Pecon Digital

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Mike_K
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Pecon Digital

Post by Mike_K »

Does anybody know anything about Pecon sets?

Pecon_Digital.jpg

They are one of the few manufacturers that I've heard very little about. There were adverts in Radio Modeller and a few in RCM&E from late 1971 until '73, so they were fairly short-lived and they were sold as kits or ready built.

I found one a while back, but it's sat in the corner waiting for me to get the enthusiasm to clean it. Well, I still haven't cleaned it, but had to move it as I'm trying to tidy up the bench. It looks like it could do with Stuart Mackay's magical cleaning process, lots of elbow grease!

Thanks in advance for any further information.

Mike
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stuart mackay
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Re: Pecon Digital

Post by stuart mackay »

Bring it over next time Mr K and it will look as though it has just left the Christmas 1969 Radio Modeller cover shoot!

I think Mr Binks might be your man for more insight to this Sussex (?) based purveyor of individually designed radios.

Must admit, I am slightly envious and don't remember seeing many in East Anglia during the seventies.

I believe they could be had in a variety of vinyl colours with sticks from Horizon & Harry Brooks if my fading memory serves me correctly?
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Mike_K
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Re: Pecon Digital

Post by Mike_K »

Thanks, Stuart

They featured twice on the RM cover, in April 69 and April 70, the adverts say they were based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. I looked back through earlier RM and RCM&E and in fact, they were advertising from 1968, so they were one of the earlier proportional kit offerings. Unfortunately, mine is the boring beige colour, not the nice bright red or the fetching green. Better than nothing I suppose.
Pecon_01.jpg
Pecon_02.jpg
Pecon_03.jpg
GarydNB
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Re: Pecon Digital

Post by GarydNB »

A 4 channel set would cost £1275.00 in today's money! No wonder single channel was so popular...
Martin
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Re: Pecon Digital

Post by Martin »

Must be quite heavy with the transformer for the battery charger to carry around when flying. I wonder why manufacturers chose to do it that way? Did the charger in the transmitter also charge the receiver battery?
Pchristy
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Re: Pecon Digital

Post by Pchristy »

Martin wrote: 13 Nov 2020, 09:45 Must be quite heavy with the transformer for the battery charger to carry around when flying. I wonder why manufacturers chose to do it that way? Did the charger in the transmitter also charge the receiver battery?
My "red box" Sprengbrook was exactly the same, and yes it was a little heavy, but not noticeably so in use.

The big advantage was that it balanced the long aerial nicely, and sat nicely in the hands without inducing wrist strain!

And yes, it did charge the Rx as well!

--
Pete
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Mike_K
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Re: Pecon Digital

Post by Mike_K »

Hi Martin

Many sets from the late 1960s to mid-'70s had the charger built into the transmitter. In my collection, the Skyleader SLX and Clubman, Horizon HS D series, all the Staveley proportional, Swan 73, early Sprengbrook, Futaba Digimax and probably others I've overlooked had the charger built-in. And yes, you plugged your receiver battery into the transmitter to charge it. The Skyleader SLX even had an additional switch to select between charging the Tx and Rx or just the Rx. And many used the power meter to indicate charge current.

Why did they do it that way? I guess they didn't need the cost of an extra enclosure for the charger. But it does seem strange to be plugging a mains lead into a metal-cased transmitter. And most didn't have very substantial earth connections onto the case, relying on a small lug with a nut/bolt holding it onto the case. It certainly wouldn't pass any modern-day PAT tests! But we all had a more relaxed attitude back then to 'elf-n-safety. The weight of the charger being in the case didn't seem to make them too heavy, most had the transformer at the bottom next to the batteries as this counter-balanced the long aerial when extended and most balanced surprisingly well with aerial extended.

Cheers Mike
Pchristy
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Re: Pecon Digital

Post by Pchristy »

Heh! Heh! You should look at my Digimite! It didn't even use an isolating transformer, just a diode and dropper resistors straight off the mains! And the mains lead wasn't polarised, either! :o

To be fair, the circuitry was only connected to the case via a capacitor and US mains is "only" 110 volts, so the case should never have been live, but even so....!

For UK use, someone had added a few high wattage resistors, and that area of the case used to get quite warm when charging...!

So much for Elfin' Safety! :lol:

--
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stuart mackay
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Re: Pecon Digital

Post by stuart mackay »

Mike_K wrote: 13 Nov 2020, 11:31 Hi Martin

Many sets from the late 1960s to mid-'70s had the charger built into the transmitter. In my collection, the Skyleader SLX and Clubman, Horizon HS D series, all the Staveley proportional, Swan 73, early Sprengbrook, Futaba Digimax and probably others I've overlooked had the charger built-in. And yes, you plugged your receiver battery into the transmitter to charge it. The Skyleader SLX even had an additional switch to select between charging the Tx and Rx or just the Rx. And many used the power meter to indicate charge current.
After, foolishly, plugging a Remcon Quantum 6 into the mains this week using an RCS (there is another one to add to the list) charge lead, without the rear of the case on, in a foolish attempt to re-awaken the DEACs, and then even more stupidly touching the PCB (!) I can attest that Remcon cases are very strong with a tough paint finish, as I chucked it across the workshop trying to release the 50Hz buzz going up my arm.....I learnt from that ...until the next time! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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stuart mackay
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Re: Pecon Digital

Post by stuart mackay »

RCM&E Oct 68 Pecon advert.jpg
Hardly boring beige Mr K, more a lovely shade of Mushroom according to 1968 RCM&E!
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