Hey Steele, apart from the usual wealth of good stuff you always bring to your channel, the style of this video is a slight departure from previous ones and is particularly awesome. Your clear, concise, informed presentation of ideas, opinions and experience makes it extremely listenable - I took a lot from it. Keep up the great work.
Mr. Steele , THANK YOU so so so much for taking time to explain , eleborate and share your knowledge about FatShark receivermodules and antennas. You just made me a very happy man. This information was exactly what I was looking for . Basicly It means , invest more money in somthing that's already expensive. But thanks again . Now I know what I can do to improve my FPV reception. Cheerzzzz
I was just starting to look into diversity and what exactly different antennas get you, so this video couldn't be better timed. Thanks for the info, it's a great place to start!
I CANNOT STOP WATCHING ALL YOUR VIDEOS!!!! AND THE ENTIRE ROTOR RIOT TEAM!!!!!!!!! You and ROTOR RIOT are the NEW FLITETEST (kinda) lol I FREAKIN LOVE THOSE GUYS SO MUCH and all there work!!!!!!
Just got my TBS Unify Pro HV and Dominator receiver last week! I haven't had a chance to test them out yet, but it's nice to hear that Steele uses and likes the Unify. Awesome stuff! Keep up the great work Steele!!!
Steele, thanks for the rant. This is stuff people really want to know from the guys that fly everyday and the way you fly. I would love to see more videos like this.
Damn I wish you would've did this video about a month ago when I was going crazy trying to figure out why my audio was terrible using the Nexwave module when I switched to the Unify Pro Vtx. Finally figured out a "fix" to remove a component from the actual board of the module. Fixed the problem but then decided to go the Laforge route and audio is perfect with Laforge. Anyway, great video as usual, keep up the good work!
Ronn could you be more specific on that fix by modifying the module as i also have the combo of TBS unify and a fastshark module having really noisy audio as i start giving throttle. its completely unusable now.
I really like these type of videos Steele!!!!!!! You probably have a hard time making them because your so busy but they are nice and detailed when you do!!! keep it up!!
Great stuff man.. I like it when things are explained in a "real world" way....not all the Tech mumbo jumbo and meters and such...blah blah blah...just "this works great".. "this one sucks"...lol
Just wanted to say thanks for a very informative and helpful video! I've been waiting for it since you announced it on IG. Have considered getting some FatSharks goggles for a while now, since the Headplay HDs are taking up half the space in my backpack and always seem to be in the way. The amount of Rx modules available for the FS has made it hard to decide, but this vid helped a lot. Thanks again! :) Also, kinda jelly that you guys got to, and even fly in, Ukraine/Chernobyl (And then you even go and top it off with the AN-225), that's been on my list for a long time!
A good overview of the various options, thanks Steele! I run the Duo5800 v3 (non-raceband). It works well for my mountain flights, and depending on where I want to fly, I go with either the TrueRC x-Air or the 13dbi patch. The 13dbi patch will definitely outfly the stock taranis control link, but it's extreme useful in reaching mountain tops!
Have you ever tried a crosshair and compared it to the patch? I am curious of your opinion. I am happy to send one to you. I don't expect you to advertise for me. Just interested in your experience and how I could improve it.
Another awesome, informative video! Just an idea if the electrical tape isn't really blocking out enough light for you, try plastidip. It's a bit like a spray on electrical tape, but easy to apply to cramped areas and you can put on as many coats as you like. I'd imagine using standard black paint would work rather well too.
Great info! I have been using LaForge the past 3 weeks too and I do like it a lot. I agree with you about the mounting difficulty though. I ended up drilling holes in my goggles to run some zip ties through them to hold the modules on the outside. Even though I made sure there were no electrical components at the drill spots I must admit I was still sweating a bit while the drill went through. I just started using their receiver too and I liked it at first (especially with the IR remote convenience), but I have been getting weird picture dropouts once in every flight now, and that scares the crap out of me (picture is black for over 1 whole second). Hopefully it was just a loss of power to my camera (resoldered all connections to make sure they are good. Hope that fixed it)
Ive never used the fatshark batteries, I use 2 EBL 3.7V 5000mAh batteries soldered together on a long wire and keep the battery in my pocket, nice weight reduction on the face too.
I've just been through the exact same process. Brand new HD2's being pulled apart seemed wrong but the La forge work brilliantly. i used the black pull apart sponge from inside pelican case to make effective light leak material before popping on the 3d printed doors. The TBS Triumph pair work flawlessly.... (thanks Trappy/ibcrazy).
Hey Steele, love all the vlog videos, and the straight flying videos but really like this more informative style of video too, so yeah you should try to do more of these when you can. Don't stop the vlog/flying videos obviously those are great, just continue to do more of these.
Excellent explanation Steele. Do you think Immersion RC will release their own equivalent version of the LaForge / Divesity, that integrates seamlessly (& doesn't chew through batteries)?
