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Range extender antennas

I just got off the phone with 4Hawks in Poland. They have shipped my antenna and are in the process of evaluating and testing amps.

The biggest problem they and I are seeing with the ones people are buying is the higher than acceptable defect rate, which is a shame because some of them are great if they are working properly.

I'll post info on this when I receive updates. :)Screenshot_20180903-114237.jpeg
 
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Remember range extenders don't help through trees or objects. Let's say you fly about 1/2 mile away with enough height for line-of-sight comm. But then you decide to hover near the ground in that spot. Well, now every object between you and your drone degrade the signal. Adding more power from your transmitter just makes your signal hit leaves and tree trunks and anything else with more power - not your drone. Knowing that you can still buy an upgrade to go further with nothing in the way of your signal but then you just run out of battery. Stick with stock IMO.
 
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Remember range extenders don't help through trees or objects. Let's say you fly about 1/2 mile away with enough height for line-of-sight comm. But then you decide to hover near the ground in that spot. Well, now every object between you and your drone degrade the signal. Adding more power from your transmitter just makes your signal hit leaves and tree trunks and anything else with more power - not your drone. Knowing that you can still buy an upgrade to go further with nothing in the way of your signal but then you just run out of battery. Stick with stock IMO.
Yes, VHF, which these are, is always "line of sight", but from my time in the jungles of SE Asia, we always got much better comms from better antennas.
 
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I just got off the phone with 4Hawks in Poland. They have shipped my antenna and are in the process of evaluating and testing amps.

The biggest problem they and I are seeing with the ones people are buying is the higher than acceptable defect rate, which is a shame because some of them are great if they are working properly.

I'll post info on this when I receive updates. :)View attachment 45235

I have the 4Hawks XR with Suhams 3W amps. Works amazingly well. Full signal at 59K feet out and 152ft altitude. You'll love it. It is a big sucker though. Might want to use a leash around your neck to help support your controller weight.4Hawks_XR_controller.jpg
 
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I have the 4Hawks XR with Suhams 3W amps. Works amazingly well. Full signal at 59K feet out and 152ft altitude. You'll love it. It is a big sucker though. Might want to use a leash around your neck to help support your controller weight.View attachment 45262
Nice!!! [emoji7]

Those are the amps that they mentioned to me that they were working with that they said worked so well, as long as you didn't get defective ones.

Please tell me you have tested them with the DJI RE goggles or live near Tampa, FL so we could meet up to see if the connectivity issue people have been talking about is helped or corrected with your arrangement...
 
Nice!!! [emoji7]

Those are the amps that they mentioned to me that they were working with that they said worked so well, as long as you didn't get defective ones.

Please tell me you have tested them with the DJI RE goggles or live near Tampa, FL so we could meet up to see if the connectivity issue people have been talking about is helped or corrected with your arrangement...

I live on San Francisco, CA area, so very far away. I have flown my Mavic Pro with controller amplified while wearing the Goggles and didn't have any issues. Of course the Goggles can't reach as far as my modified controller. I haven't tried Goggles or modified controller with Mavic 2 yet. Waiting for the Mavic Controller to be made compatible with Mavic 2.
 
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I live on San Francisco, CA area, so very far away. I have flown my Mavic Pro with controller amplified while wearing the Goggles and didn't have any issues. Of course the Goggles can't reach as far as my modified controller. I haven't tried Goggles or modified controller with Mavic 2 yet. Waiting for the Mavic Controller to be made compatible with Mavic 2.
I'm confused. Do you have a plan to buy a Mavic 2 without a controller in the future?

That's interesting about the goggles... I would hope the goggles would connect thru the remote control, but it sounds like they may not, huh? WEIRD.

Well, you have an open invitation if you ever find yourself over here. :)
 
I also like the idea of the Raptor XR antenna being easily removed and stowed away in my case with my tablet.Screenshot_20180905-003235.jpegScreenshot_20180905-002829.jpegScreenshot_20180903-114237.jpeg
 
I think distance is pretty cool also but ur weight is gonna increase substantially with battery mod so ur speed will decrease as well.
It's not all about range. I can speak for the Titan Switch but not others. I am not so much interested in range but the ability to reach my MPP when it goes over a hill / rise. I hear a lot of posts where they have lost connection because of trees or buildings.
If I was interested in distance, the foothills of the mountains in the distance are right at 8 miles to the CPA, 16 miles round trip, further to either side. Right now no one is going to fly that far IMHO, maybe tomorrow when technology improves
DJI_0003.JPG

Here is where I need the penetration, keeping connection over the rises and hills.
DJI_0011.JPG DJI_0005.JPG DJI_0018.JPG DJI_0019.JPG
These pictures were taken at least two miles past cellular coverage

Good 4 wheel drive jeep
Plenty of water
Marco Polo
Side arm
Wide brim hat
Good hiking boots, just in case
More water
 
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It's not all about range. I can speak for the Titan Switch but not others. I am not so much interested in range but the ability to reach my MPP when it goes over a hill / rise. I hear a lot of posts where they have lost connection because of trees or buildings.
If I was interested in distance, the foothills of the mountains in the distance are right at 8 miles to the CPA, 16 miles round trip, further to either side. Right now no one is going to fly that far IMHO, maybe tomorrow when technology improves
View attachment 45302

Here is where I need the penetration, keeping connection over the rises and hills.
View attachment 45310 View attachment 45311 View attachment 45312 View attachment 45313
These pictures were taken at least two miles past cellular coverage

Good 4 wheel drive jeep
Plenty of water
Marco Polo
Side arm
Wide brim hat
Good hiking boots, just in case
More water
Nice pictures and you're definitely thinking along my lines.

I want to eventually be equipped to backpack into the wilderness, set up a forward operation base for interesting drone footage and enjoy some time away from other people with my wife and Jack Russell.
 
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