Bird side antennas

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So i just found out that the 2 video feed antennas are located inside the AC and are visible if you remove the battery. I was suprised to found that the actual transmitter us in the gimbal and the antennas ports are located there as well. It's also very easy to change the antennas.
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By removing these two small things (undoing 2 screws for each) you can reach the antennas ports. I'm wondering whether you can put any 2.4GHz antennas there to get better signal. So please help me with this. Also the 2 antennas that are clearly visible on the landing feet are the RC antennas. To get to that you'll need to open the shell and you will clearly see the two antennas ports as well. But i think those antennas are just fine. My question is: I'm getting an ARGtek controller mod and it's supposed to give me beter range and stability of signal, but i'm wondering whether it will give me more if i replace the 2 video antennas on bird. Also do you think the rc antennas on bird are good enough or they need to be replaced too? Thanks
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I'm going it this week, I'll let no know how it goes.
My controller is maxed out with boosters 2-2.4 and one 5.8 and the Argtek kit
 
If you're considering bird-side antenna mods, I recommend getting the control side ITELITE antenna, aka the DBS antenna instead of argtek.

Yes, improving the 5.8 antenna and/or the 2.4 antenna on the bird will give you a better signal.

Check this thread from the distance Zen Master: This is gonna be fun! (Distance tests)
 
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It's really a matter of chance.

Do you always have the drone pointed away from you?
 
So I've upgraded the antenna on the remote with the ITElite panel and am now looking at upgrading the antennas on the Phantom itself but have run into a little snag...

I bought a set of dipole antennas (as they are listed as an upgrade for the P3S) from FPVLR...but as it turns out I've been looking at P2Vision install videos in the mistaken belief that they were the same/similar on the inside... many screws and clips later it seems that's not the case at all.

From what I can tell the 2.4GHz antennas actually connect directly to the Gimbal using U.FL Mini PCI connectors, meaning I actually need to get some U.FL Mini PCI to RP-SMA connectors, wire these directly to the Gimbal (and unplug the stock antennas).... which means that I didn't have to disassemble the P3S at all and could have simply unplugged them from the gimbal :(

Next question, the 5.8GHz antennas are connected to the top of the circuit board inside the P3S, again using U.FL Mini PCI connectors. Is there a recommended upgrade for these antennas?

Any advice on antenna upgrades would be very happily accepted... I'll have to have a read through the many many many pages of the linked thread above.

(In the meantime my P3S is sitting in pieces waiting for appropriate cables to install the antennas and/or upgraded 5.8GHz antennas).


The issue I am having is that I'm lucky to get 500m (1600ft), even with the ITElite so figure if I was going to try replacing the stock (bridside) antennas I might as well upgrade them...

Am I crazy? should I just screw it all back together and leave it? Or keep going?
 
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I think it's a good idea not to confuse 5 ghz antennas with 5.8 ghz antennas.

I think the most popular bird side 5.8 antenna is the dipole. But I know a guy who has had great success with the Fat Shark Spironet - but unfortunately it's not compatible with the ITELITE since it's a CP antenna. I use an array antenna.
 
Sorry, was in a rush when I typed that, I've fixed it up now, yes 5.8GHz antennas :)

I'm getting RTH at such a short distance I'm wondering if there is something wrong birdside, especially as I read more and more of that other thread and the distances being achieved. From memory my last flight didn't drop video, but lost control at only ~500m. Either my aiming stills are waaay off (which is highly likely) or there is something going on there.

Maybe it's time to put it all back together and run some more test flights. Even then the advice seems to be that a booster on the controller should be considered before birdside antenna upgrades.
 
There's something wrong if you're only getting 1600 feet with the ITELITE.

Are you sure you did the mod correctly?

With the ITELITE, you should be getting significant distance. Chances are you're flying in the city or suburbs, right? I'd take a drive into a rural area and try it again.

Here's an "oldie but goodie" thread you can peruse. ITELITE Antenna Owners Thread: 4 MILES WITH P3P (page 31)

That antenna discussed is the same one you have.

Since the P2V+ max distance is only 800 meters stock, and the P3S is 100 meters stock, you should be able to follow what anybody says in that thread and beat their distance by following their clues for success.

I would be patient and do one mod at a time, test it, make sure it's perfect, and then move on to the next mod.
 
It's mostly in the suburbs so yes I'd like to get out somewhere further away and try again and see how that goes. The stock antennas were always pretty ordinary, but then I was also in suburbia so I figured that the ITElite was a good upgrade option.
I did get better distance, but not massively different. I will say that video was maintained, but control was what was dropping.

Within the city CBD in a park it was nothing but interference and drops (including video) but that wasn't a big surprise since I was surrounded by high rise building each likely having their own internet and WiFi connections inside throwing out noise.
Just along the shoreline (not residential) it wasn't great range either. This was a one off spur of the moment job (after being in the park listed above), there may have been a mobile tower there somewhere so I don't read too much into that one.
Over a dam in a national park is where I hit just under 500m, that one being (I would have thought) far enough away from other signals to get a decent distance.

To be honest, I'm not going for massive range, more reliability, and stability of the signals. At that distance I can barely see it anyway so I'm not *really* looking to go further... but then I do like to tinker.

You might be onto something though, maybe I just re-seat all the connectors and put it back together and see how it goes for the moment before I mod it any further.
 
It's mostly in the suburbs so yes I'd like to get out somewhere further away and try again and see how that goes. The stock antennas were always pretty ordinary, but then I was also in suburbia so I figured that the ITElite was a good upgrade option.
I did get better distance, but not massively different. I will say that video was maintained, but control was what was dropping. ...
Something is wrong if control drops before FPV. I would go back in and look at your 5.8 connection.
 
Thanks buddy, I just bought the Itelite, sounds like I should have spent the extra money and got in the first place.
Appreciate the thread
 
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