Thank you Medina Taylor. I have a wind surfer a friend gave me and it has the lines in it from the 3d printer showing in the metal.
Antenna Booster Analysis
- Thread starter RF Guy
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Is it that critical, probably not. I have the foldable windsurfers for stock antennas but I just made a pair of huge windsurfers last night from two halves of a big plastic cup and they have foil tape as the reflector. I needed them for some 7" tall antennas. They are about as imperfect as it gets and I got 2.2 miles with them today with cheap Omni directional antennas. Yes I do have an amp but it does not seem to do much anyway.
From reading some topics in different forum. To get the best the antennas should be centered to each cone. ( cone being the wind surfer.). I made my wind surf from a plastic jar ( hard plastic). By putting them on I've made it out to 18k. (3.4 miles)Turned round because of battery.
Someone asked if anyone got RTH initiated at far distances. I have numerous times with both my P3P and P4. The P3 gets out to 17,000 ft. away before it loses signal and goes into RTH mode. The P4 loses signal at 14,500 ft. then goes into RTH. With either, I get a big red message on the screen that says "Aircraft disconnected"
When I get that it goes into RTH and makes the beeping sound.. After about 15 seconds I get video signal back and see the bird is already on its way back to me..
I don't do this on purpose but it has happened about 4 or 5 times when I was going for extreme one way distance. The first time it happened I got pretty nervous, but now it's no big thing I have learned to trust RTH..
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When I get that it goes into RTH and makes the beeping sound.. After about 15 seconds I get video signal back and see the bird is already on its way back to me..
I don't do this on purpose but it has happened about 4 or 5 times when I was going for extreme one way distance. The first time it happened I got pretty nervous, but now it's no big thing I have learned to trust RTH..
Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
What is the correct position for these windsurfers on the antennae?
The one on the left in higher position or the one on the right in the lower position. Or are both wrong? Or does it matter?
The one on the left in higher position or the one on the right in the lower position. Or are both wrong? Or does it matter?
alokbhargava
Premium Pilot
Windsurfer should not go above the antenna. The other one seems to be positioned correctly , can be moved a bit higher up.
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So today I finally was able to fly in an area with little to no interference. I flew from a beach at a park straight out into the bay. I kept it at 200 feet and went straight out. Got the connection lost indication on the screen at 5000 feet (less than 1 mile) and she went into return to home mode. I'm disappointed as I thought my 1500-2000 ft. range was as expected in an area with wifi, cell towers and other interference, but in the clear should be better. Someone please tell me how people are getting 15,000 feet with the P4? Why can't I get more with a stock set up? Frustrated 
LeojaySo today I finally was able to fly in an area with little to no interference. I flew from a beach at a park straight out into the bay. I kept it at 200 feet and went straight out. Got the connection lost indication on the screen at 5000 feet (less than 1 mile) and she went into return to home mode. I'm disappointed as I thought my 1500-2000 ft. range was as expected in an area with wifi, cell towers and other interference, but in the clear should be better. Someone please tell me how people are getting 15,000 feet with the P4? Why can't I get more with a stock set up? Frustrated
flying over water sounds good but the water is not a good place. Some place that is dry with short green or better dirt.
I've made it 18k that way with my P3a with just a wind surfer ( home made)
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Thanks, I have some windsurfers I will try next time. Is it correct to keep my antennas pointing almost straight up so that when holding up the RC the flat part of antenna is facing the Phantom?
Yes on the info about the antennas. If you do fly over water go as high as you can and you be as high away from the body of water. The water absorts yours signal.
Yes, water does absorb signals, but it's my understanding that - just like light waves - the signal will bounce off the surface of the water and back to the aircraft providing a stronger signal than you'd get otherwise. That's why many long distance flights have been achieved over water using linear polarity.
Edit: However, you have to be sure the deflected signal arrives at the receiver in-phase relative to the actual straight line signal. Otherwise, the deflection will be received as interference and result in less range. Studying the fresnel zone would aid in understanding how to use deflection to your advantage.
Edit: However, you have to be sure the deflected signal arrives at the receiver in-phase relative to the actual straight line signal. Otherwise, the deflection will be received as interference and result in less range. Studying the fresnel zone would aid in understanding how to use deflection to your advantage.
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Experience will answer the question. There's a certain amount of water vapor coming off the water. What's best? You could experiment. Try it low. Try it high. What works best for you? Let us know.
Or you can study what the experts do. Here is a guy that did 15 miles.
http://www.flytrex.com/mission/quadcopter-x-proto-koray-birand-IOlkHsdC/
If you study his flight path elevation, he started off low, then increased height, leveled off, increased height, leveled off, etc. On the return he did the same thing in reverse.
Fifteen miles world record. Note that his flight was a night flight though.
Or you can study what the experts do. Here is a guy that did 15 miles.
http://www.flytrex.com/mission/quadcopter-x-proto-koray-birand-IOlkHsdC/
If you study his flight path elevation, he started off low, then increased height, leveled off, increased height, leveled off, etc. On the return he did the same thing in reverse.
Fifteen miles world record. Note that his flight was a night flight though.
N017RW
Premium Pilot
Radio waves act like light. They are both composed of photons so if you have a clear path between you and the quad you're good.
Height helps when you have greater distances do to Earth's curvature and objects on the ground.
Height helps when you have greater distances do to Earth's curvature and objects on the ground.
