seen on TV with my pulsejets, featuring in Scrapheap Challenge as an on-screen "expert" and behind the scenes as a "technical consultant" for Junkyard Wars.
In 2003, and partly in response to the 9/11 bombings, I announced that I was building a low-cost cruise missile (LCCM) in my garage, solely as proof that "if I can do it, so could terrorists". This was a warning that we need to be vigilant against those who might seek to use readily available technology to build very effective terror weapons. To that end, I guess you could argue that my goals were achieved, since there has not been an LCCM terrorist attack.
Interestingly enough, although JD implies that I know nothing about RF, electronics, or the other technologies required for this (and other) projects, I am presently negotiating the licensing of my LCCM design to the government of a friendly nation. They approached me, not the other way around.
Summary:
I have openly stated that the latest XPS system would appear to be very good. Robust and reliable with excellent performance -- yet JD still seems to see me as an enemy whose character must be assassinated -- I have no idea why.
Although I have an original XPS system here, I chose not to include it in my 2.4GHz shootout because that would have been unfair to XPS. The original system was a very poor performer and cost many models (there are plenty of people who will testify to that) so to include it in the tests would be pointless and unreasonable.
I invite JD to submit one of the new XPS systems for review if he wishes -- although he's made it patently clear that he would never consider such a thing and reiterates that I know nothing (without even the courtesy of an "in my opinion").
There is no point into getting into a slanging match with JD, even though he has made unsubstantiated and defamatory comments. I think his desire to engage in the character assassination of the person who:
1. said right from the start that XPS needed a proper dipole on the transmitter module (it now has one)
2. said right from the start that XPS needed *useful* frequency agility (it is now FHSS)
3. said right from the start that claims of "an 8-element patent-pending spherical antenna" were false and misleading (no longer mentioned and standard whips are being used instead on newer versions)
speaks volumes about his professionalism and the confidence he has in his own product. It seems that if he can't argue the facts, he'll simply try to discredit the messenger.
N'uff said?