HDZero SharkByte Long Range Testing with DIY Quad Helical Antenna! UFL to SMA Adapter Modification

We continue our series with another DIY Antenna and another Record Range Test! In my previous tests I found that the stock SharkByte patches weren't capturing signal after a certain distance and decided it best to have 4 uniform antennas... then this Quad 7-Turn Helical antenna was born!
In this video we test the antenna using 25mW, 200mW and 500mW to see how far we can fly at each VTX output power level. I fly until the image begins to break, or my battery is running low, so these impressive range results are actually conservative.
Here are all the links mentioned in the video if you wish to learn more and making DIY long range gear for cheap!
- Helical Antenna DIY: • Easy DIY 5.8ghz Helica...
- Link to the Helical Antenna 3d file I used: www.thingiverse.com/thing:367500
- Li-Ion Battery DIY: • DIY Long-Range FPV Bat...
- STL File for the HDZero/SharkByte VRX UFL to SMA Modification: www.thingiverse.com/thing:516...
- Check out HD Zero Site for more info: www.hd-zero.com/?AffCode=DC55...
- UFL to SMA: onelinkmore RF Connector Pigtail Cable SMA Female Bulkhead to U.fl/ipx Extension Cable 1.13 Cable 5cm Pack of 2
Stay Tuned for my new 7" iFlight Chimera7 HDZero Long-Range Build!!!
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to ask. cheers!
Video Summary:
0:00 Intro
0:25 VRX DIY Modification
1:29 25mW Range Test
1:40 Testing Intro
1:57 Helical Thoughts
2:17 200mW Range Test
3:05 TBS Crossfire Issue
3:52 200mW Result
4:28 Bad Landing
4:50 Testing Overview
5:40 500mW Range Test
6:30 Battery OSD Info
6:50 DIY Li-Ion Battery
7:35 Summit Approach
8:25 Range Goal Success!
8:45 Make it Home?!
9:15 Battery Countdown
9:45 Crash & Rescue
10:08 Closing Thoughts
Equipment Overview:
* 6" Drone Setup Details (Changed from 5" to 6" props as I'm focused more on long-range)
- Frame: Some old cheap ZMR250 thing…
- Flight Controller: Matek F405-CTR
- VTX: Divimath HDZero SharkByte (Backup Analog: Matek Mini 800mw , TBS Unify Pro HV)
- GPS Module: TBS GPS Module
- Motors: XING-E 2306 2450KV
- ESC: Aikon AK32 35A 2-4S BlHeli32
- Propellers: HQ Ethix S5 5x4x3
- FPV Camera: HDZero Micro; Analog we’re Foxeer Toothless and Caddx Ratel
- Radio Receiver: TBS Crossfire Nano RX
- Receiver Antenna: TBS Crossfire Immortal T V2 Antenna
- VTX Antenna: Current - TrueRC OCP, Previously - SpiroNET Omni - 5.8GHz CP Antenna /
- ViFly Finder 2 Buzzer, highly recommend
* For Long Range Missions - I also use/I'm working on a lightweight drone with a Naked GoPro which has an AUW under 250g. Amazing!
* 5" Drone Test Setup Details
- Frame: Some random thing…
- Flight Controller: Holybro Kakute f4
- VTX: Divimath HDZero SharkByte (Backup Analog: Matek Mini 800mw , TBS Unify Pro HV)
- GPS Module: TBS GPS Module
- Motors: XING-E 2306 2450KV
- ESC: Aikon AK32 35A 2-4S BlHeli32
- Propellers: HQ Ethix S5 5x4x3
- FPV Camera: RunCam Nano SharkByte (Analog: Foxeer Toothless which is also very nice, but also really like the Caddx Ratel)
Googles/Antennas
- Fatshark HDO with Rapidfire Receiver
- Hd Zero Shark Byte VRX
- Foxeer Micro Lollipop 3 CP
- SpiroNET 5.8GHz 13dB Patch
- DIY 5 Turn Helical Antenna, Amazing!
- DIY 7 Turn Helical Antenna, Even Better!
Controller/Transmitter
- FRSKY Taranis X9D Plus with TBS Crossfire Micro TX V2
Cameras, Footage, and Software
- GoPro Hero 8 Black, shot in 2.7k and 4k
- Various iPhones
- Final Cut Pro X (FCPX) editing software
If you have any questions or comments about my setup please leave a comment.
Note: All equipment and flight plans were in accordance with current local laws. Special thanks to my spotters who hiked hard terrain with me in order to achieve this flight footage.
Keywords: FPV, drone, VTX, Transmitter, RX, Antenna, Fatshark, DJI, Freestyle, Race, Mountain, Forest, Norway, Norge, quad, kwad, taranis, frsky, matek, Foxeer, 21700, 16850, li-ion, tbs, team black sheep, immersion RC, x-ing, xing, motor, brushless, ethix, GoPro, GPS, iFlight, Matek, failsafe, range, test, cinewhoop, cinematic, FCPX, CP, Circular Polarized, Patch, 13dbi, dbi, helical, DIY, build, solder, carbon fiber, diatone, dal props, bheli, esc, runcam, crash, RTH, long range, flow, RCgroups, intofpv, RCIndia, how to, first person view, Hero, ND Filters, Dalprops
Lithium Ion, Divimath, HDZero, SharkByte, digital system; #Sharkbyte #HDZero #longrange

[@MrSmithFPV]

Really great test flights! Amazing landscape! 🤘🔥🍻

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks, appreciate it! Soon I’ll be doing some real mountain testing, so stay tuned. Cheers!

[@RimmyTimfpv]

So good!! Congrats on the successful tests

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks, got a little intense but huge success, especially for this goofy little quad. Cheers!

[@BrandonBeans]

VERY NICELY DONE!!!! These tests are looking really good... 5km on 200mw is quite formidable! Time for ELRS 2.4ghz to reduce the interference! Holy moly, Congrats on the personal best, I just got my first 6km on my channel the other day, but you got me beat! I did it on DJI 1000mw and elrs 100mw 150hz. I barely made it back, landed about 60m short of my home position with 2.5v cells. What a rush!

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yea, I’ll have to look into something to resolve this interference issues. It is a total rush for sure. Which frame/quad are you using? Thanks as always for checking out the vids Beans! Cheers

[@Super_Mario_Fpv]

Does 900mhz interfere with 5.8ghz often?

[@BrandonBeans]

@@GiantAntCowboy I'm flying my long range with an off the shelf Flywoo Hexplorer HD :D It's a winner for hiking/recon because it packs small. All in all, I think the interference was minor but I'm curious what a different rc system might do to improve (or worsen) the signal.

[@BrandonBeans]

@@Super_Mario_Fpv analog VTX yes. Probably something similar here going on

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@BrandonBeans Yea those little FlyWoos are great! Always kind wanted one. I’m gonna try turning telemetry off and see what difference that make. The problem is I love having my GPS coordinates sent to my transmitter in case I lose video and crash.

[@SILVIOFRANCO1]

That is a really huge win, Peter. So cool. Congratulations, my friend. What a beautiful view at the top of the 7km mountain. Wow!

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks Silvio, What a trip for sure! Big win!

