What kind of radio does the LST have?
It is a 6 channel synthesized system; which means no crystals are required. You simply press the button on the radio to step through the channels. As you cycle through the lights change to indicate the current channel. You must match the receiver to the radio; which also has a button and lights.
Does the Mini-LST have a separate electronics?
Yes, the receiver, speed control and servos are all separate. The makes it very easy to use other components like the Mamba brushless motor system or a Spectrum receiver.
What is an ESC?
An electronic speed control or ESC is a device mounted onboard an electrically-powered radio control model. The ESC allows variable control of the motor's speed and direction. It can even act as a dynamic brake in certain controllers.
An ESC can be a stand-alone unit which plugs into the receiver's throttle control channel or it can be incorporated into the receiver itself, as is the case in most hobby-grade RC vehicles. Some RC manufacturers install proprietary hobby-grade electronics in their entry-level models. They typically use onboard electronics that combine the ESC and receiver on a single circuit board.
ESCs operate very differently from traditional servo control. Servos interpret control informaiton as mechanical motion. ESCs interpret control information in a way that varies the switching rate of a network of field effect transistors, or FETs. The rapid switching of the transistors is what causes the motor itself to emit its characteristic high-pitched whine, especially noticeable at lower speeds. It also allows much smoother and more precise variation of motor speed in a far more efficient manner than the old mechanical type which used a resistive coil and moving arm. Most modern ESCs incorporate a battery eliminator circuit (or BEC) to regulate a voltage for the receiver, removing the need for extra batteries to power the radio gear.
Can I use an ESC made for an R/C Airplane?
ESCs for electric powered airplanes are very similar to those used in cars. They do generally have dynamic brakes to stop a propeller from spinning allowing folding props to fold in and reduce drag. However, features like reverse for R/C cars are not needed in R/C airplanes. So while it technically will work, it would not be the best choice for an R/C car.
What is different about ESCs designed for R/C cars?
ESCs designed for sport use in cars generally have reversing capability. Newer sport controls can have the reversing ability overridden for use in races where reverse is prohibited. Controls designed specifically for racing and even some sport controls have the added advantage of dynamic braking capability. Simply put, the ESC forces the motor to act as a generator by placing an electrical load across the armature. This in turn makes the armature harder to turn, thus slowing or stopping the model. Some controllers add the benefit of regenerative braking. This puts the voltage being generated by the motor back to work recharging the vehicle's drive batteries. On full-sized vehicles, regenerative braking is used in electric and hybrid golf cars and hybrid automobiles while dynamic braking is used in diesel-electric locomotives to help slow trains on long downgrades.
What is a Brushless ESC?
Brushless motors have recently become very popular in the R/C scene. Brushless DC motor controllers are much more complicated than brushed motor controllers. They have to convert the DC from the battery into phased AC (usually three phase) that the brushless motor can use. The correct phase varies with the motor rotation, which is where the complication lies. Usually, back EMF (electro motive force) from the motor is used to detect this rotation, but variations exist that use magnetic or optical detectors.