I find the best reception is when I run two clovers of different brands at 90deg orientation from each other. I'm not convinced the patch does much of anything. I can get the same signal quality with a good clover.
ARRRGH! You just learned me about the L vs R audio channels on the different fatshark modules. I am building a quad with the TBS trx but I have the nexwave module...I guess its better to find out now than when I take it for the maiden voyage...
when 3d printet parts aren't good enough out of the printer, try sanding it down a little bit, and there is a method known as acetone vapour smoothing, which works only on some materials.
Thanks for sharing. I've never had a reason to change from my stock FatSharks with an IBCrazy antenna. But I've always wondered about the La Forge system.
Been using the Laforge myself for a month or so and I totally agree with your review. To tackle the light issues I actually added some foam inside my googles, I used really light black foam and the IPD's still work great. Also, i'm using the "rotor riot modded batteries" .. and they last me a lot longer than the std packs.
Thank you for doing this video. I've been wanting to invest in a diversity system for my fatsharks. And all the info you provided will really help me narrow down my choice.
If there's a switch-mode-power-supply then as the voltage is lower it will sink more current and the SMPS could generate more EMF, interfering with your audio if it lacks adequate filtering.
Nice in-depth video. Thank you for taking to the time to talk tech. I have two questions. One, have you tried any Helical antennas? In particular, the TrueRC 5.8GHz X-AIR from Get fpv. I almost always run the Mad mushroom on my Attitude goggles but I find this helical gives more punch through denser objects when I fly in certain environments. The nice thing about these is that they have a wider beam width than most patch antennas. I dont have a diversity receiver yet so I can't really compare myself. Just curious what your opinion is on other directional antennas. Second question, and it is unrelated to antennas, but when you were talking about 3d printed material it got me thinking. What kind of Gopro camera wedge do you run on your Alien. Is is 3d printed and what is the angle? Thanks again for the awesome informative and always entertaining videos. Keep them coming.
Laying it down like it is man, nice one and thanks for taking the time to share the knowledge. It's easy to spend a lot of money on all the is stuff and still be no better off, it's becoming a minefield, especially getting the damned audio to work!
This is very good information! I've been needing to upgrade my attitude v1's to the HD2 but was not sure which receiver to go with, now I have trusted advise thank you for taking the time to make these videos.
The hum probably is from the switcher that takes battery voltage down to whatever voltage it's using internal. The switcher is always adjusting how fast it switches to deliver the right voltage and with more load it has to switch faster to keep the voltage up. Fatshark probably never tested it with such a big power load, which is understandable. It it were me I'd wire up a second regulator to regulate battery voltage and deliver it to the LaForge. I'd bet that would fix it.
Not sure if the heat shrink on you Mad Mushroom bugs you like the way it does me after I took off the giant blue cap. BUT I just read you can make custom diameter heat shrink to better fit the stem of the antenna if you take a larger diameter piece of heat shrink, wrap it around the stem, super glue it back together, and then heat it. It will shrink to a PERFECT fit. Just did it to mine and now I can sleep at night too.
Steele you should suggest to Bruce at UBAD (Or whoever the main La Forge guy is) that they print a layer of black ABS on the back of the current TPU module bay covers. That way you still get the nice feel of TPU on the outside but the ABS layer mitigates light leak.
I just used the foam from the Laforge boxes and put a couple pieces behind the diversity module and no more light leaks. No big deal really, actual module bay doors like the originals would be great. I didn't want to hack mine up tho...
wow I feel dumb... the whole time I need matching receiver and vtx just get audio I thought my V3's were broke... 😑shm.. finally somebody explains it in English! thanks man👍🏻
The newer VAS airblades have a little better gain and are supposed to out perform the mad mushroom combo. They are LHCP so it also gets you away from other flyers who the majority are running RHCP.
Hey Mr. Steele....this sort of thing, in my opinion, while a great representation of your talent and knowledge of FPV, is an exercise in futility. There are SO many opinions on what works best on what, that those that think they are better than you or aspire to be better flyers will show there asses by being negative. The average flyer (the FPV masses) can't afford the best. They (I) struggle to buy what they can to try to build machines to fly, to do the things you teach them by demonstrating your flying via your VBLOG! In your own way you represent the average mans life dream.....a Phantom quad tech for a Hobby shop.....that is now one of the best FPV pilots in the world...man sell it... YOU ARE THE SHIT!
Thank you steel :) Then i will wait to go diversity. I just get my attitude v3 with the stock module and stock antenna. And 3d printing is very cool man ;D got some stuff made for the fatsharks like battery holder, custom fan-cover and lens protections. Can not wait for the videos !
adding dip switches onto the outside of the cover parallel to the internal ones is simple and makes life easy for nexwave. Only need 3 wires. For anyone having blurriness issues with hdv2 try this for $10ish: Buy the eyecups and get rid of the foam faceplate. You will lose the fan. But you will have the sharpest edges because the hdv2 needs to be as close to your face as possible. Get some anti-fog solution. And finally there's 1 more diversity module that's fantastic and uses goggle buttons and no goggle mods (not the immersion antenna diversity - this one is not that good).
