What's the maximum range you have flown using a 5.8GHz video link?

[Andy Sayle]

As per the title really?  I'm interested on the max range, and the equipment used...

I've been out to about 3.2km max so far, the picture was still perfectly flyable too, although I wasn't confident the battery would last the return leg!  That was on an IRC 5.8GHZ Vtx, IRC skew, and IRC patch and an Eachine D5802D monitor/VRX.

Cheers
Andy

[iwan_canobi]

Furthest I've been was 4.2km on a Boscam 800mW VTx and bignose 5-turn skew helical on my skyzones. The reception was pretty ropey and I had to rely on RTH to get me back though, so not sure it counts. I've heard reports that the 800mW units were actually nearer 400mW though. Probably a static helical would have been better as well, having it on your head means there is always a source of error in where it is pointing.

[Jake Bullit]

7km ,some of which was over the sea.
Using Aomway 500 and Bignose 5 turn helical.
Could have gone further,but rssi was getting low on 2.4 L9R.

[CurryKitten]

Did two 5km flights, both using a Bignose13 3 turn helical.  The first one was in very damp conditions with rain coming in and the picture was quite sketchy in the last km.  That was done with a rlink LRS, although surprisingly that had a failsafe on the way back.

Replaced the rlink with a frsky lr9 and got 5km on a nice day, great reception and radio link.  Could have gone further, but ran out of bravery pills. 

[Lola]

Did 5k using a homemade 7 turn helical but the picture was crappy, bit like my helical 😀

[FPVSteve]

1.2km lol .. perfect picture skew to skew (on goggles) with a 250mw vtx

[Antkol]

Great question.
I've done several trips to 3km now using 5turn helical and 600mw tx.  Video crystal clear with no break ups, but like Currykitten says, I too ran out of bravery pills.

[Coyote]

6km a few years back. But that was on receivers that are not nearly as sensitive as today's so I would technically be able to double that.

With 5.8 though the range on the day is highly dependant on the weather and humidity so results vary.

[dp106]

5km on a 3 turn ibcrazy helical. Picture was still good so could probably have gone even farther

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[English Turbines]

2.5kms....Bixler 2 on EZUHF and a 600mw TS832 vtx.....R.Duck on the plane....Two 14dbi Linear Patch Antennas on the Diversity Module....Still a good enough Video signal at turn around....Chickened out as it has no AP with RTH....:)

:vulture:

[drambuidhe]

Had this flight recently .
TS832 600mw with Immersion Spiro
Fr632 vrx with 9-turn helical and Immersion 13dbi patch on a Celestial Reach video enhancer.
Frsky 2.4 control.

[mutley2]

About 2 and a bit years ago I took my TBS Disco quad out to just over 6km but only just got back before it fell out of the sky, bless it. VTX was 100% but switched to 2.4Ghz after that, could double that with a bit more time on the VNA with return loss/smiths chart to get a better match on antenna. This is still a faction of what is possible, but you need to start throwing a lot of lab time at it, pointless cos we just switched to 2.4 and go flying instead win win😉.

[Billy_boy_2010]

Long range on 5.8 is like entering the tour de France on a mountain bike.  Yes it's possible- but why make life so hard for yourself?!

[mutley2]

My thoughts exactly, the only reason I could see is if you have a brought a set of 5.8ghz gear at the start of your FPV flying, as we all did. ;)

[CurryKitten]

I think it's interesting to see what can be done on simple 5.8 video and 2.4 control without resorting to boosters, trackers or even ground stations.  Helical attached to your goggles trying to keep your head still and occasionally lifting the radio up for a better angle - pushing the boundaries a little bit is a lot of fun... if a bit stressful, but it helps get the adrenaline swishing around.

Also pushing out a little further gives you pretty good confidence that if the system will happily do 5km, then hammering around inside a 2km perimeter should be a breeze.

Obviously though, there comes a point, and it's probably around the 7km mark when you are making life more difficult for yourself and if you want to keep regularly flying out further then a different setup is preferable.