Great video John. What are your thoughts on helical antennas? I have a Hubsan H109S and would like to put a pagoda on the drone and a helical on the receiver. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks
Hey! First time here and will be subscribing! I got a Far Vew back when they started selling them and they are great! Also the original designer of the pagoda is Maarten Beart his site can be found on Far Vew's site. Thanks!
Hi John, Thanks for a great explanatory antenna video, Can I ask you going back a couple of years I know, would you still put the Fatshark 5.8 panel on your Q500 or have things moved on ?? I am now where you were then!!!! Thanks & regards.
I do still use panel antennas on most of my receiving systems as they offer the best gain for the size. Keep in mind that panels are very directional though and only use them for your 5.8GHZ receiver. Thanks for the great question!
hi, how do you know whether you have a left or right hand on the transmitter, i have a flysky i6 but have no idea whether it's left or right hand , so don't know which sided antenna i need for my quad, please help, thanks
Are you referring to an FPV System (5.8 Ghz) or a RC System? (2.4 Ghz) Usually, you can look on the manual of your FPV antenna (or on the antenna itself) to figue out what kind of polarization it has. With an RC system, (2.4 Ghz) I'm pretty sure you don't need to worry about polarization as I think it doesn't apply
Hey there bud, can you please tell me what kind of antenna I need to put on my bugs b2w for better fpv range. The wifi fpv signal is currently running in 5 ghz and signal range is not that great. I've asked several people and nobody can answer me,please help
Did you ever figure out what works best? I have a Bugs 4w and I'm experimenting with antennas. Trying not to throw a lot of money away to get something that works better. Both 2.4 and 5.8FPV.
I think you misread the antennas theory and the radiation patterns of a dipole when you say the pagoda works better in any position. They have quite the same radiation patterns as they have quite the same gain. A stick antenna like the one you have is an omnidirectional antenna. When you tilt it 45˚ there's no loss of gain if you look at the radiation pattern. That said there are many other factors that could affect antenna quality. Coax cable and connectors can greatly affect quality too. The pagoda is a bit easier to manufacture correctly as the traces are on a PCB, so the dimensions tend to be more accurate than a crimped dipole from china that barely fits into tolerances.
I was referring to the data from Matrin's website where he specifically tried to design a more spherical radiation pattern to aid in less drop outs when aircraft are in different positions.
Oh yes the lobe is bit more spherical on the pagoda than on the cloverleaf on his site so less loss when you angle the antenna. I might have misunderstood you when you where showing the stick antenna :) My brain sometimes glitches and correlation between audio and visual isn't that great ! I think it would be great to have them all tested in an anechoic chamber to have real life radiation patterns. Based on what I saw, pagodas work better because by design they are easier to produce fitting within the specs. Clover leaf are good but too fragile. If you move the radiants a little, you just detuned the antenna and chances are that your SWR just jumped up.
Jousha Bardwell has a great video comparing antennas and explains them well (ua-cam.com/video/Zta0neVS9bw/v-deo.html and was released 3 months prior to this) why try to reinvent this wheel poorly? A couple of things - I LOVE opensource projects - Pagodas are great, but not the be all end all of antennas. They are great as long as the PCBs are parallel. It is unclear how the covers/housings interfere with the signal (as in not been well tested). The great thing about the pagoda is the design is not restrictively licensed and they are inexpensive to produce. The bad thing is durability, it is very easy to knock the PCBs out of parallel (I have done it 2 times on my quads when the PCBs were covered in heat shrink tubing). They are very close to equivalent to cloverleafs and the triumphs as far as coverage goes. Personally, I put Triumphs (even tho they are 2x the cost of a pagoda) on my quads because they are very durable and use a pagoda+patch on my goggles. There is no "best" antenna - they all have different characteristics. Umm... your description of polarization and gain is... poor. A polarized signal basically (sends out/receives) the signal in a spiral (left/right hand) and ignores the others. This helps with multipathing (a signal bouncing off of something) by ignoring the bounced signal (the polarization is reversed when bounced). A linear dipole antenna (the first one reviewed) does not have polarization so it cannot reject bounced (multipathed) signals causing signal degradation. That is why to not use it(linear dipole antenna), not the coverage pattern. Funny enough, most people still use these antennas on controller transmitters (transmitters signals require MUCH less bandwith and have built in error correction (DSS)). Oh yeah. RARE is the controller that can use a 5.8ghz antenna to any real effect. Most transmit on the 2.4ghz band and antennas are manufactured to a particular frequency. Gain is like a lightbulb. 0 gain is just one radiating the signal in a sphere (sorta, its really a toroid/doughnut shape kinda puffed out into a ball). If you put reflectors around the lightbulb, it will change the shape of the "ball", usually flattening it somewhat. That is increasing gain. A flat antenna (called patch) puts that lightblub in parabolic reflector (a flashlight/satellite dish). That reflector can be used to receive as well as transmit.