Thanks for the review. I may just bite the bullet and give the Laforge a shot. But after you & Chad's review I bet they're going to become harder to find. 😛 Keep on ripping! 🤘
Hey man, thanks for the content. To be fair though, the Furious module also has auto search, manual mode, and spectrum analyzer as well as saving channels :)
Thanks for the rundown, I love my LaForge but the battery drain is a bummer, I use an upgraded 3400mah battery and I'd say I get about 15-20 packs worth before the low voltage beep starts
Nice video about what hardware you use(d) and why. It is your opinion, and especially your practical experience that's what makes this worth full for me. Still amazed about the quality of the live feeds you and other respected FPV pilots have. And yes, Kyiv is a great city. did you cross over the Dipno River by Zip-line? Happy Flying!
great vid. FYI you won't get a big tumor on your face or head from using a larger receiving antenna. the receiving antenna doesn't radiate anything as it is only receiving the transmission.
Hey Steele I'm trying to get into quads and was wondering if you would make a "drone anatomy" video/video series that would explain what works with what and what kinds of are necessary to get rolling. Thanks keep on creating!
Hey Steele; Run up to Walmart and get a can of Krylon Fusion silver paint and put a couple of coats on the inside of the module door and if you still have some light bleeding through finish with a coat of black that way it shouldn't change the out side color of the door. Kenny
Mr. Steele, did you take the protective cover off of the Mad Mushroom or what? b/c your antenna doesn't have a cover and looks different than the one you listed in description on Amazon (or anywhere you look, they all have the cover on). o_0
Steel, thanks for the explanation on receivers and antenna. There is always a lot of opinions and discussions but for someone new that wants to start off right I'll take the advice of a pro pilot that is well versed in the Drone world. I do have a question!! What did you use to extend your patch antenna? I want something that doesn't put it way out there but juuuuusssstttt enough bend to keep it forward.
Hi Steele, interesting/informative video. Thanks for the comparsion of modules and antennas. Can you show how to setup your Quad etc. with the microphone? Would be interesting. I like the idea of hearing what the motors did during flight when Quad is hidden behind walls etc... And now I wait for the tschernobyl/prypjat footage Terrible stuff happens there :/
Here's new guy question. I just bought the fatshark v3's. Money is no object. What are the best mods to do to it? Receiver and antenna for someone like me who wants to fly out of sight and behind buildings???? All I have is the stick antenna and stock receiver. I believe my 220 has lumineer. And my 250 and 130 have 1200tvl cams. I'd rather get the best so I don't make poor investments. So two ques. 1 best v3 receiver for user friendly and distance, clarity. 2 best antenna for completely put or visual flying, through warehouses, forests etc.
Great video! Does the patch antenna help with reception when going around solid objects like say a large building or dense tree line? I thought patch antennas were for long range. Thanks!
Check it out steele, this is from an amature radio operator "me". The large 13db antenna would be ok as a recieve antenna and not give you any extra RF exposure "no more than your already recieving". Its when you have a transmitting radio that you will recieve more exposure to the radiation. Yes radiation kids, radiation. All types of frequencies will expose you to harmful RF radiation. Rf microwaves start at the 3000Mhz or 3Ghz in the rc world. Other freqs will radiate you , just not as efficient. Keep ALL transmitting radios and antennae as far away From your eyes, brain and balls as you can get them. You may need those little bastards some day.
Great review! How long are your 18650 hack packs lasting with the la forge? Have you seen or heard that Bruce just released version 2 of the la forge which will now use the fatshark channel buttons also?
I'm currently using a LaForge system but originally had my eye on the 2Pineapples module. I ended up going with the LaForge because Flying Lemon can never keep their receiver in stock. I really liked the 2Pineapples stacked design and that it used the original Fatshark buttons. However after going with the LaForge system I really like having the screen. It enables me to set my quad up and get ready to fly without having to don and remove the goggles a bunch of times. Have you tried the 2Pineapples module? Also, I backed the Polysher/Polysmooth campaign on Kickstarter and will print you new doors when it comes in if you want. It's a new filament that's just as strong as ABS but prints as easily as PLA, but the best thing is you can put the parts into the Polysher and it will completely smooth the parts. People have been trying that with ABS and heated acetone for years but it never works that well and is super dangerous (this system uses nebulized rubbing alcohol) . The pictures from the KS campaign show amazing results, the parts seriously look like they were injection molded; and their previous campaign I backed was for a new filament that absolutely met the specs they claimed. They even have a clear color that comes out completely clear when polished and printed with 1 or 2 shells. Let me know, I'll shoot you a message in a couple months once I have the machine too.
love you guys. where the hell is charpu??? excellent tech run down Mr Steele, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. I must say im keeping both my old modules, the tbs and the nextwave will look lovely in my china cabinet..