[@MadRC]

This is a fantastic video. Amazing work.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Hey Ian, just watched your Live Stream. Loved your reactions to the video, incredible! Also I see you’re also ordering some Emax ECOII, what an unbelievable deal they are. As you noticed from the video I’m all about making cheap things do crazy things… my current frame is an old ZMR250, and pretty absurd for long range, but the new Chimera7 will be quite nice. Anyway, cheers, glad you enjoyed my latest test video.

[@z506fpv5]

Nice video, loved the narrative format

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thank you, appreciate the feedback. Stay tuned as I keep these tests going and feel free to ask questions or leave suggestions. Cheers!

[@mofofpv4759]

Very cool my dude! Had me on the edge of my seat!

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Awesome, glad to hear that, I do try to make these videos entertaining and informational. Stay tuned, cheers!

[@Okahui]

i love these kinda test. keep it up bro

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thank you, appreciate the support! Stay tuned, cheers!

[@marmstrong212]

Great video! Lots of very useful information

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks bud, appreciate the comment and support. Cheers!

[@LakayFPV]

Wow, love this episode man. HDzero will be the next one for me. Great job and glad it made it home.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks appreciate the comment. Huge win making it home, that’s the limit for that quad…

[@LakayFPV]

By the way can you metion here what is the specific thickness of the coil and the patch plates? Im planning to make two helicals for my LR mission. This week I will be making my 6s lion pack.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@LakayFPV I believe the wire is 10awg and the plates are like 2mm thick, but I can confirm tomorrow. I’ve used all sorts of materials to make helicals and they’ve always worked great. So don’t worry too much about it. 👍

[@themoggidriver]

Wow 🤩! Real long range, Peter ! Congratulations to the 7 km ! Now you know the limit 🔋 for this setup. Your video was the best program tonight on my TV 🏆😄👏👏

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thank you sir! This was a very fun one, quite the adventure. Basically the final flight of that tiny quad, then I built my Chimera 7, though still haven’t gone much past 7km. No real need honestly… cheers mate!

[@robertgiordano3452]

That was an amazing clutch landing. I'm glad that you pushed it to see if you could squeeze that distance. With that setup the battery is the true limit

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks, glad the effort and risk with this test was appreciated. The current quad setup is kind of a joke, amazing it even goes this far… I’m finishing up my 7” build with some “top secret” parts now and will post a video later this week. So stay tuned and thanks for watching, cheers!

[@RCOverKill]

Great test! I can't wait to check it out.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks. New records. Definitely check it out and stay tuned for more tests soon. Cheers!

[@CalleyyyC]

Really great video!

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks, appreciate the comment!

[@JonathanBirch7]

Awesome video. Keep on living your dreams. Regards from South Africa 🇿🇦

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thank you sir. I will certainly try, you too! Cheers

[@dude770725]

Incredible! That is actually good news! Been waiting a lot for something else digital than dji, which could be capable of LongRange! Bud, you need a small wing to push the range further! But really great achievement!

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yea, i search for Long-Range HDZero SharkByte info forever and only found like two videos… so I just decided to buy the system and see what it can do. Very pleased with the results so far, and in fact I see no reason to keep my analog gear. Additionally I’ll be testing the new VTX-L next month which should be closer to 1W of power and will make a huge difference in both range, signal strength and lower the interference issues. A wing would definitely be great and I have started researching them recently. Thanks for watching and commenting, stay tuned!

[@JohnCuppi]

Outstanding video!

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks for checking it out John, cheers!

[@nikotttin]

Holy moly!! Nice one

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Quite the journey, thanks for watching!

[@gunnhildpaulinelystad4895]

Wow!! I hope everyone watch this with headphones on. I got chills!!! Beautiful

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yes! Glad you appreciate the audio! I’m sure my sound and music efforts were missed by most. ♥️

[@FPV420.]

@@GiantAntCowboyNo, not at all. The music is great.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@FPV420. thanks appreciate it 👏

[@vexunaerials7185]

HD zero looks like an analog when loosing signal, that last test is very relatable! whew! intense!

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yea, the system is very similar to analog just with a better image. I consider this a pro actually when compared to other digital systems for many reasons. If you watch my recent WalkSnail review you’ll get a better idea of what I mean by this. Essentially I just trust the analog/HDZero more than DJI/WalkSnail because there is no “compression and retransmission” which hide signal issues. Yea this was the last flight for this particular quad, let him go out as a hero!! Stay tuned, cheers!

[@vernelfpv]

Thank you. Will try this

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Nice, let me know if you have questions. Here the simple DIY video for reference: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioSXl4yZiZh3e6c Cheers!

[@jfect2]

NICE Just got my first shark bite Thanks for the motivation.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Excellent, glad to inspire. Let me know if you have questions and as I mentioned, stay tuned for the new VTX-L. Game changer.

[@BOTGRINDER]

That was awesome

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yea, this was a great time, thanks for watching bud, cheers!

[@FPV420.]

It's such a nice experience. Bravo!

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks, was a fun test. I’ve done some follow ups, and got similar performance using only two helicals which looks a little less insane! Appreciate the comment, cheers!

[@FPV420.]

@@GiantAntCowboy I recently purchased a walksnail VRX + avatar HD system. I've seen people using a satellite dish for a receiver reflector. Would you consider such a test? I definitely may :) Thanks

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@FPV420. I plan to test WS with these helical antennas. I actually had a 1s WS VTX but killed it on my second test flight in the snow… it’s part of the last “HDZero Goggles” video. But I just received a proper Micro VTX setup which I’ll be doing some range and penetration testing with, so stay tuned. * Technically the system has already been push out past 30km by Wezley Varty, definitely worth checking out his video if you haven’t already.

[@FPV420.]

@@GiantAntCowboy I've seen the video and actually he is the inspiration for my question. Anyway, I got two GepRC "dinner plate" antennas and I will try them out as soon as the weather allows it.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@FPV420. nice, yea weather and lack of sunlight have slowed my tests…

[@chris-nlfpv6980]

Nice thanks for the up date

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks for tuning in!

[@Bellairvideo]

1️⃣💡boy you are Peter! Keep up the great work.

[@Bellairvideo]

I recently flew my Dji Mini 2 around 4 km each way but in s suburban over a walking track i turned back after starting to loose video signal

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@Bellairvideo Yea, it’s pretty fun to cruise the skies. Biggest thing to remember for range and signal quality is to avoid having any obstacles/or wires, in between you and the drone. Thanks for checking out the latest film. Cheers

[@nutu6886]

Good job 👏

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks, appreciate the comment. New 7” build with a “special” VTX almost done now, so stay tuned, cheers!

[@skyshark67]

Nice Test Video thank you.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thank you for watching and commenting, stay tuned, cheers!

[@PizzaCologne3]

yooo thats bad ass, thanks for showing it

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thank man, really wanted that 7km mark, and one the quad was going to have a tough time… but what a trip!

[@gmivisualsjason3729]

That was excellent...... well done

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Hey Jason, thanks bud, glad to hear it. Thanks as always for watching as well! Cheers man!

