The Wireless FishCam project.

[karmajoyst]

Hello all.
I am currently building a "FishCam".
The basic idea is to have a camera submerged from an RC boat and thus being able to film under water.
The FishCam then transmit video and audio via free 2.4 GHz (free at least in the part of Europe where I am from). And at a remote location approximately 100 meters from the FishCam a receiver is placed and connected to laptop/VCR or whatever gadget being able to take care of the signal from the FishCam boat.

The simplest approach in my project is to simply get an of the shelf video link such as
**broken link removed**

But as these kind of products have been out on the market for quite a while and seems to use pretty much tailored components, I am wondering if someone have seen any circuit diagrams for such video transmitter/receivers.


If people are interested I will happily share the activities in the project.
BR
/karmajoyst

 

[tansis]

The circuit archives around the web have a selection of schematics,
or you could try experimenting with a UHF modulator from a common vcr,
however it may be far from ideal in this application.

 

[karmajoyst]

Thanks but...

I have searched and searched over and over again for that kind of circuit diagram, but sofar without results.
You don't happen to know some page where I would be able to find such diagrams?

BR

 

[tansis]

:roll:


**broken link removed**

 

[karmajoyst]

Cheers

Will look into that and see if it is something that is feasible for me to use.
Thanks for the help!

 

[karmajoyst]

Increment 1 - Camera and housing (Prototyping started)

Ahhhhh....today a big box containing different type of cameras, 12 lead battery, charger, lenses etc. arrived. So now it's pretty much hardcore that will take place the following week or so.
Need to create a non-leaking-see-through-small (non-sinking/non-floating) camera housing.

Have been thinking about the whole video link question that I started this thread with. When checking the prices for different types of RC controls for airplanes, tanks, boats...and even a drink cart. I started to do some calculations and a 4-6 channel RC control with servos would constitute the greater part of the complete FishCam project.
Instead I got an idea about using one 'plain' commercial 2.4 Ghz link to substitute the RC control with its servos.

How you might ask? (Well at least I hope someone asks )
As these are equipped with an IR link, then I could easily build (or use a Vellerman module or similar) a 10 channel or more IR control that would operate using a commercial 2.4 GHz A/V (IR) link as bearer.

Price Check:
RC controler 4 ch with 4 servos approx USD 360

2.4 GHz commercial A/V (IR) link - USD 57
Wellerman 10 Ch. IR transmitter and Receiver USD 28
(and btw would need to either build or buy an A/V link anyway)

So 360 - 85 = $275 which is plenty of money for me to creat all kinds of servos and gizmos that I could add to the project.

Of course...with this I would be limited to the oprational coverage for the A/V link. (Like 100 meters) but I am playing with the idea of 'boosting' the signal to extend the signal range.
Anyone that can recomend how this could be done....on a commercial 2.4 GHz A/V link?

Cheers.

 

[tansis]

Signals over line of sight paths of up to 10 miles can be achieved with a directional mesh parabolic antenna and around 200mW TX. Short range links (100-300 meters) can be obtained over non line of sight paths with a smaller omnidirectional whip antenna.

**broken link removed**
Very reasonable prices for bare bones modules, plus they do a 500mw version..


DIY boat hulls can be made from thick paper card wich is then coated with several layers of a cellulose dope to give it stiffness and make it waterproof, a can of expanding builders foam will come in handy for filling any remaining voids after all the electronics has been fitted.