Right choice for FC40 Camera to extend the FPV range??

[laskypilot]

I want to buy the following items to extend FPV range. Is it right ?

Boscam TS321+RC802 2.4G 500mW 4km Wireless AV Transmitter Receiver For FPV RC

Receiving frequency:2370-2510MHz;8CH
Receiving sensitivity:-90dBm
Frequency control:built-in frequency and phase lock loop
Double lines AV output:analog AV signal output
Antenna connector:SMA(Inside the needle)
Power supply voltage: 5-12V
Supply current: 150mA
Dimension:75*54*15mm
Gross weight:130g

I found it hte following link ;
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bosc...ansmitter-Receiver-For-FPV-RC/1539134715.html

 

[J.James]

That wont work if you are using the camera that comes with the fC40 being there is no physical way to plug the camera in to any transmitter. or any way to plug the receiver in to what ever smart phone you are using to run the camera app on to view the cameras video feed on.

Only way to extend the range of the stock FC40 camera is by one of 2 ways or even both. One is to use a smart phone or devise that can run the camrea ap that has better wifi reception. When I use my smart phone the FPV range is about 100meters before the phone loses the wifi connection with the camera. But when using my girlfriends kindle fire I get over 300meters range which is about 3 times the rated range that the fc40s wifi is supposed to get.


The other way others are doing it is to use a wifi repeater/booster. Which will pick up the wifi farther them most smart phones can and then it amplifies the signal and sends it back out were it can be picked up by the smart phone or what every devise you are using. To most people are only reporting getting about 300-400 meters range with that set up. Tho if you were to put the repeater far out in the field or ware ever you are flying you can in theory almost get 2x that distance.

Im waiting right now for my camera to charge and am going to test out a repeater today that I just got and set up and put bigger antennas on it. Tho I'm not to confident its going to help much on the kindle being the kindle already is getting close to the range the repeater can go any way. Tho it may help with the phone that has pitiful wifi range. Being 100m is way way shorter then the flight range of the fc40. I've been able to get about 700 meters flight range with the stock set up of the fc40s transmitter. and yesterday when testing out some new antennas for the controller I was able to get 975 meters out. it was awesome to fly accost town over the river and in to a whole other city and county. But sucked having to fly blind with no fpv that far away. then having to watch the video after to see how far she went.

 

[J.James]

Well just got back in fro testing the wifi repeater with the kindle and the results were very under whelming. using the kindle for my monitor and hooked up to the repeater in the camera app I would lose feed at about 300meters out. and the repeater just could not still get a signal from the camera unless I aimed the antennas just right and even still it would only go a few more meters and lose the signal. Yet I could still connect directly to the fc40s camera from the kindle to about 320m to 350m or so depending on how high up i was. So basically the repeated had less range then the kindle did on its own. So it was pretty much $80 down the tube to cut my range. it will help if i try to use the smart phone but thats got a crappy tiny screen and so I don't like using it much anyway.

So Im going to so some more testing and try a different set of antennas and see if that helps at all with the repeater other wise its just a $80 brick to me or can use it in my metal shop behind my house that has a week wifi signal for my shop computer tho I hardly ever go to the web on that computer much at all other then when I need to down load any software or cut files for my CNC machines.

 

[dragonash]

I want to buy the following items to extend FPV range. Is it right ?

Boscam TS321+RC802 2.4G 500mW 4km Wireless AV Transmitter Receiver For FPV RC

Receiving frequency:2370-2510MHz;8CH
Receiving sensitivity:-90dBm
Frequency control:built-in frequency and phase lock loop
Double lines AV output:analog AV signal output
Antenna connector:SMA(Inside the needle)
Power supply voltage: 5-12V
Supply current: 150mA
Dimension:75*54*15mm
Gross weight:130g

I found it hte following link ;
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bosc...ansmitter-Receiver-For-FPV-RC/1539134715.html

I have he FC40 as well, but I would like to use my gopro3+ as the main FPV unit from now on if possible.
Would the above referenced be what I want?

Do I need anything else?

 

[BladHaund]

I have he FC40 as well, but I would like to use my gopro3+ as the main FPV unit from now on if possible.
Would the above referenced be what I want?
Do I need anything else?

That's what you need, but you'll also need some other parts:
- a video out cable for GoPro
- a monitor
- a way of securing the monitor to the remote or some other way of making the monitor mobile
- cables or adapters to connect the monitor to the receiver; the receiver comes with a 3.5mm to RCA cable included
- a means of supplying power to the receiver (and the monitor if it doesn't include a battery), such as a 3S or 2S lipo battery
- cables and/or adapters to connect the power supply (battery) to the receiver (and the monitor, if needed); the receiver has a 3.5 mm power input and comes with a 3.5 mm - JST cable included.

