Want to increase my range a bit at a small cost

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OzFlyer

Well-Known Member
Hey there,

I just want to congratulate Alex on his system. It boggles my mind just thinking of all the time he must have spent creating this system. :eek: :DThanks

And also thanks to all helpfull people here. I am SOOO glad I went down the rvosd path. It is a great community of people here.

I have a couple of links one to increase range on my dx6i and the other to increase my 900mhz video range. Would be great to see what people think.

Regards,
Justin

http://www.rangevideo.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_38&products_id=77

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=AR3277&keywords=2.4&form=KEYWORD
 
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chiloschista

Well-Known Member
OzFlyer,

on RC side you could use a cheap booster like this one, still using omnidirectional antenna, which is better for general usage.

If you need more range go for 433MHz systems.

On video side, better use a rx patch o yagi antenna. The whip you linked could be an intermediate solution, it depends on which range you want.

You said you are on budget, but better would be a diversity system, double receiver and omni / patch combination or double patch cross polarized.

We all are waiting for the tracking antenna. In this case you could use a patch, witch will be always pointed in the right direction.

Be careful with rx amplifier, because they amplify the noise too.

chilo
 
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OzFlyer

Well-Known Member
Hi Chilo and Kelly,

Cheers for all the info. Wow there is plenty of reading for me to do.

I had a look at the amp for my dx6i. I am impressed by the range it can apparently get.
I am looking to get Thomas LR system with a Multiplex radio eventually maybe from Santa. But I would like my DX6i to have some intermediate range to play with in mean time. Obviously I don't want to spend the earth so this amp looks good for me.

Same goes for the 900mhz video, just middle range and nothing special. Something quick and inexpensive for comfortable range.

I work early in the morn so unfortunately must put computer down. Will read more tomorrow of everything here and report. :)

Night All
 
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chiloschista

Well-Known Member
ivanestebanc said:
Hi Chilo, do you have any instructions of how to install the booster on a DX6i? I found one on DIY Drones, but it is not for dummies like me... :D Thanks.
Click to expand...
Hi ivanestebanc,
it really seems a plug and play device. Here you will find some instructions and pictures on how to mount and use it.

Hope this will help,

chilo

P.s.: knowing the limits of their knowledge is a first sign of intelligence :)
 
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man2000me

Well-Known Member
Your best bet is try the windsurfer parabolic antenna. If you google you find it and it is easy to make.
 
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OzFlyer

Well-Known Member
Hey Kelly, Cheers for the vimeo link you gave me with all the facts about antennas. He really gave a great description. Especially to guys who sometimes struggle with all the fancy terms and abbreviations like me haha.

And I reckon I will go with chila's suggestion on the rc booster. Its cheap and effective for what I need right now. Im in this for the long haul and don't want to do everything in five minutes. Plus its fun seeing what you can do with cheap stuff Definetely some great gear out there. Just got to listen to the reviews and that product has good ones.

As far as video goes Im just not sure yet. Will an oracle be wasted if the antenna tracker suddenly becomes available?
 
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chiloschista

Well-Known Member
OzFlyer said:
As far as video goes Im just not sure yet. Will an oracle be wasted if the antenna tracker suddenly becomes available?
Click to expand...
mhmm, probably yes, considering that RV tracking antenna seems to be equipped with severals Vout and diversity.
Up to you to choose to wait for RV tracking antenna, or buy an Oracle and eventually use it for other projects.
You could still use it with a third antenna and have a double diversity system.

But you could even fly well with a single antenna, for now, obviously the right one for your actual usage.

Personally I like simplest solutions, not having to bring tons of hardware at the field. The most performing FPV flyers don't use esoteric hardware, just the minimum needed, with a reasonable safety margin... and yes DIY is always funny (thanks man2000me for the info ;) ).

chilo
 
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OzFlyer

Well-Known Member
Yes, I think your right. One antenna might be good for me right now. Good things do come to the ones who wait or something like that. Mum used to say it so it must be right.....Maybe il post that saying on the antenna tracking thread haha. How do you think it will go down? Like a lead balloon maybe.
Anyway cheers for all the input. By the way chilo do you think it would be worth buying that little antenna i posted in the first post? How much more range would it get over the stock antenna? I mean the 900mhz one.
 
Last edited:
CaptnKliegle

CaptnKliegle

Well-Known Member
With emphasis on low cost.... buy the adapter cable to allow you to attach
2.4Ghz antennas directly to the DX6i or feedline to a remote antenna with amplifier.

See:
http://store.diydrones.com/Interface_Cable_SMA_to_U_FL_p/ca-0001-sma.htm

Then you can purchase the amplifier:

http://store.diydrones.com/2_4GHz_Amplifier_1000mW_p/wi-amp-24-500.htm

Or higher gain antennas (stock Spektrum is 2dB gain):

http://www.l-com.com/item.aspx?id=22353

With the high gain antennas... be sure to have the whip broadside to the aircraft (see the RF radiation plots at the bottom of the description) Very little RF is radiated from above the antenna.

Kriss KA1GJU
 
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OzFlyer

Well-Known Member
hey yeah, I notice the guy who demonstrates the fpv application for this amp uses it with a patch and it gets him 4.5 k's away then has to turn around because of his video. Who knows how far you could get with an outlay of under $100
 
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chiloschista

Well-Known Member
OzFlyer,

as you mentioned video / 900MHz I'm wondering which gain is the stock antenna (meaning rx side !): 3dBi ?
In this case you are going to gain nothing.
Better this one with 5dBi
I guess you could ~ 1.5 / double your actual range. But the cons is that your vertical beam will decrease (they don't mention how much). You can't fly over head. Signal will be bad even at short range (tested ;D).

