(30-Sep-2020, 03:40 PM)wllmlutz Wrote: Hey Harry, I just saw this journal thread man and wish I would have seen it earlier. Feel like I'm late to the party lol. This is an awesome idea! Tracking your progress as well as helping out people along the way. It's a really good read man! You're getting some crazy flight times on your quads too man. 17 minutes, 21 minutes, holy cow man. Keep it up man I'm enjoying the ride! Congrats on VIP by the way, you deserve it buddy!
Hi wllm,
Thanks and Thanks
Some of the things that I like about the Journal is that it combines things that don't fit into other threads or builds, it cross links everything, and sort of acts like an index. That way, I {and others} don't have to search around to find my threads. You may have also noticed that I have started putting a link to the most recent post {newpost} at the top of all of my threads for a quick way to move to the bottom of the thread.
After putting links to my journal and my parts guide in several posts, I decided that it would be more logical to just put these links in my signature line. Not an original thought; I actually got this idea from Ronin's signature line where he put a link to his "House of Ronin". Thanks Ronin
Also, I periodically update the Parts Guide as I find new information. I think it is a pretty good resource especially the Motors tab where you can get a quick comparison of different motor sizes and weights. The parts are items that I either have used personally or would consider using in a future build...and... everything is targeted for use in light weight {sub 250 g builds}. On the other hand, I could always just keep expanding for larger builds
02-Oct-2020, 11:56 PM (This post was last modified: 03-Oct-2020, 10:25 PM by iFly4rotors.)
{2020-10-02}
Today the Phantom-i and my new GEPRC Phantom were flown at a park close to the house; it is a very small area to fly in...so, easy flying...sort of just going around in circles; nothing fancy and not much throttle.
Now, both quads flew for over 12 minutes!!
The Phantom-i was running my standard 3s 1100 mAh GNB battery, AUW=149g; Fly Time of 12:21. The GEPRC Phantom (all stock, nothing extra) was flown with a 3s 650 mAh battery, AUW=105g; Fly Time of 12:44.
NOTE: The dry weight of the Phantom-i is about 27 grams heavier than the stock GEPRC Phantom. Need to put him on a diet (ha, ha)...see what I can do about shedding some weight.
Although the two quads are pretty close, they are not quite the same; still, there was no gain in Fly Time with the 3s 1100 mAh over the 3s 650 mAh which appears to be optimal for a light weight craft; we have reached the point of diminishing returns.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Between these two quads, the GEPRC Phantom was noticeably quieter with the bi-blade props than the Phantom-i with the tri-blade props. In actual flight, tri-blades are louder than bi-blades. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
10-Oct-2020, 02:29 PM (This post was last modified: 11-Oct-2020, 12:43 PM by iFly4rotors.)
{2020-10-10}
The maiden flight of the Phantom-4X went quite well. The flight was pretty good, smooth, and 13 minutes with a 3s 1100 GNB battery; pretty good...about 3 minutes more than the Katana-LR4 with the same battery.
Although I am still experimenting with different battery setups on the 4 and 5 inch builds, the Phantom-4X might be the top contender for the 5K badge flight. At this point, the Phantom-4X and the Katana-LR4 are looking good for a 5K flight with the edge going to the Phantom-4X.
Oddly, the Katana-LR5x is currently at the bottom of the list for 5K {it will still be long range, just not sure it will make 5K yet}. Thing is, I have not yet tested it with larger batteries. This quad is strong and will likely handle heavier batteries than the 4 inch quads.
The Phantom-X also has some pretty good Fly Times, but it is not set up for long range; no long range receiver and no GPS. Sadly, the GEPRC stable F411 16x16 stack is short on UARTS. So...I have two options: 1) swap out the flight controller or 2) figure out how to use "soft serial" and try that. I will see what I can find out about implementing Soft Serial, then make a decision. I also need to swap out the XM+ receiver for an R9MM unit, then it will be capable of long range.
At this point, I am not quite up to working on the Katarms-LR7x which is my 7 inch build. How I approach the build will depend on the results of testing the Katana-LR5x and whether or not I make changes to it. I might change the motors on the 5 inch and use the 2203 motors on the 7 inch. I also have a 20x20 AIO board that I am anxious to try, just not sure which build I want to put it in. I will also be building a Gen3 915mHz Rx receiver antenna thanks to an excellent DIY Gen3 Tutorial created by Krohsis.
Although I have received my EV800D goggles, I can't wear them with my eyeglasses without some modification. Consequently, I will need to work on how I want to approach that; it might take a little time to sort this out, but will do what I need to so that I can use them for my 5K flight. Flight distance excluded, the Viper goggles are still a better fit for those who wear eyeglasses since they work without any modification; plus the bottom light shield can be removed. So, I still like the Viper goggles for short to medium range {less than 2 miles}, but will use the EV800D goggles for the longer flights; after I get them modified of course.