Thanks for the awesome video Mr. Steele. Which channel does laforge receive audio on? I have a Laforge module and have been struggling to get audio on my goggles. I use a TBS Pnp 50 for the microphone and a aomway 200 for the transmitter. I can swap that out for a irc 60mw if needed. On the hobby king website it says Audio Carrier Frequency: is 6.5MHz. What does that mean? It also says this Audio Input Level: 0.5~2.0 Vp-p Audio Input Impedance: 10K Ohm. On the transmitter there is a Audio left and a audio right. Thanks for you time. I apologize of my question is stupid, but I'm only 14 and don't know much about this.
This question is not specifically about antennas and receivers but I wanted to ask if through your connections with the companies you fly for do you or any of the rotor riot crew know how someone like my self who is an electronic engineering student graduating this month could get a job in the quadcopter/fpv field?
Hey Steele, How much do you think audio adds to your flying, vs the distraction? I hate the sound, but I fly better with it. However, I'm still a shit pilot, so I don't know how it will affect my flying as I improve.
Nice one steele however, could the humming be the "RF" running inside the batterys wires? since the plasment of the antena is so close to the battery connecter
Hey man good insightful video. Just out of interest have you ever used a separate receiver mounted on a tripod running too the fatsharks? Recently made the switch from running teleporter v5 with a patch to a diversity receiver mounted on a light stand. the difference is like night and day. Ps where can i get a wrap for my fatsharks? im digging the hello kitty one!
Hey Steele, I recently started to get into FPV (because of RotorRiot:) and I'm currently flying with the cheap Quanum Cyclops Goggles from HK. Is it a whole different experience using the FatShark HD2's? Or is it somehow similar? I want to upgrade someday but right now spent all my money on my quad's. Thanks :)
Very helpful overview on the receiving side of the videolink! :D Have you had a chance to test the nexwave RF diversity receiver? If so, how do you feel about it? I thought I saw one on ummaqawds goggles in the amazing "ultimate duga dive" video that you guys did on rotorriot! was I wrong? :o
Hi Steele, what audio are you listening? I always wondered regarding your earphones connected to the goggles. Another question: I saw you are using the 90 degree sma connector - I only bend my L circulated Fatshark antenna - is it better not to bend and using the length of the antenna? Cheers maverick-san
I get interference on the audio once I turn on my taranis. Could you post a video or just answer this question here about how to get the best audio signal? Thanks
Mr.steele I should have all the antennas right hand polarization or have the patch right hand and the polarized antenna left hand and have the VTX on the quad antenna omnidirectional?
Hey Steele, apart from the usual wealth of good stuff you always bring to your channel, the style of this video is a slight departure from previous ones and is particularly awesome. Your clear, concise, informed presentation of ideas, opinions and experience makes it extremely listenable - I took a lot from it. Keep up the great work.
Good video bro! I like these "calmer" videos where you explain stuff like this.
Mr. Steele , THANK YOU so so so much for taking time to explain , eleborate and share your knowledge about FatShark receivermodules and antennas. You just made me a very happy man. This information was exactly what I was looking for . Basicly It means , invest more money in somthing that's already expensive. But thanks again . Now I know what I can do to improve my FPV reception. Cheerzzzz
Love your content! You're the reason I got into this hobby.
I was just starting to look into diversity and what exactly different antennas get you, so this video couldn't be better timed. Thanks for the info, it's a great place to start!
Hello from Ukraine, I am very glad to see this T-shirt on you! Thank you for your content! :)
I CANNOT STOP WATCHING ALL YOUR VIDEOS!!!! AND THE ENTIRE ROTOR RIOT TEAM!!!!!!!!! You and ROTOR RIOT are the NEW FLITETEST (kinda) lol I FREAKIN LOVE THOSE GUYS SO MUCH and all there work!!!!!!
Just got my TBS Unify Pro HV and Dominator receiver last week! I haven't had a chance to test them out yet, but it's nice to hear that Steele uses and likes the Unify.
Awesome stuff! Keep up the great work Steele!!!
Steele, thanks for the rant. This is stuff people really want to know from the guys that fly everyday and the way you fly. I would love to see more videos like this.
Damn I wish you would've did this video about a month ago when I was going crazy trying to figure out why my audio was terrible using the Nexwave module when I switched to the Unify Pro Vtx. Finally figured out a "fix" to remove a component from the actual board of the module. Fixed the problem but then decided to go the Laforge route and audio is perfect with Laforge. Anyway, great video as usual, keep up the good work!
