Winston
Lorenzo von Matterhorn
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2009
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R/C FPV is resulting in live video systems which can even fly in low power rockets. This one has only a 25mw TX, so range ground to ground is only about 325 ft, more for airborne to ground, and more yet if a higher gain antenna is used at the RX. Those high gain antennas can be bought pre-made and aren't expensive. Operating voltage range for this unit is 2.9 - 5.5V, so it can be powered by a single lipo cell. Much longer range 200mW and up camera/TX combinations are slightly larger, with the 200-250mW ones being not much more expensive than this 25mW one. Higher powers are available, too.
A 25mW system (to avoid RF induced voltages in ignition leads as much as possible) placed relatively near (these cameras use wide angle lenses although narrower angle ones can be bought) the hot end of a rocket behind an exhaust blast shield might also be used as a launch pad monitor (did I see that igniter fire? did a firing lead drop off?). Of course, test for induced igniter voltage before use although I really doubt it would be significant. Dedicated LCD monitors with sun shades for FPV with built-in 5.8GHz RXs and lipo battery aren't terribly expensive.
A range test of a 25mW TX:
https://www.hovership.com/2014/04/28/altituderc-nano-25mw-video-transmitter-range-testing/
[video=youtube;wFPdWlqtCiQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFPdWlqtCiQ[/video]
A 25mW system (to avoid RF induced voltages in ignition leads as much as possible) placed relatively near (these cameras use wide angle lenses although narrower angle ones can be bought) the hot end of a rocket behind an exhaust blast shield might also be used as a launch pad monitor (did I see that igniter fire? did a firing lead drop off?). Of course, test for induced igniter voltage before use although I really doubt it would be significant. Dedicated LCD monitors with sun shades for FPV with built-in 5.8GHz RXs and lipo battery aren't terribly expensive.
A range test of a 25mW TX:
https://www.hovership.com/2014/04/28/altituderc-nano-25mw-video-transmitter-range-testing/
[video=youtube;wFPdWlqtCiQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFPdWlqtCiQ[/video]
