NO SIGNAL at 12,000ft-*UPDATE 3* with windsurf antenna

Interesting, I get weak or no signal at sometimes 3000 sometimes 4000'. Can't fly any further because keep getting black screen and RTH. All this time I was thinking had something to do with FW. But you prove I was wrong. I tried to fly 5 different locations and getting same message. I use wind surfer as well. Wonder what else would that be.
There must be something wrong with your equipment. I have gone 8,000' with no issues and latest firmware
 
Hi, I am John Serres,Greece and this is my first post.
Yesterday, I decided to push my P3P to the limit.
The aircraft flew to 10,000ft with solid signal and after 2 "WEAK SIGNAL" warnings and at 12,000ft I got the "NO SIGNAL".
Aircraft auto-switched to RTH and about three minutes later connection re-established.So, it's good to know that these safety features are working as they should.
Everything was stock.Dashware in metric.
To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

When and if you are at a point far away and receive a signal warning, asap increase altitude. Not only should this revive the signal but also help you continue to fly further if needed. The higher you fly, the farther you can travel.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Digdat0 and Tdeath
Wow, there must be some difference between Phantoms sold in the US and over here in Europe.

There is no way I could fly that far without losing video signal. With my P3A, I usually get weak signal warnings at around 6000 feet and pushing just a little further to say 7000 feet will make the video super choppy and with intermittent breaks.

That's even though I am flying at 1300 feet (I cannot go higher as there is controlled airspace above 1500 AGL) and have clear LOS in a rural area, antennas perpendicular to aircraft and so on. Stock RC and aircraft, no mods whatsoever.

I will give it another shot once the weather settles a little.

//Tom
 
Last edited:
There must be something wrong with your equipment. I have gone 8,000' with no issues and latest firmware

The thing is it start happening right after upgrading latest FW. That's why I thought it was FW problem. On previews FW's never had any issues. I've flown up to 9000' and only thats when I was getting weak signal, also I have the 32 channels hack, and keep changing auto, or putting on channels that are clear. I hope there was a way to reinstall the FW or downgrade the craft fw.
 
I have gone a little over 15,000 feet. I have the "Gouduoduo2018 Aluminum Parabolic Antenna Range Booster" for my P3A and nothing else added. I was 180' AGL over a freshly plowed four-mile field and went up to 220 feet AGL. It ran adjacent to a river, and I turned around about 42% on the battery and came straight back (far enough for me). Only one time did I see the strength meter on the display decrease a little, and then went higher with the other 40 feet. The meter went back to a full signal when I ascended. Instead of the separate booster for each antenna arm, I got the one which folds like a book and connects both antennas. It was $15 on Amazon and well worth it for me. I tried it but won't do that anymore that is for sure. Lots of buzzards and falcons out and about and no need to irk them anymore.
 
Wow, there must be some difference between Phantoms sold in the US and over here in Europe.

There is no way I could fly that far without completely losing video signal. With my P3A, I usually get a weak signal warnings at around 5-6000 feet and pushing just a little further will make the FPV super choppy and more or less unusable.

I am flying at 1300 feet (cannot go higher as there is controlled airspace above 1500 AGL) and have clear LOS, rural area, antennas perpendicular to aircraft and so on.

I will give it another shot once the weather settles.

//Tom
I don't know if this matters, but my P3P remote 'says" FCC on the back, even though I purchased it from a Greek shop...

So does mine - see attached photo.

//Tom
 

Attachments

  • image.jpeg
    image.jpeg
    607.6 KB · Views: 292
The FCC stamp you're seeing means that it complies with FCC standards. All phantoms both comply with FCC and CE, it switches mode based on your location (unfortunately!).

Nice flight john, i flew in Serres last weekend! :)
 
Does it automatically swith to CE mode and at what point would it switch?
Yes. The process is not documented, but I'm assuming it switches when the Phantom powers up.
 
Hi, I am John from Serres,Greece and this is my first post.
Yesterday, I decided to push my P3P to the limit.
The aircraft flew to 10,000ft with solid signal and after 2 "WEAK SIGNAL" warnings and at 12,000ft I got the "NO SIGNAL".
Aircraft auto-switched to RTH and about three minutes later connection re-established.So, it's good to know that these safety features are working as they should.
Everything was stock.Dashware in metric.
To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Nice video, what is the name of the song you added to your video sounds good. Thanks
 
Couldn't wait till next week so I grabbed my new windsurfer-antenna and retried at the same spot.
Result: WOW! Perfect signal until 14,000ft when low battery auto-RTH initiated.Still had 38% battery left when landed.
Dashware in metric.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
What a great flight over beautiful countryside. Most impressive to me, like it matters, is the safe route you took and how you kept your altitude at a safe level. Thanks for posting such a great video. I noticed at the end a small section of what looks like railroad or trolley tracks between the two roads, right next to your position. Are those from a different era?
 
What a great flight over beautiful countryside. Most impressive to me, like it matters, is the safe route you took and how you kept your altitude at a safe level. Thanks for posting such a great video. I noticed at the end a small section of what looks like railroad or trolley tracks between the two roads, right next to your position. Are those from a different era?
Thanks, I try to avoid flying over people's heads.I live at the suburbs of a city called Serres (population 100,000) and the railroad tracks you saw are still in use.Here in Greece, we are not proud of our railroads, they are outdated compared to other European countries....
This is my city:
To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
 
Last edited:
Couldn't wait till next week so I grabbed my new windsurfer-antenna and retried at the same spot.
Result: WOW! Perfect signal until 14,000ft when low battery auto-RTH initiated.Still had 38% battery left when landed.
Similar results to my first try with a windsurfer across the desert.
You were flying out into the wind, judging by the props in the video, so you had the wind helping you on the way back which is why you had so much battery left.
When flying for distance - always fly into the wind (and hopefully very little of it) on the way out!
 
  • Like
Reactions: johnny21
Interesting, I get weak or no signal at sometimes 3000 sometimes 4000'. Can't fly any further because keep getting black screen and RTH. All this time I was thinking had something to do with FW. But you prove I was wrong. I tried to fly 5 different locations and getting same message. I use wind surfer as well. Wonder what else would that be.
how are you positioning your antennas?
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,358
Members
104,936
Latest member
hirehackers