4 km at 1080p

[tomrink550]

Highcloud im going to post something from RC-groups that some one posted what are your thoughts on this. here what they said ( How is an amplifier going to work when the air side transmit has no amplification? Sure the transmit signal will be stronger but the video transmit is not going to be any stronger. You can't amplify the receive antenna. Well you can but its not going to do anything.

Example: i amplify my wifi access point and can see it a mile away with my phone but my phone can't get a connection because it does not have the power/amplifier to send a response back.

I have a 2watt wii link wifi amp that gets me an extra 10-15dbi. Sure the control distance is increase but the video increase is nill.)
Here's some pic of my set up Tom

Top pic is how i have it setup now

 

[Highcloud]

The amps amplify in both transmit and receive mode. Therefore if your antenna is receiving a weak signal from a long distance the amp will amplify this so that the lightbridge has something to work with. Have you flown and done a range test yet ?

 

[tomrink550]

The amps amplify in both transmit and receive mode. Therefore if your antenna is receiving a weak signal from a long distance the amp will amplify this so that the lightbridge has something to work with. Have you flown and done a range test yet ?

Just did my frist flight test and yes it definitely does add range alot was a little to windy to push it but so far very happy so thanks for your help Tom

 

[Highcloud]

The amps amplify in both transmit and receive mode. Therefore if your antenna is receiving a weak signal from a long distance the amp will amplify this so that the lightbridge has something to work with. Have you flown and done a range test yet ?

Just did my frist flight test and yes it definitely does add range alot was a little to windy to push it but so far very happy so thanks for your help Tom

Glad it works for you

 

[isky172]

Highcloud -

Between your battery and the 2w amps, do you have any BEC/voltage controls? Or, do you just connect the battery leads to the switch (via wires) and then straight to the amps? I have a High Sierra LiPo: 2200 mAh 3S @ 35c continuous, 45c burst (77A/94A). Curious if I need to step the power in any way as I don't want to blow the amps. I won't be using the battery to power the Lightbridge whatsoever (I'm happy with using the internal Lightbridge battery which gives ~4 hrs.) I will be incorporating a switch, as you mentioned in your parts list.

Thanks a ton!

 

[Highcloud]

Highcloud -

Between your battery and the 2w amps, do you have any BEC/voltage controls? Or, do you just connect the battery leads to the switch (via wires) and then straight to the amps? I have a High Sierra LiPo: 2200 mAh 3S @ 35c continuous, 45c burst (77A/94A). Curious if I need to step the power in any way as I don't want to blow the amps. I won't be using the battery to power the Lightbridge whatsoever (I'm happy with using the internal Lightbridge battery which gives ~4 hrs.) I will be incorporating a switch, as you mentioned in your parts list.

Thanks a ton!

If you use a 3s then no need for a Bec. The only caution I would make is to put a switch in the circuit as the amps do not like being plugged and unplugged live. 3s will work in the range of 11.1 to 12.5 v so this is ok for the amps. I added sense wires so that I can monitor my battery which is around 10 metres away outside with the amps, antennas and light bridge. Once it gets below 12 v I recharege as a precaution.

 

[isky172]

Great timing - currently at Radio Shack getting some switches, and was hoping I didn't have to run to Atlanta Hobby to make yet another purchase (they have so much of my freakin' money already). Thanks much!

One note, while it's easy to find the SMA male to SMA male extensions online....it's not so easy to find something like that @ retail stores. Radio shack (national electronics place in the US) doesn't have anything like it, strangely. I'd have to splice a bunch of stuff with their current stock to make it work.

I'll have my rig setup very similar to yours, except it won't be on a pole. It will be all mounted on a TX tray and FPV panel.

 

[fastsmiles]

Thanks for the parts list. Looks interesting.

 

[lklepner]

I'm going to build this out as well. I just placed an order for the amps and antennas. It looks like the amps come with the sma to sma pigtail? I haven't decided on a power source yet..

 

[isky172]

Highcloud (or anyone with good advice) -

I appreciate your help thus far, and I hope to have just one last question. When connecting the battery to the switch (prior to plugging in the amps) I experienced a big spark. Made my adrenaline pump hard for a bit. No damage to the equipment, and no damage to any body parts. Whew. But, the experience made me think I should ask for advice. The sparking makes me think I will need to bump down the power from the 12v lipo @ 2200 mAh so that it can safely go to the amps (which have text on their external plastic-like casings saying "5v", btw). I don't know enough about how wattage and all related things work, but a 12 volt lipo being used to power two amps that have the terms "5v" on each of them seems a bit scary. The amps are the exact ones found in the following URL: http://www.infinity-hobby.com/main/product_info.php?products_id=10587 .