[@gmivisualsjason3729]

@@GiantAntCowboy If battery wasn't your limit how far should 500mw take you?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@gmivisualsjason3729 Not sure, maybe up to 10km?! But we’ll just have to find out… I’ll have the new 7” Chimera done after Christmas and we’ll start testing that. Btw, thanks for mentioning my video on MadTech’s live stream last night. Seeing his reaction to my video was amazing, really appreciate the support, Cheers!!

[@A3Kr0n]

I'm happy I made it 1500 feet today. I only go as far as I'm willing to walk :-)

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Nice! Thanks for watching and commenting, cheers!

[@cinemoriahFPV]

Now we're talking baby!!

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks man, crazy trip!

[@gabormihaly667]

🙀congratulation!

[@GiantAntCowboy]

👏 thank you!

[@throttlegoblinfpv]

that was awesome

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks, appreciate the comment and support, cheers!

[@Ger.FPV2023]

That was a brillian flight body! Very risky but very interesting. Wish I could reach that distance!

[@GiantAntCowboy]

It was an intense test, glad it worked out! I’ve since built a proper 7” quad which performs much better. If you want to increase your range I highly recommend helical antennas, cheap, easy to make and have incredible performance. Here’s an updated video demonstrating that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gILMfZ2Diph9b5I I also have a simple DIY video if curious. Thanks for watching and commenting, cheers!

[@shanedownhill]

COOL VIDEO

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks!

[@kevcdrone]

Great video and flight. It’d be some recovery mission up there😬 So close to getting back😅it was just that extra bit used up getting to your 7km goal. When you get the Chimera 7 there will be no stopping you, because they are just awesome for long range 😎 Keep pushing 🚀 SUBBED 👍🏻

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks Kev. Yea, if the drone crashed at the top there would be no search and rescue mission, just a heartfelt goodbye. Super excited about the Chimera7, especially with the new 1W VTX. That’s combination will definitely be unstoppable, my goals aren’t really incredible long-range, most my actual flights are 4-5km, but if we can easily double that then the level of confidence at 5km is very high! Thanks for watching commenting and supporting the channel, cheers!

[@kevcdrone]

@@GiantAntCowboy Mine is on the Air unit, so 8.2 miles is my limit. I’ve been out 6.3 miles so far, but like you say, most normal flights aren’t going to be anything like that, covering such distances is only for testing purposes really and as you say, gaining confidence it the gear. There’s nothing like hitting GPS rescue over 5 miles out, and seeing the image come back after about 20 seconds(feels like 20 minutes)when the goggles have rebooted to give you the confidence to keep pushing.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@kevcdrone My number one issue with DJI is that it unbinds and reboots when if you lose enough signal. Sometimes I’ve heard it can be several minutes without video if your far out, scary! DJIs image quality is incredible though. I posted a video earlier this year “Lost signal in the mountains” where I completely lost signal for over 30 seconds. Assume it was gone, but was just hiding behind a mountain for a while… haha All part of the fun!

[@kevcdrone]

@@GiantAntCowboy I’ve had it do the full reboot and it was about 20-25 seconds, about 5.5 miles away. I’ve never heard of a couple of minutes 😬 It is an incredible image as you say. There’s nothing like that feeling when the picture comes back is there😅

[@brendanzaebst9011]

Your trims are driving me MAD!! fix those end points to stop that drift lol!! Cool to see digital making some headway

[@GiantAntCowboy]

So annoying right?! I tried adjusting the trims but actually one of my rear arms is slightly twisted... It’s looks especially bad here because I’m flying slow/flat, and the video is at like 8x speed. Anyway, this quad will now become a bando basher test machine and I’ll be replacing it with a Chimera7 build featuring the new 1W VTX, so stay tuned for those tests. Cheers!

[@fpvmenton2236]

Great work FPV mate ! Thanks for these insights. I have now to built myself those patch antennas to test them on DJI see if I can get as far, or even further 1,2w. Yet I don't own a 3D printer. Maybe you should sell TPUs. Might be an Idea for those like me.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks, appreciate the comment. To build these you don’t actually need a 3D printer, you can just wrap the copper wire around a plastic/wooden tube, space the coils the proper distance apart, and then solder a coax cable to the coil and a piece of metal (copper or steel). Here’s my DIY for reference: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioSXl4yZiZh3e6c Depending on what country you’re in, you may be able to find helical antennas for pretty cheap. Let me know if you have questions, cheers!

[@loicader56]

Congratulations. With a 10 inch(XL10), 8000mA and 1W 10 km may be achievable. Well done again.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thank you, this was a great episode for sure! I’ve since built a proper 7” quad, and though I haven’t really surpassed 7km, my new setup has much better image quality and signal performance! Here’s the latest setup, with some neat tests! “NEW Long Range, High Penetration, DIY Antenna Setup” kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYrTmYlre7WVj8U Thanks for watching and commenting, appreciate the support, cheers!

[@loicader56]

@@GiantAntCowboy Ok I'm watching :)

[@adk4498]

Great video! Glad you made it back. Do you have a link to add to your description of the length of the SMA to UFL cable?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks appreciate the comment and support! Here’s the SMA to UFL I used: onelinkmore RF Connector Pigtail Cable SMA Female Bulkhead to U.fl/ipx Extension Cable 1.13 Cable 5cm Pack of 2 www.amazon.com/dp/B01AJQ33Y4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_MQEWH5KZHXQK88RYMSDK?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[@MrJT270567]

amazing Test flight. you are still flying the zmr250? but the Azure 6145 Props do an amazing Job. you better get your 7" rig ready before you loose your beloved zmr250😂 and dont forget to build a 5s1p Liion battery to get some more Playtime. this antennas Work great for me AS Well, using them for flying my analog Setup 7" LR. Hope to See your 7" in the Air pretty soon.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Oh man, this was the maximum limit for this quad for sure, obviously… still waiting on parts for the Chimera7 but I think it’ll be worth the wait, exciting stuff. I’ll definitely be building 5s for the new setup. Glad to hear the helical are working well for you, they really are amazing! Thanks for checking in and watching the latest vid. Cheers!

[@seasparrow7427]

Lovely area. Where in Norway? Nice flight. Was that another city over the mountain?? It's like exploring for the first time👍

[@GiantAntCowboy]

This is in Vestlandet, east of Ålesund. “Another city” well we don’t really have cities, but you may hav see another small town or village. :) It is like exploring, that’s what’s so fun and exciting about this hobby. Thanks for watching stay tuned, cheers!

[@jamesshields5958]

Cool video. Is your trim a little off here, or is it the wind?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks appreciate the comment. Yup, the yaw trim was a little off for sure, which is especially noticeable when the footage is sped up.

[@dilbertmcfly5986]

Amazing! That was crazy. The suspense!! It was like holding it in on a 14hr flight to Singapore. Stupid question - there are 2808 and 2810 and 3110. Why not 8" or 9"?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Haha, thanks! Glad you found it fun and thrilling. This quad was a random build, started as a cheap freestyle quad but evolved into a long-range test quad. This was basically it’s last flight. I’m currently flying a Chimera 7 with 2807 motors, 7” props, and 8000mAh 6s2p battery setup. Check out my current videos to see that setup and current tests. Thanks for watching and stay tuned, cheers!

