Setups Hobby King 5.8 fpv setup

Derek

Well-Known Member
I'm sure a lot of you have seen this setup that HK sells for around $300. Video goggles, tx,rx, and some cables.

Would this really be worth it for park flying?
 

Lee

Well-Known Member
Are you talking about the Predator package. If so, yes its a good start if you replace the antennas for clover leafs to give you better range.
 

breeze400

Spagetti Pilot
You can get the same predictor package here in the states at ready made Rc. You'll have it in 2/3 days instead of 2/3 weeks!
 

WyDiablo

Member
Yea, I got mine from ready made rc and it got to my door pretty fast. I got the 5.8Mzh 600Mw tx and the fat shark predator goggle swith the built in rx. The total price was around $350 to $400 bucks
 

Derek

Well-Known Member
Is that a rhetorical question?

...actually, no. This wasn't meant as a rhetorical question, at all. The truth is, I'm not very knowledgeable at all when it comes to ghz, mhz, volts, amps, etc. I was just unsure as the what people thought of the quality of this particular unit as well as the range of the video system.

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Are you talking about the Predator package. If so, yes its a good start if you replace the antennas for clover leafs to give you better range.

Where would suitable cloverleafs be gotten from?
 

Lee

Well-Known Member
You should find the cloverleaf antennas from the same place you buy the FPV package. the ones i have are made for the fatsharks, so if they sell the googles and radio gear, they should have the antennas. I know HK has them and Ready made RC. :)
 

Derek

Well-Known Member
I want to do FPV flying in such a bad way. I'm just unsure as to what to buy. I'm thinking that the 5.8ghz setup from Hobby King would be nice, but I also think that it's not something I'd be happy with. I have been talking with some people on YouTube about it and they are helping me decide. I just don't want to buy an FPV setup now and then out-grow it in 6 months. Ultimately, I think if I could get an FPV setup that would let me fly 2-3 miles away and back, I would be happy. Again...I'm just not sure what to buy.
 

Tasajara

Active Member
2 to 3 miles... You have to make sure your radio has the range... don't want to out fly your controls.
The 5.8 works good... a great starting point. If you think you will fly out far and behind tress and such
I would lean to 900MHz. A 200mw 900MHz will fly as far as a 500mv 5.8GHz.
One thing to note is you don't need a lot of power to fly far if you have good antennas.
600mw or less is plenty. Anything more will tend to give you extra RF noise. I had an 800mw and went for a
300mw instead. Also what size you use depends if you are flying a Plane or MultiRotor.
Planes can use a higher output because you can spread you equipment out all over the plane, less chance of RF effecting things.
A multirotor is a lot smaller so I tend to use 300mw or less. Anyway the flight times are 5 times shorter than a plane
so you want fly that far out before you have to turn around.

The 5.8 is also good when you want a compact system. TX in the goggles and the antennas are so much smaller because of the smaller wavelength
unlike the 900MHz or 1.3GHz which I use.
If you use a 2.4GHz radio the 2 Freq. to use is 5.8GHz and 900MHz, never use 1.3GHz with a 2.4GHz radio you will cut your range by at least 1/2
The 1.3GHz kills the range of 2.4 radios.

As far as where to buy... HK has a good price, but I like ReadyMadeRC because of there customer service. If I had ever had a problem It wouldn't take months to
get it taken of. Just my Take....
 

breeze400

Spagetti Pilot
Derek! I have told you before that if you want to get into FPV you need to stay with a system you can purchase from ready made Rc. The prices are not that much differant than HK. And like Craig told you service wise you can't beat them! Every e-mail or phone call I have made to them has been answered in a timely manor! Every time! I can't make you decide to stay away fon HK. But I highly advise you to stay away from them. You will save literally months of heart ack waiting for things. God forbid you have a problem with a component and have to send it back!
 

Derek

Well-Known Member
hmmm, I'm not even sure where to go with this thread now. In my previous post, I did say, "... but I also think that it's not something I'd be happy with". I will have no issues at all ordering from Ready Made RC. They are here in the states and ALOT of people talk highly about them. Just being here in the states is a huge "+1" for me. I think the part that is being missed is the equipment. Not only do I think that ordering such a huge component from Hobby King would not be a good idea, I also think that the 5.8ghz would be an issue. Yes, 5.8ghz would be great to get started and all, but I don't wanna be "in fear" of out growing it real fast.

As far as the radio equipment, I'm thinking that I'm gonna be using the Futaba 72mHz Tx that I have already. Just need to order some Rx's. It's the video gear that I am most uncertain about. Are there certain bands that are not permitted in the USA? I heard there were a few. Obviously, I want to avoid those. I just want something that I can fly to 1-2 miles out and back...at most. Surely, for the first dozens of flights, I'll not be flying out 1-2 miles, but it would be a nice goal.
 

Tasajara

Active Member
Sounds good... if you are doing 72MHz you can use any freq. In that case I like the 1.3 MHz the best.... thats just me, because where I fly there are a lot of trees and hills sometimes.
Also there seems to be more ground station antennas made for that Freq. than any other. A large group to pick from to fit your needs.
You should get well over 2 miles with a 300mw system and a good antenna. And less interference than 900MHz.
With the right antenna you can punch through trees and buildings unlike the 5.8MHz ....
I noticed when I flew a 5.8 system out over 3/4 mile and went behind trees (with leaves)
my screen would white out. I had to climb up above the trees to get signal back.
All Freq. 5.8GHz ,2.4GHz, 1.3GHz and 900Mhz can all be used in the US just make sure when you order that there is not a note saying
this model is for INTERNATIONAL USE there are 2 versions of some video transmitters sometimes.
And note if you use 2.4GHz you could hurt other flyers on that freq. it may interfere with there radio... just a thought.

As far as being legal in the US... The use and operation of these products in the USA and other countries may require an amateur/ham radio license, and some countries may forbid its use entirely.
As far as the US goes I do believe you need to have the amateur/ham radio license. It is all up to you if you get one.

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Sam, your getting grumpy lmao. Put your RCH shirt on and go fly your quad a few laps :chuckles:
Hey you have shirts now... I must have missed that..
 
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Derek

Well-Known Member
Thank you for your comments, Tasajara!!! You confirmed several of my current thoughts. I've been leaning towards the 1.3 setup for the past few weeks, but was unsure. You helped me decide with certainty on that now. I've been leaning towards the 300mw power, but was unsure. You helped me decide on that now. I knew that I wanted to stay away from 2.4 because my wife will be flying with me this year, using my DX6i, so I knew that would be an issue. I did like the simplicity and size of the 5.8ghz setups, but as you said, around trees and stuff...that's just not gonna work at all.

Yes, I will be working on getting the ham radio license. Is it 100% necessary? Probably not. I have "YouTube" buddies that fly 1.3ghz without the ham license, but I would really like to stay "honest" with the hobby and not be "that one" guy that gets busted. I just need to find a place around here that does the testing. The way that I understand it, the test costs $15 and once completed, I'd be good for 10 years. That is $1.50 per year of legal assurance. I can live with that.

I wish I had some RCH shirts.
 

WyDiablo

Member
I have no complaints about ready made rc at all. They have been quick to deliver and quick to answer my e-mails. I can't say that for other "well" known sites (no names)
 
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