themosttoys said:
10,500 feet = Circular Wireless SPW24 on the P2V, HELIAXIAL24 on the repeater, NEEWER 11dbi patch on controller.
12,800 feet = Same antennas, add amp to P2V. Lost control signal, still had clear video at 640x480 at full pan / yaw.
I'm confident that the video (WIFI) setup will do more than 16,000 feet. However to accomplish that something might need to be done with the control signal and I'd need a day without wind because that is also about the realistic limit of my battery (32,000 feet round trip.)
Quick Question. I will be running the identical antenna setup as you, except two SPW24's on either side and not just one along with the same Helical.
Simple answer is that (as Ben stated) having two will not outperform one. A little more is that having two, unless they are separated by at least five inches, could actually reduce effectiveness (will still work, just perhaps not as well as one). On the other hand, unless the one is unobstructed by the camera (aka, hanging it below the landing gear) it too may not be as effective as two.Anyway I may want to add an amplifier to the P2V and was wondering what you think the max wattage I should go with? I see a lot of 2.5watt and 2watt amplifiers available. Do you think that may be too strong a signal that it may cause problems with the 5ghz or should I keep it to something under 1watt?
Amplifier effectiveness is less about wattage and more about noise. If the amp is very noisy it could not only be less effective than a lower wattage but may also stomp on 5.8ghz (otherwise it (2.4) should not hurt 5.8). Bottom line is that with good antennas, 500mw is much more than enough power to out distance the P2V maximum flight envelope. I'm using an 800mw that is actually testing out to be 350mw and it goes as far as the P2V will go.
As far as range, I've been able to get as far as 2,500 feet flying sideways with stock P2Vand 8dbi omni using lowest preview settings. With the P2V's antenna's swapped to two 6dbi omni's I've still not been able to go further than that yet but I was showing full signal vs 1 bar at that same distance, It would just be unreliable but I could do it at any orientation. I'm hoping with the two Skew Planer antennas and the Helical I'll get to at lest 1km without amplification at the 640x480 preview setting but if it can't I want to go with the amp.
With a good SP & Helical, you will be able to exceed 1km without amplification. I did 3km (in a rural area) and just under 2km in suburban (without any amplification)Also what size lipo would you recommend powering it with? Would a 1300mah 3S lipo be good?
Before I patched into the P2V main battery, I used a 2s 1000mah lipo. It was just under 60 grams, not too much, but I decided to remove it (the weight) and tap into the P2V battery. Either way works.
