DBS Mods ITE-DBS02 Antenna for P3P: Results of Signal Penetration Testing

[Zeprider]

My DBS02 shipped out yesterday, can't wait to install and test!


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

Just got mine in the mail today! I'm psyched!

 

[dirtybum]

Hook it up B

 

[Prowler]

Sorry to hear that. Don't give up on it.

Not givin up already ordered and got another P3P. An have a P2V+ that I have been using to search for my lost drone.

 

[Prowler]

Are you in the Permian?

No I N Corpus christi

 

[Prowler]

Is that Surfside?? I may be down there Sunday. The forecast wind for Sunday is good.

No this be at Malaquite beach in the Padre Island National Seashore. Near Corpus Christi, TX.

 

[Hippie]

Just got mine in the mail today! I'm psyched!

Did you get it installed yet? When mine comes in, I may be up until it is finished!

 

[Zeprider]

Did you get it installed yet? When mine comes in, I may be up until it is finished!

Oh man Hippie, I'm dying to do it. Alas, I want to get a few more shallow flights in before I open the RC and change anything. Just to make sure everything is in order and working as it should stock. Nothing worse than making this kind of change only to find that an unforeseen yet unbeknownst problem was about to arise.

But then... oh lordy am I gonna do it.

 

[Hippie]

Zep, Just watched a video of the install, took him maybe 15 minutes and few tools. Let me know how your install goes.

 

[penguinmaster]

As I mentioned in my last thread where I tested for range/distance, I was able to get 16K feet/3 miles out of my bone stock P3P at 250ft. I was really pleased with it and when I turned around I still had full signal. I could not ask for more distance but my signal penetration was really lacking. Put even a few trees between me and the phantom and either I lose the link or the signal is severely degraded. So I decided to purchase the DBS mods ITElite antenna kit hoping to improve my penetration, as I had heard good results from others.

I installed the kit and did some testing, here is what I found:

Stock P3P
----
Attempted to fly out to a known object 2500ft away. We will call it POI #1. This test site where I launched from is surrounded by trees, so it's tough to get any good distance. Suffered signal loss and drop outs before I could reach POI #1. Climbed up to the max altitude of 399ft and still could not achieve a good signal. Had to abort the mission and return home. Signal could not penetrate the trees around test site A.

Attempted to reach POI #2 1700 ft away in a different direction. Drop outs and signal loss a few hundred feet short even at 300ft altitude. Aborted mission and returned to home.

DBS Mods ITElite Antenna installed
----
Flew out to POI #1 again originating from Test Site A. I was even standing in the exact same spot. Reached POI #1 at 399ft altitude easily, with full signal no drop outs whatsoever. Immediately the improvement in signal penetration is apparent and proven. Decided to descend down on the object to see how low I could go. At 200ft I started getting some blips in the signal. At 150ft it started to drop out a bit but I was still getting video and had control. Absolutely amazing. I would have been happy just to make it there at 399 feet but the lower altitude was awesome.

Tried POI #2. Easily reached at 300ft, no drop outs whatsoever full signal. Descended to 144ft altitude before signal problems become apparently. Again an amazing improvement. Significant number of trees between me and the phantom at this location and altitude.

----

I decided to test out the signal penetration at a different test site, one not surrounded by trees in a more open area. Picked a spot by the canal, we will call Test Site B. Decided to fly out to the same object we are calling POI #1. Reached it no problem at 2500ft away. Now POI #1 is a good 2000ft deep into nature preserve and surrounded by a pine tree forrest. Let's see how low I can go before I can lose signal. I assumed I would lose as it a soon as the quad went below the tree line since it would be nearly a half mile of forrest between me and the quad.

Something amazing happened I did not expect. Went past 100ft, 50ft, 30ft...still perfect signal! Went all the way down to 20ft off the ground. Full bars, full signal, not even a blip of a dropout. It was like it was 30ft in front of me not a half mile deep into a Forrest. Did not even attempt to go lower than that. I am really amazed this was even possible. Here is a screen capture of me 20ft off the ground at POI #1. Note the trees in the distance. Those are the same trees (behind) between me and the quad and the signal still makes it. I don't think I could have even done this stock.

Tested a bit further and went to the end of the preserve just over a full mile away from me. Still had full signal at 250ft. Lowered down to 110ft and I started losing a few bars and got a minor blip. Just incredible. 6000ft of trees in between and I'm at 110ft with good signal. Another note is that I was concerned about the directional nature of the antenna. I could turn around 180 degrees and face the opposite way and still had full signal 1000ft out. So I think it only is a problem at far distances.

I am really impressed with the DBS mods antenna. I wonder what it could do with boosters. For right now I am very pleased and it has achieved my goals and suited my purpose. Most buy these for extreme distance/range but I had that stock. I wanted signal penetration and the DBS mods antenna did not let me down.

