ALSO - was going to order this:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/RCA-Video-signal … tsupported
Look OK? Am I right in saying it needs a 12V power supply?? I have a couple of 12V batteries I could use for this. Actually, how would I be powering my ground system? Lipos? Or can I take a 12V (car) battery?
The only thing locking you into the ntsc system is the camera, but I get what you mean. I have about 5 of those easycap things you linked to. You can record both ntsc and pal with them, I use virtualdub to record which is pertty good. I bought an Asus eeePC specifically for recording FPV flying, but its withed into my travel laptop. Tiny little thing with the 10" screen works great.
You can get higher DB (gain) whips off ebay, I use them sometimes. The thing with gain is that the higher the gain is, the more focused the signal is, so a high gain patch has a focused beam. I have seen small whips do up to 4km range. The thing with the patch is you basically have to fly in a straight line out, then a straight line back. Put it this way, your spektrum radio will loose signal before your whip antennas do.
I am an electronics guy yes 
What your talking about is a tracking antenna, there are a few people at the final stages of these things already, I belive eagle tree is about to release their own ground station/tracking antenna which you would use a patch with.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to how much gear you want to lug around, how far you want to fly and how much stuff you want to maintain. I like keeping it simple, single receiver, whip antenna.
Range videos sell microphones for about $10 I think. DX also sell something which would work: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.28770
A couple of people are using those amplifiers, I haven’t bothered with any yet but they are cheap enough to try out. Again, it comes down to how many things you want to run power to and have to hook up.
Most people use a 3S lipo to poweer their ground system. I have everything of mine built into an indestructible plastic (pelican) case with a 5000mAH 3S lipo from hobbycity, it was only $30.
Thanks Gussy…
I’ll get a Mic into my order then… Not being ON the camera is actually a good thing… You can try keep it out of the airflow, eh? And get more of the actual aircraft sounds… What would the ‘DealExtreme’ mic plug into? Or… what would the RangeVideo mic plug into to?
Are you just using whips? I’d prefer that - and save a few buck! I’d like to fly about a kilometer out, if possible… but not sure you can get clear unbroken picture with a whip. Can you maybe give some detail on your system, and the improved whips that might assist with better picture quality?
I’ll then wait until EagleTree gets their tracking system working. 
Your carry box - can you also give more details on that? A photo maybe? A solution like that would be amazing.
Sorry Gussy - the powering of all the googies on the aircraft - will this be using my flight battery? So, everything off that pack, or would it be better to have a separate pack for the video stuff?
If it’s all off the flight pack - do I need one of these?
http://www.rangevideo.com/index.php?mai … cts_id=161
And - which of these would be worth the cash then? http://www.rangevideo.com/index.php?mai … Path=37_38
Would any improve range? And, do you get one for Tx and one for Rx, or… is it just the Rx that needs work?
You can power it off the flight pack or off a separate pack.
If it’s off a separate pack you don’t really need a regulator.
If it’s all of the flight pack then you can use a regulator. The best regulator to get is this one as it is a switching one not a linear one like the RV one: http://www.dimensionengineering.com/AnyVoltMicro.htm
The regulator is like most things in FPV, you don’t need it, I don’t use one but I probably should as I see some noise on the video when I go full throttle.
Don’t buy any of RV’s LiPo packs, they just buy them from hobbcity and resell them for twice the price.
Ta, Gussy,
Where does that AnyVoltMicro thing fit? I’d prefer to use the flight battery to start with. Less weight, I guess… and one less thing to remember: Recharge the video pack! :oops:
So, where would that go? I see the 3 pins… Vin and Vout and ground… but, that’s about 12 scales above anything I know about.
Ground goes to your battery and TX ground, vin comes from the battery and vout goes to the tx which is 12 volts.
Ah - this looks like the deal!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCHgS-0T … re=related
Really hoping the Eagle Tree version isn’t QUITE as bulky, but… no reason it can’t be. This is quite an old video… But this would be a HUGE seller with the FPV people…
The final version will be quite bulky, it’s the nature of the beast. Like I said before though, you will loose your spektrum signal well before you go out of range of the small 900mhz whips.
A patch won’t give you better video quality, just longer distance.
Thanks Gussy. I have placed the order. I’ve ordered the patch antenna as well, purely in anticipation for the tracker release - one less thing to order when the time comes.
OK - so order placed, and I’ve added 2 x 460mah Rhino Lipos to my HobbyCity order. I’m going to attempt to run off a separate pack on the plane.
That might assist with video interference?
I’ll also get a few ferrit rings - I’d like to get the picture as clear as possible, with as little interferance as possible… So, any other precautions I can work on?
How do some guys display the Rx signal strength (of the radio - not the video)? It would be nice to see… ooo… my Dx7 is only giving the plane 35% signal - time to bail back!
Gussy!
An update on where I am:
Can’t, for the life of me, get hold of a Multiplex aircraft. So, at the moment, I understand I have a 4 to 6 week wait on the Easy Star. Hobby Rama have quote me $120, but I think that’s with engine… so I need a new quote and back order on the bare bones.
The order for the video gear is in, and the package has been sent.
Motor, ESC, servos and all that are on their way too…
**Aircraft **
Frame: Multiplex Easy Star
Reciever: AR7000
Servos: Hitec HS81 x 2
ESC: TURNIGY Plush 30amp Speed Controller
Motor: HXT 2835 (380S) 2200kv Brushless Inrunner
Battery: Kong Power 2200mah 20C 3S
Prop: TGS Sport 6x4E Precision propeller
Video Mount: EZPod
FPV Equipment
Camera: Panasonic GP-CX161 Color Mini Board Camera 2.9 Lens
Microphone: RVMIC Tiny Amplified Microphone
Receiver: 900MHz standard receiver
Onboard Video Power: Rhino 3S 460 Mah Lipo
Transmitter: 900MHz 500mW audio/video transmitter
Goggles: Rvision-D high resolution goggles
Antenna: 900MHz 1/2-wave center-fed dipole antenna &
0.9GHz 8dBi Patch receiver antenna
I got both antennas in anticipation for the EagleEyes.
**On Screen Display **
Data Logger: Eagle Tree eLogger V3
OSD Manager: Eagle Tree Video OSD Pro Expander
Altitude: Altitude MicroSensor (standalone or e-logger) V3
Air Speed: Airspeed Expander V3
I’ve opted to stay with EagleTree for my OSD, GPS and Data logging. I have left out the GPS for now, but think I might get that next month, as the RTB might come in handy (See question below).
All in all, I have overshot my expenditure by $200, but hey… I hope it’s worth it.
The only issue I am having now is what I have been reading about my DX7/AR7000. That is, it’s not the best while stock. I’ve head stories of between 500m and 3,000m distances with it.
I’ve been mapping my flying area, and seen that 1 Km, although suitable to start, is going to quickly be out-grown…
I’ve (very unscientifically) tried to draw a 1km radius around my intended ‘base station’ area.
Using this, and once I have GPS, I guess I can mark off ‘Waypoints’ to try and stay clear of doom and gloom. But… is there a legal/easy/safe way to increase this range? What radio system are you using? and is there a ‘best practice’ for Antenna placement onboad the plane?](http://www.postimage.org/)
In my opinion that isn’t a very good flying area at all. It looks pretty densely populated to me. The general consensus among FPV guys is that we avoid flying over populous areas and try to fly where crashing will be in a field not a house.
All I can say is take baby steps into this, otherwise your risking your investment.