Aomway FPV Antenna Selection: Gain, Polarisation and Connectors
Documented antenna specifications
| Model | Frequency | Gain | Polarisation | Power | Connector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.8GHz Directional Yagi | 5500 – 6000 MHz | 12 dBi | Vertical or horizontal | 60 W | SMA / RP-SMA male |
| 7G–9G RHCP Patch | 7 – 9 GHz | 13 dBi | RHCP | — | — |
| 7G–8.7G RHCP | 7 – 8.7 GHz | 4 dBi | RHCP | — | — |
| 3.3G RHCP | 3.3 GHz band | 4 dBi | RHCP | — | — |
The 12 dBi Yagi is specified at SWR below 2.0 across the full 5500–6000 MHz band, 50 Ω impedance, 60 W maximum power handling, Ø30 mm × 75 mm with a 100 mm feed line, 0.1 kg, rated −40°C to +85°C. Every unit is VNA bench tested.
Gain is not free
Gain comes from focusing energy into a narrower beam. A 12 dBi Yagi has a much tighter pattern than a 4 dBi omni, so it must be aimed. On a ground station with an antenna tracker that is fine; handheld, you will lose the link every time the aircraft leaves the beam. This is why diversity goggles pair one omni with one directional antenna rather than running two high-gain panels.
Polarisation matching
Circular polarisation rejects multipath reflections, which is why RHCP is standard on FPV video. The critical rule is that both ends must match: RHCP on the aircraft and RHCP on the ground. Mixing RHCP and LHCP costs you in the region of 20 dB, which is far more than any antenna upgrade will recover.
SMA versus RP-SMA
The two look identical and are not interchangeable. RP-SMA (reverse polarity) has the socket on the plug and the pin on the jack, and it is the standard on most FPV video transmitters and goggles. Screwing an SMA plug onto an RP-SMA jack will not make contact and can damage the connector. Aomway antennas are available in both, so match the connector to the device rather than using an adapter where you can avoid it.