Also, you'll need to find a reasonable way of fitting the transmitter to the Phantom. It has a pretty bulky antenna and you may need to bore a hole in the Phantom shell, if you want to mount the transmitter securely, inside the shell. Or you can attach it to the outside of the Phantom shell, but the surface of the transmitter is very uneven and you'll have a hard time mounting it with double sided tape. Be aware the transmitter has a heatsink which I imagine should remain exposed to air, to provide adequate cooling. Last, but not least, you'll need to supply power to the transmitter. From the phantom aux power should be ok, provided you split the cable to also supply power to you gimbal, if that's the case.

Be aware that ground-side the bulk of your installation shall increase rather dramatically from the simple smartphone/tablet you now use: cables, monitor, battery, receiver and all supposed to hang or cling to the remote.

I myself am in the phase of finding a "reasonable" way of fitting the transmitter to the Phantom.

 

[horne47789]

dragonash - I have been thinking along the same lines. I get up to 400m from my wifi FPV but it looses the connection if I go behind a tree or anything and is a pain to get back again.

Am considering the Walkera gimbal and the boscam ts321 tx but wondered how you were getting on. Also concerned about battery life when I begin to add this weight. The gimbal is 120g I think but the tx is only 55g with antenna (not the 130 you quote).

Cheers - Damian.

 

[Ohary]

How do you get the fc40 app on the kindle fire?

 

[dragonash]

dragonash - I have been thinking along the same lines. I get up to 400m from my wifi FPV but it looses the connection if I go behind a tree or anything and is a pain to get back again.

Am considering the Walkera gimbal and the boscam ts321 tx but wondered how you were getting on. Also concerned about battery life when I begin to add this weight. The gimbal is 120g I think but the tx is only 55g with antenna (not the 130 you quote).

Cheers - Damian.

The walkera needs to be moved to the center-ish of the quad. Place in the front will prevent you from fully opening the battery door.
It actually feels a bit more balanced during liftoff due to that. I havent gotten the legs of the quad in a shot yet either.

One thing about it is that it is low to the ground and WILL hit it. You can either buy longer legs, or do what I did.
Use zip ties to extend the legs just a bit! (see pic)

One thing I have realized about the gimbal. DO NOT GET the factory pitch controller. It just wont work well. You need a lever that can move almost a full 90 degrees (this is the one i see lotsof people using now. You dont even need to open up the controller http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/-eb8YYYpRII/maxresdefault.jpg)

Also, I think i've abandoned the AR drone FPV option due to the fact that the maddog batteries are too thick and I cant use the 3s plug to power the board. I am using the fc40 camera velcro'ed to the battery door instead and also am not going to use the tilt control. The wire you see in the picture is the servo cable squeezed between the slight opening of the latch for the battery door (no notching out the side!)

 

[dragonash]

How do you get the fc40 app on the kindle fire?

try to side-load it

http://www.howtogeek.com/178357/how-to- ... ndle-fire/

 

[J.James]

How do you get the fc40 app on the kindle fire?

Some one here hipped me to a free ap called "1mobile" and the 1mobile app market. I had to get the ap from amazons ap store. Then after installing the 1mobile ap. I was able to use it to then go to there market and download and install the FC40 software and also the timer ap. or other android aps.

aside from even using the kindle for my fpv its also great that I can actually down load real aps for it now. and unleashed from the limited amazon aps.

But the fpv with the wifi has pretty good reception and I get even more distance with just the kindle then I can with my hawking wifi repeater and its stock antennas. Tho I was able to get a tiny bit more last night using the repeater+an additional signal booster and a panel antenna. But that only gave me another 100yards and has to be aimed right. and is a real pain in the butt and to much crap to lug around and set up to fly. For such a tiny gain. I really could of saved a lot if I had known about the ar drone mod a few days sooner. But I got anther trick up my sleeve to try being I already have the extra crap any way. and I got the ok my my old lady to mod her kindle and Im going to try putting an external antenna mount on it and try the signal booster and antenna hooked directly to the kindle. Then it should be super-duper wifi kindle. and the other trick I may do being the camrea its self has a very lousy and poorly designed weak antenna is to put a mini pci plug on the board were the existing antennas contacts are and run an external antenna extension from it and try a better antenna. Thinking of using the existing antenna that will come out of the kindle for the first try being that weighs less then even the mini pci to SMA extension cable would that would be needed to use a screw in antenna.

