Posted by Jamie Martin on March 31, 2014 at 9:35am
Hello all,I'm building a flitetest versa wing and I have a question about the orientation of the stock antenna for the 3dr telemtry module.Can I mount it near my gps or near my 5.8 ghz video link and also I think it would work better with the antenna laying flat inside the wing instead of pointing straight up and down but all the pictures I see show the antenna pointing up instead of laying horizontally. Which is best?Thank you
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If you're using 'rubber duck' style monopole antennas on the air and ground radios then they both need to be oriented on the same plane -- either both vertical or both horizontal. Think of the radiation pattern of these types of antennas as doughnut (torus) shaped. If the two patterns are on the same plane their reception is maximized, but if they intersect at right-angles there is significant signal loss.
Another option to consider would be a Vee antenna on your aircraft, and then a dipole on your ground station. Both types are inexpensive and play well together.
As for interfering with your 5.8GHz video signal there shouldn't be any issues, although it's always wise to separate your antennas as much as possible. The Versa Wing is an excellent platform and allows you the option of placing your video antenna near one wingtip, the RC antenna in the center, and then the telemetry antenna near the opposite wingtip.
Be sure to do comparative range checks with your RC radios anytime you add additional gear like video or telemetry. If you notice any loss in signal strength then it may be time to look at either reorienting your antennas, changing their placement, or installing a filter.
Replies
If you're using 'rubber duck' style monopole antennas on the air and ground radios then they both need to be oriented on the same plane -- either both vertical or both horizontal. Think of the radiation pattern of these types of antennas as doughnut (torus) shaped. If the two patterns are on the same plane their reception is maximized, but if they intersect at right-angles there is significant signal loss.
Another option to consider would be a Vee antenna on your aircraft, and then a dipole on your ground station. Both types are inexpensive and play well together.
As for interfering with your 5.8GHz video signal there shouldn't be any issues, although it's always wise to separate your antennas as much as possible. The Versa Wing is an excellent platform and allows you the option of placing your video antenna near one wingtip, the RC antenna in the center, and then the telemetry antenna near the opposite wingtip.
Be sure to do comparative range checks with your RC radios anytime you add additional gear like video or telemetry. If you notice any loss in signal strength then it may be time to look at either reorienting your antennas, changing their placement, or installing a filter.