Have DBS antenna need amp recomendations

This is from Tony at FPVLR regarding boosting the DBS Mod Antenna ; "because they (DBS Mod) are linear polarized and they are too close together, so the RC antenna when is amplified it emits a lot of RF and this RF destroys the video reception sensitivity. This does not happen nearly as much with the FPVLR kit because we use LHCP (left hand circular polarized) antennas on one side and RHCP (right hand circular polarized) antennas on the other side. So when you amplify the RC (which is the strongest stock signal) the video receive antenna will have an attenuation of -27dB because it's opposite polarized, so it's 27db more "deaf" to the rf noise coming from amping the rc signal."
 
Here's a record breaking 10+ mile run with an amplified itelite antenna!
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It's not really a matter of whether the antennas that are out there with boosters will get you that far I know they will. It's who can find the best battery combination and have the balls to do it. The last part of that Is the important part
 
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Here's a record breaking 10+ mile run with an amplified itelite antenna!
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I don't know if thats your standard Itelite antenna, but it seemed to do the job, here is another link to this flight:
 
Is it just me or is that a plus size itelite panel ?? I like it in black with the black transmitter !! Looks good


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Yea it is definitely bigger than the one I have. Now I am debating doing this mod at all and just sticking with windsurfer mod. I just don't know anymore. I was going to mount the DBS with amp through existing antenna holes and almost have everything I need but maybe I should drill the holes so I can change back relatively easily if needed. I have already contributed to this topic and this might be one on its own even though I know this has been debated till the frigging cows come home.
 
I just received my replacement radio today. It's a gl300c version. Linked it up and tested range before I crack into it. A little more than my old radio (gl300b) bone stock at 11,970ft in same location, flight path, altitude etc. I normally got 10,800ft with old radio in this location. Only difference I can think of is weather and temperature. It was 60f+/- and sunny with old radio. Today it was 55f and very overcast with the new radio.

I will Crack open new radio tonight and very... very..... carefully install new cables. I will be testing them first to make sure there isn't a loose/weak tip on the imex/u.fl end like the one that cost me having to buy a new radio.

Also on a side note, the new gl300c radio is not broken on 3 of the 4 mounting screws that were broken out of the box on my old gl300b radio.
 
Yea it is definitely bigger than the one I have. Now I am debating doing this mod at all and just sticking with windsurfer mod. I just don't know anymore. I was going to mount the DBS with amp through existing antenna holes and almost have everything I need but maybe I should drill the holes so I can change back relatively easily if needed. I have already contributed to this topic and this might be one on its own even though I know this has been debated till the frigging cows come home.

I was in the same boat.. i currently have the windsurfer and was on the fence about the DBS mod. i went ahead and pulled the trigger. i don't plan on doing the amps though. they say once you do the panel antenna the battery is now the limiting factor. so for me. i will just fly with the panel an no amps.
 
I was in the same boat.. i currently have the windsurfer and was on the fence about the DBS mod. i went ahead and pulled the trigger. i don't plan on doing the amps though. they say once you do the panel antenna the battery is now the limiting factor. so for me. i will just fly with the panel an no amps.

I'm curious to see how your experience with the Dbs mod compares to the Windsurfer. I did NOT notice much difference in distance when I tested the Dbs antenna compared to what I was getting with the Windsurfer in the location I usually fly.
 
Progress with new radio.

I decided to just drill holes instead of modifying the thumb wheel mounts this time around.

Made a bottom plate to mount battery and amps. Amps ended up not fitting well after I heated up the plate and bent it up to angle the antenna up a little. I did a quick dirty mount on back of the tablet mount for now for testing.

I had to go back down to the rig in south Texas for a few weeks again. I'm gonna keep working on a solution to mount amps on the tray. May just need to make a longer tray so I can mount them on top of it between antenna and radio.

New cables are ordered now that I know what lengths and fittings I need to clean it up.

Still too windy/rainy here to test long range. Maybe tomorrow the wind will lay down enough to test it out.

I was worried about the Anker 13400 power bank because when I was testing with the amps it was shutting off power to the amps as part of its overcharge safety feature. Fortunately as long as the radio is on and the amps are using power the power bank stays on and there is no issue.

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Looks good bud.............I am rethinking trying to re-use the existing holes as well. Received the last of everything I need today. So this weekend while the wife is at a PT conference I will start. Looking good. Tray looks good too. Maybe instead of making it longer you could draw it out to make it wider. Longer might be better weight distribution wise. Even though the amps weigh next to nothing.
 
Thanks. Just a rough start.

Now I have time to stare at it and dream up a new tray. I like your idea of wider but I only want it wider by the antenna. That way I can still hold it and reach buttons underneath.

The tray doesn't take very long to cut and smooth/round edges. I'm thinking about a T shape about a half inch longer and as wide as the itelite panel so I can mount amps on each side behind panel. I have some 90deg cables coming to relieve the bends on radio. Be a few more weeks but I'll post pics when it's re-done.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll have test flight results
 
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The results are in! This setup is legit. Got over 4 miles today where I used to get 2 miles stock before I had to turn around for low battery.

I did a test flight and got 3 miles and came home as soon as the RTH trigger tripped. I had about 30% battery left. The second flight I overrode the RTH and kept going out to 4 miles before I turned around. I came straight back and landed with 17% battery.

I never lost video or had any glitchy video where I normally always do even at a mile out. I did get the weak transmission red status bar a couple times while it auto channel hopped but it never glitched or dropped.

I recorded the entire flight (which may have depleted my battery quicker). I flew out into a 15mph headwind at about 30mph and flew back with the wind at about 38mph. I tried 75% throttle on second flight and the battery was at the same % in the same place I turned around on the first flight which was at 100% throttle. I don't think it matters how much throttle you use vs battery.

This was all with the DBS panel and sunhans 3w gold boosted setup. I will try it with just the panel this weekend when my new cables show up and see how the panel does by itself. This setup did not seem as directional as it did the first time I tried just the panel and had issues at 3500ft when I found the broken cable inside RC main board on my first remote(now a paperweight).

As of now, I have way more range than battery which will help flying low behind trees when I start my coyote hunting with it.
 
Thanks for the update. I'm curious to hear if your results with an un-amped setup!
 
Made it home and made a new tray. Gonna order some 4" sma cables to clean it up a little more but here's the finished product. I am gonna try and fly with just the antenna this weekend. I'll report back on difference with and without amps.
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Are you amplifying both antennas?
 

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