I need a reality check from some of you with electronic, geeky skills I don't have.
I been pondering a quiet RC electric that would basically sneak into enemy HQ area close enough to listen in on the mission assignments. The big hurdle was battery life to last through Saturday and the Night Game. I assume the Producer would only allow it to be deployed DURING Play.
A cell phone is a low power consumption device for the audio and video with great range until the call gets dropped. We would need video to see where we are driving and to aim the mike. But cell phones are not designed for continuous video as far as I know and won't auto answer if the call is dropped and I need to call it back up. Do they have an app for that? I don't text much less have a smart phone. My electronics skills end shortly after hooking up a FIRE button on my cannon.
To get enough battery to last that long, I fear it would start to be so large it would be noticable. Then camoflauge it so it looks like a log, rock, dung pile, (stomp deterent) etc.
Electronics is not my field. Anyone ABLE to look at the power consumption of a cell phone in transmission mode and calculate the volume and weight of lithium batterys to run it for 15 hours. That would rule this project approach in or out of reality.
Then if there is a cell phone and apps that would meet the technical requirements of this project. Or some way to adapt the phone to answer the call or to redial automatically if the call is dropped.
I gather the FCC regulates how long a cell phone can record video because of the movie piracy issue. I don't think they can transmit in real time anyway. Just record and play.
If not, the 1 mile range video and audio transmitters are expensive and also power hungry. It might be better to have a low power, limited range device and then have a bulkier unit that is a repeater that has the battery life needed to transmit.
So can you help me rule in or out the realities of this project using a cell phone? Ideas? Suggestions?
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Carefully planned irresponsibility is the KEY to mental health.
BoomMaster what is your spending budget for this project? I'm sure you know it will cost a pretty penny but I'll try and offer a few low tech simple solutions to fix a few things. Another question what do you want the range to be for this project?
You could have a lot of power for a phone if you wire some phone batteries and capacitors together correctly. The average phone runs off of what a 3.7v lithium battery? Buy a few 9v batteries and use a few capacitors to lower the voltage to hook up the capacitors you may wanna use this for connecting the battery to the capacitors (frys electronics will have some for sure and ask for help I don't know what phone you're using and it would be a good idea to ask an employee for help) and hook it up to the connectors where the phone goes. That takes care of the phones power or anything else you need if you have another set of batteries, holders, and capacitors and you can always just remove the batteries and charge them at night if you buy a charger with them or just replace them.
The live video feed is kind of an issue because you're right they are expensive and power hungry but we can also fix that. I'll ask a few friends about this and see what they think what you should.
Last edited by DasWolfenstein : 11-10-2011 at 11:16 PM.
a car big enough/strong enough to work in woods will not be quite (i had to use a nitro buggy)..plus the noise from a car might be too loud to hear enemy plans.
depending on the range of these devices, they may be what your looking for.
keep in mind, if your going to launch it at NIGHT...how will YOU see were your going if you dont have a light/night vision...without Showing your device to the enemy....
I spent some time chasing down the manufacturer to get additional info about the range, power consumption, etc. We just might have to get within a couple hundred yards to drive it into the base loaded with additional battery pack. No luck with the specs yet. On the road, limited time.
Thanks for the link: Cost effective for an off the shelf base vehicle.
__________________
Carefully planned irresponsibility is the KEY to mental health.
you just need to get a mic and transmitter made, something like a simple bug, and sneak it into the other team's hq. maybe something that can be dropped behind a box in the area, just happen to stumble past the hq, especially easy if its in a tent, and drop the bug where it isnt in plain sight but can still pick up conversations.
that or get a long range mic and get someone to sit outside the hq in the bushes and relay info on a secure radio to your side.
its even easier if the hq is off the field, then you can wear street clothes and play it off like you are just spectating if anyone asks why you are near the hq. when i doubt, lie. lol.
Oh yes, our spy could just drop a bag of water and spare paint with a bug in it and ask if they could keep it secure inside the com area. But they don't always have spys....
And a variety of Trojan Horses come to mind to let the enemy deliver it for us..
But a RC controlled bug with a directional mic and super snooper capabilities just has to get within range of the HQ to pick up the intel.
Say 20-30 yards would provide a lot of opportunities.
I was showing a guy my hunting ear mics that amplify everything and are somewhat directional. We were 20 yards down the hall from the office and heard two of he girls gossiping about 'Betty'. Told the other girl not to say a word to anyone else and she agreed. So about 30 minutes later my buddy and I just HAPPENED to be standing next to the office when I mentioned to him that Betty is really pissed off about SOMEBODY spreading rumors. around about her...
Just couldn't resist.
__________________
Carefully planned irresponsibility is the KEY to mental health.
ive often thought about trying the hearing amplifier headsets i see online, just never got around to it. you could also try a parabolic microphone, i think thats what it is called. they tend to work fairly well over long distances. if the hq was in a building with windows, you could try a laser mic, i think it works by picking up the vibrations on the glass.
