Hardware for multi KM range

Help / Getting Started
1

I roughly get 1.5Km range with my Alphas NHA in 2.4Ghz and stock omni antennas.

I’m starting a project in which I need about 6-8 Km range for Video, Telemetry and RC Control using only OpenHD and Pixhawk Cube (Arduplane). Flights will be in the middle of nowhere, so no RF noise of any kind.

I see your long-range flights and I wonder what are the best options:

5.8 vs 2.4?
Amplifiers?
Antennas in general…
Circular Polarized vs Linear, directional vs omni?
Antenna trackers? Which one?

Thanks!!!

2

I think your best and cheapest option is to upgrade your antennas because the stock Alfa ones are really shitty.
Good starting point for 2,4ghz ground antenna ist the „Alfa APA-M04“ directional antenna available at around 10€ per piece
Also you can add another, low power, atheros card to your ground station to enable software diversity.
I have even better results with circular Polarisation, but this is an ongoing discussion lol and it’s hard to find suitable cp antennas on 2,4 ghz…

3

Look at my videos, though it’s not OHD rc, but video on 5.2g, Asus cards, linear antennas.

4

What range can be expected only on dipoles at frequency 2.3? I read some people flying 7km.