Needing help with FPV on first quad

[Colton12300]

I have a Foxeer Monster v2 and a Eachine ATX03 transmitter. I can't figure out how to power the transmitter or how to connect the transmitter to the camera. It looks like a connector on the camera might go onto the flight controller but I don't want to break anything. I'll attach pictures and if anyone can help me that would be great. Thanks. -Colton

 

[PsyBorg]

Each part of the system has a wiring diagram as well as voltage requirements. "Most" things these days are straight up 5 v and can be powered from an FC. Some things however run off a varied voltage supply like the VTX's and will supply a filtered voltage for the cameras.

I just looked at the web pages for each product. There were not wiring diagrams posted on either. There were however the PDF's available and they will have the connection diagrams and everything about your gear. Always good to have on hand. Match the signal wires to signal wires and connect the power lines to the proper voltages specified.

Be aware that FPV requires a ham licence over 25 mw power and that the VTX you have is capable of more. It also has a bunch of frequencies that are NOT legal to use in the USA. If you use those frequencies expect federal employees to be invading your area looking for you with a heavy fine and documents to possibly put you in jail should any one local using those frequencies for proper HAM use report you.

 

[Colton12300]

PsyBorg, thank you for your reply. I do have the manuals that the products came with and they tell me where to plug things in, but the problem is that what it tells me to plug into what isn't able to plug into what is described. For example, it tells me in the camera manual that the 4 pin connector connects to the transmitter, which I am assuming is the black 3 pin connector plus the black one pin connector for audio. But the 4 pin connector that is on the transmitter is an entirely different connector, not allowing me to plug anything in. Another problem is that it says the two-pin connector on the transmitter is supposed to be the source of power, but it's a male connector and the only other connectors of the same type are on my flight controller and are also male connectors. The only other thing i could think of is to cut the wires and solder them together, eliminating the problem of the connectors, but I'm not sure if that is the right thing to do or if my products are simply not compatible.

About the frequencies, 25mw is the max I can use? and what is the difference between that and having it on 0mw?

Thanks for your help.

 

[PsyBorg]

Most pf these products like a VTX and camera are made as matched sets by a company. When used as sets those connectors will mate up properly and more or less be plug and play. When mixing gear you will in most cases have to splice wires and route things differently. Most builders custom fit their wires to make them more of a clean build so things do not look like a birds nest or wires hang out with the potential to get caught on things.

An example is most cameras do not have a microphone so they have a 3 wire connector. +5v gnd and the signal wire. CMOS cameras will not have a port to do programming of settings in the cameras. CCD cameras will tend to have a separate two pin connector for the switch to be plugged in so settings can be changed. Some cameras put all those ports into one connector.

Some VTX do not transmit sound. Some do so they will have +(voltage range) and ground to power the unit. Then a filtered +5v and gnd out to power a camera, video signal, (maybe) Audio signal, as well as extra grounds for both sound and video to help control electrical noise.

I know it can be confusing but a little reading and a little match game before the final assembly can go a long way. I usually make a wiring diagram for everything I do and follow that step by step and check things multiple times before applying power. Some complicated builds I will even have friends check my work before powering up. You can sometimes simplify things by cutting and pasting the pictures of each component from the PDF and pasting it in paint. Then run color coded connector lines to and from each one to where it goes to the other.

You can use higher power but you take a chance of getting into trouble if it interferes with other things in the same band and you are not licenced to do so. That is a choice we all have to decide for ourselves. As far as the added channels above the 40 that are authorized for use in the USA again that is a choice but the likelihood of you interfering with someone else on those is higher. If you bother the wrong person like a HAM radio group they like to triangulate signals to find people illegally using the air waves and file detailed reports to the F.C.C. who is then obligated to come find that signal and shut it down.

Now do not be afraid someone will come kick your door down. It is highly unlikely someone will bother you unless you are in areas where RC stuff is not supposed to be in the first place. The test for the technician level licence is relatively easy to take and pass with minimal study. There are whole threads in here devoted to that stuff so you can start there or like I have been doing log into HAMSTUDY.org and do the flashcards they have posted for the various tests and read up on the requirements to use FPV gear properly and legally.

here is the link to get started so you better understand what you are getting into.

https://hamstudy.org/tech2014

Feel free to ask any questions in here as people more informed then I will have better answers.

 

[Colton12300]

Thanks for the help; I ended up cutting the connectors off and soldering the corresponding wires together. It works great.

 

[PsyBorg]

Cool. Pretty easy when you finally work it out for all the connections huh. Make sure you get us some pictures and video if possible.

 

[EddyScotch]

@Colton12300 Hey Colton! I am also working on my first quad and I ran into the same problem you did with the ATX 03 and Foxeer V2. Can you elaborate on how you fixed the problem? Which wires did you solder together?