On a different note, I am out growing my fly fields. Even the soccer field is feeling a little small with the 4 inch and 5 inch quads; certainly small for a 7 inch craft. I have a tentative location picked out for my 5K flight, so I think I will try doing my tests at that location and see how things go; check out the "atmosphere".
Besides having a nice long straight stretch, it will be good to fly somewhere different. Ah, the journey continues.... stay tuned...
11-Oct-2020, 03:23 PM (This post was last modified: 16-Dec-2023, 02:20 PM by iFly4rotors.)
2020-10-11<<<<<<__Thread Index__>>>>>>>>Threads that I want to be able to Find ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More Attachments 01 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I used arm extensions on my very first build, the Phantom-X. First, I only had a GEPRC Phantom frame, but I also had Micro Alien 3 inch arms. Also, I wanted adjustable length in order to experiment with different prop sizes. The Micro Alien arms were used full length and set to accommodate 4 inch props. During an overhaul and upgrade for long range, the Micro Alien arms were cut down.
The Phantom-4X was build on a GEPRC Phantom frame that had been damaged in a prior build. Although one arm was splintered it was still intact. The frame was useable but weak in that one arm. My solution was to use full arm overlay extensions using TomoQuads Mosquito arms. As it turned out, the arms had a mount hole that aligned perfectly with a hole in the Phantom frame. Simple, Bolt on and go.
18-Oct-2020, 11:23 AM (This post was last modified: 07-Feb-2021, 02:48 PM by iFly4rotors.)
Yesterday, 2020-10-18, I went to fly with the Phantom-X, Phantom-4X, and the Katana-LR5x. First, there were a lot of people at one end of the field, but no one at the other which would limit my range, but wanted to see how the Phantom-X would fly with her new prop guards. It was quite windy, but decided to give it a go. Smooth lift off and she flies quite well; smooth, easy to control...NICE. One the other hand, the video began to break up at a distance of about 50 feet (??). After 7 minutes of flight, lost video completely. Now, people are going out onto the field where I am at. Time to go.
Since I have been planning an upgrade for the Phantom-X anyway, I guess now it the time to get her ready for long range; new Fc, R9MM, and GPS.
26-Oct-2020, 06:24 PM (This post was last modified: 26-Oct-2020, 08:40 PM by iFly4rotors.)
{2020-10-26} 1:pm EDT US
Just got back from flying my GEPRC Phantom {2.5 inch} with a 3s 1100 mAh GNB battery, my Katana-LR5x with 2x 3s 650 mAh GNB batteries in parallel (total 1300 mAh), and my Phantom-4X.
The Fly Time for the little all stock GEPRC Phantom was almost 17 and half minutes, not bad. In fact, there was a pretty good wind and I was impressed by how well it flew especially with a little extra battery weight. I think this is pretty good Fly Time for a quad of that size.
Now, I am anxious to see how the stock Phantom will perform with a 2s 2000 mAh 18650 Li-Ion battery. Are we having fun yet ? You Bet I have always liked the little GEPRC Phantom and still do. It is just plain fun to fly and doesn't need a 10 acre field. Now with a big battery, I see you can get a good Fly Time if you just want to cruise around... OR ... strap on a lighter 3s 650 mAh or maybe a 4s 450 mAh battery and do some stunts.
The Fly Time for the Katana-LR5x was almost 13 minutes. Again, not too bad. Now, I will try a larger battery. I intend to keep going larger until I reach the point of diminishing returns. With the big motors on this thing, it is very smooth and solid (what wind?). I will likely start pushing this one a bit more.
I tried to fly the Phantom-4X, but the video was not holding together. I will need to get this diagnosed and fixed before it is a serious contender... time to break it down and take a look under the hood.
All in all, a pretty good trip to the soccer field. On the other hand, I will begin flying in a different location, since I need a longer straight stretch. I will also start pushing the speed up and see how long the batteries hold out. Yeah, got to get prepared for that 5K flight.
{Update}
Found the video issue on the Phantom-4X; the antenna had become disconnected from the VTX. Fixed.
Yesterday was not a good day. Since we had some time before going out to karaoke, my wife suggested that I go fly.
My Phantom-4X was suited up and ready to go, but I needed to strap a battery on the Katana-LR5x. Since I didn't have any 1100's charged, I strapped on a spare goggles battery; 4s 1550 mAh... I wanted to try a bigger battery anyway.
I decided to try the new location that I had scoped out for long range flights. My original intended launch location just had too many people so I found an alternate.