Ronn could you be more specific on that fix by modifying the module as i also have the combo of TBS unify and a fastshark module having really noisy audio as i start giving throttle. its completely unusable now.
I really like these type of videos Steele!!!!!!! You probably have a hard time making them because your so busy but they are nice and detailed when you do!!! keep it up!!
Great stuff man.. I like it when things are explained in a "real world" way....not all the Tech mumbo jumbo and meters and such...blah blah blah...just "this works great".. "this one sucks"...lol
Wow, i thoroughly enjoyed this. You explained all your opinions clearly and QUICKLY, i love that - Thanks Steele.
Thanks yet again, Steele. Good info - I'm about to pull the trigger on a goggle upgrade, and still in love with my V1 Dominators... this helps.
Just wanted to say thanks for a very informative and helpful video! I've been waiting for it since you announced it on IG.
Have considered getting some FatSharks goggles for a while now, since the Headplay HDs are taking up half the space in my backpack and always seem to be in the way. The amount of Rx modules available for the FS has made it hard to decide, but this vid helped a lot. Thanks again! :)
Also, kinda jelly that you guys got to, and even fly in, Ukraine/Chernobyl (And then you even go and top it off with the AN-225), that's been on my list for a long time!
A good overview of the various options, thanks Steele! I run the Duo5800 v3 (non-raceband). It works well for my mountain flights, and depending on where I want to fly, I go with either the TrueRC x-Air or the 13dbi patch. The 13dbi patch will definitely outfly the stock taranis control link, but it's extreme useful in reaching mountain tops!
Have you ever tried a crosshair and compared it to the patch? I am curious of your opinion. I am happy to send one to you. I don't expect you to advertise for me. Just interested in your experience and how I could improve it.
Great vid Steele very down to earth information here. Really excited for all the exclusion zone footage coming. Keep up the good work!
Another awesome, informative video! Just an idea if the electrical tape isn't really blocking out enough light for you, try plastidip. It's a bit like a spray on electrical tape, but easy to apply to cramped areas and you can put on as many coats as you like. I'd imagine using standard black paint would work rather well too.
Just watched this again in 2019! Steele rocks!
Hi from 2020, just watched it)
Great info! I have been using LaForge the past 3 weeks too and I do like it a lot. I agree with you about the mounting difficulty though. I ended up drilling holes in my goggles to run some zip ties through them to hold the modules on the outside. Even though I made sure there were no electrical components at the drill spots I must admit I was still sweating a bit while the drill went through. I just started using their receiver too and I liked it at first (especially with the IR remote convenience), but I have been getting weird picture dropouts once in every flight now, and that scares the crap out of me (picture is black for over 1 whole second). Hopefully it was just a loss of power to my camera (resoldered all connections to make sure they are good. Hope that fixed it)
I meant I just started using their transmitter too (not receiver)
Ive never used the fatshark batteries, I use 2 EBL 3.7V 5000mAh batteries soldered together on a long wire and keep the battery in my pocket, nice weight reduction on the face too.
I've just been through the exact same process. Brand new HD2's being pulled apart seemed wrong but the La forge work brilliantly.
i used the black pull apart sponge from inside pelican case to make effective light leak material before popping on the 3d printed doors. The TBS Triumph pair work flawlessly.... (thanks Trappy/ibcrazy).
Hey Steele, love all the vlog videos, and the straight flying videos but really like this more informative style of video too, so yeah you should try to do more of these when you can. Don't stop the vlog/flying videos obviously those are great, just continue to do more of these.
a true inspiration to me and all the bobby guys in my area and around the world DONT STOP!!!!!
Chernobyl-FPV??? Pure awesome! Lookin forward for that!
Excellent explanation Steele. Do you think Immersion RC will release their own equivalent version of the LaForge / Divesity, that integrates seamlessly (& doesn't chew through batteries)?
I find the best reception is when I run two clovers of different brands at 90deg orientation from each other. I'm not convinced the patch does much of anything. I can get the same signal quality with a good clover.
Great info Steele, keep it coming. Thank you for your time and effort on putting these informative videos out.
There's nothing better than a positive rant.
ARRRGH! You just learned me about the L vs R audio channels on the different fatshark modules. I am building a quad with the TBS trx but I have the nexwave module...I guess its better to find out now than when I take it for the maiden voyage...
Your certainly coming into your own now with your presentation skills. Thanks for the great info, going to stick with my nexwave in the meantime!
when 3d printet parts aren't good enough out of the printer, try sanding it down a little bit, and there is a method known as acetone vapour smoothing, which works only on some materials.
Awesome video, it's cool to see you sitting down and going into things deeply like this!
Hey!!! How do you PID????
I can't even spell PID
www.controlsoftinc.com/intune5plus.shtml?gclid=CO3bot6eo84CFZODaQodlfUAQA
PIDs are so last year, get up to speed man ;P
Lights out guerilla radio!!!
