GoPro Strut Mount

[BHarbour]

Here's a pic of another 3D printed GoPro strut mount. This one's fully articulating. I can work up the print and post on Thingiverse is anyone's interested.

20210531_193509 by Bill Harbour, on Flickr

 

[rkittine]

Nice, Are you marketing these? Looks like a Standard Ram Ball connector can work.

Bob

 

[BHarbour]

 

[rkittine]

The one I have now attaches to the tie down ring, so I can't leave it on the plane. Would like something like this.

Bob

 

[BHarbour]

 

[BHarbour]

For some reason, my replies out of my iPad yesterday resulted in a blank posting?!?!?

Bob...I don't plan on producing these so I can make the print for the articulating strut mount available on Thingiverse. The arm was borrowed from another person's design so I'll have to find that first so I can give him/her credit.

I wouldn't leave either one of my mounts attached to the airplane. Both mounts attach with cable ties and are quick on and quick off. I just cut the cable ties with a wire cutter to get the mount off. There's only a few pounds of drag on the camera and mount so it doesn't move. I've had some issue with the ball moving inside the printed arm, but that's just a matter of roughing up the interior of it a bit to hold. You can take an additional cable tie to secure the camera to the cable ties around the strut if you're worried about the camera coming off. It should be ok though unless a bird hits it.

The one I have now attaches to the tie down ring, so I can't leave it on the plane. Would like something like this.

Bob

 

[rkittine]

Thanks ,

I am using a Drift HD Camera, which is less wind resistance than a GoPro being more pancake like with the lens on the narrow part. Way more mounts for the GoPro and Garmin cameras, but I did finally find a Tripod screw to GoPro mount so I will just order one of the production mounts made for the 172 Strut.

Next project is a BNC in the belly for use with a rubber duck from any one of my HAM HTs

Bob

 

[BHarbour]

I thought about designing a 3D printed strut mount BNC for the 2m rubber duckie, but need a way to get the coax out the window. You can hit a lot of repeaters from 5,500ft!

I also thought about designing a 3D printed emergency mount for my VHF aircraft HT rubber duckie in case I lose both radios. But still have to route the coax out of the cabin.

Thanks ,

I am using a Drift HD Camera, which is less wind resistance than a GoPro being more pancake like with the lens on the narrow part. Way more mounts for the GoPro and Garmin cameras, but I did finally find a Tripod screw to GoPro mount so I will just order one of the production mounts made for the 172 Strut.

Next project is a BNC in the belly for use with a rubber duck from any one of my HAM HTs

Bob

 

[rkittine]

Over the years I have worked a lot of aeronautical and marine mobile. Usually just to give people points during contests. I have used an ICOM IC-706MKII-G with a wire tuner and a long wire trailing out the back of the airplane, like the owners of AES used to do years ago first in their Aztec and later in their Turbo Beech Starship (before they got shut down for tax fraud).

During an annual it is easy to run some thin cable up from the belly and into the cabin. I like putting the Rubber Duck on the belly as from altitude you have a much better radiation pattern downward than you would have from vertically mounting on the strut. Also can be used with the Rubber Duck off of any of my aviation hand helds.

On my sailboat I have another ICOM HF Rig that doubles as a marine SSB radio. My back stay loads up great and for vhf I have a modbile tri band vertical on the top of the mast along with the CHF Marine antenna.

73 Bob

 

[BHarbour]

Very cool. I've not done a lot of Ham radio lately. In the past I mostly did CW through QRP radios that were kit built or scratch built of my own design.

I may circle back and dig out those radios once I retire in a few years.

Over the years I have worked a lot of aeronautical and marine mobile. Usually just to give people points during contests. I have used an ICOM IC-706MKII-G with a wire tuner and a long wire trailing out the back of the airplane, like the owners of AES used to do years ago first in their Aztec and later in their Turbo Beech Starship (before they got shut down for tax fraud).