[@interbudelblag]

3 km on 25 mW it is incredible. Wow

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yea, and this test was actually by mistake... I took off on a test flight, then realized the VTX was at 25mw, and just decided to push it! Lol Could have went further as well. Thanks for watching!

[@gokartmozart9430]

I get interference on analog from crossfire if I don’t point my tango2 down a lil bit. It doesn’t scramble the video much but I can really hear it in the ear piece

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Interesting, that’s what I noticed as well, I have to point the controller way down towards my feet to minimize interference. Thanks for watching and sharing thoughts, cheers!

[@userunknown2771]

what was the flighttime ? I couldnt findit on the osd Great Video. Looking forward to the 1W VTX

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks, appreciate the comment and support! The flight time was 17:21 and 14.7km, when I hit the ground… pretty impressive for this little drone! I just finished my 1W Chimera build, check out the video if curious, but more interesting will be the actual testing which I’m shooting and editing now! Thanks again, cheers!

[@gregdavidd]

Hey did you ever explore the possibility of the transmitter interference? That is something I would be interested in. So for example you put the Helical setup on a ground station a ways away from you. I have been thinking that is an issue too but once I saw you mention it now Id like to know. I dont have the setup to test it though.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

So last year I switched to 2.4ghz ELRS & only run it at 100mW. This performs really well & doesn’t cause any video interference. Highly recommend! p.s. I like having head mounted antennas so I can re-aim as needed. If I was always flying in a straight line, like with a long-range wing setup, then a ground station would make sense.

[@israstar1]

Love your test ! You need a wing to test the full potential;)

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thank you, appreciate the comment. I do need a wing, that’s for sure... I’ve been looking into them recently, Spring project probably. I’ll be testing the new 1W VTX soon, but focusing on penetration and video signal quality under 10km instead of crazy long-range which would require a wing. So stay tuned and feel free to ask questions or give suggestions, cheers!

[@israstar1]

@@GiantAntCowboy sounds good:) since im limeted to the dji range i stoped flying longrange. but the reason i would switch back is the googles factor.. the hdo2 was the best fitting googles i ever had. the dji is rubbisch

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@israstar1 interesting, never hear they were uncomfortable. Good to know. 👍

[@ShermanKenB]

Nice! How do you keep your fingers warm?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Solid question Ken, I run inside after every flight and show the family how cold my fingers are now! Thanks for watching, appreciate the support. Cheers!

[@mark6302]

wicked

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks, appreciate the comment.

[@whitepony8443]

Your're right, I'm not gonna wear that on my face. It'll be very good on laptop or ground station.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

What’s funny is I didn’t plan to keep this setup, but I’m still using it… gonna test some Crosshair antennas soon to see how they compare.

[@Neukom720]

as soon as sharkbyte came out and I saw they were forcing people to use those terrible immersionrc patch antennas, I knew they would have to go in order to get better coverage and range

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yea, pretty generic antenna. The newer VRX models will have 4 sma connectors going forward, so people can chose antennas that fits their style. Thanks for watching and commenting, Cheers!

[@darrenlee1001]

Now I'm really looking towards swapping from DJI to Sharkbyte! What's the total weight of the sharkbyte cam+vtx+cables on that setup?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

You know, I don’t actually know the weight of the VTX but the camera is like 6.5g and the wire is probably 3g depending on length. The VTX I’m using is outdated anyway, and the new replacement is being released in a few weeks. I’d recommend waiting for that if you’re planning in long range. It will be heavy though, because there a metal heat sink attached to it. There’s a picture if it in my video here at the 4:30 mark if curious. Thanks for watching and definitely keep an eye on this system, it’s evolving quickly and doing neat things. Cheers!

[@larssmith2170]

I have been out 6 miles with a 4s 21700 Li-Ion pack on my Recon 6 inch running a 3 turn helical using rapid fire on HDO2 goggles. My picture was not as good as yours but still flyable. Next I will try my 7 turn Helical. I can stay in the air around 28 minutes when the temp's around 75F but flight time drops to 24 minutes at 45F. My limiting factor will be battery life. Maybe a wing in my future?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yea the Rekon is a great setup! My current quad is absurd for long range, cheap old frame with 2450kv motors… hardly efficient. Looking forward to finishing my Chimera 7! Wow, 6 miles with a 3 turn is great, using the 7-turn will definitely improve your video link. What VTX antenna are you using? I’m thinking about a wing as well.

[@jeffclassics]

Great LR test using my preferred antenna. at 7km you still have 4bars.. atlast we may close the gap of dji systems. it looks promising. Btw, what should be the setting for the battery if using liion? 3.3v min, 3.4 warning? also vbat compensation on? you mentioned about >2.5v but did you adjust the minimum in betaflight?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks Jeff, appreciate the comment and support! The system is performing very well. Li-ion batteries can safely drain to 2.5v, but ideally you’d land before 2.75v, so a warning around 3.4v could be good. My warnings are still set for LiPos, since I periodically still use LiPos, but I watch the voltages consistently while flying long-range. I don’t have vbat compensation on, and have adjusted the minimums in BF. I’ll be testing the new 1W VTX in a couple weeks so stay tuned for that. This has already been proven to greatly surpass DJIs limit of 13.3km, check out out buddy Wez’ long range test here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4qofaeCbaZ2rdk Thanks again for watching, cheers!

[@jeffclassics]

@@GiantAntCowboy thank you for the clarification. So you did adjust the minimum in BF to 2.5v? For example I leave the min at 3.3v then I fly lion, once 3.3v is reached, the quad will fall down right? So adjust when switched to lion? I watched wez's test, it's amazing minus the big Ray antenna haha.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@jeffclassics The minimum battery voltage is just a warning. Once you reach the minimum voltage you’ll get a blinking warning, and your beeper with will beep if setup. You quad will not just shut down. I believe mine are still set for 3.5v based on LiPo batteries. I never change the warnings when switching batteries, I just know that the warning is Fake when flying Li-Ion. 👍

[@jeffclassics]

@@GiantAntCowboy great. Its now very clear to me. So I may just fly my setup with lipo or li ion and less care abt the settings. Thank you.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@jeffclassics Exactly, just remember which battery you’re using, and leave room for error. I often fly to far, end up draining the battery too far and have to take a decent walk. Haha! Li-Ion batteries are more forgiving, overdrawing a LiPo will result in a puffed battery which can become a fire hazard eventually… so best to just plan to land early. Cheers!

[@norberthorvath6827]

Interesting, spectacular and instructive videos! Thank You! Tell me, at 3.3 V cell voltage, when you’re flying over cold, snow-capped peaks and you’re still in full swing away from the take-off point, how come the copter doesn’t land sooner? How do you allow the battery to run out so far? (2.3 V) Doesn't it hurt anyway? Obviously, a lot can be subordinated to the experiment, I just care. Thank you in advance for your answer! For spelling mistakes, if any, I apologize to you, I wrote with a translator ...

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Thanks, appreciate the nice comment. So during this test I’m actually using a DIY 4s 4200mAh Li-Ion battery pack. Li-Ion cells can operate between 2.5v-4.2v unlike LiPo batteries which would be dead at 3.2v… this was confusing for many people actually. If you plan to do long range you should research Li-Ion packs, I have a DIY video which shows the build process, it’s pretty easy with basic knowledge and tools. Happy to answer questions, thanks for the support, cheers!

