Pagoda Antenna vs Clover Leaf which one is better?

[RichardEllis]

I just came across a antenna called the "Pagoda Antenna" originally created by Maarten Baert and can read further details at: http://www.maartenbaert.be/quadcopters/antennas/pagoda-antenna/

Anyone know anything about these and if they are worth buying over the clover leaf?
Apparently they are circular polarized same as clover leaf, just don't know what the hype is about and not sure how long they have been out on the market?

 

[RichardEllis]

Despite what anyone says, I think they look really cool and its awesome that someone in the RC community developed them. That alone makes me want to buy them as long as they work decently.

 

[Snarls]

I've seen these appearing over the last month. Regardless of whether they are better, or just part of the hype train, I can see one major benefit is that they are less likely to get snagged and bent in comparison to a cloverleaf. I would think they are also cheaper to produce because it is just 3 PCBs, and not carefully bent wires.

 

[RichardEllis]

Totally agree with you there on those points you made. I guess the whole idea behind them is open source and being able to make them for yourself, really cool idea. I hear that the spacing between the PCB have to be almost perfect for them to work right so any hard crashes or whatever may make them off alignment but I don't know. I still don't know much about them either and only a few tube videos out there starting to surface for testing. Ya a new hype for sure just wanted to bring them to the attention to FT community, maybe they can do a video review on them one day.

 

[French]

Joshua Bardwell did a comparison a while back

Bruce did one too - https://youtu.be/mfC2sVHYBCU

I have one on my goggles, but a triumph on my quad (durability). I really want to try ibcrazy's new ion on my quad.

 

[PsyBorg]

I am brutal on my antennas. I tried the upper end antennas and its just too expensive to keep replacing them. For me the cheapie 20 dollar a pair matched Aomways do better average over all between cost and performance. I killed several of IBcrazies awesome antennas in about a two week span each time. They ARE great antennas but like I said its me hehe. The Aomways are more hardy and I have only killed two in the last year or so since I started using them. They aren't dead I just need to break the plastic off and re wet the solder on one leg on each of the two I damaged.

I will be looking for a better goggle antenna array that works good with the Aomwyas on the quad at FF though so I may be poking Alex with a stick in that aspect.

If you guys do try these pagoda's please do a short write up of your opinions as these do look promising.

 

[RichardEllis]

I guess its pilot preferance lol. Especially if your prone to crashing. I seen some 3D printed cases for them to help protect them on a video from ProjectBlueFalcon found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TTmBmgtzmc

Apparently he claims they are more durable but thats one guys opinion on Youtube. Cost effective if you make them yourself hands down compared to clover leaf in that perspective in the long run. Hopefully someone with radio testing equipment can fully test the capability.

Bruce at RCModelReviews found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfC2sVHYBCU&t=951s
Bruce does show they are definitely a higher gain antenna and when they drop out they dont lock out as long as the clover leaf do but pick up quicker when they gain reception.

If you go to 1:58-2:00 of this video you will see the example of how the lockup is less then Aomway antenna found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEvFDFR2rwk

***My mistake "French" just realized that was the same video you posted from Bruce***

 

[TazRC]

Joshua Bardwell video is good. There are other good videos on YouTube as well. However, I'd like to get my hands on IBCrazy's Ion antennas though!

 

[RichardEllis]

Oh wow... the ION! just watched the video on it, looks like a winner. Can't wait now either, hopefully will be on the market soon

 

[RichardEllis]

AMAZON has them right now. $16.99 +$3.99 shipping for 1 antenna either LHCP or RHCP you choose.

 

[PsyBorg]

Each situation as Joshua Bardwell explained will produce different results that can be edited in any video to make one look better then another for what ever reason.

Run a 600 mw tx in a highly reflective area and ANY antennas will show you crappy video. Try to go 2 miles on a 25 mw tx and antennas won't matter either it just does not work reliably. Your gear has to fit your need for each and every flight. There is no one size fits all.

The only real factor is how much money you are willing to spend to cover all the bases. Getting a variable power tX is a great start. ANY matched antennas is a boost. Then its down to durability over performance or vise versa, and that is back to how much money you want to throw at the hobby.

I have an extremely limited budget and I try to find the best long term use items I can with a decent middle of the road performance. I do not have CHEAP gear but I did it over time and added a good highly researched item one thing at a time to get my set ups.

 

[RichardEllis]

my budget limit is what I can sneak past the wife... lol. Ya I know where you are coming from, if I'm not throwing money in this hobby its going into my car or something else like tools and gadgets. I just want a solid video feed for flying style similar to how Charpu flys his quadcopter and maybe evolve into racing in the leagues in my area.

 

[TazRC]

Joshua showed the inexpensive Aomway antennas work great. AndyRC swears by them too. FWIW

 

[PsyBorg]

I love them for my Alien. I can not tell you how many loops I have done on my gate after catching the antenna on it not to menntion the number of times its been twisted and bent along the riser and then reshaped and tossed right back in the air.