No range with Boscam setup

[wildpalms]

I'm not new to model flying or even multicopters but I am new to FPV.

I decided to pick up a Phantom 2 (version 2) with the H3-3D gimbal. I already had a GoPro 3+ Black edition I have previously strapped to a Rite Wings Zephyr 2 (with Eagletree Vector). I also have a bunch of FPV gear that I haven't as yet used hence the Phantom.

Boscam TS351 200mW 5.8Ghz vTX (http://www.hobbyrc.co.uk/ts351-58ghz-20 ... ransmitter) fitted to the Phantom in the standard location using the standard harness.
http://www.quadcopters.co.uk/90-degree- ... -991-p.asp are the antennas I have fitted. The Boscam set to 5885MHz (as close to 5.8GHz as I can get). 3 leaf on Phantom and 4 leaf on ground.
I have FatShark Dominator goggles with the Team Black Sheep Dominator RX. Boscam Band E Ch 5 which is 5885MHz.

Whilst not a super powerful setup I expected it to work OK. I have noticed that without FPV equipment the GoPro records an awful lot of noise on the audio track. With the FPV gear installed I get half a dozen or so scrolling interference lines on the display (nothing to detract though).

When flying I get picture breakup at about 30 feet and total loss of signal at about 50 feet. I'm flying from a model aircraft flying sight where we have no known issues and other 5.8GHz FPV setups have flown OK. I tried installing a homemade RC filter to the vTX power lines which made no difference.

I'm at a loss as to why this setup is so poor given I know that it can be made to work.

Dave

 

[QYV]

hi mate. let's talk about some stuff...
first off, gotta be honest those are about the cheapest antennas you can get (12 pound for the PAIR?) so there's no way they're going to give you fantastic performance.
Are you sure you got all the genders and polarities right? The TS351 has a RP-SMA female connector, and those antennas you linked say they are SMA. You may have some mismatched gender/polarity on the transmit and/or receiver side.

There is a "transmitter wattage chart" (linked below) that's been posted around here a bunch, if it's accurate then the TS351 puts out vastly different power on different channels. 5885 is channel 5, and according to the chart that's only a 100mW channel. You want channel 4 (210mW) which is 5645 Mhz.

I'm also a little confused about your receiver... I googled the "Team Black Sheep Dominator RX" and that seems to be a square plate that you screw in to the antenna port? or does it come with a weird little square antenna that you aren't using? I've never used goggles so I'm not totally sure how they work but want to mention here again there is a possibility of a polarity / gender issue between the port/antenna.

Honestly I think your issue is a combination of the above: using cheap, possibly wrong polarity antennas AND only using 100mW transmit power on channel 5. When I first got a Phantom 2 I also went for the TS351 transmitter and equivalent antennas and on channel 4 I was getting about 20-30m before total signal loss. When I switched to the TS352 on channel 1 and premium antennas I'm out to almost 1000meters even in high interference city environment when I use my helix receiver antenna

 

[sergekouper]

You should have a better range, even with these antennas. I have a TS351 and I have at least 500m to 1km. I have tried some DJI Cloverleaf and a FPVLR kit. Got a little improvment, mainly when flying back.

 

[wildpalms]

Thanks for the replies.

The first time I tried it it was actually on Channel 4. I retried on Ch 5 as most information read suggested you should be as close to 5.800 as possible.

Quadcopters sell those antennas in both SMA and SMA-RP. I obviously linked to the wrong one as the ones I have fit OK. They may not be brilliant but I would still expect them to be as good as a standard cheap dipole.

The TBS receiver comes with an IBCrazy designed patch antenna. I decide to try with the quadcopters antenna. Will be less range but should still work.

Dave

 

[SteveMann]

Thanks for the replies.

The first time I tried it it was actually on Channel 4. I retried on Ch 5 as most information read suggested you should be as close to 5.800 as possible.

Quadcopters sell those antennas in both SMA and SMA-RP. I obviously linked to the wrong one as the ones I have fit OK. They may not be brilliant but I would still expect them to be as good as a standard cheap dipole.

The TBS receiver comes with an IBCrazy designed patch antenna. I decide to try with the quadcopters antenna. Will be less range but should still work.

Dave

Check your connectors. If you connect an SMA Female to an RP-SMA Male, it will mate nicely, but the center-conductor won't make contact. And you would get about 30-ft range max.

 

[wildpalms]

I linked to the wrong antennas (you can buy both).

The mating of the connectors is correct. The vTX/vRX is rp-sma female, the antenna rp-sma male as per the drawing just posted.