Maybe I can help to shed some light on the Black Pearl for everyone.
The Black Pearl monitor you should use with the immersionrc 5.8ghz 600mw tx is the 7 channel SMA / BAND "F" only. It gets confusing because the model number (RC801) is the same for both the SMA and the RP-SMA versions. The only way to tell the difference btw the 2 versions is that one box has a yellow "F" sticker on it indicating that it is a Band F only receiver. This is an excellent quality monitor and works very well with the immersionrc when the correct monitor is matched to it. We at Motor City Drone Company regularly build FPV systems and 99% of our customers are more than happy with the result of this install. We use IBCrazy BlueBeam Ultra 5.8ghz antennas on our builds and if you want some extra distance we also install a 9.5 helical antenna on the monitor. After we complete each build we test fly all of our builds to an average of 3/4 of a mile.
Things to keep in mind about FPV .(immersionrc 5.8ghz 600mw/Black Pearl)
* Distance can very greatly due to interference from outside sources and land obstructions.
* The monitor should Only be used as an accent to your line of site flying. Flying with your eyes glued to the monitor is dangerous and reckless because if your fpv is interrupted you may have No idea where your bird is. It only takes a second to glance up at your bird every once and a while to make sure you are clear of obstructions and or potential hazards.
* We keep the dop switches on the immersionrc all in the "UP" position. We have tested many different combinations and have had the best success with this setting. (The number 4 dop switch does nothing)
* It is Very Important to charge your Black Pearl battery before Each use. Since both receivers in the diversity monitor and the screen are ran off of one battery it tends to drain within a couple of flights and when power to your monitor's receivers are low their performance is greatly reduced.
* We power up components in the following order. Radio-Phantom-Gopro-Black Pearl. (This seems to give us the best results)
* If you already purchased the 32 channel RP-SMA model then you can access the menu by pressing the power button 2x (after monitor is on) and follow the prompts to select band "F" to get the most out of your monitor. (Doing this helps but still doesn't compare to the performance of the 7 channel SMA / BAND "F" Only model.
* Never turn on monitor or immersion without antennas in place.... may cause damage to components.
* Best mounting placement of the immersionrc is to attach it to the bottom of your phantom with good double-sided tape. We have tried many locations including inside of the phantom with the antenna sticking out of the shell in various places. Although mounting the immersionrc inside the phantom looks very clean and nice the performance is compromised from being in close proximity to the other electrical components.
Whether you are looking to have these components installed by us or want to install them yourself, you can visit us at
http://www.motorcitydroneco.com
We Only Sell the Black Pearl 7 Channel SMA / BAND "F" Version so you don't have to worry about ordering the wrong one.