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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 2/22/2007 4:07 PM   
steve_molmer



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Glad to hear that that the first flight went well.
On the ones that I have built to this point I have never had to add or change the trust angel. But I guest it couldn’t hurt.
What kind of video setup are you planning to use on it?


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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 2/28/2007 8:02 PM   
R/C Skydiver



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Status: offline 		Steve. I looked at Hyperlink but I have no tech data on my wreless video system so I am at a loss to figure out which antenna I need. I was looking at the 5dBI Omnidirectional Wirelass LAN Antenna w/ magnetic base. Will that work? HELP!----again. Jim

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/7/2007 11:17 PM   
steve_molmer



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Status: offline 		Jim:
Sorry about the delay on this, I was out in MN. doing some work.
The general rule of thumb here is you need to use and antenna on your receiver that is as high up in the air as you can get it. A good antenna that I have used with fairly good results is the 8db patch from hyperlink. Here is the link http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/hg2409p.php

If you find that you are still getting drop outs in your video signal you can add a ground plane reflector to the antenna to help with the issue. Let me know and I can post the instructions on how to build it. (it can be seen on one of the first pages of this post.)

Remember for this to work the antenna on the plane needs to be mounted under the plane and away from the main gear (at least 8” away to avoid multi-path interference) and pointing down.
The antenna that came with your transmitter will work, but you will want to change it to a better one down the road.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Steve


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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/7/2007 11:30 PM   
steve_molmer



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Status: offline 		The quality of the video that I have posted on this forum has been limited to very low res.
As I have finally found a decent compression program that dose a good job at letting the compressed images still retain there integrity.
I am now going to start posting a new video every week starting on the 24th.
Now that we have the go-ahead I will post a few mission flights so I can show you what these setups can really do.
All for now
Cheers.


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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/8/2007 1:46 AM   
dzbum



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Status: offline 		Steve,
this has been a great thread. I have enjoyed reading every post, I am sure it had done wonders for the Lift Meister sales as I know it is an aircraft I am now considering. Can I request that you start a thread documenting tuning of video equipment? Even if it is specific to the just lawn mate equipment you use. There is lots of good advise posted in other threads but little in the way detailed examples.

Thanks again for all the great info you share.



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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/8/2007 4:33 AM   
Flyfast1


 

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I am using a Sony HC96 Handycam camera. It is a fullsize camera, but I already have it and it takes great video in 16:9 native aspect ratio. One of my goals is to record flight video of my 1/4 scale warbirds from the air while they are flying, so I think this camera will work well. But, I've got to first get the camera mounted so that it takes good video while handling the vibration from the gas engine. I've got a neighbor who is a very experienced r/c pilot and has volunteered to fly the Lift Meister once I have it all ready to record video of my warbirds while they are flying.

-Ed

quote:

ORIGINAL: steve_molmer

ED:
Glad to hear that that the first flight went well.
On the ones that I have built to this point I have never had to add or change the trust angel. But I guest it couldn’t hurt.
What kind of video setup are you planning to use on it?




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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/9/2007 2:41 PM   
R/C Skydiver



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Status: offline 		Steve,
Thanks a bunch for your help. You are certainly generous with your time and a lot of us are very grateful.
My camera will be mounted on a Parramax "Mike" rc skydiver and dropped from 700 to 1000'.
The receiver & antenna will be no more than 500' horizontally from the jumper w/camera (only to allow for strong winds) so is antenna height above ground as critical in this application? if so it will be easy to put it higher.
I bought the camera from Nathan at the Ornithopter Zone web site and have tried to use it on the jumper as is. Nathan says he was surprised that I got any video at all from 700'. The camera started transmitting much better when the jumper was less than 300' from the ground. Thus the reason for a receiver antenna to extend the range. Am I on the right track?
The video is recorded on my Sony Digital Video Camera which is very handy.
Any and all help is much appreciated by this beginner!
Jim


< Message edited by R/C Skydiver -- 3/9/2007 3:24 PM >

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/9/2007 9:32 PM   
steve_molmer



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Status: offline 		Dzbum:
I don’t mind helping out with how to make equipment work and for that mater how to tune it for max range and video signal. As I have said before the main reason that I have chosen law mate equipment is that it seams to have the best stability out of all the different manufactures that I have used.