During an annual it is easy to run some thin cable up from the belly and into the cabin. I like putting the Rubber Duck on the belly as from altitude you have a much better radiation pattern downward than you would have from vertically mounting on the strut. Also can be used with the Rubber Duck off of any of my aviation hand helds.

On my sailboat I have another ICOM HF Rig that doubles as a marine SSB radio. My back stay loads up great and for vhf I have a modbile tri band vertical on the top of the mast along with the CHF Marine antenna.

73 Bob

 

[rkittine]

I had to know Morse Code in 1958 when I first got licensed as a Novice and it helped ID VORs over the years. Still like CQ. I hated to see the requirement removed from the licensing process.

 

[BHarbour]

I agree...hate to see it removed too. I worked hard to get my code up to speed. Now the digital modes are really just as good. That's what I'm investing my time in when I get back active.

I had to know Morse Code in 1958 when I first got licensed as a Novice and it helped ID VORs over the years. Still like CQ. I hated to see the requirement removed from the licensing process.

 

[GregT]

I thought about designing a 3D printed strut mount BNC for the 2m rubber duckie, but need a way to get the coax out the window. You can hit a lot of repeaters from 5,500ft!

I run cables to non-permanently mounted things through the strut. That's how I get a USB connection to any strut or wing-mounted things like cameras or antennas

Come down the inside of the strut to the bottom of the strut and then into the cabin below the floor. Come up from inside the door pillar and into the side pockets by pilot/co-pilot legs

 

[rkittine]

I worked the Space Station a number of times with just a handheld radio and 5 watts. Same with the Challengers back when they were flying. Only when they are in orbit pretty much overhead. Line of site goes a lot farther than 5,500 feet.

Bob

 

[BHarbour]

OK...very cool. Do you have fairings at each end of the strut?

I thought about designing a 3D printed strut mount BNC for the 2m rubber duckie, but need a way to get the coax out the window. You can hit a lot of repeaters from 5,500ft!

I run cables to non-permanently mounted things through the strut. That's how I get a USB connection to any strut or wing-mounted things like cameras or antennas

Come down the inside of the strut to the bottom of the strut and then into the cabin below the floor. Come up from inside the door pillar and into the side pockets by pilot/co-pilot legs

 

[BHarbour]

That's pretty cool that you worked the Space Station!! Did you get a QSL card?

I worked the Space Station a number of times with just a handheld radio and 5 watts. Same with the Challengers back when they were flying. Only when they are in orbit pretty much overhead. Line of site goes a lot farther than 5,500 feet.

Bob

 

[GregT]

OK...very cool. Do you have fairings at each end of the strut?

Yes. Basically when not in use, I roll up the cable into the wing under the fairing (there is enough room in the cutout in the wing where the strut attaches). When using it, I pull down the fairing and pull out the cable and then put the fairing back

Nothing to do at the lower end, once you get the cable into the cabin

I have a USB power outlet where the cigar lighter used to be. The cable comes up from the floor behind the side panels and then over along the bottom of the instrument panel until it gets to the USB power outlet, where it plugs in

Very nice and neat installation that also allows me to plug a laptop into whatever is mounted out on the wing (e.g. to download the video, etc.) from inside the plane

 

[GregT]

I worked the Space Station a number of times with just a handheld radio and 5 watts. Same with the Challengers back when they were flying. Only when they are in orbit pretty much overhead. Line of site goes a lot farther than 5,500 feet.

Oh, hell, who hasn't relayed a courtesy car reservation through the Space Station when you couldn't get the FBO on Unicom directly?

 

[BHarbour]

LOL!

I worked the Space Station a number of times with just a handheld radio and 5 watts. Same with the Challengers back when they were flying. Only when they are in orbit pretty much overhead. Line of site goes a lot farther than 5,500 feet.

Oh, hell, who hasn't relayed a courtesy car reservation through the Space Station when you couldn't get the FBO on Unicom directly?

 

[rkittine]

Well, I installed the Tie Down Camera mount today and it is not going to work with my Drift HD, so U just ordered a new Action Camera.

Bob