Bruce' FPV Diversity Controller project

If you've been building electronic bits or modifying stuff you've bought then tell us all about it here. A good place to discuss the installation of 2.4GHz DIY modules too.

Re: Bruce' FPV Diversity Controller project

Postby GTiDon » Fri May 11, 2012 10:37 am

Will this device also prevent blue screening? . even when the strongest signal is weak...
GTiDon
 
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2012 10:48 am

Re: Bruce' FPV Diversity Controller project

Postby T3PRanch » Tue May 15, 2012 1:08 am

I think (that means I could be wrong) the device only switches to the strongest received signal and if it is too weak to avoid a bluescreen then you will still get one.

Thurmond
T3PRanch
 
Posts: 54
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2011 8:27 pm

Re: Bruce' FPV Diversity Controller project

Postby RCModelReviews » Tue May 15, 2012 2:59 am

it won't prevent blue-screening but because you get such a consistently good video signal, you just don't see the blue screen unless you're really on the edge of reception.

The other weekend I flew out to 2.5Kms using the helical with solid video all the way and I flew a circuit of about 1Km radius around the ground-station with not a single drop-out.

That's using just the 5-turn helical and a SP through the diversity controller.
RCModelReviews.com, just the facts.
User avatar
RCModelReviews
 
Posts: 2120
Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 3:40 am

Re: Bruce' FPV Diversity Controller project

Postby Hallmark » Wed May 16, 2012 4:25 pm

RCModelReviews wrote:it won't prevent blue-screening but because you get such a consistently good video signal, you just don't see the blue screen unless you're really on the edge of reception.

The other weekend I flew out to 2.5Kms using the helical with solid video all the way and I flew a circuit of about 1Km radius around the ground-station with not a single drop-out.

That's using just the 5-turn helical and a SP through the diversity controller.


I think I speak for many when I say coooool! 8-)
"I am prepared to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter." Winston Churchill
User avatar
Hallmark
 
Posts: 321
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2012 2:21 am

Re: Bruce' FPV Diversity Controller project

Postby Rixx » Sat May 19, 2012 6:17 am

Bruce, how far are you from releasing circuit schematic of your controller? I'm trying to recreate dual diversity controller around arduino and 4066, but I cannot get nice picture out of that CMOS gate. I connect video output from RX straight through 4066 and decoupling 470uF capacitor to LCD. The picture is very dark, fuzzy and colors are messed up :mrgreen: . It is definitely that 4066 stage, picture is perfect if I jumper the gate with wire or tweezers or screwdriver... I'm apparently missing something, impedance matching resistors or video buffer or something that you might have on the underside of your board that you do not show in youtube video :lol: .

Any advice highly appreciated.
Rixx
 
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2010 7:41 am

Re: Bruce' FPV Diversity Controller project

Postby AltechMYOB » Sat May 19, 2012 8:58 pm

Hallmark wrote:
I think I speak for many when I say coooool! 8-)


Yeah... interesting how the SP worked so well out to 1Km for as much of the real estate as the controller saw fit to use it. :)


Gimme :mrgreen:
AltechMYOB
 
Posts: 105
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2011 3:10 pm

Re: Bruce' FPV Diversity Controller project

Postby RCModelReviews » Sun May 20, 2012 9:19 am

Rixx wrote:Bruce, how far are you from releasing circuit schematic of your controller? I'm trying to recreate dual diversity controller around arduino and 4066, but I cannot get nice picture out of that CMOS gate. I connect video output from RX straight through 4066 and decoupling 470uF capacitor to LCD. The picture is very dark, fuzzy and colors are messed up :mrgreen: . It is definitely that 4066 stage, picture is perfect if I jumper the gate with wire or tweezers or screwdriver... I'm apparently missing something, impedance matching resistors or video buffer or something that you might have on the underside of your board that you do not show in youtube video :lol: .

Any advice highly appreciated.

Yes, impedance matching is important, as is signal routing (to avoid ringing and other nasties).

The 4066 isn't the "best" device for the job but it's the one I had plenty of and they're cheap, available in an easy-to-use DIL package and do a good enough job.

I don't get any loss of color and only a very, very slight loss of video bandwidth with the 4066 but it's very hard to notice any difference between the direct feed and a gated one.

Are you running your 4066 at 5V?
RCModelReviews.com, just the facts.
User avatar
RCModelReviews
 
Posts: 2120
Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 3:40 am

Re: Bruce' FPV Diversity Controller project

Postby RCModelReviews » Sun May 20, 2012 9:22 am

AltechMYOB wrote:
Hallmark wrote:
I think I speak for many when I say coooool! 8-)


Yeah... interesting how the SP worked so well out to 1Km for as much of the real estate as the controller saw fit to use it. :)


Gimme :mrgreen:

A well-made SP works pretty well -- but today we got 3.5Kms out of the helical with no problems at all -- the SP gets pretty grainy at 2Kms.

RC failsafe starts kicking in occasionally at 3.5Kms -- that's when we're sitting in a camping chair. If you were to stand up and hold the transmitter at head-height you'd probably get to 4Kms or so for the RC.

I've ordered a 5dBi antenna for my transmitter to see what difference (if any) that makes. If it gets us to the limit of the video link then there's no need to go directional or raise the power of the RC system.
RCModelReviews.com, just the facts.
User avatar
RCModelReviews
 
Posts: 2120
Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 3:40 am

Re: Bruce' FPV Diversity Controller project

Postby Rixx » Sun May 20, 2012 10:36 am

RCModelReviews wrote:Yes, impedance matching is important, as is signal routing (to avoid ringing and other nasties).

I don't get any loss of color and only a very, very slight loss of video bandwidth with the 4066 but it's very hard to notice any difference between the direct feed and a gated one.

Are you running your 4066 at 5V?


Yes, I run it at 5V. I tried if 12V wouldn't work better for switching analog signals, but then arduino couldn't switch it with 5V. I might try to switch it through transistors with higher volts if that could help. But I have no idea about that impedance thing :)

I checked today with old 5MHz scope, video signal on the output of cmos gate has about 1/3 or 1/4 aplitude of "good" signal. It is that weak even on input of 4066.
Rixx
 
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2010 7:41 am

Re: Bruce' FPV Diversity Controller project

Postby BillGriffiths100 » Sun May 20, 2012 1:41 pm

Are you using 74HC high speed Cmos logic (or equivalent) or the older type?
If you are using the older type it's an order of magnitude slower that may be your problem.
Compromising with out of control government is like living with a lion, sooner or later the bloody thing will eat you .

You accept the tyranny of the state when it's not being applied to you, when it is: it's too late.
User avatar
BillGriffiths100
 
Posts: 553
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 2:04 pm
Location: London UK

PreviousNext

Return to DIY Projects and Hacks

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests

cron