 

[Ohary]

How do you get the fc40 app on the kindle fire?

try to side-load it

http://www.howtogeek.com/178357/how-to- ... ndle-fire/

I can try that, but is there a link to download the .apk?

 

[dragonash]

google is your friend

http://www.1mobile.com/dji-fc40-1092568.html

 

[darwin-t]

I got the ok my my old lady to mod her kindle and Im going to try putting an external antenna mount on it and try the signal booster and antenna hooked directly to the kindle. Then it should be super-duper wifi kindle. and the other trick I may do being the camrea its self has a very lousy and poorly designed weak antenna is to put a mini pci plug on the board were the existing antennas contacts are and run an external antenna extension from it and try a better antenna. Thinking of using the existing antenna that will come out of the kindle for the first try being that weighs less then even the mini pci to SMA extension cable would that would be needed to use a screw in antenna.

I THINK the black wire is the antenna in a Kindle Fire. It might be worthwhile just to run it out of the case and let it hang.

 

[horne47789]

So Dragonash - with the walkera, a GoPro and the FC40 camera all on board - the big question is ......

How long does she stay up for ?

 

[dragonash]

So Dragonash - with the walkera, a GoPro and the FC40 camera all on board - the big question is ......

How long does she stay up for ?

I haven't given it a full test yeah. Especially since I got the new maddog batteries.
But I generally fly for 5 - 8 minutes since I tend to play it safe. Also, I will be getting the phantom 2 props.

So I can assume at the very least, I will be flying the same amount of time

 

[horne47789]

5-8 minutes. Excellent.

One issue I have with the FC40 camera is that the susceptibility to variations in light mean that it often is difficult to actually see where I am going. Perhaps the sky is bright but the ground ends up looking pure black - worried about flying into a tree or something That's another reason why I am keen on a proper FPV system.

 

[Ohary]

I did try google, but I didn't see that link.

Anyhow, I downloaded the app via your method on the wife's kindle and even though the battery was at a mere 18%, it did increase my FPV to about 1000' which is about 400 or so feet better than my Android phone! Still not quite where I'd like it but it's an improvement (and did I mention a FREE upgrade?)

I'm wondering if anyone ever mounted a cell phone? Seems like nearly unlimited range, well, obviously you can't go more than a couple miles before the battery dies, but with the right video app could be cool to test.

google is your friend

http://www.1mobile.com/dji-fc40-1092568.html

 

[dragonash]

I did try google, but I didn't see that link.

Anyhow, I downloaded the app via your method on the wife's kindle and even though the battery was at a mere 18%, it did increase my FPV to about 1000' which is about 400 or so feet better than my Android phone! Still not quite where I'd like it but it's an improvement (and did I mention a FREE upgrade?)

I'm wondering if anyone ever mounted a cell phone? Seems like nearly unlimited range, well, obviously you can't go more than a couple miles before the battery dies, but with the right video app could be cool to test.

google is your friend

http://www.1mobile.com/dji-fc40-1092568.html

Nice range with no extender.
I find that my extender works wonders, especially with upgraded antennas. But for 1000ft and not having to carry extras around, I say thats awesome.

 

[J.James]

I

THINK the black wire is the antenna in a Kindle Fire. It might be worthwhile just to run it out of the case and let it hang.

yes that is indeed the wifi antenna wire on the kindle and were its located. Hanging the antenna out side the kindle might give it some more range. Due to the how well most of the kindle is shielded But them wires are delicate and you cant ever let a coaxial cable get kinked or it will seriously effect its signal. its like kinking a hose. and also need to be careful not to damage the patch antenna which is just a tiny circuit board and some copper foil. If letting it hang the best option would be to to make a tiny antenna reflector to put behind it to make it more directional and would give it more some gain then cover the front with some thing that is transparent to radio waves to protect the antenna. like even if its just some card stock or some plastic from a yogurt container and maybe a tiy bit of Velcro to stick it on the the kindle or transmitter if the kindle is mounted on the transmitter. aout a 2 inch long section of red bull can cut in have down the center would be about the right size and curve to make a reflector for the kindles antenna. With the antenna centered in the focal point tho you might have to play around with it to find the right focal point.

 

[dragonash]

5-8 minutes. Excellent.

One issue I have with the FC40 camera is that the susceptibility to variations in light mean that it often is difficult to actually see where I am going. Perhaps the sky is bright but the ground ends up looking pure black - worried about flying into a tree or something That's another reason why I am keen on a proper FPV system.

so i just did some practicing with framing shots and also testing the flight time.
I got 7:30 min using the maddog batteries before I saw the light blinking red.

Pretty nice.

Makes me want to buy more batteries though lol