Thanks DBS mods![/QUOT
Can you send me the exact info I have the fpvlr ant with no amps and it's junk it won't penate paper

 

[Zeprider]

Zep, Just watched a video of the install, took him maybe 15 minutes and few tools. Let me know how your install goes.

I watched it as well. Looks relatively simple. It really does. I've seen other videos where they complicated the heck out of it. I can't do it today as we are expecting company shortly. But I'm going to get out there tomorrow, drain some batteries and if all goes well... yeah buddy!

 

[GadgetGuy]

If you only modify the TX and nothing has been touched on the bird how would they know in the first place? My opinion is that I don't think it would be a problem.

It's not a problem. Just send in the aircraft without the controller. That's what I did. They don't need it or require it, but they do ask for it. I even had a manager tell me that isn't a problem. They have plenty of controllers there to test your bird with. You,ll just need to repair with yours, when you get it back. Takes 30 seconds.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I think he got close to 28 min.

That's what I am getting, without an airside booster added, using two external 2800 mAH LiPo's, that weigh 247g each, on over 100 flights. 27 minutes on the W323 old motors and 29 minutes on the W323A with new motors. 15-17 minutes without any externals for reference.

 

[Deleted member 27337]

That's what I am getting, without an airside booster added, using two external 2800 mAH LiPo's, that weigh 247g each, on over 100 flights. 27 minutes on the W323 old motors and 29 minutes on the W323A with new motors. 15-17 minutes without any externals for reference.

Where can I buy this GG?

 

[pomonabill220]

Wow you guys are just sick!! Lmao!! Jees, ok, I just have to ask as I have the mod too, I bought it after only a week or so of flight and personally don't really notice the effect, I've actually gotten some video noise relatively close by, not even relatively but CLOsE by at 500m, it was only for a millisecond but after the mod, which I got for signal/noise or "punch" in my 100' trees.
What I am asking is, don't you guys get nervous? I mean, I'm just so nervous anytime I'm at 400' or so and out even 1/4 mile! I just keep expecting it to lose signal and fly away, or just crash. One time at maybe 10' above canopy and approx 400m away the video feed went blank, oh man I was scared, I just quit going fwd and slowly hit the raise lever, and video came back, I flew home right away, and that has left me nervous.
As a matter of fact, after reading the great distances before I got the drone, I was sure I could get to this barn about 3/4m away, and I was almost there and got scared and came home, this was before the mod. And I've been further when it was new, since the feed went blank on me I'm just convinced if I push it I'll lose it. I just wish I had more guts. The areas are wooded private property uber wealthy mansions, and I fear if it failed me it would be hard to get back, although I am a neighbor sharing a fence even, I just don't live in a mansion. I live on a large lake and the other side is less then a mile away, and I don't have the guts to fly over there! Lol supposedly with the mod this should be an easy do. How or when did you guys get over the scaredy cat, or wussie stage, if any of you guys even had reservations? ( I have a feeling I'm alone in this post lol)

I don't think you are a woose at all! I would feel the SAME way as you! It would take me alot of flights to get my confidence up to even try something like this.
We all have to start somewhere and use caution on our first tries.

 

[dirtybum]

Wow you guys are just sick!! Lmao!! Jees, ok, I just have to ask as I have the mod too, I bought it after only a week or so of flight and personally don't really notice the effect, I've actually gotten some video noise relatively close by, not even relatively but CLOsE by at 500m, it was only for a millisecond but after the mod, which I got for signal/noise or "punch" in my 100' trees.
What I am asking is, don't you guys get nervous? I mean, I'm just so nervous anytime I'm at 400' or so and out even 1/4 mile! I just keep expecting it to lose signal and fly away, or just crash. One time at maybe 10' above canopy and approx 400m away the video feed went blank, oh man I was scared, I just quit going fwd and slowly hit the raise lever, and video came back, I flew home right away, and that has left me nervous.
As a matter of fact, after reading the great distances before I got the drone, I was sure I could get to this barn about 3/4m away, and I was almost there and got scared and came home, this was before the mod. And I've been further when it was new, since the feed went blank on me I'm just convinced if I push it I'll lose it. I just wish I had more guts. The areas are wooded private property uber wealthy mansions, and I fear if it failed me it would be hard to get back, although I am a neighbor sharing a fence even, I just don't live in a mansion. I live on a large lake and the other side is less then a mile away, and I don't have the guts to fly over there! Lol supposedly with the mod this should be an easy do. How or when did you guys get over the scaredy cat, or wussie stage, if any of you guys even had reservations? ( I have a feeling I'm alone in this post lol)

I'm going to suggest what i have in many posts for this anxiety, get a second a/c, even if you have to start saving today and throwing a buck in a jar a day to save! Having a backup bird in your closet waiting for the day WHEN ( not if ) your current A/C goes down is the best pcs of mind you can have.