RC or Radio Control Vehicles, The Dream Hobby For Young And Old Alike!

Radio Controlled or RC vehicles is a hugely popular hobby that covers the range of user skill level and budget. If you love to tinker with mechanical and electrical devices then this may very well be your dream hobby! Building, taking apart and putting back together the components of a model airplane, car, truck or even a motorboat is just part of the fun. Racing these is the other half of the equation!

As early as WW II radio control was developed to guide some types of aircraft used in the conflict, but with limited results. In the 1950's miniature vehicle models became mobile using small gasoline engines but were still connected to the driver by a set of wires. Radio controlled vehicles really came into being in the 1980's when the first miniature computer chips came on the scene. This allowed the RC miniature vehicle to be light enough to move on their own without being connected by wires.

There are two categories of radio controlled vehicles on the market today. These are the toy grade vehicles and the so called hobby grade. The toy grade as you can guess are aimed at kids, lower cost, typically run with battery power and have simple control circuits built into the vehicle body. Toy grade vehicle electronics are usually not transferable to any other model. This is in contrast to the hobby grade vehicle which is more sophisticated in construction and function and usually require some assembly. Hobby grade usually means they can be customized and share electronics from a variety of manufacturers.

Radio Controlled vehicles take the shape of cars, trucks, boats, planes, helicopters, ships, submarines, bulldozers, tanks, motorcycles and robots. This wide range of RC's means there is literally something for everyone. For more information on anything remote control check out Anything-RC.com.

Racing radio controlled vehicles is a huge part of the excitement generated by this hobby. Competitions can be found nearly everywhere and at most times of the year. These are usually organized through clubs and organizations centered on the type of vehicle you are involved with.

The best way to get started is to purchase a ready-to-run model. This saves you the time and trouble of assembling a perhaps complicated kit. Your second and later models will likely be kits which allow you to build it up from scratch. This is where you can involve your creative side by customizing any of the many vehicle parts. Kits typically come with or without electronics, motors or engines giving you the chance to make the changes to suit you.

I highly recommend that if you decide you want to get your feet wet that you join an club. There you will meet others with similar interests that can give you pointers and tips for getting started. These clubs can get you involved in racing events where you can develop your skills and strategies. These groups can also help you learn how to maintain your model so that they last for a long time.

So, there you have it. Use the links below to dig a little deeper into this fascinating hobby.

Other descriptors include fun hobbies, popular hobbies, hobby ideas and RC Models.

Radio Control Airplanes are easy to fly with just a little practice. Learn about this fascinating and popular outdoor hobby!

Radio Control Cars are the dream hobby for those of us that like to tinker with electronics and mechanical things. Learn more about this hobby here.

RC Helicopters flying is a hugely popular hobby and growing fast. Get tips and tricks for getting started in this fascinating hobby.

Some Additional Resources to Help You Get Started:

Your Canadian RC Hobby Stop!

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