I can barely get 2800' feet before losing signal. Why?

[phantom3menace]

I know not all Phantoms are judged the same but why is it that I can barely get 2800' when I begin to lose signal on my P3P? I see so many people on this forum that easily get 5K, 7K and sometimes even 8K feet before they lose signal. I know it depends on the area and of course on how clear the area is from RF inference and so on.

I noticed today that my video channel section was set to custom and I'm wondering if having it on auto would have made any difference?

 

[msinger]

Try setting it to auto. You should see better results.

 

[impilot51]

Also, how do you have have the antenna oriented on your R/C? can you post a pic of your R/C when your flying?

 

[phantom3menace]

Also, how do you have have the antenna oriented on your R/C? can you post a pic of your R/C when your flying?

I always fly with the antennas aimed in the direction that DJI recommends.

 

[impilot51]

Well, I have heard that before, then see how that is interpreted. The antenna should be pointed up, not out away from the controller. I you point them toward the aircraft, you all have greatly diminished range.

 

[phantom3menace]

Well, I have heard that before, then see how that is interpreted. The antenna should be pointed up, not out away from the controller. I you point them toward the aircraft, you all have greatly diminished range.

Right because the signal comes from the flat sides of the antennas and not the top. I know that much.

 

[skipilot1]

Well, I have heard that before, then see how that is interpreted. The antenna should be pointed up, not out away from the controller. I you point them toward the aircraft, you all have greatly diminished range.

Remember that the signal is big fat donut. The center is the weakest part. The thickest part of the donut has the strongest signal.

 

[impilot51]

After trying on auto, then the next think to look at is where are you flying...and how high. Over water will probably get you the longest distance, followed by out in the country with little electrical interference. Worst will be in populated areas with lots of conflicting WiFi signals as well as physical obstructions. You might 10K feet or more in best conditions, and less than 4000 in difficult conditions.

 

[phantom3menace]

I will try auto mode tomorrow when I fly again. I'd like to get in the 4K to 5K range. That would make me happy. After all, I'm not looking to set any distance records like some people on this forum.

 

[phantomi]

Excuse my question but are you sure it is a P3P and not a P34K? Just to be sure you have lightbridge.

 

[phantom3menace]

Excuse my question but are you sure it is a P3P and not a P34K? Just to be sure you have lightbridge.

I have a P3P.

 

[bLaStErAiD]

After trying on auto, then the next think to look at is where are you flying...and how high. Over water will probably get you the longest distance, followed by out in the country with little electrical interference. Worst will be in populated areas with lots of conflicting WiFi signals as well as physical obstructions. You might 10K feet or more in best conditions, and less than 4000 in difficult conditions.

All birds not created equal?, I have flown from my house and over the city before, and you could say over the most "difficult conditions" I can get 10K easy, no mods, and without my windsurfers, I guess I'm just lucky?, going back to the OPs question, I think auto mode will give him better range

 

[impilot51]

I also think that there is so much variability in WiFi interference, that you can't compare two different locations as being equal. Now, if you take two P3s and fly them in the same location, I would expect to get roughly the same distance. But I have flow in two different areas that seem to be the same type of terrain, same type of geography (i.e., lots of homes, etc) and gotten significantly different distances. So who knows.

 

[phantom3menace]

I'm also wondering if my weak range might be due to me having the most recent version of the controller which I've heard people say the newer (or newest) versions have less RF output than the previous ones.

 

[impilot51]

I have heard the same, but have no empirical proof either way.

 

[HWCM]

Be sure you have nothing between you and the quad. I can go out over a mile, but as soon as the quad gets far enough away that a tree gets between direct line of signal, I loose all signal and I have to get some altitude. Then I can go another mile or so. It is amazing the range these things have. I am using windsurfers though.

 

[erlik-khan]

Interference is a tricky mistress. I was in this open field, acres of grass, and my range maxed out at like 600ft!! Seriously! Ended up being burried infrastucture under the fields to supply a nearby farm school. When i moved a mile down the road the difference was drastic.

 

[81sForLife]

Try setting it to auto. You should see better results.

I'm new here, could you explain how you set this to auto? I'm having the same issues it seems. Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[impilot51]

There is an auto channel setting, rather than selecting a specific channel. I am running a bit older version of DJI Go, so I don't know exactly where it is in the newest version, but if you go through he radio settings, there should be a place where you can either select a specific radio channel or select auto. Thats what they are talking about.

 

[flyNfrank]

Climb to a higher altitude. The higher you go, the further the distance for the most part. Also do the 32 channel mod and fly in custom on channel 32. Try these things...