Q-91: What kind of tachometer would you recommend for general model use, be it fueled or electric power?
A-91: The “best tachometer" theme was recently kicked around on one of
the Internet model forums. After a week or so I think I saw reference to almost
every tachometer ever offered by our hobby industry to take motor/engine rpm
readings (such as how fast the prop turns).
For years I have favored the TNC digital readout/optical sensor tachometer that
retired IBM engineer Tony Criscimagna (Woodstock, New York) designed. In 2003,
Tony sold the rights to his TNC tachometer business to Skyborn Electronics of
Dallas, Texas.
The company's Web page is www.bktsi.com/. I’ve been able to call up this site,
but I can’t get any detailed information about or prices for Skyborn's version
of the TNC tachometer. Most of us who are lucky enough to own one have found it
easy to lock on and extremely accurate. I sincerely hope that this popular
product is still on the market.
Although I have no experience with it, GloBee offers the IntelliTach digital
tachometer. The company's Web site is
www.bestrc.com/globee/glbp0111.html.
I was attracted to this particular tachometer because it has a memory circuit
that is capable of storing your last three rpm readings. So rather than hurrying
to write down a reading, you simply push a button and it is saved until after
you have shut down your engine.
I can’t attest to this product's accuracy, but that feature does seem desirable.
If you have used this GloBee tachometer, how about writing in and telling us
about it?