Antenna mods

[Paddepanik]

What range did u get with the Air? With/without mods?
I've just gotten my parabolic reflectors and not yet tested them out yet, how much did they improve the signal strength/quality?

 

[dbj702]

What range did u get with the Air? With/without mods?
I've just gotten my parabolic reflectors and not yet tested them out yet, how much did they improve the signal strength/quality?

Prior to installing my parabolic boosters I was getting a maximum range of about 6k feet with frequent video and RC interruptions starting at 4K feet. The drone would initiate RTH due to loss of signal, I would cancel and proceed back on my flight path a little further each time until I final got to a point where I couldn’t make any more progress.

These interface/interruptions are decreased dramatically with the $8.99 parabolic boosters. In fact, I purchased and returned a Titan 2.5 and 5.8 Switch antenna system because it was only giving me a maximum range of 10k feet under the same conditions. I fly my Mavic Air and my Spark on the 5.8ghz bandwidth because in my area it out performeds the 2.4ghz bandwidth under every scenario I’ve tested.

I recommend using the parabolic boosters for long range directional flight and removing them in close 360 degree flights to eliminate signal loss directly above or behind.

 

[Paddepanik]

Prior to installing my parabolic boosters I was getting a maximum range of about 6k feet with frequent video and RC interruptions starting at 4K feet. The drone would initiate RTH due to loss of signal, I would cancel and proceed back on my flight path a little further each time until I final got to a point where I couldn’t make any more progress.

These interface/interruptions are decreased dramatically with the $8.99 parabolic boosters. In fact, I purchased and returned a Titan 2.5 and 5.8 Switch antenna system because it was only giving me a maximum range of 10k feet under the same conditions. I fly my Mavic Air and my Spark on the 5.8ghz bandwidth because in my area it out performeds the 2.4ghz bandwidth under every scenario I’ve tested.

I recommend using the parabolic boosters for long range directional flight and removing them in close 360 degree flights to eliminate signal loss directly above or behind.

Allright, thanks alot! I will do some testing with/without the boosters when the rain stops, hoping it does the trick! I will proboly go into FCC mode anyways, but still interesting to see what difference they make!

 

[beanbubba]

I found this cool antenna that has dual 19 dBi gain antennas in a single panel and they are properly positioned with polarization 90 degrees offset from each other (how its supposed to be done if you want to take advantage of MIMO).

The "cool" part is that it has an integrated housing for whatever electronics you want to mount inside it. And it's big enough to hold two "8W" amps plus a battery of your choosing. I found it from various suppliers between $50-$100 and that's a steal for this style product. It's also used by a few notable commercial Wi-Fi access point vendors and thats a very good sign of its quality. They also state ALL the radio spec's on their website unlike some of our other suppliers that have been mentioned in this thread.

Antennas - ITElite

Anyway, for those of you traveling around with 2 big panels in your rig, you can replace them with this single unit and hide all your amp's, batteries, and cables in one enclosure. And it comes with a universal mounting kit. I can't think of a possible better solution for us traveling pilots and our boosting kits.

BTW - this is the highest gain antenna you will find in 2.4 gHz before they get freakishly large in physical size.

EDIT: if you use this antenna make sure to plug your left RC port to the antenna port labeled vertical polarization. You will lose significant performance at max distance otherwise. Many do not use the right RC port, but if you do plug into the horizontal polarization port.

 

[dsd317]

I found this cool antenna that has dual 19 dBi gain antennas in a single panel and they are properly positioned with polarization 90 degrees offset from each other (how its supposed to be done if you want to take advantage of MIMO).

The "cool" part is that it has an integrated housing for whatever electronics you want to mount inside it. And it's big enough to hold two "8W" amps plus a battery of your choosing. I found it from various suppliers between $50-$100 and that's a steal for this style product. It's also used by a few notable commercial Wi-Fi access point vendors and thats a very good sign of its quality. They also state ALL the radio spec's on their website unlike some of our other suppliers that have been mentioned in this thread.

Antennas - ITElite

Anyway, for those of you traveling around with 2 big panels in your rig, you can replace them with this single unit and hide all your amp's, batteries, and cables in one enclosure. And it comes with a universal mounting kit. I can't think of a possible better solution for us traveling pilots and our boosting kits.

BTW - this is the highest gain antenna you will find in 2.4 gHz before they get freakishly large in physical size.
View attachment 38860

That’s awesome...thanks! Do you have any linnks to those suppliers?

 

[beanbubba]

That’s awesome...thanks! Do you have any linnks to those suppliers?

I just ordered from this US supplier:

SRA2419- Radioantenna 2.4 GHz, 19 dBi, H,V-pol

I saw a few EU suppliers from a google search too.

I can't remember which thread this was discussed, but a current working theory is that using the dragon or sunhans amp on the RC left port, paired with the 8W amp on the RC right port might yield the best possible long range results (but not fully verified, educated guess from latest bench testing). But there is strong evidence that using the same model amp on both the left and right RC port produces zero additional benefit at max range.