Heheheheh. Good one
Thanks for sharing. I've never had a reason to change from my stock FatSharks with an IBCrazy antenna. But I've always wondered about the La Forge system.
Been using the Laforge myself for a month or so and I totally agree with your review.
To tackle the light issues I actually added some foam inside my googles, I used really light black foam and the IPD's still work great.
Also, i'm using the "rotor riot modded batteries" .. and they last me a lot longer than the std packs.
Thank you for doing this video. I've been wanting to invest in a diversity system for my fatsharks. And all the info you provided will really help me narrow down my choice.
If there's a switch-mode-power-supply then as the voltage is lower it will sink more current and the SMPS could generate more EMF, interfering with your audio if it lacks adequate filtering.
Anyone else like this style of video? I like it Steele :)
Nice in-depth video. Thank you for taking to the time to talk tech. I have two questions. One, have you tried any Helical antennas? In particular, the TrueRC 5.8GHz X-AIR from Get fpv. I almost always run the Mad mushroom on my Attitude goggles but I find this helical gives more punch through denser objects when I fly in certain environments. The nice thing about these is that they have a wider beam width than most patch antennas. I dont have a diversity receiver yet so I can't really compare myself. Just curious what your opinion is on other directional antennas. Second question, and it is unrelated to antennas, but when you were talking about 3d printed material it got me thinking. What kind of Gopro camera wedge do you run on your Alien. Is is 3d printed and what is the angle? Thanks again for the awesome informative and always entertaining videos. Keep them coming.
Laying it down like it is man, nice one and thanks for taking the time to share the knowledge. It's easy to spend a lot of money on all the is stuff and still be no better off, it's becoming a minefield, especially getting the damned audio to work!
i just got into fpv. wow, bro! you're crazy into this shit. Awesome. will have to come back to this when I'm more up to speed.
This is very good information! I've been needing to upgrade my attitude v1's to the HD2 but was not sure which receiver to go with, now I have trusted advise thank you for taking the time to make these videos.
Thanks Steele. That cleared up a bunch of questions I had! Keep on Ripping!
Damn man, you've been cranking out the vids lately! Thanks! Keep it up bud, love this shit
The hum probably is from the switcher that takes battery voltage down to whatever voltage it's using internal. The switcher is always adjusting how fast it switches to deliver the right voltage and with more load it has to switch faster to keep the voltage up. Fatshark probably never tested it with such a big power load, which is understandable.
It it were me I'd wire up a second regulator to regulate battery voltage and deliver it to the LaForge. I'd bet that would fix it.
Not sure if the heat shrink on you Mad Mushroom bugs you like the way it does me after I took off the giant blue cap.
BUT I just read you can make custom diameter heat shrink to better fit the stem of the antenna if you take a larger diameter piece of heat shrink, wrap it around the stem, super glue it back together, and then heat it. It will shrink to a PERFECT fit.
Just did it to mine and now I can sleep at night too.
Steele you should suggest to Bruce at UBAD (Or whoever the main La Forge guy is) that they print a layer of black ABS on the back of the current TPU module bay covers. That way you still get the nice feel of TPU on the outside but the ABS layer mitigates light leak.
Or, print in black, and paint it white, which might be easier in production.
I just got black tpu doors. Zero light leaks. I don't care that it doesn't match. Functionality is what matters.
I just used the foam from the Laforge boxes and put a couple pieces behind the diversity module and no more light leaks. No big deal really, actual module bay doors like the originals would be great. I didn't want to hack mine up tho...
Still relevant, rocking analog !
wow I feel dumb... the whole time I need matching receiver and vtx just get audio I thought my V3's were broke... 😑shm.. finally somebody explains it in English! thanks man👍🏻
The newer VAS airblades have a little better gain and are supposed to out perform the mad mushroom combo. They are LHCP so it also gets you away from other flyers who the majority are running RHCP.
I needed this badly thank you so much for this upload.
Hey Mr. Steele....this sort of thing, in my opinion, while a great representation of your talent and knowledge of FPV, is an exercise in futility. There are SO many opinions on what works best on what, that those that think they are better than you or aspire to be better flyers will show there asses by being negative. The average flyer (the FPV masses) can't afford the best. They (I) struggle to buy what they can to try to build machines to fly, to do the things you teach them by demonstrating your flying via your VBLOG! In your own way you represent the average mans life dream.....a Phantom quad tech for a Hobby shop.....that is now one of the best FPV pilots in the world...man sell it... YOU ARE THE SHIT!
Thank you steel :) Then i will wait to go diversity. I just get my attitude v3 with the stock module and stock antenna.
And 3d printing is very cool man ;D got some stuff made for the fatsharks like battery holder, custom fan-cover and lens protections.