[@norberthorvath6827]

@@GiantAntCowboy Thanks for the reply! I don’t think it’s spread because of its relatively heavy weight. What’s in favor of LiPo is the smaller the voltage range you can work in. How heavy is the Li-Ion battery you use? It’s likely I won’t start assembling battery packs like this, especially if it even includes extra electronics. However, I would love to watch the video about what you mentioned. Would you like to drop your link? Hi: Norbi

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@norberthorvath6827 The benefit of Li-Ion is that it has more energy per gram. - Ex: My 4200mAh Li-ion weighs about 300g, but a 4200mAh Li-Po would weigh between 400-500g. The downside of Li-Ion is they can only output about 45A vs LiPo which can output 150A+. - For long range you don’t need a lot of amps so Li-Ion are a good choice. You can buy them, if you don’t want to make them, but here is my DIY video if curious. - DIY Li-Ion batteries for Long-Range: kzbin.info/www/bejne/np_NmJeLipira6M

[@norberthorvath6827]

@@GiantAntCowboy Thanks! So it's clean. I watched videos like this even before yours and one of them had some electronics built into the pack. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYvNoGNrptGYqLM It takes more serious knowledge, I'm sure I wouldn't experiment with it, and I don't have a spot welder either ... I'm flying a 5-inch copter anyway, there may be a peak current above 45 A. Would this damage the Li-ion battery anyway? Who can catch fire? Joyful flying in 2022 as well. Hi: Norbi

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@norberthorvath6827 The battery in the video you referenced is way more complex than you need. I just solder mine, and have no special electronic components. If you pull too many Amps from a Li-Ion battery it will quickly lose power, and could get warm enough to catch fire, but it’s unlikely unless you are really trying to damage it. Just need to watch out power levels and avoid full throttle. Anyway unless you really start doing long range this might not be important to you, but they are nice batteries to have for extra flight time. 👍

[@dongyunlee9308]

Yes, only those who have used lithium-ion batteries down to 2.5 volts or less are truly long-range pilots.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yes this pack actually dropped below 2v… but after warming up it came back to 3v. So 1) the battery is fine, I beat these things up pretty good. 2) the cold was certainly recusing my battery life. The am for watching, cheers!

[@WernerBeroux]

I wonder if you compared it to a Yagi antenna, especially that helical antennas are best for polarized signals, and the TrueRC OCP isn't polarized.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

You’re suggesting running a linear antenna setup? The TrueRC OCP is a Circular Polarized antenna and matches the helical polarization. Let me know what you meant, thanks for the sharing. Cheers’

[@WernerBeroux]

@@GiantAntCowboy Oh sorry I only looked at the photo and guessed it wasn't polarized. Okay that explains your choice much better. I guess I'll look to change my Tx antenna as well. However yes I was considering a comparison with a linear antenna setup.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@WernerBeroux I have also been curious about trying a linear antenna setup. For long-range in the mountains multi-path rejection and other benefits of CP antennas aren’t so important and linear antennas should actually offer better range. Let me know if you try a linear antenna setup and how it works. Cheers!

[@wattage2007]

Just maidened my HDZ freestyle equipped Talon Pro last week. Im seeing the same thing as you with my ELRS RC transmission. Lift up the transmitter, video noise, lower the transmitter, noise cleans up but RC RSSI drops. Wonder if there’s a magical channel setting on the HDZero setup which doesn’t suffer from 2.4GHz interference.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Hey thanks for watching. Are you using Helcial antennas by any chance?

[@wattage2007]

@@GiantAntCowboy Indeed. Two home-made 9 turns. I ordered two triple feed patch antennae but only one has arrived so far. Last flight I used a couple of three turns, a nine turn and the triple feed patch. Not the ideal setup using mismatched antennae but it did maybe seem like there may have been slightly less interference. You thinking the interference problem may be particular to high gain helicals?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@wattage2007 yup, our helical antennas are 5.8ghz directional antennas, but they can also act as di-pole antennas. Basically if you stretch the copper coil out you might find the length is close to a particular wave length. For example I’ve found that 7-turn helical antennas use a length of wire similar to 900mhz wavelength (roughly 33cm or 13inches). So they can and do pick up these radio wave in the form of interference. So far I haven’t changed my setup to correct for this… but is a future test/project on my list. If you keep the controller down it’s not too bad. What sort of range are you going for?

[@wattage2007]

@@GiantAntCowboy Yeah, good call. I never measured the length of wire used for the 9 turn, could be that it’s a multiple of a 2.4GHz wavelength. I may try snipping a turn off it to see if that makes a difference. I’m not after phenomenally long range. 10km would do me but at the moment, as I’m testing range incrementally, I’m finding this interference starting to become a problem around 5km. I’ve got another of these miracle triple feed patch thingys arriving soon so we’ll see if that gets rid of it.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@wattage2007 keep me updated, always nice to hear what others learning. Not sure if you saw my recent Range Test video, here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gILMfZ2Diph9b5I But I talk a little bit about the interference and maybe you could compare to your findings. (I was basically just showing how simple, cheap and amazing these helical antennas can be when added to HDZero)

[@watchthemaster5906]

Did you have you yaw trim set?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yea, I have since adjusted the trims. It looks worse than it is because the footage is so sped up. Thanks for the comment, cheers!

[@HeliNoobRc]

What if you built a shield under the antenna to shield the helicals from the radio signal ? Obviously a shield that wouldn’t hinder signal of vtx.

[@HeliNoobRc]

Or is it from the tele coming from the quad . Just you putting radio closer to face caused break up .

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@HeliNoobRc the interference in this video was because I was running my Crossfire Transmitter at 1W right below my Goggles which were picking up the signal. Last year I switched to ELRS and only run it at 100mW; here’s a video with some neat tests of both the ELRS, but also a quad helical design with WalkSnail and HDZero. At the end of the video I demonstrate how using High Power on your transmitter can cause lots of video interference. “Antenna Penetration & Long Range Test” kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKC2g3ifrqmEeqM So to your question, no shield is really necessary; let me know if you have any other thoughts or questions!

[@HeliNoobRc]

@@GiantAntCowboy yes , I’ve watched those videos and that’s why I was wondering if you should try a shield . Does the Elrs not do the same at high watts ? If you were running high watts when you lost your one drone over the mountains edge . I’m sure the 1w would have not failed safe so quick , so I get you only like to use 100mw for that reason of interfering with video , but imo if you had more wats when you do accidentally go behind a ridge you have less chance of fail safes would you not ? So if you had a shield on top of the radio blocking just your face from the antenna, I’m wondering if you would have more success . Thanks for your replies ! Love watching and learning .

[@GiantAntCowboy]

ELRS does the same at High Watt output power, the video I linked above was an ELRS test actually. Regarding using more power to avoid a failsafe, if you flew behind some bushes or trees far out, then higher output power would help. However if you fly behind a mountain peak nothing helps because it’s solid rock. Arguably 900mhz might get some you an extra moment because lower frequencies can “bend” a bit more, but it’s still solid rock. If you saw my WalkSnail test, I lost video, but actually my ELRS was connected for almost 5 seconds after the video loss. Had it have FailSafed immediately GPS Rescue might have saved it. So you can try to build a shield, but i don’t know how much benefit it will have or how much benefit Higher output will really have in Mountain Surfing situations. The best solution is to make sure Stage 1 & 2 failsafe modes are properly set up.