Most of the HQs I've played are a plywood bunker or netted area. A parabolic mic would be fairly noticeable. A directional mike with a LOT of amplification would do the trick for most of them. I wouldn't expect to see glass anything on a paintball field. Even the cars have the glass taken out.
There are electronic kits you can put together that run $20 or so.
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Carefully planned irresponsibility is the KEY to mental health.
most if the scenarios I have played at we have been able to 'raid' the opposing teams base from time to time (one of the guys on our team uses it as an opportunity to drop a smoke grenade near the generals tent). maybe you could just drop a bug on one of those attacks... I like the idea of a baby monitor with a battery pack for power... good range, always on, not too hard to conceal in something like a backpack or what-have-you
Just for info, and this may be a bit pricey, but there is a cool set of glasses with an hd camera in them that can transmit audio and video over its own wifi or bluetooth network to a smartphone or idevice with the company's app. To combat the 3hour runtime of the glasses, you can take a battery extension pack such as $30 ones off amazon. You can use the micro usb tip to connect to them. The pack can also charge your phone that relays the video to the internet for streaming. It would be cool to have someone with a laptop in your base watching EXACTLY what your spy sees through his mask. I still don't know if the battery would still last that long. (you can get a TON of battery packs.) Just trying to help. zioneyez.com is the exclusive website for the glasses.
Regardless if it uses Bluetooth or WiFi you're only talking about
very short range. Can't imagine someone not finding a pair of
glasses around in our TOC, let alone being able to place a spy
close enough to it in order to take advantage. Better idea is to
buy a small radio transmitter with some serious range and hide
that where it can't be seen. For power look use a LIPO type RC
battery.
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Bg. Andy Van Der Plaats
"in bello, parvis momentis magni casus intercedunt"
Office: 239-997-2221
Cell: 239.410.9632
Email: ADorsai@aol.com
Both the shotgun microphone and the use of a FRS radio
sound like decent ideas unless you're dealing with people
who are serious about their security. It's another example
of what happens when one group comes to play a 'game'
and the other comes to fight a 'war.' I don't mean a war
in the literal sense, but rather in terms of the way they
approach their preparation, tactics, logistics, etc.
__________________
Bg. Andy Van Der Plaats
"in bello, parvis momentis magni casus intercedunt"
Office: 239-997-2221
Cell: 239.410.9632
Email: ADorsai@aol.com
150-300' range. Chill in the brush 50 yards away and listen. OR, mount it on a tripod and have the device output to a transmitter through the 3.5mm audio out jack. Transmit over frs to your base where an operator can track enemy missions.
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most of those mini helicopters with camera features built in don't transmit live footage, you have to retrieve the helicopter first. That would be fine for a game mission that requires recon of an area, provided the scenario producer will accept that for points.
If the helicopter DOES transmit live footage, which isn't difficult to do for the DIY weekend warrior, you'll have issues with transmission range. Most are only good for a MAX of 300' line-of-sight...so realistically half that, even less with trees/ect in the way. And with a mini helicopter you won't even be able to see it at 300 ft so piloting will become impossible. You would have to use a larger rc chopper with live feeds carried through repeaters or over a more powerful, and likely government regulated (license required), transmitter.
And when you get that intel, what will you do then? What will nondescript, low resolution sky shots do to benefit your side strategically? I only ask these questions because I've had the same idea, and it wasn't adding up to me.
Good luck. If you want to bounce some more ideas i'm game, you can pm me. This kind of stuff is why scenario is awesome.
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Check out my paintball videos on youtube! The Vicious Biscuit
You'll have to invest more than a few bucks to be able to gather the sort of intel that'll be a game changer. If you
really want to see what the other side is up to, figure on
spending closer to a grand. that'll get you a quad with a
camera and transmitter which can send a live image up
to a quarter mile. Spend more to get a more powerful
transmitter and receiver and an autopilot system fitted
with return to home capabilities. Anyone serious can
drop me a note for liks to more details.
__________________
Bg. Andy Van Der Plaats
"in bello, parvis momentis magni casus intercedunt"
Office: 239-997-2221
Cell: 239.410.9632
Email: ADorsai@aol.com
Here's a small sample of footage taken by a RC airplane.
Note this model features a servo driven camera, so the
pilot can stay focused on a spot if need be. Other data
being sent back includes altitude, heading, battery state,
distance to home, etc.
__________________
Bg. Andy Van Der Plaats
"in bello, parvis momentis magni casus intercedunt"
Office: 239-997-2221
Cell: 239.410.9632
Email: ADorsai@aol.com
Here's another option for those seeking to keep track
on what the opposition is up to. Consider creating a
team of covert intelligence operatives. I'm not talking
about the sort of player who thinks he'll be the hero
by giving away his position, but the type who can lay
in a hide for hours and not be found. Consider the
sort of intel they could provide, without having to buy
into a spy in the sky.
Take it from someone who has used this method, it's
not for everyone, but trust me there are people out
there who relish this sort of thing.
Sincerely,
__________________
Bg. Andy Van Der Plaats
"in bello, parvis momentis magni casus intercedunt"
Office: 239-997-2221
Cell: 239.410.9632
Email: ADorsai@aol.com