ezUHF range - lo/hi power setting

[markvanhaze]

Just back from another awesome flight (video coming soon!) on ezUHF. I had it set to lo power and I had a range of approx 2.3 km before the failsafe started kicking in. Then, in flight, I switched to hi power and still only got pretty much the same distance.
Now I know that the range depends on many factors but that seems a little low to me since I did the same distance, same flight path, on my 35MHz with a 202cm antenna.

Could it be that switching in flight from lo to hi does not work?
I bought my ezUHF from Firstpersonview.co.uk - does that come with the 100mw limit firmware? That would explain it...

Do I need to look at the rx settings (usb connection on the immersionrc tools) and change something there?

My dual rx antennas are set at about 45 degrees so all I can do is maybe place the rx in another spot.

[Xup]

I think your best bet is to ask in this thread over on FPV lab, as it seems  a few with similar problems!, and see what Sassen says.


http://fpvlab.com/forums/showthread.php?5274-EzUHF-range-problem

[markvanhaze]

Cool, thanks.

[Skyhigh123]

Just back from another awesome flight (video coming soon!) on ezUHF. I had it set to lo power and I had a range of approx 2.3 km before the failsafe started kicking in. Then, in flight, I switched to hi power and still only got pretty much the same distance.
Now I know that the range depends on many factors but that seems a little low to me since I did the same distance, same flight path, on my 35MHz with a 202cm antenna.

Could it be that switching in flight from lo to hi does not work?
I bought my ezUHF from Firstpersonview.co.uk - does that come with the 100mw limit firmware? That would explain it...

Do I need to look at the rx settings (usb connection on the immersionrc tools) and change something there?

My dual rx antennas are set at about 45 degrees so all I can do is maybe place the rx in another spot.

You should be getting way more than 2.3km on high power setting. I have range tested mine to about 4 miles and that's using the UK firmware at 100mw. Didnt show any signs at all of loss of signal, this is in a enviroment full of valleys, hills and trees! Make sure you program the tx and the rx to the same version of firmware and use 459mhz tuned antennas on both tx and rx. Mine were from Simon at firstpersonview.co.uk

Hope this helps!

[Xup]

Mark we need more info from you...the 2 antennas showing coming out of the plane are 433MHz, so I'm taking you bought the 433 version off Simon, can you confirm ?

[markvanhaze]

The version I bought from Simon:

EzUHF Tx + Diversity Rx + 433MHz Antennas Bundle

My firmware was 1.25a. I now updated it to 1.25b and will do another flight this afternoon.

I also contacted Immersionrc Sassin but since he does not reply a lot to pms, I dont think I will get a reply soon.

Apart from that, I am a little clueless.

[markvanhaze]

Back from another great flight. This time I got 4.2km and the failsafe did not kick in. Maybe it was the old firmware after all. Ill see if I can test it further as soon as I can get my video signal strong enough.

[Skyhigh123]

If you bought the 433mhz bundle then you should not try and use the UK 459mhz firmware as the antennas are tuned to 433mhz. If you use the 433mhz firmware then you should be able to go miles and miles and miles. However this may not be the case in the UK as the 433mhz band is taken. This is why you should run 459mhz. (not to mention 433mhz is illegal to use in this country for this purpose)

:)

[markvanhaze]

I have the non uk firmware now, so thats ok and I think that it must have been a bug in the old FW. Im also not flying in the UK, currently, 433 is allowed here.

[thundead]

haha so my olrs 459 fw owned the ezuhf firmware hahaha

[Xup]

Back from another great flight. This time I got 4.2km and the failsafe did not kick in. Maybe it was the old firmware after all. Ill see if I can test it further as soon as I can get my video signal strong enough.

One other thing for you to consider is(for max range),... you will get more range from 12volt than you will from the standard 9.6 tx battery.

I use a 3 cell lipo in my Futaba TX for this reason,.... only thing to remember is to take the lipo out to charge it, don't try going through the charge socket.

[markvanhaze]

According to coyote, that's a myth. But I'm using a Lipo anyway because I need to powert my goggles off of them too.

However today I was out and the failsafe was back at around 2-3km. I have to say, I'm a little disappointed and now I'm not sure I should have gone with ezuhf. And I have yet to get any reply from the immersion forum...

[Coyote]

Back from another great flight. This time I got 4.2km and the failsafe did not kick in. Maybe it was the old firmware after all. Ill see if I can test it further as soon as I can get my video signal strong enough.

One other thing for you to consider is(for max range),... you will get more range from 12volt than you will from the standard 9.6 tx battery.

I use a 3 cell lipo in my Futaba TX for this reason,.... only thing to remember is to take the lipo out to charge it, don't try going through the charge socket.

The RF transmission is not affected by the tx voltage as long as it is above 9v. Wether 9 or 12v the output is still 600mw or 200mw regardless

[Xup]

Just going on what it says in the EzUHF manual. :-\


"As an example: Take the case of a R/C transmitter which uses a 2s LiPo pack. The EzUHF will emit slightly less power than specified (approx. 25dBm on 8v, vs. around 29dBm on 11.1v) when powered this way. In most cases this power difference is insignificant, for buzzing around the local flying field, this is a very reasonable power level. If full power is desired in this case, a 3s LiPo pack (or equivalent) can safely be connected to the DC Power jack, providing both higher power, and redundancy (no power will be consumed from the R/C transmitter's battery until the external pack is either drained, or removed"

[Xup]

Mark,... Sassen has replied to you in the tread, asking you to pm him your E-mail addy