Zeke Urness : In His defence, why let it bother you? Don't like it? UA-cam is big, enuf room for all. Maybe some like his teaching mannerism better. Seriously, WHAT makes arrogant trolls like you tick? Go away and grow some people skills.
this simple clear explanation was really helpful, this is my first video in your channel and i just subscribed. thank you so much.
When I was a kid we would all point the radio antenna at the rc car thinking that would help the range. We were doing it backwards.
Best video for antennas! Ever! Thanks.
Great video John. What are your thoughts on helical antennas? I have a Hubsan H109S and would like to put a pagoda on the drone and a helical on the receiver. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks
What would you recommend for fixed wing plane?
Hi. Would there be a significant improvement in range from a dipole versus a UXII antenna ? Thanks, just curious
Hi.i have receiver arduino module nrf24l01.can i use aomway antenna with this module?
Hey!
First time here and will be subscribing!
I got a Far Vew back when they started selling them and they are great!
Also the original designer of the pagoda is Maarten Beart his site can be found on Far Vew's site.
Thanks!
Your right! I just recently saw some new pagodas that are revision 2! This may be the antenna everyone will use in the future.
What do you use for your Solo controller?
Great vid and info. Fix lighting when recording. ☺️👍
Thanks Man!
Hi John, Thanks for a great explanatory antenna video, Can I ask you going back a couple of years I know, would you still put the Fatshark 5.8 panel on your Q500 or have things moved on ??
I am now where you were then!!!!
Thanks & regards.
I do still use panel antennas on most of my receiving systems as they offer the best gain for the size. Keep in mind that panels are very directional though and only use them for your 5.8GHZ receiver. Thanks for the great question!
Many thanks, & Happy flying...................
Hi John very nice video. Whats the name of the music? Is it copyright free?
Linear works for me :)
how about gain comparisons?
hi, how do you know whether you have a left or right hand on the transmitter, i have a flysky i6 but have no idea whether it's left or right hand , so don't know which sided antenna i need for my quad, please help, thanks
Are you referring to an FPV System (5.8 Ghz) or a RC System? (2.4 Ghz)
Usually, you can look on the manual of your FPV antenna (or on the antenna itself) to figue out what kind of polarization it has. With an RC system, (2.4 Ghz) I'm pretty sure you don't need to worry about polarization as I think it doesn't apply
The "stick" isn't a quarter-wave; it's actually a small collinear (multiple stacked quarter wave antennas) with gain to the sides.
Hey there bud, can you please tell me what kind of antenna I need to put on my bugs b2w for better fpv range. The wifi fpv signal is currently running in 5 ghz and signal range is not that great. I've asked several people and nobody can answer me,please help
Did you ever figure out what works best? I have a Bugs 4w and I'm experimenting with antennas. Trying not to throw a lot of money away to get something that works better. Both 2.4 and 5.8FPV.
I have the stick...
Is the pagoda also good on a wing for longrange?
Yes it is! I use them on everything.
I think you misread the antennas theory and the radiation patterns of a dipole when you say the pagoda works better in any position.
