My P3S has always had an excellent range: here in the US (FCC mode) I was able to reach 5500ft/1670m, whereas in Europe (CE mode) the best I've done is 3250ft/990m. Keep in mind those numbers represent the absolute best, in areas with little to no interference, but they are still impressive. In CE mode in particular, you notice that the signal is just weak, all it takes is a tree between you and the AC, and you lose it. I tried Icarus (at 27dBm) and got mixed results: the first time it worked well (rock-solid 2.4GHz signal, all the way to the limit of the 5.8Ghz, which is not affected by Icarus), the second time not so good (constant "weak signal" messages, even at close distance - never understood why).
Anyways, I decided to try something new so I bought a used RC for $40 on Craigslist and the Alfa Antenna Kit for $35, from Rokland's eBay store. The kit comes with one Alfa APA-M25 for the 5.8Ghz control signal, two APA-M04s for the 2.4Ghz and three pigtails with RP-SMA connectors.
Installation is pretty easy, provided you take your time and do things carefully. I more or less followed the instructions provided by a guy named Rick Sisco, on YouTube:
The way he installs the 5.8Ghz antenna requires a non-reversible modification of the RC, something I did not like, even if my RC was a spare. So I mounted mine on the front: it's functional and it would allow me to put back the stock antenna if I want to, but it definitely doesn't look as nice.
I also purchased some 6dBi dual-band (2.4 + 5.8Ghz) dipoles on eBay, at $3 each. Once you have the RP-SMA connectors on the RC, you can try pretty much any antenna you want, and my idea was to have a long-distance setup (the Alfas) and a short-distance one, more versatile (the dipoles).
I still haven't done proper testing, but I wanted to share my first impressions. First of all, the RC is definitely bulkier with the Alfas, but still reasonably light. The 2.4GHz RP-SMA connectors are mounted where the RC handle originally was, so you don't have it anymore. Which also mean you need another phone/tablet mount (not an issue for me, as I use the Inspire mount). The RC would not fit in the P3S case with the Alfas on, so you have to mount/remove them every time (not a big deal). The cheap dipoles are better in that respect, but the one in the front (5.8Ghz) still had to come off for storage.
When it comes to range, so far the Alfas allowed me to reach 6100ft/1850m, whereas the cheap dipoles couldn't go past 4000ft/1220m. In particular with the Alfas, it seem that the moment you lose signal, you lose it forever: RTH kicked in and brought the AC back (at those distances, I have to admit it was a bit nerve-racking....) but I was able to regain control only at very close distance.
The Alfas are also directional, which means you need to keep them pointed toward the AC or you lose signal in a split second. Nothing crazy, though.
All in all, a decent mod for $35, but not stellar: the range gain is there, but it's not a game changer. And I personally never fly that far, anyways, unless I'm testing things out. At less extreme distances, you enjoy a slightly more robust signal, but on the downside you have to keep aiming at the AC.
With better quality dipoles, I'm pretty sure I can do better than 4000ft, and at that point you really have the best of two worlds: use the dipole for everyday use, switch to the Alfas when you want to go crazy far.
Anyways, I decided to try something new so I bought a used RC for $40 on Craigslist and the Alfa Antenna Kit for $35, from Rokland's eBay store. The kit comes with one Alfa APA-M25 for the 5.8Ghz control signal, two APA-M04s for the 2.4Ghz and three pigtails with RP-SMA connectors.
Installation is pretty easy, provided you take your time and do things carefully. I more or less followed the instructions provided by a guy named Rick Sisco, on YouTube:
The way he installs the 5.8Ghz antenna requires a non-reversible modification of the RC, something I did not like, even if my RC was a spare. So I mounted mine on the front: it's functional and it would allow me to put back the stock antenna if I want to, but it definitely doesn't look as nice.
I also purchased some 6dBi dual-band (2.4 + 5.8Ghz) dipoles on eBay, at $3 each. Once you have the RP-SMA connectors on the RC, you can try pretty much any antenna you want, and my idea was to have a long-distance setup (the Alfas) and a short-distance one, more versatile (the dipoles).
I still haven't done proper testing, but I wanted to share my first impressions. First of all, the RC is definitely bulkier with the Alfas, but still reasonably light. The 2.4GHz RP-SMA connectors are mounted where the RC handle originally was, so you don't have it anymore. Which also mean you need another phone/tablet mount (not an issue for me, as I use the Inspire mount). The RC would not fit in the P3S case with the Alfas on, so you have to mount/remove them every time (not a big deal). The cheap dipoles are better in that respect, but the one in the front (5.8Ghz) still had to come off for storage.
When it comes to range, so far the Alfas allowed me to reach 6100ft/1850m, whereas the cheap dipoles couldn't go past 4000ft/1220m. In particular with the Alfas, it seem that the moment you lose signal, you lose it forever: RTH kicked in and brought the AC back (at those distances, I have to admit it was a bit nerve-racking....) but I was able to regain control only at very close distance.
The Alfas are also directional, which means you need to keep them pointed toward the AC or you lose signal in a split second. Nothing crazy, though.
All in all, a decent mod for $35, but not stellar: the range gain is there, but it's not a game changer. And I personally never fly that far, anyways, unless I'm testing things out. At less extreme distances, you enjoy a slightly more robust signal, but on the downside you have to keep aiming at the AC.
With better quality dipoles, I'm pretty sure I can do better than 4000ft, and at that point you really have the best of two worlds: use the dipole for everyday use, switch to the Alfas when you want to go crazy far.
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