Hi, so I've been flying a DJI F550 for the last 6 months or so and more recently with a 5.8GHz FPV setup. I've had reasonable success and its been great fun, until...
Last week, I went on a short FPV flight, and I immediately noticed that the video range was significantly reduced. When I landed to check it out, I inspected the transmitter and when trying to unscrew the antenna, the entire fitting came away, solder and all... I've contacted the guys I got it from and established that it was my fault in fitting, and there is nothing that can be done.
Instead of replacing the transmitter, I've been thinking this might be a good time to make a change. Although my experience has been okay, I've only ever been able to fly at quite high altitude for risk of interference, and the penetration of a lower frequency is attractive to me. I'm thinking at the moment of selling my 5.8GHz receiver and clover antennas (anyone interested let me know), and replacing them with 1.3GHz kit.
With regard to the legality of 1.3GHz, I'm not too concerned as I live in the deepest, darkest most rural area of Devon imaginable, miles from any infrastructure with which frequency clashes could be an issue.
My setup at the moment is as follows:
Spektrum DX6i (2.4GHz) (200mw) RC TX
Spektrum AR6210 RC RX
(Estimated range 800-1200m, the furthest I've been is 750m)
1000mw 5.8GHz AV TX (http://quadcopters.co.uk/58ghz-1000mw-av-video-transmitter-tx-499-p.asp)
5.8GHz AV RX (http://quadcopters.co.uk/58ghz-wireless-fpv-av-receiver-485-p.asp)
2x Skew Planar 5.8GHz antenna (http://quadcopters.co.uk/circular-wireless-58ghz-skew-planar-fpv-antenna-490-p.asp)
(Estimated range +1500m, never lost signal with these antennas)
To be replaced with:
800mw (actually more like 600mw) 1.3GHz AV TX (http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=913)
1.3GHz AV RX (http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_34_44&products_id=912)
1.3GHz RHCP Antenna Pair (http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_45_52_100&products_id=552)
I have a few concerns:
1. Can anyone give me an estimate of the range of the new setup?
2. Should I get a more powerful transmitter to match the old range?
3. Do I actually need other antennas, or would stock whip (RX) and VEE (TX) be sufficient?
4. If I do need antennas, should it be these ones? (I may upgrade to a higher gain, possibly diversity receiver setup later.)
5. Is there anything else about 1.3GHz that I should know about or need? A filter perhaps?
If anyone can answer any of these questions, or if you have any other advice, I'd really appreciate it. I feel like I'm taking a dive with this one....
Thanks in advance!!
M.
Last week, I went on a short FPV flight, and I immediately noticed that the video range was significantly reduced. When I landed to check it out, I inspected the transmitter and when trying to unscrew the antenna, the entire fitting came away, solder and all... I've contacted the guys I got it from and established that it was my fault in fitting, and there is nothing that can be done.
Instead of replacing the transmitter, I've been thinking this might be a good time to make a change. Although my experience has been okay, I've only ever been able to fly at quite high altitude for risk of interference, and the penetration of a lower frequency is attractive to me. I'm thinking at the moment of selling my 5.8GHz receiver and clover antennas (anyone interested let me know), and replacing them with 1.3GHz kit.
With regard to the legality of 1.3GHz, I'm not too concerned as I live in the deepest, darkest most rural area of Devon imaginable, miles from any infrastructure with which frequency clashes could be an issue.
My setup at the moment is as follows:
Spektrum DX6i (2.4GHz) (200mw) RC TX
Spektrum AR6210 RC RX
(Estimated range 800-1200m, the furthest I've been is 750m)
1000mw 5.8GHz AV TX (http://quadcopters.co.uk/58ghz-1000mw-av-video-transmitter-tx-499-p.asp)
5.8GHz AV RX (http://quadcopters.co.uk/58ghz-wireless-fpv-av-receiver-485-p.asp)
2x Skew Planar 5.8GHz antenna (http://quadcopters.co.uk/circular-wireless-58ghz-skew-planar-fpv-antenna-490-p.asp)
(Estimated range +1500m, never lost signal with these antennas)
To be replaced with:
800mw (actually more like 600mw) 1.3GHz AV TX (http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=913)
1.3GHz AV RX (http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_34_44&products_id=912)
1.3GHz RHCP Antenna Pair (http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_45_52_100&products_id=552)
I have a few concerns:
1. Can anyone give me an estimate of the range of the new setup?
2. Should I get a more powerful transmitter to match the old range?
3. Do I actually need other antennas, or would stock whip (RX) and VEE (TX) be sufficient?
4. If I do need antennas, should it be these ones? (I may upgrade to a higher gain, possibly diversity receiver setup later.)
5. Is there anything else about 1.3GHz that I should know about or need? A filter perhaps?
If anyone can answer any of these questions, or if you have any other advice, I'd really appreciate it. I feel like I'm taking a dive with this one....
Thanks in advance!!
M.