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03-15-2007, 10:26 PM

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markm75

Join Date: Mar 2007

Location: Pittsburgh, PA

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RE: Good cam for Zagi? (any of these?)

Quote:

ORIGINAL: lupy

While I agree that the cvs camcorders have their place, no dropouts, no range issues. It's really a different direction than FPV. Something about flying through the camera, even if it's on a camcorder screen. It's pretty thrilling.

Again, don't bother with cmos, you will still need to buy a real camera. The kx 131 is a great camera, a lot of people who have been flying for a long time use it. 380 lines is not the best around, but the dynamic range, color, backlighting are hard to beat.

900 vs 2.4ghz, it's a though one. There are a lot of discusions on it on various forums. On paper, 900mhz should be better, but the technology is a little older, so the ranges seem about the same. One other thing I have heard is that while there are not as many dropouts with 900mhz, they tend to last longer because of the longer wavelength. Also, it's a good idea to use a circularly polerized RX antenna with whatever frequency you chose. There are models for 2.4 and 900mhz, though the 2.4 are much more common. A circular antenna is usefull because if your tx and rx antennas are turned 90deg to each other, a normal antenna will result in a big reception loss. The circ antenna isn't quite as sensitive as a lineraly polerized one, but there will be fewer dropouts, esp with a tippy plane like a zagi.

Sticking with range video for no particular reason, I would probably go with

http://www.rangevideo.com/500mw.html

http://www.rangevideo.com/rx.html

http://www.rangevideo.com/131_cased.html

http://www.rangevideo.com/patch3.html

The TV and camera are both 5v, the 900mhz 100mw tx is 12v, adding to the complexity. The 500mw tx comes with a v reg which will power your camera too. You will need a two cell 600-800mah lipoly battery for the tx.

You will need a 3 cell pack for the RX, around 1200mah is good.

A note on batteries for AV, don't bother to get 10 or 20c cells, 8c is plenty, they are a lot cheaper, and you won't feel as bad destroying one when you leave everything plugged in over night.

http://www.commonsenserc.com/index.php?cPath=37_35

You also might want to look at a microphone. It seems silly untill you have tried it, but a mic really helps place you in the plane. Also your videos will be much more watchable, at least untill you add in some music.

http://www.supercircuits.com/index.a...OD&ProdID=4123

is used by a lot of people here.

There will probably be some soldering involved if you want to lose the heavy rca jacks. You want a temp controlled soldering iron. Take your time, and be sure you don't smoke something. Most of this stuff is not reverse polarity protected, and 2cells without a voltage regulator will fry a 5v camera or a 5v tx. You can use three prong servo jacks for most of what you are doing, + - and signal. Signal ground is the same as power ground. Make up a harness with the voltage reg from the tx, so that the camera, tx, and mic, all plug into one side separatly, and the battery plugs into the other. That way, you can swap out parts without having to un-solder everything, and it's easier to see that nothing is going to get 7.5volts.

There are some complete kits out there where the seller has done all the soldering for you, but you pay more for it, and your choices are more limited.

http://www.futurehobbies.com/items_d...?id=1&item=119

Is pretty much everything I have listed except the rx antenna, already soldered together.

Best of luck!, be sure to keep the cg a little forward on the zagi, as it's easy to tip stall one of those with a bunch of extra weight.
Ken

PS, anything that will work will require a ham license over about 10mw, a lot of people don't have them, but if you are anywhere there are people, it's a good idea.

Thanks for the great tips.. I am decent with a sodering iron, but I think that I'd probably opt for that complete kit, as I think the total price is comparible, except that I still need the Lipo battery for the RX (I'm guessing, then, the total would come to the neighborhood of $350 with Rx battery).

I may look around and see if I can find a kit with the slightly better camera though (http://www.rangevideo.com/151_cased.html ) (if its worth it).

I'm still concerned that this 500mw setup maybe too heavy for my Zagi, as the Zagi setup i have now uses the Nicad 1700mah packs (already heavy), unless I convert to Lipo batteries, but that would cost an easy $200, hence my thinking was just buying another slow flyer and throw the camera setup on it (or go with the 100mW transmitter instead, with stock antenna?) Does the 500mw give me alot more than the 1000 feet I was expecting with the 100mw? IE: Would I really need more than 1000 feet as of right now, since I probably couldnt really do Remote Piloting without a stronger transmitter than say my older Futaba 6xa?

EDIT: I guess without the sound .. the total weight with the 800mah lipo tx battery is only about 3.2 oz to add to my existing setup.. I suppose this isnt that heavy after all?

Do these Lipos take a while to charge.. I'm assuming I'll need a Lipo branded charger like this one? http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXHNW5&P=0
I'm assuming that if I do convert to Lipo for my flight receiver battery setup, that a charger like this should charge them (eg. 3200mah 3s2p) in about 1 hour, giving 20 minutes of flight time?

Finally, how involved is it to get a ham license? I thought the general rule on that was distance related, not so much the mW rating? IE: say under 4000 feet, no license needed? Perhaps not though..

Thanks again

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