Antennae Recommendations?

dastagg · Jul 7, 2014

I am ordering a new Vision + wifi extender to give me extra range on my video during flight, but am wanting extra range also on the actual controls from my transmitter. Any recommendations on a reasonable antennae for installing to give me a bit more range? I flew last week and lost control and Returned Home at 1,000 foot elevation with about 150 foot distance away from the transmitter. This is typically great, but have a job and need to do that again without losing control. I want to keep it from going into the Return Home mode at a little further distance and not wanting to put an antennae on the Phantom Vision itself. Any recommendations? I flew today and lost communication and went into Return Home at around 600' with 200' distance twice and had to regain to get the photos I needed by switching the S1 switch to keep from returning home and did fine. Seemed to loose signal for just a second and regained control immediately afterwards for some reason that never occurred before. I need to order a antennae but not sure which one is best for a small lightweight system for controller only and not video since I am getting the wifi extender that comes with the Vision plus and using it for the Vision instead as in another thread that sounds promising.

funkdoobies · Jul 7, 2014

dastagg said:
I am ordering a new Vision + wifi extender to give me extra range on my video during flight, but am wanting extra range also on the actual controls from my transmitter. Any recommendations on a reasonable antennae for installing to give me a bit more range? I flew last week and lost control and Returned Home at 1,000 foot elevation with about 150 foot distance away from the transmitter. This is typically great, but have a job and need to do that again without losing control. I want to keep it from going into the Return Home mode at a little further distance and not wanting to put an antennae on the Phantom Vision itself. Any recommendations? I flew today and lost communication and went into Return Home at around 600' with 200' distance twice and had to regain to get the photos I needed by switching the S1 switch to keep from returning home and did fine. Seemed to loose signal for just a second and regained control immediately afterwards for some reason that never occurred before. I need to order a antennae but not sure which one is best for a small lightweight system for controller only and not video since I am getting the wifi extender that comes with the Vision plus and using it for the Vision instead as in another thread that sounds promising.

just do the splice method on you rc in the transmitter, you can then add a whip antenna to your transmitter. i get 2500ft - 3000ft on a 8dbi whip. costs about £15 to do. dont bother pulling the pig tail of the 5.8 in your transmitter. you'll probably wreck it like i did!!

dastagg · Jul 7, 2014

Is it critical to keep length exactly the same using splice method? Wouldn't think it would, but
I'm a novice at such mods. Thanks, gonna look more into the splice job.

cemerton · Jul 8, 2014

I've never lost Tx control since installing the antenna below.

http://fpvlr.com/shop/index.php?route=p ... duct_id=63

I do use a 2.4 & 5.8 booster, but even before adding the 5.8 booster, I wasn't losing Tx.

funkdoobies · Jul 8, 2014

dastagg said:
Is it critical to keep length exactly the same using splice method? Wouldn't think it would, but
I'm a novice at such mods. Thanks, gonna look more into the splice job.

heres some advice I got from Will at Horizon antennas - I hope he doesn't mind me posting it

"Hi there,
yes i have see loads of people come unstuck (no pun intended) with the glue, seems simple to remove
WRONG !!!! leave well alone , just splice into the coax , cut off the cable where the existing cable enters the old antenna.
with the U.fl cable cut to around 55mm from the end of the RP-SMA connector to the cut point.
measure back 5mm and strip off the braiding , strip off the braiding on the board coax the same .
strip back the center conductor around 2-4 mm , twist the braid on each one to give a good cable join.
Now tin all the ends up .
tape or hold with fine nosed pliers with the tinned braids touching , now just touch the iron on then and they
will fuse together in an instant, now that they are held together , inspect with a magnifying glass.
make sure there are no wisps of wire braid floating around. now bring the two center conductors together
again just touch with the iron to fuse them , inspect with magnifying glass .

if all ok , put a heats-rink over the joint.
if you mess up , chop it off and do it again.
I am very experienced in this sort of thing and my advice is leave the glue alone.
I will put another video up shortly as i have done another one

Will"

dastagg · Jul 8, 2014

Thanks, the splice sounds pretty simple as the other glue method had me a little apprehensive even though I see that multiple novices have done it, but also see where some people have screwed up the board too. The method (thanks to Will and funkdoobies) sounds much safer. I can solder, but thought I saw that some critical measurements could be involved, but don't sound like the length of the coax is too very critical. Think I am going to give that method a GO. I am pulling the plug on the equipment today.

