phr0zen81

I just got my first RC plane, firebird freedom from hobbyzone,

What can anybody tell me about extending the transmitter's signal range (currently is 2500ft, (less than a watt?)).

And just out of curiosity...howmuch weight do you think the Freedom can lift, with a 480 motor?

[:-]

Tequesta

No need to bust the signal. Unless your a hawk, you will lose sight of that little plane after 1000 ft. The FCC limit the wattage RC's are alowed to use. Tampering with it might put you in violation. The real danger is interference with fellow pilots, if you crank up the wattage and your near a field you could cause a crash and not even know it. What you have is a good entry level plane that will let you get your feet wet in the hobby without breaking the bank. Use it, have fun, then upgrade to a real plane and radio.

Rodney

The power you are allowed to use in the USA is limited by law. Most transmitters approach this limit. Any modifications are stricktly limited and must be approved by an authorized repair facility including any changing of crystals to change the frequency. Range is primarily dependent on the receivers, there are some park flyers that do have a limited range due to receiver design but if you substitute a better receiver your range will easily be farther than you can see the model.

phr0zen81

I was thinking more of something called NoiseSink, does anybody ever used one?

sillyness

My Feedback: (25)

The firebird is probably limited by RX as mentioned. Most all the park flier RXs, including Hitec Feather, etc... are short range RXs.

I believe the legal limit for a TX is 3/4 Watt. With a good RX this gives about 4.5 mile ant extended range checks (as reported recently by a reputable RC Magazine in a RX test).

This is starting to sound strangely like you want to use this thing as a UAV to deliver a load (longer range, how much load can it carry, etc...). Illegal.

phr0zen81

No no no
I was thinking of goggle flying, my wireless camera weigh 100 grams.
Of course i would like a good range within the legal limits of course, i was thinking, like i said, of a device called NoiseSink.

Thank You

carrellh

All the NoiseSink does is help reduce electromagnetic noise. If you actually have a noise problem, and the NS works, you could possibly see better range than without it.

I looked at their web site. The problems that people reported NS helping were interference so bad that they couldn’t really fly their models at any range. Supposedly after installing NS they got normal range from their radio systems.

The Firebird is range limited because it has a “park flier� receiver. An add-on noise reduction gizmo is not going to change the fact that it has a limited receiver.

The plane has a 50 inch wing span and very little fuselage. Have a friend hold the plane. Drive 2500 feet away (that’s almost a half mile), and take a look at it. Imagine trying to determine if it is pointed toward you or away from you. Flying it via wireless camera may or may not be illegal (I have no idea).

Scar

My Feedback: (3)

I would guess that after you've actually flown this thing, the range question will become much less important than other questions that arise. The lifting capability will immediately become obvious.

Good luck,
Dave Olson

sillyness

My Feedback: (25)

To my knowledge, the military and contractors are the only ones permitted to do "goggle flying" (or BVR-Beyond Visual Range flying) without strictly supervised waivers.

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

As stated above, at 1/2 mile that plane will be unflyable.

Flying a plane using remote visual camera is permitted only under license, but I think that is specific to state and local law as to what permits you need and from whom.

Mr.Pibb

I don't know what type of wireles camera you are using, but I hooked up a modified "x10" 2.4GHz camera that came from an x-10 "floodcam". I didn't weigh it, but it isn't very aerodynamic! (see picture at beginning of video linked below). That said, you cannot feed power to the camera from the freedom's battery (because of said noise). I used a light weight NiMH 9V battery.

I've created a "pod" using some components and an actual x10 wireless camera stripped apart. The weather has been crummy here in Ohio since I built it, so I haven't flown it yet. It is a little heavier but more aerodynamic, mounted better, and should work fine without the landing gear attached so it will be easier to land in the grass. The camera is better quality and also has audio. If you look at the video, there is a limit to the range of the camera. The limit for my first camera is shorter than the limit for the freedom itself. It sure would stink to lose your camera link and not know exactly where your plane is!

My next mod might be to install the camera internally in the freedom. I like playing with this stuff

Here's the video (camera is out of focus, sun was going down, it was windy, and the video is compressed...just to set expectations ):
http://s54.photobucket.com/albums/g9...t=RedBaron.flv

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Good video.

Most of the light weight wireless cameras have a range of about 1000 feet. You can buy camera/transmitter/receivers set-ups for under $150. However that one seems to work just fine.

If you get it closer to wing height, you get a liggle bit less wobble in the picture. Some people mount them on top of the wing.

phr0zen81

Yes, video not too awful!

My camera (Polaroid iZone 550) weighs about 100g, no doubt in my mind the plane is gonna handle it. First ive been
test flying the airplane since I never done any RC'ing before. Collective time i think i have around 30 mins of flight.
I got the FF from Ebay (never again), when i got it i noticed a couple of creases on the tail, didnt think much of it until i hand launched it and the sucker went cart wheelin to the left, replaced wings and tail and oh boy what a difference!

Eventually im going to move on to a real airplane, but i still think this is a great trainer.
Since i have a laptop with a wireless internet port, i was wondering if there aint nothing out there like a wireless camera that would
use my laptop as a receiver, if not i might try getting one of them kits from Black Widow AV. Im really interested in aerial video and
photography, but i guess the first thing is to get this FF mastered.

ThANks FOR ALl the replies! aeajr you kind of remind me of Frasier