[@B_Ripping]

I notice with dji gear when my r9 on 900 MHZ auto ramps up to 1200mw my Video show it’s but still getting 5miles

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yea, ok. I’m using 1W with my Crossfire which is not surprising to cause disturbance. In fact when my friend flys his DJI Phantom he gets disturbances from my setup, again probably the CRSF

[@unknown-32-49]

The results are amazing. But i dont understand one Thing. You are using 4 Times the Same 7 Turn helical Antenna. What is the difference to one Antenna because everyone is at Same Turn and looking in the Same direction? Thank you

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yea, good question, so the way HDZero works is a little unique. Instead of picking the best antenna (like a traditional diversity RX) it actually combines the signals/packets received from all antennas to create the FPV image. Because of this you actually get the best image and range by using the same antennas pointed in the same direction. Now you can use different antennas, or aim the antennas in slightly different directions to get wider coverage, but the overall image/signal quality would be reduced. So it’s a trade off, but for me I have no problem aiming even at 7km with this setup. Two additional notes: - This quad helical setup is overkill… simply using two helicals with stock setup works extremely well as I showed in this video last month: “Cheap and Easy HDZero Long-Range” kzbin.info/www/bejne/gILMfZ2Diph9b5I - These directional antennas actually work well up to 1km directly behind my head. I’m working on a video now testing if the idea that using Omni antennas on your VRX is basically a waste. Thanks for watching and stay tuned, appreciate the support, cheers!

[@user-fm6gc4em3q]

if you want to do it right you must insert a quarter wave length of 75 ohm per two helicals....they need to be phased TOGETHER you could get another 6 db of gain for this set up you would need four 75 ohm sections all lenghts need to be the same odd multiples of quarter wave lenght....sorry im typing bad i have hand issues

[@GiantAntCowboy]

I’m not gonna lie, I’m not sure what you mean by “Insert a quarter wave length of 75ohm per two helicals”… but I am curious. Thanks for watching and sharing thoughts!

[@JanisBebritis]

how do the 500 + crazy helical work in the gauntlet?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Hey so I haven’t tested this quad helical in the gauntlet yet, that will be in the next video, I’m also very curious, so stay tuned.

[@horsship]

Can you use an Eagle Tree Vector with this system and use Eagle Tree’s OSD?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

I don’t think so… but I really don’t know. I know it currently works with BetaFlight, and iNav, though a new firmware to improve iNav functionality is being released soon. I’m not really that familiar with the Eagle Tree system. I’ll let you know if I find out anything though, cheers and thanks for watching!

[@horsship]

@@GiantAntCowboy Thank you. I’m loving the shark byte system so far. As long as they work with my Dominator V2’s.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@horsship yes, HDZero/SharkByte should work fine with Dominator V2, as I believe that has an HDMI input. The image of course won’t be as nice as some newer goggles like HDOs for example, but still a big improvement from analog!

[@horsship]

@@GiantAntCowboy Wonderful. Thanks!

[@loicader56]

In analog, for maximize penetration and distance, is it better to fly in BOSCAM_A or BOSCAM_B or BOSCAM_E or FATSHARK or RACEBAND?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Generally most VTXs perform better at lower channels. I always use R1 for example. The difference between R1 & R8 could be as high as 40% less power! So definitely worth doing a couple tests.

[@loicader56]

@@GiantAntCowboy Thank you for this information regarding the R1. Regarding BOSCAM_A or BOSCAM_B or BOSCAM_E or FATSHARK or RACEBAND, is it important or does it change nothing?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@loicader56 not a huge difference between the bands, just try the lowest channel you can use. Note: Wifi interference can be worse on lower channels. So if you have lots of Wifi interference a higher channel may actually work better…

[@loicader56]

Ok thanks :)

[@Imakilln]

With the 2170's li-ion's - from my testing I found that going to 5s 4000mah on my 4s 6" quad was actually the sweetspot for long range.. 6s was just getting a bit too heavy and on 4S there was wasn't quite enough power available.. The battery looks stupid though! XD

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yea I’ll be making some 5s packs soon for my Chimera 7 build. I chose 2807 1500kv motors, so 5s is really the ideal battery size. Excited for the upgrade and take this system into the mountains for some proper testing!

[@Imakilln]

​@@GiantAntCowboy Should be a good combo! I really need to get my 7" running again.. Man I wish I had mountains like you have to fly around here - Australia is just soo flat!

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@Imakilln yea, I Google Earthed Australia once in 3D and didn’t find and decent mountains to FPV. Beautiful coastline though! Maybe you can hop over to New Zealand, that’s looks like an FPV paradise!

[@pritchfpv6070]

Surely angling the helicals slightly would be more beneficial?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

I’ll have to test other configurations for sure, my thought was to focus all antennas at a signal point for the best signal reception, as opposed to having a wider beam. But this will be an interesting test for sure. Thanks for sharing feedback, cheers!

[@pritchfpv6070]

@@GiantAntCowboy you could also try different gain antennas, 1x 3 turn, 1x5 turn 1x 7 turn & 1x 12 turn. That would be very interesting! Would create almost a cone radiation pattern

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@pritchfpv6070 absolutely, I have thought about this also. A lot of neat stuff to try, always fun DIY projects and experiments.

[@pritchfpv6070]

@@GiantAntCowboy also have you ever thought about running 6" biblades? It would add some extra efficiency which it seemed you needed 😉

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@pritchfpv6070 You know I do have some 6” bi-blades, tried them once and found that I missed the thrust, especially with a GoPro mounted… but my Chimera 7” should be down after Christmas and then this current quad won’t be doing long range trips anyway.

[@brezovprut4431]

Can these helical antennas be anything more "compact" like (same turns but coils to be winded bit closer to each others)?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

The coil spacing determines which frequency the antenna will receive, so short answer: No, you can not alter the coil spacing. You could however do smaller 3 or 5 turn antennas and still get decent range, and honestly you don’t really need 4 helical antennas. In my previous video I just used 2 helicals and was out about 6km with great video signal. Thanks for watching, happy to chat more if you have questions. Cheers!

[@brezovprut4431]

@@GiantAntCowboy Oh right, I understand now. Im pretty new to LR FPV so i would like to know - what'd be most versatile antenna setup? Would 3 turn Helical + 7 turn helical + Patch + omni make sense for both short and long range up to 6km?? To be more precise, I m interested in exploring abandoned cities so I need good building (concrete) penetration if thats possible at all with existing antennas.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@brezovprut4431 No problem, it’s all a learning experience. My understanding is that the HDZero system performs best with matching antennas. Ex: The two stock patches and two helical antennas, or two stock patches and two omni antennas. The key to penetration is actually, low frequency, but we are stuck with 5.8ghz, and so must rely on high output power and high gain directional antennas to help the video signal penetrate objects. HDZero will be releasing a 1W VTX soon which should have great penetration ability, I’ll be testing this soon, but for now you’ll want to get some high gain antennas. Specifically Helicals or Crosshairs. When planning flights you’ll have to choose range or penetration, no one is doing long-range through buildings, it’s just not possible.