I'm trying to get the wiring done right for this setup. Remember I'm not powering the Lightbridge, just the two 2watt amps. I want to use a switch, and for this purpose I've purchased a few of them. The one in the photo below is my preference (but I have others if you have a different recommendation). So taking a look at the photo below, how should I wire this puppy together? I've tried to lay it out in the photo in a way that would be conducive to an easy-as-it-can-be explanation. What do you think? If you need more clarification on any missing facts for my desired approach, let me know - I'll monitor this thread most of the day.

So, how do I put these wires together to....1) Avoid sparking by way of proper switch setup....2) Avoid blowing out the components because of power overload....3) Make it all work nicely?



Thanks!

 

[Highcloud]

Highcloud (or anyone with good advice) -

I appreciate your help thus far, and I hope to have just one last question. When connecting the battery to the switch (prior to plugging in the amps) I experienced a big spark. Made my adrenaline pump hard for a bit. No damage to the equipment, and no damage to any body parts. Whew. But, the experience made me think I should ask for advice. The sparking makes me think I will need to bump down the power from the 12v lipo @ 2200 mAh so that it can safely go to the amps (which have text on their external plastic-like casings saying "5v", btw). I don't know enough about how wattage and all related things work, but a 12 volt lipo being used to power two amps that have the terms "5v" on each of them seems a bit scary. The amps are the exact ones found in the following URL: http://www.infinity-hobby.com/main/product_info.php?products_id=10587 .


I'm trying to get the wiring done right for this setup. Remember I'm not powering the Lightbridge, just the two 2watt amps. I want to use a switch, and for this purpose I've purchased a few of them. The one in the photo below is my preference (but I have others if you have a different recommendation). So taking a look at the photo below, how should I wire this puppy together? I've tried to lay it out in the photo in a way that would be conducive to an easy-as-it-can-be explanation. What do you think? If you need more clarification on any missing facts for my desired approach, let me know - I'll monitor this thread most of the day.

So, how do I put these wires together to....1) Avoid sparking by way of proper switch setup....2) Avoid blowing out the components because of power overload....3) Make it all work nicely?



STOP! DO NOT CONNECT THIS SET UP

here is why:

The Amps that you have here are not 12 v but 5v input. Connecting 12v supply directly will fry theses amps.

These are not the sunhans amps so I am not sure how they will perform.

You should definitely not have any visible sparks at any time. Make sure you are not shorting the battery with the switch. Only the positive supply is switched.

Do not get near your lighbridge until you have no sparks, the correct voltage and the amps are powering up ok. Remember to connect the antennas to the output of the amps before applying any power .





Thanks!

 

[isky172]

Yeah, that's what I thought. Just didn't seem right to put it together after seeing the spark and the writing on the Amps.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[lklepner]

Can you elaborate on how you're powering the Sunhan amps? I'm unfamiliar with what sense wires are. I was hoping to use an existing 5v 3amp USB battery I've got unhand but maybe this isn't practical given it only outputs 5v at 1amp.
http://www.ianker.com/support-c1-g97.html

Seems like a 3S lipo is a better way to go. It looks like they output 11v so I need to get a dc to dc regulator of some sort? Maybe this one?
http://www.amazon.com/DROK-Adjustable-4 ... 5A9RCR0FCP

Do you know what the actual draw is for the Sunhans? I wonder if 2amps the regulator above provides would be enough.

Edit: I just measured the draw of my SH-2000 and it looks like its 0.6amp. If my electrical theory is correct.. if I wire both amps in parallel it'll be a 1.2amp draw?

Googling a bit about antenna spacing and it sounds like the ideal spacing for a diversity setup is to match the wavelength. Someone quotes from a Cisco manual saying:

"The 2.4 GHz wavelength is approximately 4.92 inches. Therefore, to support diversity on a 2.4 GHz radio with two separate antennas, the antennas should be spaced approximately 5 inches apart. The antenna pair could also be spaced at multiples of 5 inches, but the distance between should not exceed 4 multiples: reflected waves farther apart than that are likely to be so distorted and different in delay spread that the radio could not work with them. Because each antenna is selected by itself, both antennas must have the same radiation characteristics and be positioned to provide similar cell coverage."

