[Florin]

Is it legal to broadcast the HAM callsign in morse code, on the audio channel, without broadcasting it on the video signal?

[bcsaltchucker]

hey why not? No more or less legal to broadcast it on the audio than to broadcast the other aircraft sounds.

But really think about it: is anyone ever going tune in and hear it? And will they know morse code, even? Highly doubtful. HAM license no longer requires knowledge of morse code even.

Ideally we can broadcast it on the video with an OSD. But most of the OSD on the market have no provision to do this. And especially the aircraft intended to be flown within the letter of the law (ie short range) will never have need for a fancy expensive OSD that does show callsign. The high end OSD that show callsign are RVOSD, ETOSD, DragonOSD and maybe 1 or 2 others, costing $200-$400. Out of perhaps 30 OSD to choose from, only those few show callsign.

However - if you are very handy with flashing hardware, it is possible to flash certain cheap (like $15-$40) OSD to show you callsign. But this is not plug and play at all, and not an easy process if you are not a hacker. Requires soldering a header and installing a usb AVR programmer interface, for starters. Here is the thread on how it is done: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1490446
a friend of mine flashed his CL OSD to show callsign and his webpage URL too, but that required extra hacking beyond just using the open source CLOSD code.

[Max]

Other alernative methods include:
1) Write your ID on a piece of paper and tape it to your plane where it is in view of the camera; or alternately, put it somewhere that you can pan the camera to every now and again.

2) Write your ID on a scrap of paper/cardboard and attach to a rod attached to a servo. Have servo on an auxillary channel that roates the ID in front of the camera when you flip the switch.

3) Write your ID on the prop and stop the prop periodically (need ESC set to "brake") or use camera flicker effect to show it

IE:

[Florin]

Thanks for the reply guys, but I need to clarify one thing: I do have the setup to display my callsign in the video channel by tilting the camera to the callsign that is printed on my airframe. Whenever I want, I activate the tilt servo for few seconds from the Gear switch to point the camera to the callsign. In the past I had a fix camera, the callsign printed on the servo arm and when the gear switch was activated, the servo was moving the callsign in front of the camera.

Now I want to setup another plane which is not FPV and I want to use the FPV video/audio transmitter for telemetry only and all the information will be audio, through the audio channel. I do not want to send video signal, nor to install a camera in the plane. Worst case scenario, I will put a small OSD to generate a video signal, but no callsign through video.

On the ground ,I will listen to the audio channel of the FPV receiver and I will not even have a video monitor. The audio transmission will start with my callsign in morse, then it will transmit from time to time my battery voltage (the lowest cell voltage) like this:

9 short beeps for 3.9v
8 short beeps for 3.8v
7 short beeps for 3.7v
.......
3 long beeps for 3.3V
2 long beeps for 3.2V

This way, I can use my FPV transmitter/receiver to monitor the voltage without using a camera (so no callsign) on the video channel, as I really don't want to install a camera in the plane, neither to pay for an OSD with callsign capabilities.

I do not care if anybody will tune on the audio channel and if anybody will understand morse, all I am interested is if it is legal to transmit audio/video and broadcast the callsign in morse and only on the audio.

[Max]

Originally Posted by Florin

This way, I can use my FPV transmitter/receiver to monitor the voltage without using a camera (so no callsign) on the video channel, as I really don't want to install a camera in the plane, neither to pay for an OSD with callsign capabilities.

I do not care if anybody will tune on the audio channel and if anybody will understand morse, all I am interested is if it is legal to transmit audio/video and broadcast the callsign in morse and only on the audio.

OK. I think I now understand why you are asking.

Off the top of my head, I think the answer is"yes", you can do it as you describe. I don't think Industry Canada has made it a requirement for any specific methods of ID broadcasting, just as long as it is done. Whether it is voice, morse, or video, all should meet the IC requirements of ID broadcast. I may be wrong, so will probably have to look up the requirement in the HAM training book, but I am willing to bet my initial response is correct.

[Florin]

I am also convinced that it is legal, but I thought it's worth asking before starting to dig into the legislation.

The prop idea is awesome

Originally Posted by Max

OK. I think I now understand why you are asking.

Off the top of my head, I think the answer is"yes", you can do it as you describe. I don't think Industry Canada has made it a requirement for any specific methods of ID broadcasting, just as long as it is done. Whether it is voice, morse, or video, all should meet the IC requirements of ID broadcast. I may be wrong, so will probably have to look up the requirement in the HAM training book, but I am willing to bet my initial response is correct.

[bcsaltchucker]

Max I love tht prop idea.

Florin, you are good to go if you want to broadcast morse on audio channel. Welcome to call up Industry Canada, but I will put $10 down to say they will just laugh and say how nice of you to call, your project sounds cool, and thank you for having a HAM license.

Perhaps you need to re-phrase your question, however. Instead of asking if it is legal to transmit morse on audio, you mean to ask is it illegal to fly FPV without broadcasting the callsign? And if so, then does it become legal once you add morse-on-audio?

This is the tougher question. Maybe nobody knows the answer for certain.

[Florin]

I will never use the words FPV when I ask permission for anything
In fact, my setup is not FPV at all. Maybe a FPA - first person audio

For your first question, I know the answer. Yes, it is illegal to fly FPV in Canada without broadcasting the callsign.

Indeed, the second question is the tough one.

Originally Posted by bcsaltchucker

ask is it illegal to fly FPV without broadcasting the callsign? And if so, then does it become legal once you add morse-on-audio?

[bcsaltchucker]

Originally Posted by Florin

I will never use the words FPV when I ask permission for anything
In fact, my setup is not FPV at all. Maybe a FPA - first person audio

For your first question, I know the answer. Yes, it is illegal to fly FPV in Canada without broadcasting the callsign.

Indeed, the second question is the tough one.

this is not certain

for starters, the callsign only needs to be broadcast every 10 minutes. If you fly 5 minutes or so like I usually do, then you cna fly without displaying callsign. You just point the aircraft at a card with callsign on it, then launch and have zero need to broadcast it at all while flying .. so 'no callsign while FPVing' essentially. I would guess most FPV aircraft can't fly over 10 minutes, especially not most multicopters. I have 2 aircraft (have osd with callsign shown) that can do 40 minutes, but 20 that can't do over 10 minutes.

Also, if you are the type to insist on the callsign, then you probably are the type to stick to the letter of the the FPV rules and have no need for most aircraft that fly longer than 10 minutes, since you will never be flying beyond about 500m and 400 ft high (visual range). Exception being perhaps FPV gliders or some specialty purposes like SAR.

[Florin]

Originally Posted by bcsaltchucker

the callsign only needs to be broadcast every 10 minutes. If you fly 5 minutes or so like I usually do, then you cna fly without displaying callsign.

I considered one flight from the moment you turn the FPV on until you turn it off. You considered a flight from the takeoff to landing. Then we are both on the same page here. If you broadcast the callsign after you turn the FPV on, then every 10 minutes, then once again before turning the FPV off, you are indeed legal. In between, you can take off, fly, land...