Amplifying the Transmitter
This page will describe my work amplifying the Xcam2 transmitter.    I selected the BBA-501-A Broadband amplifier module from Linx Technologies.  This self contained unit contains all the circuitry necessary to boost the output power of the Xcam2 by up to 18db, and does not require any external components other than a current limiting resistor if you decide to power the device with more than 5v (it's rated up to 12v at 60ma)
Amplifier considerations and options
The first thing I want to say is that I have been getting very good results with the unamplified transmitter.  My planes are all pretty small so I can't fly very far away before I loose sight/orientation, so the unamplified transmitter gave acceptable results when I was flying within my 'comfort zone'.  That is, less than a football field's length away.

 The point of adding the amplifier was to see how far I could stretch the capabilities of the XCam2 camera.   If I could speck out my plane, and still have clear video, I would consider the amplifier project a success.
Construction Details
The first step in integrating the amplifier to the xcam2 transmitter was to examine the topology of the transmitter.  The layout of the circuit board is actually very conducive to the addition of this particular amplifier.  This picture shows the circuit board with an overlay of how the amplifier module will be placed.
One problem I saw with the amplifier module was that it didn't actually have pins.  Instead, it was in a modified surface mount package, with the contacts on small pads on the underside of the unit. To make all the connections, I adopted a "house on stilts" approach.  All the ground connections would be made by resting the unit on very short lengths of solid 14 gauge copper wire.  The remaining pads on the amplifier would then be suspended about 2mm above the circuit board, thereby allowing me to make my connections without shorting the pads to ground.  Note that the RF in was also put on a "stilt", but instead of being connected to ground, it rested on the RF out from the transmitter circuit board.  Note the current limiting resistor which connects Vcc to +12 on the transmitter board
This picture shows the other side of the amp module.  For simplicity the "stilts" under the 3 pads on the left is actually a short length of 14 guage solid copper wire soldered to the transmitter board.  I had to scrape off the protective coding from the circuit board to make a connection to ground.  The amp module was then laid on top of the wire, and a soldering iron was touched briefly at each pad to fuse it to the wire.  The antenna wire is soldered to the right most pad.  For ease of installation, I soldered the signal wire to the amp module BEFORE resting the amp module on the 14 guage "stilts".  A bit of of the protective coding was scraped from the transmitter board and the coax shielding soldered down.
And here we have an overall perspective of the modification.  The resistor taps into power right where power comes into the transmitter board.  Note that the amp module is tall enough to prevent the transmitter from being placed back in the case, unless the case is modified by cutting a hole over the amp module.  Also note that I used a 1/2 watt resistor, which might be too little, as the resistor gets very warm, but not hot.