Enthusiasm for RC Models has exploded in recent years. There are many new models on the market including some incredible RC helicopters, tanks and even some interesting UFOs.

And RC models are no longer considered toys, although there are still plenty that are aimed at the younger market. The typical RC model enthusiast today is a middle aged man with a keen engineering interest.

To get the most from an RC model it's useful to have an understanding of how they operate. There are several basic components in every radio control system. These are the transmitter which tends to be held in the hand, the receiver which is contained within the model, the motor which drives a propeller or the wheels of the rc vehicle and the steering system, which may be a rudder if the model is a boat or a airplane.

The transmitter or controller is the handheld device that you hold. It will generally provide a couple of joysticks used to control the speed and steering. The device transmits short range radio signals to the model vehicle. These are picked up by the antenna attached to the vehicle or craft. These signals are modulated with control information which tells the motor how fast it should run and the wheels or rudder which way they should be pointing.

Of course all of these electrical components need power which is usually provided using rechargeable batteries. In RC aircraft these batteries need to be small and lightweight so they can need to be recharged regularly. RC Cars can sometimes use tiny nitro powered engines, rather than electric motors, but they still need batteries to power the electrical circuits.

Although RC models are clearly very simple there is much that can be done to enhance their performance. It is this aspect of the hobby that can make it very engrossing as hobbyists attempt to get the most from their systems by customised engineering.