Basic Amplifier Question

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Just last night I installed an Itelite DBS extender. I managed a short flight earlier today to test it out. I still lose video signal before I lose controller function.

If I get an amplifier can I get it to amplify the incoming video signal or only the outgoing control signal?
 
Sounds like you need to be in my thread about increasing range of aircraft etc.

Nigel
 
You need to get at least two amps, one for 5.8 control and at least one for 2.4 FPV. The Sunhans will be two way. So the 5.8 amp will amplify the outgoing signal. The 2.4 amp will amplify the outgoing 2.4 signal and it will also amplify the incoming 2.4 signal.

Hope this helps.
 
If I put an amp on the video receiver antenna of my controller then isn't it going to amplify all incoming signals as well as background noise whereas if I put it on the quadcopter's video transmitter it will amplify that signal so it's louder than the background signals I want to avoid?
 
this is what I'm not understanding completely:

it's the bird that is SENDING (transmit) the video signal, so in theory, the amp should be on the bird not the controller?
 
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There are two ways to amplify signal .... 1 is to amplify transmitted signal, 2 is to amplify received signal.

Transmitted amplification is of course best as long as signal is kept clean.

Nigel
 
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You two are referring to the 2.4 ghz wifi signal which provides FPV and telemetry.

This stuff is proprietary, but it's been discussed on this site for over three years now and this is my understanding from reading hundreds of threads on here since I joined.

The 5.8 is easy. Controller sends, bird receives. Done.

The 2.4 is a whole different story.

There is no "video receiver antenna" or "video transmitter." Both the controller and the P3S have two transceivers with an antenna connected to each. Each is the same, but they switch between each other automatically in an constant effort to get the best connection. But that's just the beginning.

It's a very complex process which allows the system to work. For example, in order to see video on your mobile device, the bird must transmit, the controller must receive, the controller sends data back to the bird called a check sum. The bird then receives the check sum and sends yet more data back to the controller to verify whether the data sent the first time is correct, and then, finally, if the data is correct, the controller sends the data to the mobile device on yet another 2.4 frequency (and this whole check sum process may very well go again between the mobile device and controller).

Hence, the need for a two-way amp. The Sunhans is a two-way amp.

Both antennas do the same exact job, so it doesn't matter which antenna or transceiver you connect the amp. And that's also why many if not most pilots use just one amp for 2.4. The switching will prefer the best connection which would be the one with the amp.

People have experimented with putting amps on the bird but it hasn't shown any better connection than with the amp on the controller.

Apparently putting amps on both doesn't work any better than one amp on one or the other, and often works worse.

The amp on the controller amplifies the incoming signal kind of like a hearing aid amplifies a sound wave. Yes, it can amplify noise too, so you'd want a directional antenna and you'd want to aim it correctly to minimize the noise and maximize the desired signal.

Hope this helps.
 
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Dunno about Chris - but I am well aware of the two way in each unit.

Thank you for adding body to the subject.

Nigel
 
Mark that's a really good explanation, I thought the switching between transceivers only happened with a Lightbridge system, what does happen differently in Lightbridge, any idea?
 
Lightbridge is completely different. For one thing, there's no check sum which is one of the reasons the range is so much superior. Lightbridge also uses two antennas, but from what I've read in posts, the two antennas or transceivers don't switch because they do two completely different jobs on two different frequencies. If you're interested, you should search and read about it on this site - I don't know enough to comment further.
 
The other point about lightbridge is all happens on 2.4ghz .... both control and video. There is no 5.8ghz.

Nigel
 
The Sunhans is a two-way amp.

Both antennas do the same exact job, so it doesn't matter which antenna or transceiver you connect the amp. And that's also why many if not most pilots use just one amp for 2.4. The switching will prefer the best connection which would be the one with the amp.

Apparently putting amps on both doesn't work any better than one amp on one or the other, and often works worse.

so, x2 matching omni-directional antennas and x1 Sunhans two-way amp ???

where does LightBridge come in to play? Is this newer birds only or older birds?
 
You have two 2.4 antennas but they're inside the P3S controller. They are little patch antennas and you can't see them unless you open up your controller. You run both antenna cables outside for the purpose of improving the antennas. But you connect only one of them to an amp because to do both is redundant. I mean, you could amp both, but it's only necessary to amp one.

I hope that answers your first question.

Lightbridge is the next generation, circa 2015. It was installed on the P3A and P3P. The P3S and even the P3 4K is really a glorified P2V+ because it uses the old-fashioned wifi radio signal to send FPV.
 
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If I put an amp on the video receiver antenna of my controller then isn't it going to amplify all incoming signals as well as background noise whereas if I put it on the quadcopter's video transmitter it will amplify that signal so it's louder than the background signals I want to avoid?
"isn't it going to amplify all incoming signals as well as background noise" TRUE, but that's how everyone does it, amp the RC. Iv'e gone over 4000 meters so far, but I'm sure I could do better. I turned around at that point. Putting a amp on the AC, would be hard with power and weight factors.
 

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this is what I'm not understanding completely:

it's the bird that is SENDING (transmit) the video signal, so in theory, the amp should be on the bird not the controller?
In theory, true words. But in reality putting a amp on the AC, would be hard with power and weight factored in. After adding an amp, a power supply ??
Everyone just mods the RC when it comes to amps, the only thing I've seen on the bird side is better antennas.
 
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Surely now we reach the point where 'real' FPV guys have the info. They have been installing gear on aircraft for years.

I know the guy who I am talking to and will be working with on this at home - has extensive experience of long range FPV.

Nigel
 
William, you say "Everyone just mods the RC when it comes to amps" - that's because most of you guys in the USA have 27db of video and telemetry coming out of your drone and you mod the RC to increase your control range. In the UK (and other CE areas) the video is crippled, something like 17db. If everyone had that then maybe everyone would be modding the AC...
 
As I understand it - CE cripples both 5.8 and 2.4

Nigel
 
William, you say "Everyone just mods the RC when it comes to amps" - that's because most of you guys in the USA have 27db of video and telemetry coming out of your drone and you mod the RC to increase your control range. In the UK (and other CE areas) the video is crippled, something like 17db. If everyone had that then maybe everyone would be modding the AC...
Agree, hear you loud and clear. You can mod the AC with different antennas and that will help a lot from my understanding. And without any added weight for the most part. There is also software mods that boost your dbm to 27 that helps with that issue.
 
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