AV Receiver/Goggles power supply inside 9X

[kataventos]

I will show only some outside pic´s, and explain how I did it, because I made this mod for some time and I did not take any pictures to the 5.8Ghz module, next time I open my 9X I will However I can explain in words if someone have interest on this mod, I can assure that is an easy task.

As you can see near the RC antenna I have a red led on the left side and a switch on the right, this is for switching ON and OFF the video and the led warns me, sometimes I do not fly FPV so I can use 9X without having the AV antenna plugged in (modules burn quick without antenna).

DIY Cloverleaf antenna (IBCrazy)

DIY Helical (IBCrazy formula)

The cable you see on the left side of the led (first pic) is for powering up and take video to my googles (3 wires). For this I have a 1amp 5v regulator inside 9X and had to hack my googles

1Amp 5v power regulator

This gives me 1km range cristal clear image with a 200mw TX, cloverleaf tuned to 5885hz on both ends, probably more but I never went so far I like my drone under absolute control everytime!

[Kilrah]

sometimes I do not fly FPV so I can use 9X without having the AV antenna plugged in (modules burn quick without antenna).

Having no antenna is no problem on a receiver. It's on the transmitter that you wouldn't want to have power on without one!
Still a good thing to have a switch simply to reduce power consumption when not needed

I did it a bit differently, I routed power onto the 3rd ring of the trainer plug, so I can connect my goggles there and have both power to the goggles and the headtracker's signal going to the radio. My goggles have the receiver integrated though. Very convenient

[kataventos]

Yes, probably you are right about the receiver not burn without the antenna because in the TX you have energy that needs to dissipate, and when that does not happen it returns back and accumulates until burnning hour, but with the receiver I like to have the antenna in place... just because it belongs there when working, just in case!

[kataventos]

And about your mod, it is great! You to are the type of guy that like clean mods working as we want, without great work when we are going to fly, and without compromise the range and flight quality!

[kaos]

I did it a bit differently, I routed power onto the 3rd ring of the trainer plug, so I can connect my goggles there and have both power to the goggles and the headtracker's signal going to the radio. My goggles have the receiver integrated though. Very convenient

WOW, secret mod. Kilrah: can you elaborate on the google being powered by the trainer port? I still have a power cord to my charging connector (a PS2) to supply power to goggle. How do you connect the power to goggle from the trainer port with head tracking working?

[Kilrah]

Hmm I think I had already mentioned that somewhere...
The trainer jack is stereo, but the "middle" contact isn't used. I moved the PPM signal from the tip to the middle contact, then wired switched battery voltage to the tip.

There are 2 things to be careful with, the first is to insert/remove the trainer plug wih the the radio off, the 2nd is to use only the one jack cable you've made for it if you at any time want to do buddy boxing with another radio without the mod. I have my jack plug with a few cm of cable, with a Futaba plug at the end. I only ever plug that jack to the radio, and then adapt on the Futaba connector side to what I want to do.

[kaos]

Hmm I think I had already mentioned that somewhere...

right here.

the goggle is running at 10V-12v. where do you get that switched battery voltage? wire directly from the battery or somewhere on the tx board or the Tx main switch?
this is great idea. I did not know the middle pin is not used (among a lot of other things ). The only thing I see may have problem is if the wire is tangled and pulled half way out while everything is powered on. ??

Why not use the middle contact directly? The Tx 'has to be off' when inserting/removing cable anyway. Then there is no need for 'special' cable for trainer function. Is the purpose of using the tip is to avoid short if plug is pulled half way?

How about add an inline switch in the cable (in + wire) and use the middle contact (so no 'special cable' for trainer function) then it doesn't matter the Tx is on or off, as long as the in line switch is off, you should be able to insert/remove cable. right?

[Kilrah]

Why not use the middle contact directly? The Tx 'has to be off' when inserting/removing cable anyway. Then there is no need for 'special' cable for trainer function.

Yes there is, because "normal" JR-style trainer cables are mono jacks anyway. With power on middle pin, you short the battery if you insert one. With power on tip, you short PPM (less bad already), but you inject power into the slave radio's PPM output.
I put power on the tip to try and avoid the temporary short that happens anytime you insert/remove a jack, that would short the battery if power is on. My way it shorts battery and PPM, which doesn't cause damage, but somehow the 4066 seems not to particularly like it and while everything works the PPM signal gets distorted until power is cycled, haven't fully understand why, so that's why you still want to have the radio off when plugging/unplugging the goggles.

My goggles work with 2s or 3s, so it's fine with my 2s 2500 pack, I have about 6hrs battery life with goggles on.

Here are photos of the mod:

[kataventos]

This is great mod, usefull for who use head tracking.
Why don´t you reroute the power to the last pin? This way even on a distraction plugging it in/out with the radio on =no problem;)

[Kilrah]

That's what I've done if you read my post, but it still causes a problem. Looks like when the tip touches the tip contact it's still also touching the middle contact.

[kataventos]

That's what I've done if you read my post

Yes, you are right miss that, normally where are pics I read the text fast, sometimes I miss parts... so, in that case... ?! the only way is to plug it with power off, right?

[Kilrah]

Yep. Hasn't really been a problem so far though.