See your Bullet holes at 600+ without spending $800+

[Tesoro]

I never posted my cam but the analogue ones all seem to have 1200 tv lines ( tvl) . mine is a foxeer which is larger. They all have the same dia and threading to be able to unscrew and swap lenses.I will order a 1800 tvl one as should be clearer. thx!

I do like my transmitter though. It is self cooled with no exposed circuit board. Designed to run in enclosed area.

RUSHFPV Max Solo 25-1000mW+ 5.8GHz VTX - MMCXDefault Title

New from RUSHFPV, the Max Solo VTX can output 1W+! Combined with its stylistic heat sync, you'll never run into any overheating issues. This is a beast of a VTX. Make sure an antenna is ALWAYS connected while the VTX is on and do not run this VTX on higher power outputs without proper airflow...

www.racedayquads.com

 

[wizardbrand]

I never posted my cam but the analogue ones all seem to have 1200 tv lines ( tvl) . mine is a foxeer which is larger. They all have the same dia and threading to be able to unscrew and swap lenses.I will order a 1800 tvl one as should be clearer. thx!

I do like my transmitter though. It is self cooled with no exposed circuit board. Designed to run in enclosed area.

RUSHFPV Max Solo 25-1000mW+ 5.8GHz VTX - MMCXDefault Title

New from RUSHFPV, the Max Solo VTX can output 1W+! Combined with its stylistic heat sync, you'll never run into any overheating issues. This is a beast of a VTX. Make sure an antenna is ALWAYS connected while the VTX is on and do not run this VTX on higher power outputs without proper airflow...

www.racedayquads.com

Yep, Foxeer makes a good camera indeed. And, that's a sweet transmitter too you're using. I played around with 1k mw chips but found battery life cut down from 6-8 hours to about 3-4 on the small battery packs I have. I tested various mw chips and settled on 600 to balance out the range most folks shoot at and ended up at a guaranteed transmission to 1000 yards. It gets a tad challenging trying to package all that stuff into a super tiny box. I'm curious if anyone has tried the digital cameras they have out these days. Looked like your paying for Drone control features not used in our application though.....I'll be building a new batch of 10 more systems in the coming weeks and may add another lens to my package, thanks for the tip on that. I'm trying to keep the price point at under 300 for all, those parts add up though, the monitors are the biggest ticket item. If anyone is looking for a bigger, nicer monitor I can vouch for this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07X5766HD?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image
I Found it a little easier on my old eyes. The cool thing about this set up is that an unlimited amount of monitors can view a single cam feed downrange. Good luck tinkering, and good on you for being a garage scientist! I dig it.

 

[Tesoro]

My transmitter has 500 or 1000 on high side. Only tried the 1000 but 500 might work out fine in the mountains. I dont know if you shoot etc but our range bags are already heavy. So a long lasting heavier battery is not gonna make or break the buy decision but I feel overall size of the package size might. My tiny agm batery is not big at all but heavy and fits in small box but it will probably last all day and all night. The viewer can be run off an external charger, or recharged in vehicle if low. My 3.5x3.5 in viewer lasts 2..5 hrs on internal charge alone. A larger viewer would be good if trying to look at multiple targets instead of just one as you mention.
I think for sales it would be better to have a multiple view setup and an optional single view. Hard to combine both without having to pay for stuff you dont need.

 

[Hippy]

follow

 

[wizardbrand]

Oh my yes, I shoot. 338LM hits with giggly authority @ distance.
A customer recently asked me what he should do if he shoots the camera.
I quickly answered; you'll be buying a new camera........

 

[Tesoro]

Oh my yes, I shoot. 338LM hits with giggly authority @ distance.
A customer recently asked me what he should do if he shoots the camera.
I quickly answered; you'll be buying a new camera........

At the same cost as a few shots of that round!!

 

[Tesoro]

YoungRC 1800TVL FPV Camera Mini 2.1mm Lens 1/1.8 Camera 5V-40V PAL/NTSC with OSD Internal Adjustable for RC FPV Racing Drone https://a.co/d/7wu8Hmb

OKAY!! I got the above $20 one today with the 1800 tv lines vs my $28 one with the 1200 tvl. I called bullshit on the tvl cause the chinese quality control bureau isnt exactly counting lines..but for 20 bucks worth the gamble. I screwed on the 16mm lens in my office same time same light ( cocktail hour) and gave it a try. As soon as I got cam working I noticed my little monitor colors were much more true to life. I did the same test as I did before with zoom and posted above when I got the 16mm lens and put it on the 1200 tvl cam. Here are cropped pics of 1200 vs 1800 tvl to witness resolution difference. I guess the chinese do count the lines! : ( ps: thanks for the tip!!).

 

[wizardbrand]

Can you use your iPhone as a viewer?