[@brezovprut4431]

@@GiantAntCowboy Yeah, definitely didn't mean to fly "LR through" buildings, but rather close range around buildings and long range linear without obstacle. ATM. I just have Skyzone Cobra X with steadyview, and hope i will make nice antenna upgrades. Thanks, and sorry for bother ! I will consider all of your valuable informations.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@brezovprut4431 No worries, I just wanted to be clear. If money is of no concern the TrueRC X2-Air antennas are supposed to be great, they are a “Crosshair” antenna. If you don’t want to spend a lot helical antennas are usually cheap to buy, but almost free to make, and have incredible range and penetration. As I said before you really only need two, and I have a DIY video that shows how simple they can be made. If you live some where you can buy them that’s a great option too! Long range is a lot of fun, but take it slow, set up GPS, GPS Rescue, and install a Loud Self Powered Buzzer like a ViFly Finder 2. It’s very easy to lose your drone… and very sad when you do. Cheers!

[@LabiaLicker]

I wonder how much the temp affecting battery performance. I would wager that it would be measurable

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Absolutely, hot and cold temperatures play a big part in battery life. Maybe I would have made it back… but even on a warmer day this quad struggled to do this distance. This quad was a bit of a joke… but my current setup is a 7” build using the Chimera 7 frame, 2807 motors, and with 6s2p battery packs. This distance/flight time is no longer a problem. Check out my more recent videos of curious, in fact I have a whole video about li-ion battery setups. Thanks for watching, cheers!

[@LabiaLicker]

@@GiantAntCowboy Can you get the temp from the BMS on the OSD?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@LabiaLicker these are basic DIY battery packs with no BMS setup. I’m if you had a good BMS installed maybe you could track data. Voltage can is a better indicator than mAh used, especially for the last half of a flight.

[@LabiaLicker]

@@GiantAntCowboy Okay. Reason why I mentioned the BMS is they usually have a thermocouple. Wouldn't the flight controller have a temp sensor you could use?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

To be honest I’ve never researched this, but, the OSD can display FC and VTX temp information, so if the battery had a Thermocouple it seems reasonable that you could display this data. You’d have to have a way to wiring the BMS to the FC of course.

[@cristianalpha7257]

Pro tip: Batteries discharge faster in cold temp. Make yourself a neoprene "sock".

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Oh yea, that’s a neat idea, thanks for the tip! Just finished my 7” build last night which features an interesting new piece of equipment… stay tuned for more test flights, cheers!

[@cinemoriahFPV]

You got some yaw drift going on.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Ugh I know, need to fix that, think it might actually be from a twisted arm… maybe it’s as simple as trimming the controller. But this frame is so old, and the new 7” will become my go out long range quad anyway.

[@interbudelblag]

Did you plan to rescue the quad if it dropped in the mountain?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Rescue unfortunately wouldn’t be possible, best case would be a search and rescue in spring. Long-range mountain flights are always stressful… but also very exciting! Been doing some interesting flights this week that I’ll post soon. Cheers!

[@johnnyrocket3200]

So, did you kill the battery?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Surprisingly the battery pack continues to work fine, and this is not the first time I’ve completely drained them… these Molicel P42a cells take a lot of abuse. Thanks for watching, let me know if you have other questions, cheers!

[@blackbarett6632]

For your longrange missions you could consider a wing..

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yes I’ll probably build one early next year. Though where we live it’s actually hard to find clear LOS beyond 8km unless you climb to the tops of mountains. There is an valley behind our house which is about 10km that I’d love to cruise though.

[@blackbarett6632]

@@GiantAntCowboy I understand.. so no need to go even farther xD But your last flight would have been way easier.. I tested my wing - flying in circles till the Batterie is dying: 60km and over an hour of flight time. But that was just my thought. Your content is good enough as it is - no wings needed 😉

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@blackbarett6632 thanks, yea at this point I’m just testing the system, excited to test the new 1W vtx soon and share those results. For my actual used I’m generally flying local mountains which are 4-5km max, but if your system can go 10km than at 4-5km it’s barely trying which is comforting! I 100% see the appeal of wings, and my father in law has recently expressed interest, so as I said I’ll start looking into them. What’s your wing setup, if you don’t mind sharing?

[@blackbarett6632]

@@GiantAntCowboy My current setup is an AR Wing Pro by Sonicmodell - I got the PNP Version for 108€ so I couldn't resist since I crashed my old one xD ESC: Sonicmodell 40A Motor: Sunnysky 2216, 1400 KV FC: the discontinued Mateksys F722 Wing GPS by Mateksys VTX: Unify Pro 32 HV Cam: Runcam Racer 5 RX: TBS XF Battery: 4S2P 7000 MaH Liion by ZOHD Cruise Speed is about 60-70 km/h So nothing special really. Its a fun wing, but I would prefer a "real" one with a "T-tail". Also its made to carry an action cam - therefore it's really tail-heavy and you need a lot of weight in the nose. CG should be pretty good as well and you will probably have to use some weights. There are ventilation holes everywhere to cool your electronics and a lot of bays to put them in to. Long story short: For some LR flights this setup could work well - big battery and Actioncam. For your father in law, who's probably enthusiastic about planes, it could be the wrong choice.

[@jimmytheriot8978]

@@GiantAntCowboy I have the siyi hm30 system coming this week to try on my homemade FPV Cockpit, looks promising for long range fixwing, I have the SharkByte system and love it , check out my homemade FPV

[@oli_flies_quads]

But you also reached 6km with just 2 helicals. I wonder if those addition 2 helicals even make a difference in range at all.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Exactly, the main benefit of the 4 helicals is not necessarily range, but rather decreased breakup and improved video quality. This is because the HDZero system actually combines signals from all 4 antenna signals and so having two weaker antennas would theoretically degrade the video quality. I need to compare and analyze my previous footage, and better yet run some new tests directly comparing the two setups. For most people, including myself, the simpler two helical setup would be perfectly fine. I did this project out of curiosity and for fun! Thanks for checking out the video, and providing your thoughts. Definitely worth looking into, stay tuned and I’ll try to find out!

[@oli_flies_quads]

@@GiantAntCowboy it would really be interesting to see if 4 helicals actually make a notable difference. And if that difference makes up for the fact that the goggles are heavier and look - well - even more stupid than with just 2 :-)

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@oli_flies_quads yea, I’ll see what I can prove. I do agree the quad helical is inconvenient, and silly looking. I partly made this as a joke/for fun, but also curiosity. With the new VTX-L which I’ll be testing soon, you’ll two helicals will be way more than enough for 7km trips, which is plenty for most of us…

[@unixoid33]

What I don't like about sharkbyte is that the picture becomes cluttered like on analog. while in digital, for example DIY OPEN.HD The picture is 1 km, 50 km of the same quality

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yea, the image static is a result of poor signal and low latency. Basically the system is giving whatever image it has as fast as possible. Most digital systems buffer and repair the image which makes it look nicer but at the cost of latency. (A higher powered VTX/better antennas would help this, and also HDZero could offer different modes to improve this.) Higher latency may be acceptable in certain applications in exchange for better image, like Long-range wing flights for example, but here’s a couple theoretical examples for context: - I don’t know OPEN.HD, but SIYI system, which is probably similar, performs very well in range tests, but it has a 180ms latency. Here’s what that means using round numbers: 180ms at 100kph = 4.86m, meaning the image you see is about 5m behind the actual quad. So by the time you see a tree 5m away you’ve actually already crashed into that tree. - HDZero has fixed latency around 25m/s and in the same situation above the image is only 0.7m behind. So the tree you see 5m away is actually 4.3m away which is plenty of time to avoid the tree. Probably more information than you wanted, but I just started typing... Haha! Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts, HDZero is still evolving and from what I’ve seen is happy to work with the community to adapt the system as needed, so hopefully we’ll see this sort of improvement going forward. Cheers!