Now as far as a lack of detail goes in most of the forums out their, let me say that most of the people that have spent countless hours figuring out how to make some of this equipment work on a plane or a hellie and place this information on the forum so it can used by others which is what this forum is all about ie. To further the hobby. If you use it give credit where credit is due. It is amazing that as soon as some one post what is the best camera or how the make a duel camera control switch ect. That one of these resellers of video transmitter systems will all the sudden be selling it on their site. This can really get they person who designed or figured out this bit of ingenuity very P>O>D.

Let me know what you are trying to find and maybe I can help.
If it will be helpful to post on how to setup a system from start to finish.
I will start one and see if it stands up to time.


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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/9/2007 9:37 PM   
steve_molmer



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What are the dimensions of the camera.
I have a program that calculates the best mounting location and supports to fix the vibration issue.


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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/9/2007 10:40 PM   
wjglynn



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I have a couple of questions if would be kind enough to address. You have mentioned creating a ground plane for the patch antenna. I am presuming that bolting the patch antenna to the center of a flat metal surface will create what you are referring to? Should that ground plane also then be earth grounded via a stake? I could not see it well in your earlier pictures. Is there an optimum size for a ground plane at this frequency? I realize that a larger one would make it the harder to handle. So I guess I am asking should it be like 10" square, 20", 30", or what? What has worked well for you?

My other question is with regard to the video signal switch. Can it be just a simple mechanical switch or does it have to be digital or something? I want to be able to switch from a fixed camera to the PTZ in flight.

I am starting the installation of a BlackWidowAV system in a GB Stik and would like to minimize false starts.

Thanks,

Bill

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/10/2007 7:38 AM   
steve_molmer



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Status: offline 		Jim:
We are both looking at the same idea here.
So far I have My Charles setup with that rc receiver and battery in the chest cavity.
I moved the transmitter and the antenna to his leg with the antenna oriented so that it runs strait down his leg so when he is dropped, the antenna will always be pointing down.
I used a small tube camera mounted to the top of his helmet.

The receiver antenna needs to be at least 10ft off the ground.
The easiest way to do this is by attaching the receiver and the antenna to a mount.
The mount can be made from a camera tripod and a section of aluminum tube.

I will post the build picks of my mount and stand with step by step directions next week.


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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/18/2007 1:56 AM   
DiveBombDave


 

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< Message edited by DiveBombDave -- 4/3/2007 10:09 AM >

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/20/2007 5:02 AM   
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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/21/2007 6:08 AM   
R/C Skydiver



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Go to "Re: Cedar Hobbies 100 Lift Meister" post in airplanes, ARF. I posted my experience in building my Lift Meister. Maybe that will help. Jim

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/23/2007 2:33 AM   
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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/23/2007 3:15 AM   
R/C Skydiver



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Status: offline 		Good luck!!! Need any more info, just yell.
Jim

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/23/2007 5:59 PM   
steve_molmer



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Status: offline 		Bill:
Sorry about the long delay in getting back to you on this.
You asked about a ground plane for the patch antenna.
I found that by adding a 1/16th to 1/8th metal plate to the back of the antenna did a great deal to help with the signal quality.
The general rule in making one is to cut out a square of metal that is determined by the wave length of the frequency that you are trying to receive.
Based on the antenna being tuned to about 2.450 GHz and the wave length being 1/((2(3.14)FxC).
From the center of the square measure out exactly 2 wave lengths left side right side and up and down from the center point to the sides. The patch antenna should be mounted in the middle of the square that you have made. It should be held in place by 4, 1/2" long nylon standoffs attached with nylon nuts and bolts. (do not use metal hardware here)
You can do some additional tuning by cutting the corners at 45 degs, were each cut is exactly 1 ½ wave length in measure at 45 deg.
You can mount additional equipment to the back of the ground plane as long as the hardware is not go under the patch, other than dead center and is less than the ½” in height of the patch off the ground plane.

Please see the example below.



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< Message edited by steve_molmer -- 4/3/2007 12:05 AM >

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/23/2007 6:34 PM   
steve_molmer



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Status: offline 		Dave;
I have been out on site for work for the past few weeks.
Your list looks complete the only thing I don’t see that you will need is a heavy duty vibration dampening engine mount. I have used the great planes version before and it works well for that size engine.