With this one you could have a better range, but more expensive and less beam (and not 360° like the whip one). You have to fly in front of it.

Btw don't touch the tx antenna unless you know very well what you are doing and have some experience.

I would like to suggest you don't touch RC antennas too, both rx and tx side, unless you know what you are doing. Directional antennas on RC could be very dangerous. Better original whip (vertical) on tx and original divesity at rx end (one vertical axis and one pitch axis or in vertical v shape).

chilo
 
CaptnKliegle

CaptnKliegle

Well-Known Member
Patch antennas work very good... both on 900Mhz video downlink receive and for 2.4Ghz TX on RC link. Just went to an amateur radio fleamarket last weekend... next to a trash bin was a sign that said free... three Cushcraft 860 Mhz patch antennas with N female connectors. I connected them to my newly aquired Site Master S113 portable network analyzer, also found at the flea market, and only a 1.27 SWR on 910 MHz(channel 1). Excellent for RX, OK for TX as well!

Going to test all my RV antennas and will post reviews here on this forum, with photos of SWR plots. Then modify the antennas per thread on RC groups and test results. From previous experience with one of these pieces of equipment, the 900Mhz antennas (wide ones) with the yellow stripe are excellent as shipped, unlike the narrow skinney ones.

Kriss KA1GJU
 
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OzFlyer

Well-Known Member
Shopping list

Here is what Im looking at.

Amp for dx6i
http://store.diydrones.com/2_4GHz_Amplifier_1000mW_p/wi-amp-24-500.htm
$44.95

SMA to UFL cable
http://store.diydrones.com/Interface_Cable_SMA_to_U_FL_p/ca-0001-sma.htm
$4.95

Extension SMA cord, 5ft for attenuating tx power and placing antenna high
http://www.l-com.com/item.aspx?id=10181
$22.85

UBEC for controlling voltage into amp from 12v battery
http://hobbyking.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=4319&Product_Name=TURNIGY_3A_UBEC_w/_Noise_Reduction
$7.83


Patch for my increase in video range, hopefully no need for diversity
http://www.rangevideo.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_38&products_id=17
$55.00

Thats about enough for a hack like me. For right now anyway:) Also id be keen for a longer sma cord than 5ft. Anyone know of where I could get one?
I read that length is not a factor because the dx6i is borderline overpowered for this amp.
 
CaptnKliegle

CaptnKliegle

Well-Known Member
OzFlyer said:
Here is what Im looking at.

Extension SMA cord, 5ft for attenuating tx power and placing antenna high
http://www.l-com.com/item.aspx?id=10181
$22.85

Ouch! I paid $6.00 for 15 foot cables to go inbetweeen amp and DX6i
Gives me room to walk around. I'm installing an FPV station in my repeater shed next to my 100' tower. If I want to fly visually, the 15' cable will allow me to walk out of the shed. Otherwise, the shed will house a video monitor and block excess light for ease of viewing. Plus keep me warm in the winter!


UBEC for controlling voltage into amp from 12v battery
http://hobbyking.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=4319&Product_Name=TURNIGY_3A_UBEC_w/_Noise_Reduction
$7.83


Patch for my increase in video range, hopefully no need for diversity
http://www.rangevideo.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_38&products_id=17
$55.00

Just angle it at about 45 degrees and in the general direction of flight, you will get noise (snow) when behind it... but plenty of time to aim it manually or fly back to the front of antenna.


Thats about enough for a hack like me. For right now anyway:) Also id be keen for a longer sma cord than 5ft. Anyone know of where I could get one?
I read that length is not a factor because the dx6i is borderline overpowered for this amp.
Click to expand...
Use the EU power setting in the setup for FPV with the amplifier. As for the longer cable, you can splice two together with a SMA barrel connector. The two cables along with the barrel connector will definitly give you some attenuation for the amplifier.

Find a local hamfest (amateur radio fleamarket), we have them twice a year here in NH and the same vendor is in the same location every year. $5 SMA 6 foot jumpers, $6 SMA 15' jumpers, every conceivable SMA sdapter as well as BNC, N, TNC, UFL, type adapters.

The 6 foot jumpers I usually cut in two to make remote 900 Mhz antennas for my airplanes. I want the 500mW signal far away as possible from the 2.4 Ghz RXR and GPS RXR. I cut thin brass foil to form a dipole and CA glue the antenna to the vertical stab. Low weight, low drag, and a relatively uniform radiation pattern. Search my other posts on these for photos.

Kriss KA1GJU
 
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OzFlyer

Well-Known Member
CaptnKliegle said:
Use the EU power setting in the setup for FPV with the amplifier. As for the longer cable, you can splice two together with a SMA barrel connector. The two cables along with the barrel connector will definitly give you some attenuation for the amplifier.Kriss KA1GJU
Click to expand...
I found this one instead http://www.l-com.com/item.aspx?id=1017610 foot should be long enough to get out of that chilly breeze in winter:) Hopefully this will do the trick along with this other one I have here and like you said a barrel connector between. http://store.diydrones.com/Interface_Cable_SMA_to_U_FL_p/ca-0001-sma.htm

Sounds like a top idea with your shed. Hope you get a massive screen in there:D

And Kelly, shouldn't have to worry about losing anything with bad cable and length etc because the amp is recommended to input only half of the power the dx6i puts out. However they recommend this because it was designed to run non stop 24hrs a day. Thats why its probably more ideal to have extra length.


Regards,
Justin
 
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