R/C MicroSizers Lingo

Antenna - A long, metal object used for transmitting or receiving radio signals. Note: NEVER shorten the antenna on your R/C MicroSizers car.

Band - All transmitters (garage door openers, cell phones, radio stations and your R/C MicroSizers Controller, to name a few) send out radio signals. However, all transmitters do NOT send out the same radio signal. If they did, signals from one radio would interfere with the signals from every other radio (and what a mess THAT would be!) To help avoid that, some products can send out signals on only a few specific bands. R/C MicroSizers can transmit on only two: the 27MHz band and the 49MHz band. Note: If you drive with someone else, make sure their controller operates on a different band than yours does.

Charger -The part of your radio that re-energizes the NiCd battery in your R/C MicroSizers. Recharging is quick and easy: just put your R/C MicroSizers on the charger — and it's ready to go in just 45 seconds!

Controller - Controls all R/C MicroSizers movement. Works by transmitting radio signals to a receiver inside your R/C MicroSizers. The left switch controls forward (up) and reverse (down). The right switch turns it right and left. Note: May also be referred to as a transmitter or radio.

Frequency - People often use this word to mean the same as band. (It doesn't, but hey...it happens.) A frequency is a part of a band. A band is a group of frequencies that are very similar to each other. (Frequencies are like twins or triplets. They're almost the same, but just a little bit different.)

R/C MicroSizers Bands = 27MHz and 49MHz

Gear, Idler - The medium-sized gear that has two sets of teeth. The pinion "drives" this gear; this gear passes the power along to the spur gear.

Gear, Pinion - The small black gear on the motor shaft. When the shaft rotates, the pinion gear passes the power on to the idler gear.

Gear Ratio - Gear ratios are proof that what you learn in math actually can be useful. Technically speaking, a gear ratio tells you how many times a PINION gear needs to go around if the SPUR gear goes around once. It's written as two numbers, separated by a colon (Example: 6:1). The first number varies; the second is always 1. Realistically speaking, a gear ratio is a way to tell if a combination of gears will produce more power or more speed. It's calculated by comparing the number of teeth on the spur gear with the teeth on the pinion.

Okay, here's the fun part. A higher first number means more power to accelerate, but less top-end speed. A lower first number means more top-end speed, but less power for acceleration. So the 6:1 gear ratio would give you killer speed, but the 12:1 would give you very good acceleration power.

Two points. The first is that you can't have maximum power and maximum speed at the same time; you gotta choose how much of each you want. The second is, you can choose. By combining different spur gears and pinions, you can performance "tune" your R/C MicroSizers to the combination of power and speed that's best. What's best depends on your driving style, what kind of driving you'll be doing and on the surface you're driving on.

Gear, Spur - The largest gear, and the one which arrives already installed on the rear axle. The spur gear passes power from the idler gear to the wheels, so you can peel out fast!

Heat Sink - When you send electricity through a wire, you always have less at the end than you did at the start. Why? Because some of the energy is used to overcome the resistance in the wire. This creates heat. With me so far?

Okay. Now, there's wire in your R/C MicroSizers motor. Electricity (from the battery) goes through it. Therefore, your motor creates heat.

The problem is, heat is a Bad Thing for motors. A hot motor won't run as well or last as long as one which isn't hot. The motor can get rid of heat by radiation. Heat radiates from the wires to the motor's metal "can" (case); passing air helps carry the heat out and away.

However, the "can" is pretty small, and heat can builds up fast. Adding a heat sink helps even the odds, by providing: 1) more metal to absorb radiated heat, and 2) more surface area for passing air to cool.

Motor - The part of the MicroSizer that turns NiCd power into muscle, hustle and speed! The MicroSnap 2.2 Motor is the stock power plant, but there are also optional motors for more power and control in small areas (MicroSnap 1.0) and for more speed (MicroSnap 2.6).

NiCd -(also Ni-Cad) The atomic symbols for the metals nickel and cadmium, and the type of battery used in R/C MicroSizers. Unlike alkaline batteries, NiCd batteries are rechargeable, so they can be used again and again. Oddly enough, R/C MicroSizers NiCd batteries are recharged using power from alkaline batteries.

Pivot Point™ Suspension Arms — The key to R/C MicroSizers steering. The suspension arm is the piece that links the front wheels and makes them turn together. The "stock" suspension arm is ideal for most driving needs. Optional arms in the Suspension Tune-up Set let you set up for more steering or greater, straight-line stability.

R/C - Abbreviation for Radio Control, Remote Control* or Radio Controlled. Uses radio signals to control a powered model from a distance* WITHOUT being linked to it by wires or cords.

Not the same as the remote on your TV, VCR, CD or DVD player. Those use IR (infra-red) light for control; R/C uses radio waves.Radio — See Controller

Receiver -The part of a R/C MicroSizers car that receives the radio signal and sends it to the parts that make a R/C MicroSizers move.

Tires -The black, donut-shaped things you put on the wheels. The big ones go in the back for drive; the small ones go up front for steering. Slicks are the "stock" on R/C MicroSizers.

Traction - How well your tires GRIP the road. How much you NEED depends on the surface and what type of driving you're doing. How much you GET depends on the type of tire and the material in it.*

Transmitter -See Controller