 

[lklepner]

Looking closely at the pigtail that comes with the amps - its male to female, not male to male as needed.

I just ordered a pair of male to male SMA pigtails from here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/131267555407

 

[catware]

Thanks to Highcloud for these suggestions to increase signal quality. I've purchased all the items and ran some tests. I live in the country; to the north about 500 meters is dense subdivision housing, or I can go any other direction and fly over farmland. However due to hills/trees, I experience the best range going north over the houses.

Prior to the Lightbridge I had the AVL58 and was able to go at most 1200 meters in the urban direction before it became uncontrollable. With the Lightbridge and stock antennas I can get to 1400 meters before signal failure. With the new Sunhans amps and Alfa 9Dbi antennas, my effective range increased to 2800 meters, so that was very impressive.

I also ordered two TP-LINK 2.4GHz 14dBi Outdoor Directional Antennas, but unfortunately the performance is exactly the same as with the Alfa antennas. Both antenna styles were run through the Sunhans amps; it is not possible to connect either antenna directly to the Lightbridge because I don't have the appropriate adapters (both types use RP-SMA male, and the Lightbridge is SMA female). I experience signal failure at exactly the same points over urban territory, as well as in other directions over farmland (pointing the directional antennas in the correct direction each time).

Pointing these directional antennas away from the aircraft while in flight results in a signal drop to zero, so they definitely are directional, but didn't provide any more range. I'm disappointed they didn't give me another significant boost, but as they are physically quite large and unwieldy, I'm not too upset to return them.

FYI, the Sunhans amps I received require a 6v input, and I have purchased a simple 12v-6v 3A voltage regulator from eBay, so I can use the same 12v battery for both amps and the Lightbridge (this item hasn't arrived yet).

 

[tomrink550]

Hi all. This is my ground rig. I have upgraded antennas to 2 x 9 DBI omnis, fed by 2 x 2000mW amps fed by lightbridge. All driven by 12 v 10000mAh li-ion battery. Standard wire omnis on the pv2. So far achieved 4 km at full 1080p resolution with near zero lag. Video feed goes to hdmi cable to 24 inch monitor inside, so no sun glare and no iOS limitations on video.
Important to note that the antenna spacing is around 7 inches to avoid distortion of 2.4 Ghz wave length between antennas. Can probably go further, just a matter of battery and nerves

Hope this is useful for distance chasers !

How much hdmi cable do you have running from the LB to your monitor please let me know thanks Tom

 

[lklepner]

I just received a 25 foot mini hdmi to full size hdmi cable which I hope to test tomm.

 

[Highcloud]

Hi all. This is my ground rig. I have upgraded antennas to 2 x 9 DBI omnis, fed by 2 x 2000mW amps fed by lightbridge. All driven by 12 v 10000mAh li-ion battery. Standard wire omnis on the pv2. So far achieved 4 km at full 1080p resolution with near zero lag. Video feed goes to hdmi cable to 24 inch monitor inside, so no sun glare and no iOS limitations on video.
Important to note that the antenna spacing is around 7 inches to avoid distortion of 2.4 Ghz wave length between antennas. Can probably go further, just a matter of battery and nerves

Hope this is useful for distance chasers !

How much hdmi cable do you have running from the LB to your monitor please let me know thanks Tom

I have 10 metres on all my cables so that I can fly inside . I have also built a new rig without Amps which is performing past 4 km I'll post some pictures shortly

 

[lklepner]

Sounds awesome can't wait to see it.

 

[Highcloud]

Sounds awesome can't wait to see it.

Here is my latest rig - Amp free now.

2 X RHCP helical antennas on the ground
2 x Skew Planers on the phantom

Tracker with its own power supply fitted inside the shell and a charging point created on the side of the phantom
Tracker antenna mounted on the outside of the Phantom shell and covered with a small piece of white duck tape - hard to spot it

This set up is giving me 4.5Km at 1080p at any angle completely noise free. I cannot fly any further due to battery limitations.

The ground station fits both a fast release camera mount and a custom bracket for the Futaba TX, so I can use a mini Ipad as monitor when flying outside or a full HD TV if flying form inside.

Hope this is useful