Building a wireless range Cam

[mikeinct]

Happy 4th of July gents..Wireless Range Cams ??.Any of you tech savy guys ever use or build one of these things at long range say 600 to 1000 yds??...I've found a good price on the send receive gizmos 2.4 GH types..I'm hoping they are 3000 ft useful..I have xtra security cams from my store..Plus a couple of old lap tops...I think I can cobble something useful together...Any pointers or sugesstions to get me going I would appreciate hearing of your trys in this project...Mike In Ct

 

[wwbrown]

You can get highly directional Yagi antennae on ebay for a low price http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-4GHz-20dBi-RP-SMA-Yagi-Wireless-WLAN-WiFi-Antenna-New-/190837023179?pt=US_Directional_Network_Antennas&hash=item2c6ec5e1cb
is one example. It is always a good idea in my mind to use directional antennae so the radio power goes where you want it so the range is better.

Your security may not have the resolution you want so I would check it on a target at home before you build the system.

 

[Old Navy]

I bought a couple 2 watt transceivers and a pair of 8 db flat patch antennas. I didn't keep the invoices but I don't think I had $50 in my setup. I had to order the antennas with the right plug to match the transceivers. It was a mini something? Woks fine out to 1K. I use a camcorder so I can record the shots and play them back at home. Don't need much of an antenna if you have enough power. Later! Frank

 

[scott_at_vortex]

I have one of these http://targetcam.net/ and it works great. It is super easy to set up and compact. It reaches 1000yds no problem, but what I have learned with all these type systems is that the higher you can get the antennas the better. If you have them to low to the ground the radio waves will get interrupted from hitting the ground.

One other thing to keep in mind ,so I have heard anyways, is that you have to be careful about what frequencies/channels you use to transmit the signal(FCC laws). If we have any ham radio operators here they will know much more about this as I am not.

Best Regards
Scott

 

[Nomad47]

UHF Four Bay Bow Tie antennae should also work well in this application - and they are fairly cheap.

Years ago, I used them to transmit satellite TV from the GC owner's home on the 10th green to his clubhouse - about 600 yards.

 

[wwbrown]

You would be better off with antennae designed for 2.4GHz than the UHF antennae as the UHF are built for 476–477 MHz, about 5 times lower than 2.4 GHz.

 

[Nomad47]

For 2.4 GHz, a parabolic antenna is best. But also more difficult to aim. And the UHF frequency band covers 300 MHz to 3 GHZ. I was speaking of the antenna designed to receive the UHF TV band which included channels 14 thru 83.

 

[chuckbuster243]

Not to hijack the OP but I am also working on a system. My trouble is finding a RELIABLE send receive unit. Which ones did you find? Anybody else find some good ones without breaking the bank? I found a few on ebay but the reviews are horrible and I need some reassurance that they go the distance. Matt

 

[Gillie Dog]

I have been trying to do the same thing for a while, but not having any stock of scrap parts it does not seem like I can beat these guys by more than a few bucks. https://www.bullseyecamera.com/index.html

The best I can find a case alone is up to $75, might not need a case/box for it, but it seems like it would be needed.

Camera, router, amp for router to get 1000 yds, antenna, etc gets another $350.

So all in all with my limited abilities and availability of materials adds up to another $125 and I get a "professional" one.

You guys please keep us up on progress as I to would like to build one to.

Thanks

GD

 

[mikeinct]

So no one has cobbled one of these rigs together for less than 500 bucks???mike in ct

 

[gmorganal]

I bought a transmitter and receiver UHF set two UPS computer backup power supplies, already had an old video camera and tripod. The UPS's were about $85 apiece on sale at Best Buy, so that' s about $375 since I had the camera and tripod. The batteries in the UPS's last for about four hours. The longest shooting range I have used them on is 520 yards. It's crystal clear as long as you have line of sight antenna to antenna. I bought two cheap plastic cutting boards at Wal-Mart and mounted a UPS on each one and put the camera converter/charging unit on one and the TV on the other. I used the industrial strength Velcro to mount them. I'm tickled pink with how the system works, and I believe it will work to 1,000 yards but I can't tell you it does because I haven't tried it yet.

 

[22BRGUY]

I tried to build one of these last year on a 12 volt setup. I know now my antennaes were too small for the distance and thank you guys for recommending better antennaes. The other problem I had was the monitor. My transmitters both have the red,white,yellow jacks. I bought a 5 inch blk and wht TV as a monitor but its image quality was very poor. Any suggestions on what to get for a decent monitor with this setup? I'm by no means much at all when it comes to electronics. My camera is a security type cam.
Thanks all

 

[dickn52]

The only thing I could add would be that of the three wires, YELLOW or video is all you would use. The red and white are audio cables.

 

[22BRGUY]

Didn't know that ....Thanks Dick

 

[gmorganal]

The audio in this setup would be a live feed, good for one-way communication back to the firing line.

 

[22BRGUY]

Thanks again guys....any ideas on how and which kind or brand of 12volt monitor would be good that wouldn't break the bank and would it take the same type of connector or how to modify?

 

[lrgoodger]

I already had a camcorder, tripod and laptop, so all I had to buy was the USB video input device for the laptop for about $20 and the transmitter/receiver pair. I made the mistake of getting a 1 watt, 2.4 ghz transmitter. I think it was less than $50 for the tx/rx pair. I was able to use it at 500 yards with the cheap little antennas that came with it, but I had to fiddle with the antennas to get them positioned just right. Our ISP installed a wireless router within the last year and I think it is interfering with my signal (my bench is only 20 yards from the router). I was unable to get the signal to clear up at all yesterday at 500 yards.

I just ordered a 4 watt, 1.2 ghz tx/rx set. I should be able to do 1000 yds with that with no problem. The 900 mhz transmitters do even better, but I stayed away from those because of all the cordless phones on that frequency and away from 2.4 ghz because of the proliferation of wireless routers on that frequency.

 

[gmorganal]

They make TVs for motor homes that run on 12 volts. These will make a great monitor.

 

[Nomad47]

12 volt TVs for RVs were fairly common years ago, not so much anymore.

My motorhome has 3 TVs, all 120VAC. Of course, my motorhome also came with a 2000 watt pure sine wave inverter. So not much need for things that run on 12VDC. And about the only things that run on 12VDC are most of the lights and a few motors.

Speaking of inverters - the small inverters that plug into cigarette lighter sockets have enough power to run today's solid state TVs. I believe those inverters cost less than $50. I would venture to say that the inverter and a new TV would cost less than a 12VDC TV, AND the video quality would be much better.

 

[22BRGUY]

Was looking at those inverters and wondering about that...they're not that much on ebay, could I still run the camera on 12v then?