shades

My Feedback: (4)

i was curious why these little cameras are ilegal? and i want one for my heli and for my kadet senior which one camera thing should i get? and i'am on a budget

Fubar-One

My Feedback: (1)

The ones sold on Ebay that come from Hong Kong (I later found out) supposedly operate on 1.2ghz. Most do not and actually operate on 1.19ghz which is used for aircraft navigation. Granted they are operating on very low power but are still transmitting on illegal frequencies.
Some do transmit on a part of the 1.2ghz band that is covered by Ham radio but you would still need a Ham license to use them legally.
BlackwidowAV and others sell systems that transmit on 2.4ghz which is legal but, once again, you need a Ham license. A technician's class Ham license is very easy to optain tho! You can find out how to optain one [link=http://www.remote.arrl.org/]here[/link]. Another advantage of being a Ham as far as RC goes, is being able to operate on 50mhz. I have yet to run into anyone else using my freq at the field! I can fly all day.

Ben Diss

My Feedback: (23)

Dan- I've heard this explanation before. I'll take it on faith that 1.19g is not legal, but I'm pretty surprised about that freq being used for aviation navigation. I'm a pilot and I've never heard of anything that high being used. Any idea what nav system is using that freq?

-Ben

Rj-TailSpin

Another reason most small wireless camera modules are illegal is because they have the capability of carrying audio used in covert actions. Such activities are highly illegal. Merely owning such a module is illegal. The board cameras you buy from Super Circuits etc... have audio circuitry on them. Therefore, they sell them without documentations to remain legal. Again, fireworks are legal to sell, but not to use... go figure! I have tried to obtain the documentation on the PC board camera I own which I purchased from Super Circuits. They won't supply anything other than the bare board. Consumer beware! It really sucks to be able to purchase things that are not legally to use! Having said that, I have no desire to record audio from my planes, but I would like to adjust the electronic iris on the board camera. I understand it is programmable, but I have no clue how to do it. It sure would be nice to adjust the amount of light on those bright days.

Rob

mr.rc-cam

It is one of the reserved spectrums for DME. I understand it was once a military DME band (old TACAN system). The basic info is found on the USA RF spectrum data tables.

Here is a table on the RF spectrum: http://users.skynet.be/on1dht/ibandguide.htm
Here is a link to a commercial aircraft simulator site that helps train on navigation (see the 960-1200 Mhz entry).

I am not a commercial pilot, so I have no idea how popular the 960-1215Mhz DME freq's are. Even if it is a rare spectrum for navigation, it is still not open for use by the general public. If we want it, we need to petition the FCC for it.

stang

My Feedback: (1)

TACAN and DME are still used. I think you are going to have a tough time getting the military to give them up so you can fly your models.

IA-Flyer

Do you have a link to that law Rob, I'd like to read it.
I doubt it applies to all audio / video transmitters, after all they sell them at places like Wal-Mart and radio shack.
A chemistry set can be a drug lab or a chemistry set, I’m pretty sure “intent” has to be proven.

Ben Diss

My Feedback: (23)

Eavesdropping only applies when both parties are unaware of the listening device. If one party to the conversation is aware, it's not illegal in most states. The recorded conversation's admissibility in court is questionable. For our use, there is nothing illegal about transmitting and recording the sounds that our airplanes make. However, you cannot fly over persons having a conversation and listen or record them.

-Ben

Ben Diss

My Feedback: (23)

Mr. RC-CAM- I hadn't considered DME. Thanks.

DME or Distance Measuring Equipment uses an airborne interrogation of a fixed ground station who's time to reply determines one's distance from the station. DME ground stations are co-located with VORs and are still in use in the US. In advanced DME/DME systems, triangulations can be made and exact postions determined. Here's a good link that describes how it works.

http://www.avweb.com/news/avionics/183230-1.html

-Ben

W4UAV

Very well put Dan, now just remember this particular post so that when the next person stumbles
across this forum and doesnt bother to do any looking around or research, you can copy and paste
this one.