RSSI Explained

I explain RSSI and how we can get the mos out of it with the x8r and Taranis

[@jmeister2050]

Andy, this is a superb playlist series and I have ordered everything to build one. Will be coming to this playlist time and again to finish my build!

[@AndyRCchannel]

+Jamal Meister thanks for watching glad its useful!

[@blackmennewstyle]

Another great video Andy :) It's always a pleasure to watch them! Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend

[@AndyRCchannel]

thanks for watching happy Sunday!

[@VictorSeedorsky]

@@AndyRCchannel Would You be able to update this content for present day and new radios like TX16S and new flight controllers like F4 or higher in combination with new Betaflight ..? I am still confused and have a RSS shouting on my flashing in my OSD fpg goggles. Regards.

[@doktordrone]

thank you, Andy. this is helpful. have a great weekend :)

[@ahleeyong9863]

very useful info andy! now i understand what is the rssi for analogue and digital. thumbs up brother!!!

[@DeanChapmanFPV]

Very informative! Thanks Andy 👍🏻

[@NguyenDuy-jd6sm]

your video animation is so good sir ! thank you for uploading

[@PeterWinnett]

Great Vid Andy. Any idea on what an RSSI should be when the Tx/Rx are next to each other on the bench? I have an RSSI of -39db, I kinda thought it should be closer to -0db, what do you think? regards, Pete

[@rwkeeton]

I feel the aggravation in your voice. I sympathise wholeheartedly

[@CDigata]

i know this is an old one... but well done, it explained things well for me..

[@ehsankeshtgar6734]

hi , thanks for your great video . I've got Ftsky D8R-ll plus receiver that got two analog A1 and A2 and one digital Rx Tc ports . Is it possible to get RSSI signal out of them ? I couldn't find any useful info in the web but by seeing your amazing video I thought u might know the answer ! thanks in advanced

[@SkydiveDriver]

Impressive.

[@RK-dp9fe]

Hi Andi i udated my flysky transmitter to show RSSI and i am wandering what level do you suggest that i put the alarm at? Also it is showing the values with minus. Example -67 dbm.

[@1crazynordlander]

Hi Andy, I watched and understood most of this playlist but I am not sure I want to go this far (Time and Money) to get a high end quadcopter. I looked at the DJI Phantom 3 standard and that gave me sticker shock at $500 US. It looks like I would almost have that much into this unit. I would like to know if I can couple a nice GoPro clone camera with a gimbal up to an already made low price quadcopter and have less than $200 total into the unit. I looked at your first 450 build also but you must be over $200 US even without a GoPro clone? If you have any suggestions I would appreciate it. Thanks Kevin

[@AlanBathurst]

excellent video ...Thanks you clever chap

[@AndyRCchannel]

thanks :-)

[@crissan5035]

Andy the only that get right to the point everyone else is like oh this and oh that, but ANDY is a HANDY.

[@waltaopqd]

Hi , is necessary telemetry active in Taranis to chanel 8 show rssi ?

[@vengeancead823]

sir, how to check the signal strength of a radio telemetry used on a laptop (GCS mission planner). I want to analyze it too. @AndyRC

[@ThePhotonHD]

But OSD RSSI is Linear and Taranis is not, right?

[@dukedblu]

Aha, That's how it works. Thanks a lot!

[@AndyRCchannel]

no prpblem

[@RelaxinFPV]

Hi Andy, thank your for your videos !! I'have a question about your Taranis set up. I'm trying to use your method with Arkbird AP. Arkbird guys said to me that the RSSI value has to be sent through channel 11 in PPM in a 1ms to 2ms signal (0% to 100%). I set up my Taranis like you did in your video but sadly i doesnt works. My questions are why do i need to put 200 in weight and -100 offset in the mixer ? and does this set up is sending a 1ms to 2ms signal through PPM ? (I'm using a X8R with sbus to CPPM converter (jumper plugged for a 21ms period and 12 channels sending)

[@AndyRCchannel]

you have to give it an offset otherwise the rssi value will start at the half way point. which means 0 dB will show 50 dB. you want it to read the same as the taranis telemetry. I'm not aware of the ap but it should just be the same as in this video except set it up to channel 11 instead. the M/s signal is relating to pulses I think not sure u can set up anything in the taranis to do that. but maybe it's what the rssi out on the x8r is using already. try to connect the rssi out on the x8r to channel 11 and see what reading u get.

[@smokinquads3890]

hi andy, i just pre ordered the taranis qx7 and was wondering which receiver you suggest i use on a 5 inch fpv racer? there isn't much space on the airframe. also, what is your opinion on the cheaper taranis? thanks a million!

[@AndyRCchannel]

id go with the X4rsb as i dont like to mess around soldering the receiver but if that doesnt bother u then go XSR cheers

[@coolt5]

you are genius my friend

[@AndyRCchannel]

thanks for watching cheers

[@athertop]

Really well explained! Great vid!

