Outrun your rear camera?

[drillagent]

So, DW and I went to the Midwest RV Show in Kansas City yesterday and stopped by a booth run by one of the local vehicle mod shops. They said they could definitely install a new Titan fuel tank in my tow vehicle, but I would have to call for pricing. While I was at it, I asked if they could install a wireless rear view camera into my 5er. The gentleman there said they could, but they prefer to install wired cameras because at highway speeds there is the tendency to "outrun the wireless signal". ???? Is that even possible? I'm no physics guru, but I thought radio waves traveled at the speed of light? Has anyone ever heard of this before or had it happen to them?

[justme]

Dennyha wrote:
I bought and installed a Voyager WVOS511 Wireless backup camera. I wasn't happy about the price, but I am happy about the performance.

I agree, but mine does wag out while traveling with my 40 ft trailer and I really appreciate the explanations of Neal10a..... He obviously has a good grasp of RF.

[Dennyha]

I bought and installed a Voyager WVOS511 Wireless backup camera. I wasn't happy about the price, but I am happy about the performance.

[Water-Bug]

If his explanation came after my comment and I added nothing to it, I would be hiding behind it. However, his explanation came before yours and I had nothing to add. Why should I repeat a perfectly valid explanation that you choose to completely ignore.

[neal10a]

Water-Bug wrote:

neal10a wrote:

Water-Bug wrote:

neal10a wrote:
It has more to do with ground plane and polarization. The antenna's used on RV cameras do not develop a ground plane and therefore need to rely on external sources. In this situation the ground plane is variable and unpredictable while in motion which effects radiated signal strength greatly. Marine and aircraft antennas have their ground planes designed into the them and therefore the RF radiation is more constant.

BS !!!

OK genius, what is your enlightened explanation for the signal attenuation--

Reread camperkilgore's post immediately preceeding yours.

If your going to call someone's post "BS", you should provide your explanation as to why and not hide behind someone else's explanation. I don't mind being insulted if someone has something to offer that I could learn form-- otherwise I consider it plain rude and uncalled for.

[bfast54]

Ok......The guy Obviously does not know ......EVERYONE knows, if you using a wireless camera on your rig every hundred miles you have to stop and backup 5 feet

or you have to leave it Parked for 5 minutes so the signal can catch up

Sheesh ...... the guy's an idiot huh????????

:W

[neal10a]

Justme-- don't discount completely multipath propagation as a cause for signal interference for digital transmissions. It is a huge problem in WIFI applications and your digital camera is operating near the same 2ghz frequencies. I forgot to mention that as another reason for signal degradation. The solutions get back to antenna design and implementation. Mutltipath signal propagation is enhanced while moving at highway speeds. Signal reflections off buildings, trucks, cars and other metal surfaces can be significant and cause severe interference.

[justme]

neal10a wrote:
It has more to do with ground plane and polarization. The antenna's used on RV cameras do not develop a ground plane and therefore need to rely on external sources. In this situation the ground plane is variable and unpredictable while in motion which effects radiated signal strength greatly. Marine and aircraft antennas have their ground planes designed into the them and therefore the RF radiation is more constant.

Neal, that is the best explanation I have read so far. I have a Voyager digital wireless camera and it looses signal randomly while traveling and is rock solid when backing. The signal strength is 4 bars while backing or stationary, but goes to as low a 1 bar while traveling at highway speeds. I am not sure what is causing the signal loss but you may have hit the nail on the head. Although I also wonder about multipath signal attention from reflections from environmental sources as well. However, I ruled that out because the same signal loss happens in the desert as well.

[Water-Bug]

neal10a wrote:

Water-Bug wrote:

neal10a wrote:
It has more to do with ground plane and polarization. The antenna's used on RV cameras do not develop a ground plane and therefore need to rely on external sources. In this situation the ground plane is variable and unpredictable while in motion which effects radiated signal strength greatly. Marine and aircraft antennas have their ground planes designed into the them and therefore the RF radiation is more constant.

BS !!!

OK genius, what is your enlightened explanation for the signal attenuation--

Reread camperkilgore's post immediately preceeding yours.

[neal10a]

Water-Bug wrote:

neal10a wrote:
It has more to do with ground plane and polarization. The antenna's used on RV cameras do not develop a ground plane and therefore need to rely on external sources. In this situation the ground plane is variable and unpredictable while in motion which effects radiated signal strength greatly. Marine and aircraft antennas have their ground planes designed into the them and therefore the RF radiation is more constant.

BS !!!

OK genius, what is your enlightened explanation for the signal attenuation--

[Water-Bug]

neal10a wrote:
It has more to do with ground plane and polarization. The antenna's used on RV cameras do not develop a ground plane and therefore need to rely on external sources. In this situation the ground plane is variable and unpredictable while in motion which effects radiated signal strength greatly. Marine and aircraft antennas have their ground planes designed into the them and therefore the RF radiation is more constant.

BS !!!

[neal10a]

It has more to do with ground plane and polarization. The antenna's used on RV cameras do not develop a ground plane and therefore need to rely on external sources. In this situation the ground plane is variable and unpredictable while in motion which effects radiated signal strength greatly. Marine and aircraft antennas have their ground planes designed into the them and therefore the RF radiation is more constant.

[camperkilgore]

From my experience with wireless cameras I have found that interference can come from passing cars which are using a similar wireless device which has a frequency close to yours. Also certain buildings automatic door openers can cause interference depending on the type of camera you are using and the type of sensors the door has. Some cheaper back up cameras operate on bluetooth, and are subject to many other devices transmitted energy.

The other factor in the design of the camera is whether it transmits in analog or digital. Think of the old comparison of FM vs AM radios.....where lightening storms almost make AM radio unusable whereas the FM radios are unaffected. Analog vs digital transmission of signals is very similar to that comparison. Digital is better.

When someone uses a term such as "outrunning the signal", it's just an uneducated description of interference of the signal. Besides, if you start talking technically to a lot of folks their eyes glaze over and they just nod and say uh-huh. So maybe outrunning the signal is an adequate response in most situations.

[Allworth]

Then you can go to the Halloween party dressed up as the Doppler Effect!

(Sorry, Big Bang)

[neal10a]

You don't actually out run the signal, that is a metaphor for loss of signal strength while moving at highway speeds. The signal characteristics/field strength pattern actually changes while moving and gives the results of reduced signal strength at the receiver in the cab ahead of the transmitter. This in not a serious problem and results in an intermittent frame freeze for digital signals. I could get more technical about this but it would probably make you go to sleep 🙂
While backing or moving slowly this is not a problem and the signal is steady and clear.

[sure2rain]

I installed a wireless camera on my 38' 5er, except for a very, very sporadic, momentary loss of signal, I have no problem even at interstate highway speeds. As far as "out running the signal" from what I remember of Einstein's Theory of Relativity, both the tow vehicle and 5er are moving at the same speed in the same direction so the distance between the monitor and camera remains constant so I would assume the signal remains constant since it is Omni-directional.