Cloverleaf Antenna - Flite Tip

by FliteTest | November 12, 2012 | (29) Posted in Tips

The Cloverleaf is a Circular Polarized Antenna that is a great option for transmitting your FPV video signal. We'd like to share some tips on this antenna and design show you the correct setup you need for optimal FPV flying!



Linear Polarized Antenna's send out a straight signal which can reflect off of objects in the signal path. The reflected signal can cause interference with the transmitted signal cause static, wavy images, or even signal lose. The Circular Polarized Antenna sends out a circular pattern that rotates in one direction.  



When this signal hits an object the signal is reflected in the opposite direction of the sending signal canceling itself out and thus maintaining a strong signal.





With all that to say, it's basically a great option for flying FPV! An important thing to remember when purchasing or making your circular polarized antenna is that the transmitter and receiver antenna need to be the same direction.




To see which direction your Cloverleaf antenna is going, imagine it as a 'drill bit' and the direction that the cutting edge of the antenna needs to rotate is how you can determine which direction your signal is sending.


This diagram shows you how you can tell which direction your antenna is setup.  



Below is a sample of what happens when your transmitter and receiver have a matched antenna setup and what happens when you have a mismatched setup.



Though the winds were pushing the Bixler around in our tests, you can see that the signal is much better with matched antenna's.  





For more information about Circular Polarized Antenna's check out the links below!

David Windestål - Cloverleaf Antenna Tutorial

Chad's Cloverleaf Antenna DIY Jig

IBCrazy's Circular Polarized Omni Antenna

Here's some more resources to help get you started in FPV:

  

  




COMMENTS

mipi on November 13, 2012
Could you show us how you mounted gopro on your Bixler? It looked like your using it as an FPV-camera. Is there any protection in case of nose crash?
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FliteTest on November 13, 2012
Yes, we use it for FPV... and No, we don't protect it. They're pretty tough cameras even without the case.
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Kevin Lee on November 13, 2012
Nice tip ...!

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Benn Gunn on November 13, 2012
cool as always guys
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liveyourdreamsRC on November 13, 2012
Cool great article guys I was always planning on building some of these and its great to know more about it now. I had now idea there were directions to matching antenas
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tramsgar on November 13, 2012
At least I got to enjoy Bixler's mad storm-flying skills. Awesome!
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fpv4me on August 28, 2013
Nice, I am going to build one of these. I noticed that you have 2 receivers on your tripod there. One looks like the cloverleaf and another looks like a patch antennae. Are you using two different receivers?
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PandaJerk on January 29, 2016
Hipster fail alert. Come on guy, lose the beanie and get a new shirt that fits well. Nobody is impressed with your stretched out collar. You can't be taken seriously sporting that look.
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Cloverleaf Antenna - Flite Tip