R/C
Have you ever entered an R/C forum and found that you couldn't understand anything? Ever posted and be laughed at as a newbie! Then this page is for you!
The first day I roamed on into the forums
at Ultimate Traxxas, I was a befuddled newbie. Not only did the terms msc, esc,
and lhs confuse me, but I ended up coming off as a complete moron. I constructed
this page hoping that you, my faithful reader, do not begin the forum life hard
way. 
Following is a categorized list of
terms that will help you decode the R/C forums of the world...assuming, of
course, that they are in English. If there is a particular term you're looking
for, go to Edit->Find on this page, and search for it. If the term is
underlined, click on it to see an example.
General Terms
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esc -- Electronic speed control. The much more precise, efficient, and maintenance-free successor to the msc.
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msc -- Mechanical speed control. Actuated by a servo, this type of speed controller has multiple permutations. However, they all use servos and resistors to direct current to the motor.
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lhs -- Local hobby shop. The place you go to get all your R/C gear if you don't get it online.
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Tower -- Tower Hobbies. Arguably the most important R/C website around, Tower offers multitudes of R/C stuff at low prices.
Motor Specific Terms
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brushes -- Motor brushes. In a brushed motor, these transfer the energy from the battery to the commutator f the motor, making it spin inside its magnetic field. I'll try to explain motors more clearly if you send me an e-mail.
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armature, arm -- Motor armature.
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comm, commutator -- The commutator. Inside a motor, this is the shiny part on the armature that the brushes come into contact with.
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turns -- How many times a piece of copper wire is wound around the armature.
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winds -- How many pieces of copper wire are wound around the armature.
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timing -- How much advanced timing is set on the motor. Adjusted by moving the endbell, timing is easy to do, but complex to explain.
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bl, brushless -- A fairly new advance in R/C motors. Instead of using magnets on the can, as in conventional brushed motors, the armature is essentially a magnet. The copper wire is replaced by copper stator, and the stator is energized at different areas, spinning the arm. This type of motor has no brushes and no commutator, and thus, is very easy to maintain.