[@AndyRCchannel]

+Paul Atherton thanks Paul

[@athertop]

+AndyRC I was planning to build a filter to try to get the RSSI output from my X4R working, not realising that the X series Rx RSSI PWM output doesn't play nicely, so now I'm just going to stick with RSSI on channel 16. Using your rates to limit the max value PWM - nicely detailed in your vid. Cheers.

[@AndyRCchannel]

interesting iv been looking for a way to get the x4r to output the rssi on one of the pwm channels but the x4r only has 4 channels out. can you get channel 16 out on one of the pwm slots on the x4r? cheers

[@athertop]

+AndyRC Yes, I have both the X4R and the X4R-SB (the SBus version), and of course, you can get all 16 channels on SBus, but even on the regular 4 (PWM) channel X4R, you can also access SBus with some mods! Basically, both Rx are the same internally but with a trace on the board soldered differently on one model compared to the other, so the link in one direction changes one of the servo connectors into an SBus connector (I.e. as per the X4R-SB version), and connected the other way, it changes it to a regular PWM channel (I.e. as per the non SB version X4R). So by manually changing that internal link, its possible to turn a regular X4R into the SBus version, or alternatively, you can keep all 4 PWM channels, and just solder a separate servo cable to various pads internally to access Sbus directly. I found this on the BoltRC website here: boltrc.com/blog/x4r-sbus-mod-how-to/ Of course with SBus connected to the Pixhawk, you can access all 16 channels within Pixhawk to take advantage of them. For instance, in Mission Planner you can set the RSSI_CHANNEL parameter to 16 to access that channel (even though the wiki suggests only channels 5-8 are usable for this!) Bizarrely in QGroundControl, the parameters screen applies validation on the channel number entered, so you can't set ch16 through this app - but you can in MP!

[@AndyRCchannel]

what I was trying to do is on the x4rsb (for miniquad use and not pixhawk) is to some how have the sbus connected to channel one but then the open pwm channels assigned to something like channel 8. do you know if thats possible? or is it only possible to have channels 1-4 come out of them cheers

[@stridermt2k]

Andy, as always thank you! The insight gained helps my own thoughts and research. However... Sometimes your videos create other questions, such as: How is the signal for telemetry being transmitted from the flyer? Does telemetry use it's own radio system and can it be modded? The reason I ask is that I have yet to research antenna systems for telemetry specifically as applied to longer range flying. For example my Hubsan receiver and FCB both seem to have auxiliary antennas for telemetry built onto the boards. These could, in theory be modified with external antennas to increase telemetry range. Wouldn't one want to modify the telemetry system as well so that telemetry also has increased range to match the control range of a flyer?

[@AndyRCchannel]

all very good questions. on the x8r it has two antennas. one transmits the telemetry back the other receives. I never looked into how the hubsan board uses its telemetry as I don't use the h107d transmitter. I for fitted the telemetry to use he spyhawk transmitter go get better control. but yes you are right. the telemetry is only as good as its ability to send back. for example if your transmitter can transmit at 100mw but your telemetry can only transmit 10mw then your telemetry will cut out much sooner than the actual range of the transmitter. that's why it's best to transmit the telemetry over the fpv system rather than back to the radio

[@stridermt2k]

Excellent. You rock man.

[@AndyRCchannel]

Thanks Michael

[@sputniksam]

+AndyRC Hi Andy. It was my understanding that the antenna setup on the X8R, and other twin antenna receivers, was for diversity purposes. The antennas feed a compariter circuit which automatically switches the receiver to the antenna with the best signal strength. I've used a X8R receiver with just one antenna, the other was chewed up by a prop, and still had full range and full telemetry. For optimum performance it is advised to orientate the two antennas 90 degrees to each other to compensate for the pitch and roll of the model and changes in polarisation due to the Faraday effect. Regards Nidge

[@AndyRCchannel]

+sputniksam there's conflicting information on the subject for sure. frsky state they are diversity antennas others state that one doesn't receive anything and transmits. after this rssi discovery I wouldn't be surprised if ones even a dummy!

[@rogerbarnett8838]

Hi Andy. I think I know the answer to this question but I have to double check. I've just purchased the taranis qx7 and Arfun 95 with frsky D8 mode receiver. Now I've watched your Arfun 95 review in which you stated (I think) that the D8 receiver is not a telemetry receiver. Does this mean that there is no way for me to get the qx7 to display or say the RSSI value or warn me. Thanks in advance.

[@AndyRCchannel]

+Roger Barnett that it correct cheers

[@rogerbarnett8838]

But should I become able to get battery level shown on the taranis, or is that only viewable through the osd?

[@gavachkin]

Hi, I correctly understand that if the receiver and the transmitter do not support rssi, then this parameter will not be enabled in betaflight and nothing will be displayed on the osd connected by spi.

[@AndyRCchannel]

+Сергей Богданов you can use this method in betaflight yes but only with X8r xsr and x4rsb

[@drewhodge3820]

Can you do the same with a 9x transmitter ?

[@AndyRCchannel]

if its running open tx then I can't see why not. however you would need a way to get the telemetry from the frsky receiver. check out rc hackers mod. the 9x doesn't have audio but that's not too much of a problem

[@vengeancead823]

#AndyRC