Flite Fest 2023, Videos Pictures and Chat!
- Thread starter Test Fly RC
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- ff23 flite fest
Formation/chase/combat flying are some good ways to fill in the blank slate of a wide open field like at flite fest. I never pulled out my FPV gear this year and had all my VTXes unplugged so I wouldn't accidentally plug in and knock someone out. I worked on my LOS skills since FF'18 because the sheer volume of pilots vs super limited RF bandwidth available for FPV does not bode well for getting much time under the goggles without worry of interference from other pilots.
FPV at FF is tough to manage. Even at the official FPv area, it is "at your own risk". 5.8 ghz, 8 concurrent Channels is about the best one can hope for. Raceband 1-8 is the preferred frequencies to use. 7&8 reserved for Flite Test, 1-6 carved out for every one else who "should" have been flying from the FPV area on the west side of the field at a maximum of 25mW. I have a handheld signal meter which could locate people who interfere with "official" FPV use, and the guy managing the FPV area had a handheld VRX with a directional patch which worked good when he needed to track down people stomping on the "official" FPV area.
I think better communication is needed on the FF web site outlining the procedures rather than relying on word of mouth to get the word out.
JasonK
Participation Award Recipient
There was almost no one flying, it was something like 7 or 8 am on the first morning when I recorded that... you saw that I did end up chasing the one one plane when it showed up and flying around the 1 obstacle out there a few times. (I don't think even the center stage displays were up yet when I recorded this).
From what I could see, I doubt there was ever a point in time where all 6 "available" channels were in use, but I wasn't down on that end ever to verify.
I recall asking about putting up some flags last year, but it seemed that that wasn't desired, else a few flags out in the field could have been really nice for flying around.
Ryan O.
Out of Foam Board!
Some damage to my combat plane, 6 (technically 8 but 2 ended after right takeoff) combats, 6 kills.
My swap meet F16 after it t boned a master series Sabre on Friday going around 70 and cut it into 3 pieces. If anyone has more video or pictures of that it’d be great.
The long plane gets longer
Yeah, earlier is better from a clean air perspective both RF and usually wind wise. It's also free for all time at your own risk FPVing from any part of the field before the FPV area and center stage are active. Looks like you weren't too far from where I was camping. in past years, they had FPV areas at both ends of the field with channel coordination and an understanding that people would not cross the mid point of the field and stomp on the other end. I found the best time to fly was early in the morning before people were up moving about. I had a ground station with diversity and a good directional antenna which recorded this, but the antenna on my headset picked up a kid plugging in his tiny whoop mid flight.
I had an arched gate in my truck that I never got out this year. It does not do well in all but the calmest of conditions.
Cheers!
LitterBug
FTCA id 26
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JasonK
Participation Award Recipient
I definitely need to put a GPS module in all my FPV stuff for FF then next year... that way if I get blown out, I can flip on POS HOLD and/or RTH and have my plane circle while I get LOS to it to land (then go talk to the person who turned on when they shouldn't have).
Funny thing is, I went to the east build tent and took the GPS and brains out of the plane from that video to fly it in combat. LOL
PsyBorg
Wake up! Time to fly!
Yuppers!
Test Fly RC
Elite member
Test Fly RC
Elite member
Nope. Different person. They were both at FF '23 and I talked to them both.
click on about to see some other ways to contact him
LB
