A while back I built a lightweight Lidl foamie conversion, my no.14, (now converted to my first Lidl pusher,) with the intention of using it as a slow fly FPV plane. I've flown my biggest drone FPV, but that has GPS and RTH, I wanted a slow plane for 1st attempts at aircraft FPV but haven't got the budget for £300 - £400 for Walksnail digital and nav computers, so it's simple analogue VTX. Problem I've had is very poor range and interference, finally last week while making another test I had a brainwave revelation as to what the issue might be! Gales here so no chance to try it yet, but what's opinion here folks? Have I cracked it?
FPV RC Plane Lidl foamie - My Quest Goes on - Have I finally discovered the problem?
- Thread starter Bonzodog
- Start date
Hi William,
It has been a long road of discovery but mounting my little video receiver right on the handle of the TX was definitely a bad idea. A couple of weeks ago I had a problem with my FlySky i6 transmitter, it stopped working! Took it apart and found a broken connection. I resoldered it but the interesting thing I discovered is it has two antenna. One in the body and one at 90 degs IN THE HANDLE of the tx which is right where my video receiver was mounted! Couldn't have been a worse place.
I did more test with the video tx mounted on the wing well away from ESC and possible interference, tested using some different antenna and checked goggles while someone spotted for me and had a good signal.
In the last few days I've had some good video range tests and I'm using the Bixler as camera plane. It has a SpeedyBee F405 Mini flight controller installed so I have return to home, which numerous sources have said is essential for FPV flying. Plus I have loiter.
I'm going to make a video soon, an update on my progress with the FPV quest. Watch out for it!
Thanks. I don't know why it didn't occur to me that a video rx mounted on the tx was a bad idea! I've done a few tests since, and got some new diversity goggles and I'm getting much better range now. Just waiting for a good day to try FPV for real.
Piotrsko
Legendary member
At current radio frequencies, a full length resonant antenna is, IIRC, 2.3 inches long, a reflector is anything just a wee bit larger, say 2.5 inches. A not full wave antenna, say 1/4 wave is 3/4 inch long, more or less. Therefore anything metal bigger than an American quarter near the antenna is going to attenuate the signal. For those not trained attenuate means screw up your signal.
Gawd, I sound like an old man today. Good thing I AM an old man. Now get off my lawn.
Gawd, I sound like an old man today. Good thing I AM an old man. Now get off my lawn.
And harmonics!
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