 

[squiggles]

If you use a booster amplifier, such as Sunhans 3W or Dragon 4W, for transmitting, eg from P4P, and you compare the output from these with the various available inputs, being 0.1W CE or 0.4W FCC or 1.5W force boost, then does the output from the amplifiers vary as a result of the different input levels or do the amplifiers give an equal output strength irrespective of the input strength ?

 

[beanbubba]

If you use a booster amplifier, such as Sunhans 3W or Dragon 4W, for transmitting, eg from P4P, and you compare the output from these with the various available inputs, being 0.1W CE or 0.4W FCC or 1.5W force boost, then does the output from the amplifiers vary as a result of the different input levels or do the amplifiers give an equal output strength irrespective of the input strength ?

The first post in this thread has charts and videos showing the input versus output levels on various amp's.

Mavic Radio Mods Primer

 

[beanbubba]

I found this cool antenna that has dual 19 dBi gain antennas in a single panel and they are properly positioned with polarization 90 degrees offset from each other (how its supposed to be done if you want to take advantage of MIMO).

The "cool" part is that it has an integrated housing for whatever electronics you want to mount inside it. And it's big enough to hold two "8W" amps plus a battery of your choosing. I found it from various suppliers between $50-$100 and that's a steal for this style product. It's also used by a few notable commercial Wi-Fi access point vendors and thats a very good sign of its quality. They also state ALL the radio spec's on their website unlike some of our other suppliers that have been mentioned in this thread.

Antennas - ITElite

Anyway, for those of you traveling around with 2 big panels in your rig, you can replace them with this single unit and hide all your amp's, batteries, and cables in one enclosure. And it comes with a universal mounting kit. I can't think of a possible better solution for us traveling pilots and our boosting kits.

BTW - this is the highest gain antenna you will find in 2.4 gHz before they get freakishly large in physical size.

EDIT: if you use this antenna make sure to plug your left RC port to the antenna port labeled vertical polarization. You will lose significant performance at max distance otherwise. Many do not use the right RC port, but if you do plug into the horizontal polarization port.
View attachment 38860

Question for you guys that have made your own antenna rigs with amp's and battery. If I was to put all this in a housing that I didn't want to take apart when I need to charge the battery, how would you wire it up? Several vendors are doing this, but I don't have one to tear apart and look at.

 

[Rnl]

 

[Rnl]

 

[squiggles]

The first post in this thread has charts and videos showing the input versus output levels on various amp's.

Mavic Radio Mods Primer

Thanks Beanbubba

 

[Rnl]

Does that help any?

 

[beanbubba]

Does that help any?

There appears to be a small controller board between the battery and external charge port. Anyone have a clue what the make/model of this unit is?

 

[dsd317]

There appears to be a small controller board between the battery and external charge port. Anyone have a clue what the make/model of this unit is?

I think it's Titan Cyclone. The small board is for the battery display/indicator.

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[beanbubba]

I think it's Titan Cyclone. The small board is for the battery display/indicator.

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I guess it would be easier to buy the Titan and move the battery system over to this new antenna. Unless someone knows where to procure that circuit board inside the Titan.

 

[recoil]

I guess it would be easier to buy the Titan and move the battery system over to this new antenna. Unless someone knows where to procure that circuit board inside the Titan.

Hi Bean, it is just and indicator board that tells you how much juice you got in the tank. There is different boards depending on what kind of battery you are going to use, I was going to add a case to my antenna for the amps and battery, I was looking at these ...

10PCS Battery Capacity Indicator Board Power Level Module for 3s Li-Battery 12V | eBay

Li-po Battery Indicator Display Board Power Storage Monitor For Rc BatteryPartsW | eBay

2S 3S 4S 5S Lipo Battery Voltage Display Indicator Board Polymer Power | eBay

 

[beanbubba]

Hi Bean, it is just and indicator board that tells you how much juice you got in the tank. There is different boards depending on what kind of battery you are going to use, I was going to add a case to my antenna for the amps and battery, I was looking at these ...

10PCS Battery Capacity Indicator Board Power Level Module for 3s Li-Battery 12V | eBay

Li-po Battery Indicator Display Board Power Storage Monitor For Rc BatteryPartsW | eBay

2S 3S 4S 5S Lipo Battery Voltage Display Indicator Board Polymer Power | eBay

Thanks, but I was more interested in how to recharge the battery on a standard/simple power supply. I only have experience charging our batteries with high end hobbyist balance chargers. How are these guys like titan recharging an internal battery without an external balance charger??

 

[Canuk]

Anyone price out that boosted system he had on the pro remote

 

[recoil]

Thanks, but I was more interested in how to recharge the battery on a standard/simple power supply. I only have experience charging our batteries with high end hobbyist balance chargers. How are these guys like titan recharging an internal battery without an external balance charger??

For that you use something like this ...

3S 20A 12.6V Cell 18650Li-ion Lithium Battery Charging BMS Protection PCB Board_ 973777475251 | eBay