First, I tried to fly the Phantom-4X, but that didn't happen. After attempting to use OSD and SmartAudio to set the VTX which was not successful, I noticed that the OSD indicated zero battery. Well, I guess we are not going anywhere with this one.
Now, try to fly the Katana-LR5x; you know, a nice easy flight, but Nooooo. Upon launch, problems: the quad was unstable and seemed hard to control {the extra weight maybe?}; within seconds I was disoriented and ditched the quad. It landed somewhere in the dense and dangerous brush; the OSD view was nothing but leaves. The wired in buzzer didn't seem to work, I forgot to turn on the self contained ViFly buzzer, and I neglected to turn on the DVR in the googles. So, I searched for it as best that I could, but did not find the quad. LOST ...and with one of my goggles batteries; Bummer
The motors on this build were the 2203 3450kv FPV Cycle ones. When these were purchased, I bought spares just in case. Thing is, rather than just buy a couple, I decide to go ahead and buy four. Now, instead of having two spares lying around, I have a full set. Enough for another build.
What I have learned: 1) I need a printed pre-flight check list to review before every single fight. It seems my brain just isn't sufficient. 2) Don't try a new battery setup at a new location or anywhere that you could easily lose the quad. 3) Get the VTX set the way you want BEFORE you take it out to the fly location.
On a different note, I have just received two AirBlades Transformer Mini 4 inch Long Range frames. In addition to another 4 inch build, I think that I will continue with the 7 inch build and get that finished up before another 5 inch.
(29-Oct-2020, 04:31 PM)AlanB1976 Wrote: That's not good to hear! Well, if anything, your loss will advise me on what to do to not lose mine
Hi Alan,
Thanks.
Yeah, I have a few things to change on the quad itself; then a list of things for ME to check or do pre-flight. As I get everything sorted out, I will post so others may benefit or at the very least see what to check.
Yesterday was not a good day. ... my wife suggested that I go fly.
try to fly the Katana-LR5x; within seconds I was disoriented and ditched the quad. It landed somewhere in the dense and dangerous brush; the OSD view was nothing but leaves.
did not find the quad. LOST
Ouch, sorry to hear of losing the quad. Some thoughts: 1) Get your slowest flying, best flying quad ready and go fly some shallow dives over that area, starting along the edge of the brush where you think it went. Work a pattern oriented parallel to the edge, then at right angles to the edge? I haven't a clue what to do if you see it, but maybe you will be luckier than the "not a good day". 2) Another lesson learned: What? You didn't fly with a spotter? Perhaps you need to cultivate a flying buddy near you and spot for each other (if the wife cannot be convinced). 3) Another possible "next-time"? I've read some folks talking about using the RSSI and a directional antenna (flat-panel or conical) to find a lost quad before the battery runs out. Routing for better luck for you!
(29-Oct-2020, 09:20 PM)cyclicalobsessive Wrote: Ouch, sorry to hear of losing the quad. Some thoughts: 1) Get your slowest flying, best flying quad ready and go fly some shallow dives over that area, starting along the edge of the brush where you think it went. Work a pattern oriented parallel to the edge, then at right angles to the edge? I haven't a clue what to do if you see it, but maybe you will be luckier than the "not a good day". 2) Another lesson learned: What? You didn't fly with a spotter? Perhaps you need to cultivate a flying buddy near you and spot for each other (if the wife cannot be convinced). 3) Another possible "next-time"? I've read some folks talking about using the RSSI and a directional antenna (flat-panel or conical) to find a lost quad before the battery runs out. Routing for better luck for you!
Hi cyclicalobsessive,
Thanks.
1) This is a very interesting idea. I will check the area and see if that is feasible. I don't want to lose another quad. 2) Spotter. Well, my wife was my spotter until we realized that you can't spot something that you can't see or keep track of. A long time ago we sort of figured out that spotting really doesn't work once you get very far up, very far out, or very fast. In this case it was close to take off so it might well have been helpful, however, I don't see having a spotter as being a regular thing. Flying with a friend sounds good {in theory} Thing is, I haven't found anyone in the area who flies. Then you have scheduling which might be challenging especially since I mostly fly when a small window of opportunity presents itself. Like this time. I work my fly time in around other things that we do. My wife is my first priority. 3) Interesting, because I have done this before and I even have a nice helical (strongly directional) antenna that I didn't have with me. Now, I will be taking that along for every flight as well. Something to add to the list.
I will be getting a Marco Polo tracking unit. My only concern is that the quad could go down in a location that is not retrievable and then I have lost that as well. I will still get one; with multiple transmitters.
