Antenna tracker for P4 -phantom 4

IBV

Joined
May 14, 2016
Messages
358
Reaction score
218
Age
54
Location
Sweden
Hi out there,

I was searching on the net for a solution to P4 challenge without success..(obvisously ..)

What I want to do and the problem:
I want to sit in a van (with my colleague as passenger) and fpv-fly the P4 out for specific missions (inspection/ environmental..).
The problem is when I sit inside the van the range is too low and I cannot turn to follow the bird.
So I thought it would be great to just mount antennas on the roof! - This solves the range problem but not the directional issue. The solution I understood is an auto-antenna tracker. Antenna wise I use en itelite db02 and this works fine.

I thought this would be an easy one as there are plenty of models out on the market. However, I soon discovered it might not be that easy..
I don't want to glue a seperate GPS sender onto the P4 (weight and battery issue). So the option would be to use an auto antenna tracker that reads out the GPS signal from the lightbridge data stream, right?
I understood there are different standards and NME- GPS protcol is one.
There is a whole lotta antenna trackers available. Which system could work?

Main question:
What should I do?
and..:
Does lightbridge use NMEA GPS protocol?
Is there any other solution without mounting a seperate GPS sender onto the P4.
Which system would work and how?

Hope for some creative people out there!

Cheers,
Robert
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Longranger
Here it is the best... talk to them ,,, they can help u ,,,,horizon fpv antenna,,,,,
 

Attachments

  • p1030087_fw.png
    p1030087_fw.png
    1.5 MB · Views: 1,185
  • Like
Reactions: texmur
the best option would be not to sit in the van when using your phantom.
stay outside the van for a full vue of your sounderings.
 
the best option would be not to sit in the van when using your phantom.
stay outside the van for a full vue of your sounderings.

Logically correct.. But we've got engineers and/or science folks sitting around a passenger screen with their laptops. It's not practical to stand outside. Orten temperature is not more than 5-10 degree celsius... Inside the van it's the perfect fpv Environment with "passengers" telling me what to focus on. But yaa.. Technical speaking you're right
 
Here it is the best... talk to them ,,, they can help u ,,,,horizon fpv antenna,,,,,

Hi there, that's a great tio! Thanks indeed. I Will Contact them on monday and see. I thought so that I cannot be the first one prefering var or van Environment over a lousy garden chair!
cheers!
 
This is the best option ,,,,
Hi there,
I got a reply from them and it seems there is not any auto antenna tracker. Most likely because most people haven't got the licence to fly fpv out of sight....
So I'm still lokking for a solution. Ithought of tracking the P4 with a pan/tilt servo connected to a wired joystick. - Better than nothing..

Anybody having some ideas?
 
Yes, there a whole thread in just this and what "we" are all doing, get some Omni-directional L-Com antennas, and some LMR-400 cable and just plug them right into where you plug in your DBS-02 they'll set on the roof. You can also then boost them. The OP of the tread is getting crazy 20,000'+ numbers, sometimes without even using boosters!
Do a search for in house flying and in car, it's filled with good info
 
Hi there,
I got a reply from them and it seems there is not any auto antenna tracker. Most likely because most people haven't got the licence to fly fpv out of sight....
So I'm still lokking for a solution. Ithought of tracking the P4 with a pan/tilt servo connected to a wired joystick. - Better than nothing..

Anybody having some ideas?
You don't need all that crap, it's much more simple and done correctly all the time by the OP, soon to be me too, but a little different from a Polaris RZR900
 
  • Like
Reactions: IBV
Hi there,
Indeed, people were writing about earlier... I checked out the antennas and other gear.
You don't need all that crap, it's much more simple and done correctly all the time by the OP, soon to be me too, but a little different from a Polaris RZR900

What about 2 sets of antennas connected same time: 1 pair of directional and 1 pair omnidirectional like you mentioned? Can this be done by a simple RP-SMA T-connection?
Any more ideas out there?
 
Hi there,
Indeed, people were writing about earlier... I checked out the antennas and other gear.


What about 2 sets of antennas connected same time: 1 pair of directional and 1 pair omnidirectional like you mentioned? Can this be done by a simple RP-SMA T-connection?
Any more ideas out there?
Well, I think you run into theoretical problems with dual "sets" (we are talking 4 antenna right?) like doubling some things which half others, and not in the way that's good for what we are doing.
I think the problem here is that your too heavily leaning toward a tuned antenna for direction, when the omni's work so well ppl don't use the directionals. There's no need, I get what your asking, because it may "punch better" but if you actually get the boosters, and if you don't skimp out and get the good L-Con antennas the 8.5dBi ones for like $90 a piece, range is basically unlimited in all directions, having to adjust an antenna after only a short time, will get tiring and old, especially for one person, I know you have a partner, but when you don't, it would suck.
I actually thought about a directional antenna on the roof, like a 28db badass one, with one of those electric motors for the old satellites or even big antenna to turn them, but it's making it too complicated, a single antenna off each plug in off remote, boosted is the most simple, and effective mode, period. Good luck
 
Hi out there,

I was searching on the net for a solution to P4 challenge without success..(obvisously ..)

What I want to do and the problem:
I want to sit in a van (with my colleague as passenger) and fpv-fly the P4 out for specific missions (inspection/ environmental..).
The problem is when I sit inside the van the range is too low and I cannot turn to follow the bird.
So I thought it would be great to just mount antennas on the roof! - This solves the range problem but not the directional issue. The solution I understood is an auto-antenna tracker. Antenna wise I use en itelite db02 and this works fine.

I thought this would be an easy one as there are plenty of models out on the market. However, I soon discovered it might not be that easy..
I don't want to glue a seperate GPS sender onto the P4 (weight and battery issue). So the option would be to use an auto antenna tracker that reads out the GPS signal from the lightbridge data stream, right?
I understood there are different standards and NME- GPS protcol is one.
There is a whole lotta antenna trackers available. Which system could work?

Main question:
What should I do?
and..:
Does lightbridge use NMEA GPS protocol?
Is there any other solution without mounting a seperate GPS sender onto the P4.
Which system would work and how?

Hope for some creative people out there!

Cheers,
Robert
I think you need to talk to Jeremy and use omni directional antennas.
To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
 
What kind of ranges are you looking for OP? A simple boosted setup with hi gain omnis will out fly your P4 battery.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

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