[@Sergei75000]

Curious to know the video range with 1w tx and those 7T helical antennas. The limit of dji system is 14 kms in high power. The New Siyi system HD over 18 kms for the moment or more but with high latency. For your interference between Crossfire and video, maybe put the rx video on a tripod connecting to long HDMI cable on your Google and far of tx radio , it s just an Idea. Good luck in your long range adventure 🤞

[@jimmytheriot8978]

I have the siyi hm30 system coming this week to try on my homemade FPV Cockpit, looks promising for long range fixwing, I have the SharkByte system and love it , check out my homemade FPV Cockpit

[@GiantAntCowboy]

The 1W will exceed DJI’s 13.3km hard stop, I’m sure of that, and I think with the right antenna setup it should match SIYI’s range as well. However we’ll just have to wait and see! My goals have always been mountain surfing which is mostly under 7km, and I just want solid, clean and dependable video signal. Regarding the ground station, I think that is a perfect idea but I’m trying to keep the setup compact and light because I often go hiking with my gear and it’s already heavy and bulky enough… haha Thanks for tuning in and chatting!

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Amazing FPV setup, definitely curious about this SIYI system, besides the higher latency it’s looks pretty decent actually. Curious to learn more.

[@jimmytheriot8978]

@@GiantAntCowboy thanks , my Siyi hm30 system should be in soon , ordered the hdmi converter with it to hook up to my screen , just replace the 32" screen with 50" , cait wait for the system to come in and good weather to try

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@jimmytheriot8978 oh whee, excited to hear your thoughts!

[@ChrisHarmon1]

I assume you conformal coat?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yes I do, generally… though just last week I was testing the WalkSnail system, video froze, I found the quad dead in a snow pile. FC and VTX fried. Put together this test setup super quick and paid the price. New parts ordered already. So I Highly recommend conformal coating your builds! Thanks for watching, stay tuned, cheers!

[@aythixfpv]

Mmmmm.....Talk hd zero to me! Edit also do you make your antennas.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

🤣 Yea man, DIY everything! This thing is just a rough prototype I slapped together to test out. Might make a nicer version some day… but if you’re curious all my DIY links are in the description. Thanks as always for watching and supporting. Cheers

[@Dec1duousTree]

Was the quad okay?

[@GiantAntCowboy]

You know, the quad was fine actually, but nevertheless, this was it’s last major flight… Soon after, it was replaced by a proper Chimera 7” build and eventually scraped for parts to build a better freestyle quad for my WalkSnail testing. However don’t feel bad, this cheap 6 year old ZMR250 frame had a pretty amazing life, and flew some incredible places! I still have the frame, and often think about building a trainer quad for friends and family… maybe I’ll do that soon! Anyway, I could have just said “No”… but instead you got the ‘procrastinating from work’ version. Cheers!

[@Dec1duousTree]

@@GiantAntCowboy Love it! Thanks for the long answer! I think about FPV all the time. I recently built a 5 star turn helical based impressions and ideas I got from you over a year ago. Tusen takk!

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@Dec1duousTree I feel ya, a total obsession… borderline lose your money, job, and family sort of thing. Lol How did the Helical work out? And, are you Norwegian?

[@Dec1duousTree]

@@GiantAntCowboy Helical is great but I haven't done any long range flights yet. Only place to fly long range in flat SW Florida is over the Gulf, and I am not ready for that. Yes, I am dual citizen by birth right, but my Norwegian sucks. Someday I plan to spend more time there.

[@Dec1duousTree]

@@GiantAntCowboy Do you think Norway will be easier to fly in the coming future than the US may be? Speaking of restrictions?

[@eprohoda]

How’s everything going?- Like it,interesting - Giaant~ ;)

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yea, appreciate the comment and support! Cheers!

[@choppergirl]

Great I guess if you want to look like SPaceman Spiff. Really this VRX box is best to go on the back of a huge HDMI tv, not be hanging off the end of your face with all that face. #endthegogglepwwke

[@GiantAntCowboy]

I made this really as a joke, but actually still use a modified version of this antenna setup for range and penetration. I’m currently beta testing the new HDZero Goggles which eliminates the VRX box and further streamlines the setup. I’ll post a video about those this weekend, but thanks for watching and I appreciate the Calvin and Hobbes reference, cheers!

[@AeroStuffFPV]

That's insane! Congrats on your success! I recently made a 34-Turn Helical by your instruction video and got over +4km at 25mW with a good picture. I've made a video about it. Check it out! It looks ridiculous too! XD

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Amazing, just checked out your video and left a comment. Very well presented video, crazy helical antenna! Glad to see people experimenting and having successes! Cheers man!

[@oddeman3489]

Dette er kanskje dumt? ahh vi gjør det alikevel, supert, sånn får en resultater.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yes, this setup is unnecessary and just a fun interesting test. I will be testing the new VTX-L soon which will have no problem reaching 7km with simple antenna setups.

[@oddeman3489]

@@GiantAntCowboy hei, har skyzone x og har lyst på digitalt så disse testene overbeviser meg at DJI ikke er eneste valget,

[@GiantAntCowboy]

@@oddeman3489 Absolutt, and HDZero simply plugs into your Skyzones. I’ll be testing the new high powered VTX-L soon, and think that will provide an even better image/signal quality. Additionally the cameras will get better with time. Finding a VRX in Norway is a little tricky now, looks like Modellers.no has one in stock. I have a brand new spare VRX I may be willing to sell if interested, just let me know and we’ll figure something out. Cheers!

[@gregorydahl]

$100/mile if you lose it .

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Truth… mountain surfing is super stressful. So easy to make a mistake, but also random electrical, antenna or propeller failures are a quick game over. But see these impossible places is really exciting and a lot of fun!

[@petrusoroaga6528]

OMG. Did the quality of the HDZero video went down? It's noise all over the place, from start to finish. Who wants to fly like this, with constant noise in the video? And the quality looks really bad, even on 1440p.

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Yea, good observation. There are a few factors here that hurt the quality. First was I think I converted the TS DVR files wrong which caused some compression quality issues. The noisy image really gets bad as I get further out, and I think this is due to poor signal but also the Crossfire interference I mentioned in the video. Last but not least, it’s was getting pretty dark when I did these flights, I have brightened up all the images to make it more presentable but this lighting situation certainly made for a less ideal image. Thank for watching and providing feedback. Next tests I’ll pick a sunny day! These are the shortest days of the year, so it’s impossible to find beautiful sunny days at the moment. Haha! Stay tuned!