DBS booster on a Phantom Standard to get just 500m range !

[The Springs]

Hi I have been reading many of the posts over the last few months (very interesting and lots of information) and have decided to try posting something myself.

My wife and I own a 650ha (1600acres) farm in Australia. As a surprise for Christmas she bought me a P3S. Had I known I would have kicked in the extra for a P3A but you have to be very careful not to appear ungrateful as any married man will tell you.

I used to fly scale r/c models years ago until I lost an eye fencing (that’s the keep the sheep in type not the Three Musketeers type) so I am sort of familiar with a lot of this stuff. I have been extremely disappointed with the range of this thing 200m out max first 5 flights then cut back to less than 100m .I ordered and installed(with my sons help) a DBS booster . We now get 500m on a good day and 200m up .I have read about wiffi congestion but I would not have thought it was a problem out here. Although there is a tower for our local town on a hill about 5km away.The town is 11km away

I would like to use the P3 to check stock water in tanks and troughs check lambing ewes, spy on my neighbors etc but 500m won’t do it . We have done everything that has been suggested to all the other poor standard owners and I know about FCC and CE (why this regulation is needed is beyond me) I have also looked into the Redbird repeater unit but suspect it would probably be illegal in Australia

I did read somewhere that it could be a problem where the leads attach to the board so that even the new DBS leads/booster might not do the job since the nipple on the board is the problem. There seems to be good P3S s and bad so maybe there is something in this. Any suggestions or are we just trying to do what can’t be done ?

 

[phantomgaz5]

Hi mate im in Aus to> If that's the range your getting out in the country I would think about returning it. I think the website quotes atleast 1km. I have a pro and have had it out 2 km so far no probs and I'm in outer skirts of Melbourne. Maybe you should tell your wife about how fantastic the "standard model" is that you want to get the better one now???

 

[The Springs]

Thanks for your reply . I would say its too late to return it as we have opened up the Transmitter to install the DBS booster .From what i have read 500m is what you would expect out of the box in Australia with CE settings as opposed to what is on the box ! We only got a semi reliable 500m with the booster nothing like what some are getting (mostly in the US) I think the P3S maybe cheaper for a few more reasons than are stated( like quality control) I will upgrade in the near future .The P3S is still very good for learning .One thing we found is that we dont need google earth .I know every square meter of our place so always know where I am and orientated .We had a laugh we are excluded from a large part of our place due to what you might call enemy aircraft two large wedge-tail eagles have a nest in a big gum over the back along with their 2 offspring They have a VERY big range maybe I should strap a go-pro to one

 

[Alan Russel]

Hello just read your post about P3s and you certainly are not getting the range expected, I have the same bird no mods and usually average 800m to 1200m (no interference). I would check antenna connection first and with a DBS Mod on yours your range should be way "out there". Gday from W.A. anyway!

 

[smp]

Hi,

I mean no disrespect at all with this, only a thought:

Are you somehow stuck in Beginner Mode? You need to actively go into the DJI GO app and get out of that setting.

smp

 

[mcphipps]

............the extra for a P3A but you have to be very careful not to appear ungrateful as any married man will tell you.

Know how you feel there. Been there. LOL. I would rather stick my face in a hornets nest.

I also have the standard. Unfortunately Ilive in the US and don't have the CE restrictions. But I have gotten 1 mile from the standard at stock. I live in a farming area so there is little to no interference. You should get more that you are getting for sure.

 

[amrunner4]

My theory on these reports of poor or poorer performance after installing the DBS antenna system is that the problem relates to placing the new u. fl connectors on the nipples properly. It is very east to bend the outer ring of the connector, or even easier to bend the pincher pieces on the connector which attch to the center post on the board.

If you take a magnifier and check the connectors it might show something bent. You can order replacement u. fl to SMA connectors from somewhere like Banggood if you have bent the tiny center pincher portion of the connector (15cm U.FL/IPX to RP-SMA Female Antenna Pigtail Jumper Cable).

When placing the connectors and pressing them into place, make sure they are centered and press straight down with something firm like the tip of a pen. I find it hard to do with your finger or nail.

Just some thoughts.

Andy

 

[jake88]

Your standard should be getting more range then it did before u added the booster..have u tried changing wifi channels..

 

[jake88]

Can u sell it off and upgrade?just say how much u love it and now want to upgrade..go for the lightbridge on the p3p and advanced u will be blown away.

 

[d5pilot]

My P3S has recently been unable to get beyond 500-600 ft(200M). I relinked the controller and flew it in an area without signal interference that I had previously gotten about 1/2 miles ranges.