Can not wait for the videos !
adding dip switches onto the outside of the cover parallel to the internal ones is simple and makes life easy for nexwave. Only need 3 wires. For anyone having blurriness issues with hdv2 try this for $10ish: Buy the eyecups and get rid of the foam faceplate. You will lose the fan. But you will have the sharpest edges because the hdv2 needs to be as close to your face as possible. Get some anti-fog solution. And finally there's 1 more diversity module that's fantastic and uses goggle buttons and no goggle mods (not the immersion antenna diversity - this one is not that good).
Thanks for the review. I may just bite the bullet and give the Laforge a shot. But after you & Chad's review I bet they're going to become harder to find. 😛 Keep on ripping! 🤘
I was always confused by all those modules... thx for the video Steele !! :)
Steele you just answered all my questions i had on this thanks so much and keep them coming bro maybe will get to race beside you one day
Hey man, thanks for the content. To be fair though, the Furious module also has auto search, manual mode, and spectrum analyzer as well as saving channels :)
Thanks for the rundown, I love my LaForge but the battery drain is a bummer, I use an upgraded 3400mah battery and I'd say I get about 15-20 packs worth before the low voltage beep starts
Nice video about what hardware you use(d) and why. It is your opinion, and especially your practical experience that's what makes this worth full for me. Still amazed about the quality of the live feeds you and other respected FPV pilots have.
And yes, Kyiv is a great city. did you cross over the Dipno River by Zip-line?
Happy Flying!
great vid. FYI you won't get a big tumor on your face or head from using a larger receiving antenna. the receiving antenna doesn't radiate anything as it is only receiving the transmission.
Hey Steele I'm trying to get into quads and was wondering if you would make a "drone anatomy" video/video series that would explain what works with what and what kinds of are necessary to get rolling. Thanks keep on creating!
Hey Steele; Run up to Walmart and get a can of Krylon Fusion silver
paint and put a couple of coats on the inside of the module door and if
you still have some light bleeding through finish with a coat of black
that way it shouldn't change the out side color of the door. Kenny
Mr. Steele, did you take the protective cover off of the Mad Mushroom or what? b/c your antenna doesn't have a cover and looks different than the one you listed in description on Amazon (or anywhere you look, they all have the cover on). o_0
Steel, thanks for the explanation on receivers and antenna. There is always a lot of opinions and discussions but for someone new that wants to start off right I'll take the advice of a pro pilot that is well versed in the Drone world.
I do have a question!! What did you use to extend your patch antenna? I want something that doesn't put it way out there but juuuuusssstttt enough bend to keep it forward.
I have NextWave receiver on my Dom HD2 and Amoway 200mw transmiter with mic connected to it. No problem receiving audio.
I'm jealous about Chernobyl, that had to be awesome. Cant wait to see the video.
Hi Steele,
interesting/informative video.
Thanks for the comparsion of modules and antennas.
Can you show how to setup your Quad etc. with the microphone?
Would be interesting. I like the idea of hearing what the motors did during flight when Quad is hidden behind walls etc...
And now I wait for the tschernobyl/prypjat footage
Terrible stuff happens there :/
Here's new guy question. I just bought the fatshark v3's. Money is no object. What are the best mods to do to it? Receiver and antenna for someone like me who wants to fly out of sight and behind buildings???? All I have is the stick antenna and stock receiver. I believe my 220 has lumineer. And my 250 and 130 have 1200tvl cams. I'd rather get the best so I don't make poor investments. So two ques. 1 best v3 receiver for user friendly and distance, clarity. 2 best antenna for completely put or visual flying, through warehouses, forests etc.
This was super helpful - Thanks for the video Steele!
Thank your for this honest review and your opinion on all the products.
Any thoughts about the FatShark Dominator Diversity RX Modul V2?
Great video! Does the patch antenna help with reception when going around solid objects like say a large building or dense tree line? I thought patch antennas were for long range. Thanks!
Check it out steele, this is from an amature radio operator "me".
The large 13db antenna would be ok as a recieve antenna and not give you any extra RF exposure "no more than your already recieving".
Its when you have a transmitting radio that you will recieve more exposure to the radiation. Yes radiation kids, radiation.
All types of frequencies will expose you to harmful RF radiation. Rf microwaves start at the 3000Mhz or 3Ghz in the rc world. Other freqs will radiate you , just not as efficient.
Keep ALL transmitting radios and antennae as far away From your eyes, brain and balls as you can get them.
You may need those little bastards some day.
Great review! How long are your 18650 hack packs lasting with the la forge? Have you seen or heard that Bruce just released version 2 of the la forge which will now use the fatshark channel buttons also?
I'm currently using a LaForge system but originally had my eye on the 2Pineapples module. I ended up going with the LaForge because Flying Lemon can never keep their receiver in stock. I really liked the 2Pineapples stacked design and that it used the original Fatshark buttons. However after going with the LaForge system I really like having the screen. It enables me to set my quad up and get ready to fly without having to don and remove the goggles a bunch of times. Have you tried the 2Pineapples module?