J.James · Jul 8, 2014

The length of the coax is not all that critical for this application as long as you dont go adding a much longer length of wire. . BUT a splice is not the best thing to do on any antenna wire it changes the resistance on the outside shield braid at the bump. If you do a splice you want to do it as close to the end of the wire as you can get it. and if you are going to cut the wire you would be even better off to just break the wire from the inside of the stock antenna so you have it long enough to just solder on a solder on RP-SMA connector to the end. Which don't interfere with any thing or give any signal lose. Also regardless of what way you skin the cat make sure when putting your wires back not to ever kink it, crush it, or even bend it in to tight of a curve on any coax cable. Or it will cause signal lose from the resistance change on the outside shield.

dastagg · Jul 9, 2014

Thanks J.James, I will look at that. I get my parts in shipment tomorrow and will work on doing the mod this weekend. I'll take any and all advise!!!

J.James · Jul 9, 2014

Ive done a few of the solder on ends and they are pretty easy if you get the right kind of plug end on the Rp-sma connector.

One like this style that has the tiny nut on the very back side. http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTA3MFgxNjAw/z/dXkAAMXQDDZR1CYx/$(KGrHqN,!qEFG0tnvfYUBR1CY)!Itg~~60_57.JPG

If you un screw that nut the inside is were you solder the center conductor to the center pin. Tho if you can get a pig tail with the big heavy duty wire on it they are better wires and lower lose then the thinner gray cables and also I just found out last night that its best to keep your wire as short as you can and also to try and keep it under 5 or 6 inchs long for best results.

One other thing is tho that silicone is a real sob to get off with out damaging any thing. Its nothing compared to the conductive glue they use on the receiver side of things inside the phantom. That is a real sob to get off. You have to bust it off and pry when doing it that you dont bust the connector or the circuit board. Its hard like concrete and don't even scratch with a razor knife. I asked one of the places that sells the conductive glue if there is any solvent that cuts it and have not heard word back yet.

dastagg · Jul 11, 2014

I got all my parts in and took the controller apart and had everything ready to solder the antennae wire, but thought I would just see how hard it would be to knife away the glue at the connector first. I started cutting away the glue and had it done in less than 10 minutes. Wasn't very difficult on mine at all and I was being very careful also. Probably some had more glue than mine, thus the issue, but mine was really pretty easy. I had a harder time pushing the connector in the socket than the other but that wasn't hard, it just has a pretty tight plug-in. I believe I am ready to do a good test this weekend. I changed my wifi extender to the Vision Plus RE700 to get some extra range on my wifi video signal also, so will be testing that also. Keeping fingers crossed this thing really works. I am using a 6db antennae for now and I ordered a Horizon antennae also this morning and will wait for it to arrive for a directional antennae option also.

J.James · Jul 11, 2014

If you can its a good Idea to use some thing to hold the new wire in place so it dont pop off. I like to use a tiny dot of hot glue on stuff like that cause its not as hard to get off as the silicone caulk is.

dastagg · Jul 11, 2014

I did that exactly a while ago. I dremmeled out the opening a bit to fit the antennae connecter fitting so case fits flush at new antennae fitting and before putting together, added a tad of hot melt to the snap connector inside where old glue was to keep solid. Tested my system slightly at 200 foot elevation and 600 foot away and performed well so for. Will extend further later but verified all works anyway. Am a happy camper. Ordered a new antennae this morning from Horizon. The shipping was as much as the product to the U. S. but that is OK as I believe I will be getting a superior product.