This may be possible.... after doing a little reserch I do see a limited amount of IOS compatable receivers on the market. They look to be expensive and convoluted to use though. See here as an example:

I phone owners could try this, but I cannot vouch for this as I'm an android user. My experience with all this stuff says: yes, you can use an android cell phone to view the fpv video feed from downrange with an android receiver and one of the free apps but.....stand alone dedicated fpv monitors will provide the best viewing experience for our shooting hobby. Also, you can use an android pad too, but I cannot recommend it. Your best picture will be from an fpv monitor. Unfortunately the really affordable ones out today all have a 4-5" screen size.

 

[Tesoro]

True. That was my first thought for a viewer and then I learned quickly that for reliability and simplicity a standalone non-software based viewer was my way to go. I only want to see my target and that little 3.5 in integrated receiver/viewer clearly shows all 22cal+ bullet holes on a 4x4ft board when the cam is 10 feet away.
Second goal was compactness: Everything needed for a full day of continual video fits inside a box a tad larger than a Lapua brass box.
And last I dont want to lug around a tripod to mount the box/cam so I will set box on ground with the cam and transmitter mounted on a telescoping 6 ft antenna pole that has a ground spike. the pole fits inside a dewey rod tube that is cut to 13in.

 

[wizardbrand]

Tesoro, you da man. My kits now include that 16mm tight angle lens as an option. Latest customer requested one and it's real nice, perfect for single target paper applications. I was pleased at the clarity they provide at distance, the pic on the monitor below is from 15 feet away. Real nice, thanks again.

 

[Tesoro]

Finally...after nearly 2 months I was able to get back up to my 600-1000 range now that hunting seasons are done. I had to get warmed up at 600 but the camera gadget definitely paid for itself. With my 32x scope I could not clearly see all my 6mm holes but I could with the camera. All I need to do now is make a better attachment so it stays vertical to target.

 

[Dimner]

I never posted my cam but the analogue ones all seem to have 1200 tv lines ( tvl) . mine is a foxeer which is larger. They all have the same dia and threading to be able to unscrew and swap lenses.I will order a 1800 tvl one as should be clearer. thx!

I do like my transmitter though. It is self cooled with no exposed circuit board. Designed to run in enclosed area.

RUSHFPV Max Solo 25-1000mW+ 5.8GHz VTX - MMCXDefault Title

New from RUSHFPV, the Max Solo VTX can output 1W+! Combined with its stylistic heat sync, you'll never run into any overheating issues. This is a beast of a VTX. Make sure an antenna is ALWAYS connected while the VTX is on and do not run this VTX on higher power outputs without proper airflow...

www.racedayquads.com

First I should say thank you for finding my winter project! I'm very excited for this.

Two questions.

Does the target cam transmit non stop or does it only transmit when it knows the display is being used or some sort of input is provided in the display end of the system? Meaning does it have some sort of "standby mode"? Or is the cam just always transmitting and if your display is on and picks it up, the camera doesn't care?

2nd question is... what is the length of charge for the transmitter cam system?

I'm pretty handy with arduino dev boards, micro controllers, electronics etc. But when it comes to wireless, I'm a total noob. All my projects have used wires to do everything including the line level signals to trigger logic. This winter I have started diving into wifi and wireless communication with these type of systems. Seems like this would be a great project to learn on.

 

[Tesoro]

First I should say thank you for finding my winter project! I'm very excited for this.

Two questions.

Does the target cam transmit non stop or does it only transmit when it knows the display is being used or some sort of input is provided in the display end of the system? Meaning does it have some sort of "standby mode"? Or is the cam just always transmitting and if your display is on and picks it up, the camera doesn't care?

It is always on. There are 3 parts down range - the camera, the transmitter and power supply. They are always on and wont get over heated if you use the transmitter I recommended.

2nd question is... what is the length of charge for the transmitter cam system?

I powered the transmitter with the smallest sealed AGM lead acid battery I could find. it is about as big as a couple of packs of cigarettes put together. It would last a day or two for sure. I am sure there are lighter nicad or lithium options but the AGM is a no brainer and will last for ever.

The viewer screen has sufficient battery life. I set it up yesterday on my bench and didnt turn it off for probably 3 hrs and it was still on. For long sessions you could plug it into a reserve battery like you would for your phone, via usb.

I'm pretty handy with arduino dev boards, micro controllers, electronics etc. But when it comes to wireless, I'm a total noob. All my projects have used wires to do everything including the line level signals to trigger logic. This winter I have started diving into wifi and wireless communication with these type of systems. Seems like this would be a great project to learn on.

When you see how simple this is then please contact me! I want to be able to convert a remote controlled predator call to long distance instead of the max 100-300 yds! I dont know anything but if you can push a button on a drone controller board and send a signal to activate a servo motor, then you should be able to do the same thing to turn on/off power to a processor board on a predator call. I guess there are only certain short range frequencies the predator call manufacturers are allowed to use. Seems dumb nowdays as every kid on the block now has a drone!

 

[Dimner]

It is always on. There are 3 parts down range - the camera, the transmitter and power supply. They are always on and wont get over heated if you use the transmitter I recommended.


I powered the transmitter with the smallest sealed AGM lead acid battery I could find. it is about as big as a couple of packs of cigarettes put together. It would last a day or two for sure. I am sure there are lighter nicad or lithium options but the AGM is a no brainer and will last for ever.