 

[The Springs]

Thanks for the various suggestions .We we were very careful when re seating the new DBS leads .I let my son do it since he has better eyesight .You are right though, he used his finger to put them on I dont think he push too hard though it was more a case of keeping the horizontal so they clipped home ( we followed the DBS installation video carefully) not all went on first go though and we have doubled the range.The trouble is the now set hot glue would have to come off again and it looks a bit tougher than the white stuff although we did not put it on or round the connectors them selves just back a bit on the leads and board .We have switched all distance and attitude limits off and I suspect it would go to 500m altitude if we tried. This might be the way to go when I think about it since our local Ag pilot loves to try to lift the roof sheets off our house when going to a job (says hes afraid of heights)
The strange thing is that after installing the booster I jumped in the Hilux and drove up the paddock with the Phantom turned on and holding it out the window until my son called me on the uhf to say controller signal was lost but he still have camera feed and that was at 1000m ! Maybe the hilux was helping with the signal or something ? I should try it on foot.(he can jog out Ill stay home!) On the positive side there is no problem with RTH or fly away risks when your handing on to it !

 

[mcphipps]

You should hear them "click" when they are seated correctly. This has happened to me as well. I just took them off and re-seated them. I used a small precision screwdriver to push them down with until I heard the click.
The hot glue will come off easier than you think.

 

[mcphipps]

Oh...and I can't see either. I got a visor with a light and magnifier on it. Jewelers Visor/glasses.

 

[Auusie_P3S_pilot]

I hot glued connectors on as well when i did antenna upgrade. It turned out worse than stock antenna so converted back. The hot glue came up easier than the white original silicone.

 

[The Springs]

Oh...and I can't see either. I got a visor with a light and magnifier on it. Jewelers Visor/glasses.

I hot glued connectors on as well when i did antenna upgrade. It turned out worse than stock antenna so converted back. The hot glue came up easier than the white original silicone.

I wonder why it was worse .Mine cut back from around 220m to 100m for no apparent reason so it was pretty useless like that so we fitted the booster now we get 500m we're like we won the lottery

 

[The Springs]

My theory on these reports of poor or poorer performance after installing the DBS antenna system is that the problem relates to placing the new u. fl connectors on the nipples properly. It is very east to bend the outer ring of the connector, or even easier to bend the pincher pieces on the connector which attch to the center post on the board.

If you take a magnifier and check the connectors it might show something bent. You can order replacement u. fl to SMA connectors from somewhere like Banggood if you have bent the tiny center pincher portion of the connector (15cm U.FL/IPX to RP-SMA Female Antenna Pigtail Jumper Cable).

When placing the connectors and pressing them into place, make sure they are centered and press straight down with something firm like the tip of a pen. I find it hard to do with your finger or nail.

Just some thoughts.

Andy

I will check the connectors but is the poor range out of the box an indication that there maybe problems at the nipples on the board or further on or in at least
Paul

 

[Auusie_P3S_pilot]

I wonder why it was worse .Mine cut back from around 220m to 100m for no apparent reason so it was pretty useless like that so we fitted the booster now we get 500m we're like we won the lottery

Cheap Chinese booster set would be my guess. I'm getting 500m from my back yard across the suburb with stock antenna.

 

[DroneOperator]

I will check the connectors but is the poor range out of the box an indication that there maybe problems at the nipples on the board or further on or in at least
Paul

Hi, same situation here. Flying in Europe with my P3S and maxed at 150m on stock antennas. I updated the controller with Itelite DBS mod and now I can easily reach 300-400m without a hassle and 500-600m pointing the rc very carefully at the drone.

Have you checked the rc? Any progress with the range? I also feel I should get a lot more.

I relinked the RC but no got difference after it.

 

[The Springs]

Hi, same situation here. Flying in Europe with my P3S and maxed at 150m on stock antennas. I updated the controller with Itelite DBS mod and now I can easily reach 300-400m without a hassle and 500-600m pointing the rc very carefully at the drone.

Have you checked the rc? Any progress with the range? I also feel I should get a lot more.

I relinked the RC but no got difference after it.

No I haven't tried anything yet ,wind and dust blowing hard here and been tied up with work .I was going to re-link first but I don't think that's the problem. Next simple test is to try flying at my brother-in laws (2500Ha and he doesn't have a mobile because there's no coverage no wiffi) That should rule out the interference factor. After that is pulling the TX apart again to check the connectors as suggested by other helpful members but I need my sons good eyesight and he works in Sydney !I still think is maybe a problem with the nipple/board I read this somewhere I cant now find .It suggest there was resistance measured across the two which should not be I'm no election so I'm not sure what this means or how to fix it .New controller ?Bit disappointing eh

 

[phantomgaz5]

As for range of "CE" devices I thought only Europe was Ce and rest of world (including Australia) was FCC?? Is that correct, anyone??