Also, I backed the Polysher/Polysmooth campaign on Kickstarter and will print you new doors when it comes in if you want. It's a new filament that's just as strong as ABS but prints as easily as PLA, but the best thing is you can put the parts into the Polysher and it will completely smooth the parts. People have been trying that with ABS and heated acetone for years but it never works that well and is super dangerous (this system uses nebulized rubbing alcohol) . The pictures from the KS campaign show amazing results, the parts seriously look like they were injection molded; and their previous campaign I backed was for a new filament that absolutely met the specs they claimed. They even have a clear color that comes out completely clear when polished and printed with 1 or 2 shells. Let me know, I'll shoot you a message in a couple months once I have the machine too.
love you guys. where the hell is charpu??? excellent tech run down Mr Steele, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.
I must say im keeping both my old modules, the tbs and the nextwave will look lovely in my china cabinet..
Nice review, direct to the point :)
Do you know or have you ever tryied the flyinglemon receiver? Thanks
Tks Steel. While you were flashing your quad I saw some mods on the transmiting antena were the tbs triumph goes. Or was it just the usual.
Thanks for the awesome video Mr. Steele. Which channel does laforge receive audio on? I have a Laforge module and have been struggling to get audio on my goggles. I use a TBS Pnp 50 for the microphone and a aomway 200 for the transmitter. I can swap that out for a irc 60mw if needed. On the hobby king website it says Audio Carrier Frequency: is 6.5MHz. What does that mean? It also says this Audio Input Level: 0.5~2.0 Vp-p
Audio Input Impedance: 10K Ohm. On the transmitter there is a Audio left and a audio right. Thanks for you time. I apologize of my question is stupid, but I'm only 14 and don't know much about this.
Hey Steele, just getting started with the hobby and wondering how you get audio into your vtx? Is the mic in the camera?
nicely done. answers some questions I had. thanks for the info and for presenting it in a way that is easy to understand.
This question is not specifically about antennas and receivers but I wanted to ask if through your connections with the companies you fly for do you or any of the rotor riot crew know how someone like my self who is an electronic engineering student graduating this month could get a job in the quadcopter/fpv field?
Hey Steele, How much do you think audio adds to your flying, vs the distraction?
I hate the sound, but I fly better with it. However, I'm still a shit pilot, so I don't know how it will affect my flying as I improve.
Nice one steele however, could the humming be the "RF" running inside the batterys wires? since the plasment of the antena is so close to the battery connecter
Hey man good insightful video. Just out of interest have you ever used a separate receiver mounted on a tripod running too the fatsharks?
Recently made the switch from running teleporter v5 with a patch to a diversity receiver mounted on a light stand. the difference is like night and day.
Ps where can i get a wrap for my fatsharks? im digging the hello kitty one!
Hey Steele, I recently started to get into FPV (because of RotorRiot:) and I'm currently flying with the cheap Quanum Cyclops Goggles from HK. Is it a whole different experience using the FatShark HD2's? Or is it somehow similar? I want to upgrade someday but right now spent all my money on my quad's. Thanks :)
Very helpful overview on the receiving side of the videolink! :D Have you had a chance to test the nexwave RF diversity receiver? If so, how do you feel about it? I thought I saw one on ummaqawds goggles in the amazing "ultimate duga dive" video that you guys did on rotorriot! was I wrong? :o
awesome vid very informative i use 3d printed doors in black TPU and have had no light leak issues with my laforge/dom hdv2 u should try them
Hi Steele, what audio are you listening? I always wondered regarding your earphones connected to the goggles. Another question: I saw you are using the 90 degree sma connector - I only bend my L circulated Fatshark antenna - is it better not to bend and using the length of the antenna? Cheers maverick-san
the audio from the quad, he like to listen to motors sound, it a more immersive experience.
Steele, are you using the Li-Ion DIY goggle batteries that were featured on Rotor Riot?
Is that why my audio sounds horrid through my goggles? I am using the standard fatshark receiver with the tbs unify pro transmitter.
Did you de-case the Mad Mushroom and where did you get the choker? Thanks for a good and informative vid.
hey
please talk about ground station vs goggles
pros and cons of each of them
I get interference on the audio once I turn on my taranis. Could you post a video or just answer this question here about how to get the best audio signal? Thanks
Mr.steele I should have all the antennas right hand polarization or have the patch right hand and the polarized antenna left hand and have the VTX on the quad antenna omnidirectional?
Would be great to hear your comments on the Flying Lemon Diversity RX :)
Thanks for sharing your opinion on the tech side of things!
Interesting, I've got no problems receiving audio with the combination TBS Unify > Fatshark Nexwave Raceband!