The viewer screen has sufficient battery life. I set it up yesterday on my bench and didnt turn it off for probably 3 hrs and it was still on. For long sessions you could plug it into a reserve battery like you would for your phone, via usb.



When you see how simple this is then please contact me! I want to be able to convert a remote controlled predator call to long distance instead of the max 100-300 yds! I dont know anything but if you can push a button on a drone controller board and send a signal to activate a servo motor, then you should be able to do the same thing to turn on/off power to a processor board on a predator call. I guess there are only certain short range frequencies the predator call manufacturers are allowed to use. Seems dumb nowdays as every kid on the block now has a drone!

For your predator call application, I would look to these HC-12 wireless serial communication arduino modules. You would need two of these as well as two arduino Nanos. You can buy the nano clones on eBay for about 5 bucks each. The wireless modules for somewhere like 6-9 bucks each. Then you would just need the connectors and your motor and possible a powersupply or voltage converter module. These things generally run on 3-5v.

The article below is very similar to your application except it uses a sensor at location A to trigger a stepper motor at location B. With that, the location B application is very similar to yours. The location A can be setup with a push or toggle switch instead of the sensor they use.

This setup also looks like it might be useful when applied to target cams. It would require either two different separated circuits or possibly two power supplies. This could be useful for target cams that are placed down range and left for semi permanent installation.

The only thing left to look into is how long these hc-12s can be powered and waiting for the command to fire up your predator call.

Arduino and HC-12 Long Range Wireless Communication Module

In this Arduino tutorial we will learn how to use the HC-12 wireless serial communication module which is capable of making a long range wireless communication between multiple Arduino boards, with distances up to 1.8km. For this tutorial I made two basic examples explaining the how to connect...

howtomechatronics.com

There are probably a few other modules that would work for your purpose, but I'd start with the HC-12.

 

[Tesoro]

Looks like I have MY winter project! thx!

 

[padom]

Looks like I have MY winter project! thx!

Im revisiting this project with your clear results with that new lense. Want to see if I can get the same results in such a compact box. Also, can you run more than one camera to the receiver? For say targets at 600 and 800 and 1000yds with this setup??

Here are the parts I have from when I mentioned I tried this a few years ago and didnt get good distance or image quality.

Is this the same Foxeer camera your using? Just with the different lense?

My receiver/transmitters distance sucked.... One of the major reasons I went with the CCTV HD Camera and PtP wireless devices..

What transmitter and receiver are you using?

Thx! Im gonna give this another try and hopefully get way better results then my first go around.

 

[padom]

Here the parts I have from my first go around..

https://imgur.com/sEntsQx

https://imgur.com/LErMuLl

https://imgur.com/La0u1Ha

 

[Tesoro]

No You would need to have a camera/transmitter/power supply at each target with diff frequency. You could use the same viewer and change frequencies to access each camera. The cameras I have, inc the foxeer looks same as your pic, are all 1200tv lines and 4:3 screen size capable to be compatible with the nifty small viewer. The lens dia and threading are universal to accept the zoom lens. The main thing with the camera is finding one that is easy to mount to your 'stick'. As you can see from the pic mine keeps going crooked so have to fix that. dont like crooked! Below are the main items I bought. From what I was told the transmitter is the critical part due to heating and the one listed is designed to go inside airplane wing so it has its own fan and heat synch. It does not overheat. I have left it on overnight. I ordered some long lengths of the small wire to redo the whole system as I am past protoype stage. Now on the B model! If you could get a smaller rechargeable battery than what I use all would fit easily in a Lapua sized cartridge box, other than the stand I use which is a retractable antenna that has its own sheath. 12 in long. compact!​

​

​

​

Viewer = Hawkeye Flight-Master 48CH 5.8GHz FPV Monitor w/ Internal Battery - 3.5"​

Compact antennas = RUSHFPV Cherry Ultra Extended 5.8GHz SMA Antenna (2pc) - Transparent Red - Choose Your Polarization - RHCP​

The transmitter = RUSHFPV Max Solo 25-1000mW+ 5.8GHz VTX - MMCX​

 

[padom]

Thanks for the reply. In doing some more research this morning, it appears my problem was my Transmitter. I had a 600mw transmitter... I just found a 2000mW fixed wing fan and heatsink cooled transmitter... Going to give that a try. I already have a nice 12v LiPo4 battery pack from the first go around thats nice compact size and lasts forever... Will give that a try to start. I soldered in standard 12v 2.5mm coxial power plug so I just plug that right into this littel LiPo4 power pack. Works great.

I think the only thing Im missing is the zoom lenses you guys are using.. 12 or 16mm I think? Do you have a link to it??

I got 3 of these Fixed wing 2000mW fan and heatsink cooled transmitters coming.. Make 3 little boxes for different target ranges if the 1st test one works out.

 

[Tesoro]

Sure I posted the link to the zoom in this threadl otherwise i;d have to search thru my amazon history. you try first!