BlueFlyer's "new" groundstation

[BlueFlyer]

I built my first groundstation inside a rugged case from maplin, over 3 years ago. Thought it looked cool as f**k but it wasn't very useful at all, considering I'd need a bloody table to put it on lol

So then I bought a cheap car monitor and mounted it to the top of a tripod, tie wraps and velcro made sure all the bits stuck together, but it was very cumbersome and looked a right mess.

Then I bought a set of goggles with built in RX so didn't need the GS at all for a while.

Eventually I made my way to using video, so needed a groundstation again. I used the cheap car monitor from years gone by but wasn't happy with having all the bits all exposed and looking messy again, so this time I mounted it all into a smaller peli case and made the case tripod mountable.

This was only ever a receiving station though, with the goggles hard wired in (I did experiment with 5.8 re-broadcasting but the 2nd hand VTX I bought for that purpose simply melted), the monitor was no where near bright enough to see in daylight, and blue-screened at the slightest hint of interference.

I decided to get one of those new fangled "NO-bluescreen" "uber-bright" monitors from Foxtech and I'm very pleased with it. At first I mounted it into my old flight case... but then had the exact same problem as I did all those years ago.... no table :).

so I mounted it on a Tripod and had all the other bits (power distribution, reciever, LiPo) simply velcroed to the back of it, but again, it looked too messy.

So I've gone and bought an ABS project box from ebay, used one of my LED rocker switches from my first ever GS, and bought a cheap voltage monitor.... wired it all in, and enclosed it all in the box... and here's the latest incarnation of my Groundstation:

[English Turbines]

Hi Blue,......Looks very neat and tidy m8.....I have a similar problem with my Sharp Vision Monitor..The Monitor has dual 5.8 recievers built in and it works really well...Now I want to add / mount a DVR...so that means chopping a load of unwanted audio cables out the loom that came with the Monitor and shortening those I need to keep...I also use EZUHF, and 1.3 Video is an obvious choice...what brand do you suggest?...

:vulture:

[Billy_boy_2010]

Very nice and compact.

[AdamG]

Nice and compact  ;) I think its hard to get a GS just right, I feel like my setup constantly changes and therefore so does my GS requirements.

I'm building my new one tonight... hopefully get it all done in one evening and ready for MD weekend :+

[Coyote]

Looks good Chris, nice, neat and simple.

[BlueFlyer]

cheers guys...

I take the monitor/box off the tripod, but keep the tripod adapter attached, the visor folds up and it all goes into my old flight case along with LiPos and a few other bits n bobs.

You're right about an ever evolving setup needing an evolving ground solution, simple goggles with built in rx is great for a small wing like a falcon, but something like this is better for the days when you've got hours to burn :)