Beginners Information

You can download a BRCA application form by clicking here

To race at our club you will need at least the following items:

An electric car

An electric motor

An electronic speed controller

A radio Transmitter

A radio receiver

A pair of radio frequency crystals

A steering servo

2 x rechargeable battery packs

A fast battery charger

Note:  Lots of people go out and buy Nitro powered cars because they appear to be great fun, however most of those people end up selling their cars within a short time because they go out on their own and get bored quickly because they don't race against anyone else. Also, a nitro engine has to be setup and tuned properly to run correctly, and an inexperienced user can often have hours of frustration even trying to start a nitro car! Your money is usually more wisely spent on an electric car which you can actually compete and race with every week. Quite often an electric car will get around a race circuit as quickly as a nitro powered one but without any of the smell, noise and oily mess!

Check out our For Sale page on the chat forums as we often have cars and accessories for sale, or try ebay, AMC, Modelsport or Apex Models

With such a wide variety of cars to choose from making a decision about which one to buy can be difficult.

WHAT MAKE SHOULD I BUY?
A tough question. You need to be sure that what you are buying will suit the purpose you intend for it, so if you are racing, pop down to your local club and see what everyone else has got, if you are driving with your mates find out what they have bought and try to match (or better) their models. (Make sure you have different frequencies in your radio, otherwise you will have interference
You want to try and get a proven make that will be durable and long lasting. Good instructions are a must if you are buying a kit. As are spares lists. On this point it is essential that you are readily able to buy spares for your car otherwise you could find yourself with a broken model and nothing to fix it with, leaving you in the pits for weeks!
Choose where you buy your car carefully. Second hand is always a bit dodgy at beginner levels, especially if you are buying engine power, try to choose a reputable source. Your model shop should be friendly and helpful (like us!) and offer sound knowledge, impartial advice and a good after sales and back-up service.

ON ROAD OR OFF ROAD?
On road touring and sports cars have a low ground clearance and consequently need to be run on tarmac or smooth surfaces (if you are not interested in racing try your local supermarket car park!). They will run on flat grassy surfaces however performance will be impaired and you are likely to damage your body shell. These are the sorts of cars you are likely to find down at your local on road racing club.

Rally cars have a greater ground clearance and, like their full size brothers can be run on more uneven surfaces. This sort of model is a good compromise if you want a vehicle which looks like something you recognise but has the versatility of an off road buggy. These cars are great fun but if you want to get onto the racing scene opportunities are more limited.

Off road vehicles are exceptionally versatile and can be driven just about anywhere making them a great first car. If you get bored with the look you can always convert them to a saloon with a change of body shell and a set of body mounts, great if you can't afford a second car. If you do want to get into racing there are off road series' for buggies.

When weighing up these ideas it is more beneficial to look at the chassis and the ground clearance rather than the body shell itself. This can always be changed!

KIT OR ARR?
Almost Ready to Run (ARR) kits are becoming increasingly popular, especially as a starting point for new modellers. These models are 90% assembled leaving you to fit suspension, wheels and tyres, radio control and to spray the body shell in colours of your choice.
Kits are sold in component form leaving you to assemble the whole car from start to finish. This takes a little longer and will mean you have to do a bit of work before you get on the road but it is not difficult and can help you to learn a bit about your car (useful after your first crash!). You don't need any specific skills, just a bit of common sense and the ability to follow a good set of instructions.

TWO OR FOUR WHEEL DRIVE?
You now have the option of buying front, rear or four-wheel drive. Models perform in the same way as full size cars when it comes to handling. Two wheel drive cars are generally less expensive, more easily maintained and a lot of fun if you like skidding around corners, however, they do not handle particularly well in poor conditions. You also wear more tyres out. Great for learning the basics and racing with your mates but if you want to race go to your local Club

ELECTRIC OR FUEL?
Electric power is usually a first choice. They are easy to drive, need less maintenance at a basic level than their fuelled counterparts and can be driven anywhere at any time because they are so quiet. Performance wise they can be just as quick as a fuel powered car depending upon your choice of battery and speed control. If you get into racing electric cars you will be amazed at the kind of performance which can be achieved. Typically you will get ten to fifteen minutes running time out of a battery and charging can be anything from fifteen minutes to overnight depending upon what you buy.
I/C cars are powered by small 2-stroke engines which run on special methanol based fuel. Compared to electric cars these require a lot more maintenance and it does help if you are mechanically minded. Nevertheless they can be great fun and it is a bonus not having to constantly charge batteries. You will typically get about 10 minutes running time out of a tank of fuel depending on how your car is set up, and you will get around 13 tanks of fuel to a litre. It is worth bearing in mind that fuel powered models are not welcome everywhere because of the noise. Clubs are very limited that have the correct facilities to cope with Nitro Powered Car/Trucks
Both types of model can be upgraded in terms of power and handling. It is worth asking around to see what car clubs are in your area or if you are just fooling around, what sort of cars do your mates have, it works better if you can race like for like.

RADIO CONTROL
You need to purchase a two channel radio system to control your car, it must operate on either 27 or 40MHz. Stick sets operate with one hand for throttle (forwards/reverse or brake) and the other for steering (left/right). If you choose to buy a steering wheel set, you have a trigger to operate the throttle and a steering wheel to control the steering. Neither set is better than the other, it is simply a matter of personal preference.

SAFETY
Radio Control cars can be very fast and therefore potentially quite dangerous. When driving you must always consider the safety of yourself and those around you.

Crystal	Name	Transmitter	Receiver	Crystal	Name	Transmitter	Receiver
	Grey / Brown (Black)	26.975	26.520		Yellow	27.145	26.690
	Brown	26.995	26.540		Yellow / Green	27.175	26.720
	Brown / Red	27.025	26.570		Green	27.195	26.740
	Red	27.045	26.590		Green / Blue	27.225	26.770
	Red / Orange	27.075	26.620		Blue	27.255	26.800
	Orange	27.095	26.640		Blue / White	27.270	26.815
	Orange / Yellow	27.125	26.670	Blue / White	Blue / White	27.270	26.815