They have quite the same radiation patterns as they have quite the same gain.
A stick antenna like the one you have is an omnidirectional antenna. When you tilt it 45˚ there's no loss of gain if you look at the radiation pattern.
That said there are many other factors that could affect antenna quality. Coax cable and connectors can greatly affect quality too.
The pagoda is a bit easier to manufacture correctly as the traces are on a PCB, so the dimensions tend to be more accurate than a crimped dipole from china that barely fits into tolerances.
I was referring to the data from Matrin's website where he specifically tried to design a more spherical radiation pattern to aid in less drop outs when aircraft are in different positions.
Oh yes the lobe is bit more spherical on the pagoda than on the cloverleaf on his site so less loss when you angle the antenna.
I might have misunderstood you when you where showing the stick antenna :) My brain sometimes glitches and correlation between audio and visual isn't that great !
I think it would be great to have them all tested in an anechoic chamber to have real life radiation patterns.
Based on what I saw, pagodas work better because by design they are easier to produce fitting within the specs.
Clover leaf are good but too fragile. If you move the radiants a little, you just detuned the antenna and chances are that your SWR just jumped up.
thank you ,, I do have the, emax- pagoda ant yo have sold me on them, thnak you ,,, jholine,
Jousha Bardwell has a great video comparing antennas and explains them well (ua-cam.com/video/Zta0neVS9bw/v-deo.html and was released 3 months prior to this) why try to reinvent this wheel poorly?
A couple of things -
I LOVE opensource projects - Pagodas are great, but not the be all end all of antennas. They are great as long as the PCBs are parallel. It is unclear how the covers/housings interfere with the signal (as in not been well tested). The great thing about the pagoda is the design is not restrictively licensed and they are inexpensive to produce. The bad thing is durability, it is very easy to knock the PCBs out of parallel (I have done it 2 times on my quads when the PCBs were covered in heat shrink tubing). They are very close to equivalent to cloverleafs and the triumphs as far as coverage goes. Personally, I put Triumphs (even tho they are 2x the cost of a pagoda) on my quads because they are very durable and use a pagoda+patch on my goggles.
There is no "best" antenna - they all have different characteristics.
Umm... your description of polarization and gain is... poor.
A polarized signal basically (sends out/receives) the signal in a spiral (left/right hand) and ignores the others. This helps with multipathing (a signal bouncing off of something) by ignoring the bounced signal (the polarization is reversed when bounced). A linear dipole antenna (the first one reviewed) does not have polarization so it cannot reject bounced (multipathed) signals causing signal degradation. That is why to not use it(linear dipole antenna), not the coverage pattern. Funny enough, most people still use these antennas on controller transmitters (transmitters signals require MUCH less bandwith and have built in error correction (DSS)).
Oh yeah. RARE is the controller that can use a 5.8ghz antenna to any real effect. Most transmit on the 2.4ghz band and antennas are manufactured to a particular frequency.
Gain is like a lightbulb. 0 gain is just one radiating the signal in a sphere (sorta, its really a toroid/doughnut shape kinda puffed out into a ball). If you put reflectors around the lightbulb, it will change the shape of the "ball", usually flattening it somewhat. That is increasing gain. A flat antenna (called patch) puts that lightblub in parabolic reflector (a flashlight/satellite dish). That reflector can be used to receive as well as transmit.
Zeke Urness : In His defence, why let it bother you? Don't like it? UA-cam is big, enuf room for all. Maybe some like his teaching mannerism better. Seriously, WHAT makes arrogant trolls like you tick? Go away and grow some people skills.
Well Zeke thanks for making things so much simpler. So was that a toroid, lightbulb, donut puffy-ball!!
Zeke - Go back to your cave.
Josh goes into a lot of techie detail that some folk don't want. This is a fairly relaxed and well informed video. I enjoyed it. Good enough for me.
The question is which you didn't answer was "what is the best FPV antenna?"
i guess pagoda