The big "take away" for me it that you shouldn't experiment in a location that is sketchy to start with. Had I been at the soccer field, it would have crashed in open space. If I had been using the 3s 1100 mAh battery, the take off would have likely went ok.
Thanks for your suggestions. I will be making a list and checking it twice; to see if everything's naughty or nice.
I was thinking of trying some long range (because "why not") but was pondering whether to fly my main rig with stuff to help recover or, as you said may not be retrievable anyway, build something as cheap as decently possible that I won't cry over if I lose it.
(30-Oct-2020, 07:20 PM)AlanB1976 Wrote: I was thinking of trying some long range (because "why not") but was pondering whether to fly my main rig with stuff to help recover or, as you said may not be retrievable anyway, build something as cheap as decently possible that I won't cry over if I lose it.
Hi Alan,
Now, that is the dilemma. At this point in my journey, I wouldn't send my main, favorite, "pet" rig; especially if you purchased a BNF quad and you really like it. Sure you could just buy a BNF, however, my approach is to build a quad specifically for the purpose of long range keeping in mind that it could be a one way trip. If you build it, you can make it specifically for your needs, and you can duplicate it.
In my opinion, build a machine that is as functional as possible without too many frills or expensive parts. First, get a minimal, cost effective frame rather than an expensive one. For motors, you need something appropriate for the frame; I generally buy decent motors, but I am more concerned about the weight than the brand {I do lean towards the lower to mid-range price point}. For the FC, I have come to appreciate the 26x26 whoop format AIO (All In One) with an amp rating between 25 and 45. Yeah, they are making some pretty good and beefy FCs in this category. At this point, I only use boards with extra UARTs {needed for GPS}. These boards allow for a lower top plate height {down to 15mm}. They are also cost effective. Next, you need a long range Rx receiver. I am currently running FrSky R9 module and R9MM receivers. On the other hand, I think most of the long range guys run TBS Crossfire. I believe that a decent camera, VTX, and antenna are needed for long range; without video, the risk of losing the quad is higher. Of course, you will definitely want a GPS and a decent buzzer.
So, I build specifically for the purpose and consider the costs among other things. I have lost my Katana-LR5x which I really liked; a lot. Now, do I build another just like it or do I build one differently; maybe better.
I have compiled a Parts Guide that I use for comparison when planning a new build. If you look down the weight column, you will see that some of the larger motors weigh less than some of the smaller ones. I try to get the largest size for the weight; as much power as I can for comparable weight motors.
03-Nov-2020, 01:39 PM (This post was last modified: 16-May-2021, 01:19 PM by iFly4rotors.)
{2020-11-03} Eyeglasses for Goggles
Well, I have finally found a pair of eyeglasses that will fit inside the EV800D (HERE) without modification to the goggles.
Although the Specs Flexible Rimless Reading Glasses fit inside the EV800D goggles, the ear piece is a simple design which allowed the glasses to come off my head when removing the goggles. While this is not a big issue and the glasses were certainly useable just as they are {with some bending of the arms, of course}, I prefer that the eyeglasses remain on my head; I attached wire extensions to the ends of the arms so that I could bend them into "hooks" that would fit my ears and "lock" the eyeglasses onto my head. This method worked perfectly. Now, I am able to put on the eyeglasses, then put on the goggles, and remove the goggles with no issues or problems.
Although these glasses are available in strengths up to +3.50, I bought +3.00 since that is what I use with the Viper goggles. After charging the EV800D goggles and synchronizing channels, I discovered that this strength is NOT strong enough. I managed to "test" my +6.00 eyeglasses and they appear to be the correct strength. Interestingly, I bought the +6.00 for my Eachine VR006 goggles which I had modified for eyeglasses; very ghetto, but worked. I should have figured that the focal length would be the same. Oh well.
I have ordered some "clip on" readers in +3.50 strength {these ones were only available in that strength}. I have used "glasses over glasses" in the past; so, I am confident that it will work. Since these are a clip on design, they should fit fine inside the goggles. I also believe the combined strength of +6.50 will be fine.
To summarize, a super flexible rim reading glasses such as the ones that I purchased seem to work fine especially if you can use +3.50 strength or less. Now, I can use my new Eachine EV800D goggles.
I want to thank Krohsis for suggesting eyeglasses with flexible wire arms. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
I have attached a couple of pictures of my modified eyeglasses.
Yeah, I know, they look Super Ghetto, but they work for me.
and Thanks 
![[-]](https://intofpv.com/images/collapse.png)
In fact, there was a pretty good wind and I was impressed by how well it flew especially with a little extra battery weight. I think this is pretty good Fly Time for a quad of that size. 
...and with one of my goggles batteries;