When you get the plane you may desire to change out the metric hardware with standard if so you can use 6/32 Allen caps for the main gear and ¼ 20’s for the main wing along with the blind nuts for each.

Also please look back in this post were it goes over spreading out the main gear. This is very important when you are using a gas engine to provide better stability.

When you start flying the plane remember to be ready to compensate for the tendency to tilt slightly to the right upon take off. (do to engine tork, this is normal using a big gasser) Just like any tail dragger you need to keep up elevator just until the tail raises up off the ground then let the control go back to level when the plane gets up to speed pull back on the elevator slightly and you will be in the air.

Again, sorry about the delay in getting back to you. If I can be of any more help let me know.

Steve

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/23/2007 7:12 PM   
wjglynn



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Status: offline 		Thanks for the info Steve. I have acquired but not yet read the handbook before taking the test for getting my technician ham ticket. My father was a ham so these concepts are not foreign to me but I have not tuned an antenna since the CB days of the seventies. Thanks for the specs. The recieving end isn't as picky as the sending end anyway. My PTZ mount is finished except for some aluminum dieting with the drill and some tuning of the linkages. We have migrated to a Spektrum system for the airplane controls and moved the JR 7202/R790 to controlling the mount. In concurrent testing with all three systems running I have not seen any interference problems. The 2.4gig video xmitter is about 24in. away from the Spektrum reciever. I still have to test all with the G38 running. Your post is timely as I am about ready to start putting the ground base together.

I see you are close to South Carolina. My wife and I plan to attend Joe Nall this year. We just sent the paperwork in. Do you frequent that fly-in? I don't plan to haul a plane that far (1000 miles) but my Nikon D70 and big lens will be busy all week.

Thanks again - Bill

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/23/2007 11:53 PM   
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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/27/2007 12:57 AM   
steve_molmer



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Status: offline 		Dave:
They should work fine.
I have used a few of these before on a US Quadra 100. It took 2 different sets of these mounted in a double square formation to cut the vibration down. Money well spent.
But remember to rap all your electronics in foam as well as the gas tank i.e. foaming fuel can kill your engine at a bad time.

I just got the replacement parasail for my old Charles sky diver.
Later this summer I plan on taking him up for a long halo drop, camera gear transmitter the whole kit along for the ride. I am going to use a lift master to drop him and another lift master to fallow him via camera all the way down. Could be Charles’s last ride if the shoot fails, but it will all be on tape so to speak.

steve


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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/27/2007 1:09 AM   
steve_molmer



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Status: offline 		Bill:
No problem I am happy to help.
If you have any problems making the ground plane just let me.

Unfortunately I am not going to be able to go to Joe Nall this year. I have a project I will be working on that will take me out of town during that week.

Our field (CCRC) will be hosting the Lockheed Marten heavy lift program in April of 08.
If you want to see some unbelievable RC planes lift 45 to 50 lbs using a 60 size glow engine as power it is worth a look, if you get a chance let me know and I will save you a parking spot.
Cheers

Steve


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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/27/2007 1:33 AM   
R/C Skydiver



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Status: offline 		Steve.
Does your Charly jumper have the white plastic box to hold the packed chute or has it been modified? I have a cloth chute pack on all my Robbie Charly's Skydivers and use a small servo (in his waist) to open the chute. I get nearly 100% opening after free falling unless I forget to turn the power switch on or have a control line wrap around the jumper.
Let me know if you need a modified chute pack. Have added photos of how the opening servo mounts in the jumper and of the packed chute.

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 3/30/2007 7:57 PM   
wjglynn



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Status: offline 		Steve,

I am on track with you in building this ground plane but I am confused on one point. In your example above are you calculating a ground plane for a 2.4GHz system by using 4.5Ghz as your wavelength? I was expecting to use 2.4 as "F"? What am I missing?

Thanks,

Bill

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 4/2/2007 6:26 AM   
steve_molmer



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Status: offline 		R/C Skydiver:
It looks like a good setup.
As I have a 1 watt video transmitter and a battery mounted in-between the pair-a-shoot pack. I post a few picts as soon as I get home.
I was going to have the pull servo on a timer but your setup looks like a better idea.
Thanks for the info.
bests regards

Steve


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