How to manually increase the txpower of PV2 for more range

[isopro]

Since the guys are slow to make an app for the PV2, I will share the results of my testings, so others can also test this(I was able to get over double FPV range using this software mod).
Using the info in this tutorial is at your own risks, rebooting the drone should fix any issue.
Please post results of your testing or any questions here.
To do this tutorial you MUST connect to internet via a cable(NOT WIFI) and use wifi to connect directly to the drone hidden ssid, also your INTERNET ip range must NOT BE in the 192.168.1.1-254 range, or it will not work, also only 27 dBm work, other settings exp: 25, will not work and will set it to 3 dBm...

1: Connect Drone to Repeater(by turning both ON)
2: Connect your computer to Drone hidden Wifi ssid (not to repeater)
3: Connect to 192.168.1.1 via SSH, username: root, password: 19881209,
4: Disable uhttpd with command : /etc/init.d/uhttpd stop
5: enter command: echo 127.0.0.1 downloads.openwrt.org >> /etc/hosts
6: enable forwarding via Putty options (might need to exit and reconnect on ssh using tunelling options in putty to get it to work)
On Windows via PuTTy:
Right click the title bar of the PuTTy Window
Click 'Change Settings'
Click the + beside 'SSH' under 'Connection' (to expand the SSH section)
Click 'Tunnels'
Select 'Remote' in the lower right section of the Dialog
For 'Source port', enter '80'
For 'Destination', enter 'downloads.openwrt.org:80'
Click 'Add'
Click 'Apply'
7: Enter command: opkg update
8: Enter command: opkg install wireless-tools (this will install iwconfig to check txpower level)
9: Enter command: vi /etc/config/wireless ''to remove all useless DOS characters and extra lines and save the file after, (check a tutorial on how to use vi txt editor for more info) if you don't fix that file the UCI commands will give you an error and will not work''....
10: Enter command: uci set wireless.radio0.country=BO(or US if BO was used the last time, because if you don't change locale at same time as you apply txpower the txpower hack will not apply properly)
11: Enter command: uci set wireless.radio0.txpower=27
12: Enter command: uci commit wireless; wifi
13: Enter command: iwconfig to check if it worked

This is to change the txpower of the Drone, to change the txpower of the reapeater you must connect to the webUI of repeater because the UCI commands don't seem to work on the repeater, the ip is 192.168.1.2 using a web browser same password, just change the locale and txpower using the UI and save& apply after, you will beable to see the result directly on the webui, Also the txpower results for the drone are not accurate on the extender webui, you must use iwconfig from an ssh shell connected to the drone to get accurate txpower info of the drone...
Thank you for reporting results of your testing here.

 

[Luap]

Re: How to manually increase the txpower of PV2 for more ran

Thanks for the instructions!
The vision+ software
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... lity&hl=en
is open source - would it be difficult to change for the P2V non plus?
http://github.com/taco-rc/VisionPUtility

 

[xitake]

Re: How to manually increase the txpower of PV2 for more ran

Very nice instructions!

I tested it and it boosts my range from 350m to 420m.

I would expect more, considering that this mod will increase the TX power from 100 mW to 500 mW.
One thing that I noticed is that in the webUI of the repeater, both wireless interfaces were already set to 27 dBm (500 mW). I thought it would be 20 dBm, like in the camera.

 

[isopro]

Re: How to manually increase the txpower of PV2 for more ran

The repeater is in fact set to 20 dBm, the 27(501mw) in the webui is an illusion(check the status in the wireless adapter in the webui it show 20 dBm) , and stuck range of Pv2 fpv is 250m, you lucky if you got 350m stuck fpv. Also testing wireless G vs wireless N might be another way to gain range...

 

[xitake]

Re: How to manually increase the txpower of PV2 for more ran

Yes, you're right. In the status section I see 20 dBm.
So how can I change it to 27 dBm? Even after I apply to 27 dBm it shows in the status pane as 20 dBm.

 

[isopro]

Re: How to manually increase the txpower of PV2 for more ran

Read my first post to the end :

To change the txpower of the reapeater you must connect to the webUI of repeater because the UCI commands don't seem to work on the repeater, the ip is 192.168.1.2 using a web browser same password, just change the locale and txpower using the UI and save& apply after. THE INFO SHOWN FOR THE DRONE TX POWER ON THE WEBUI IS NOT ACCURATE, TO KNOW THE DRONE TXPOWER YOU MUST CONNECT TO THE DRONE AND DO IWCONFIG...Sorry for the caps my wife came home with a CAT and im allergic, my eyes hurt.

 

[singleTap]

Re: How to manually increase the txpower of PV2 for more ran

hi i followed these instructions and when i commit the changes and check the status i still get 20 not 27... mind replying with a attachment of your "/etc/config/wireless" so i can compare to mine... make sure i didn't screw something up...

 

[J.James]

Re: How to manually increase the txpower of PV2 for more ran

So will this work regardless of if some one has a RE700 range extender instead of the RE500 ? also does this still work with new updated vision software?

 

[isopro]

Re: How to manually increase the txpower of PV2 for more ran

Yes, but if you don't understand how this is done, have no basic linux knowledge, and what this actually does to the PV2, including noise generated, local laws about max dBm you can use, etc...I only advise knowledgeable peoples to try this out...

 

[J.James]

Re: How to manually increase the txpower of PV2 for more ran

Right on thanks. and being I dont have much past any thing I can call basic linux knowledge, This is not some thing I planed on doing necessarily till I understood it better it is some thing I decide to . Tho I have the basic Jist of what was explained. and telneting in to a devise to change configurations. When I do learn new things I like to break it down in to different chunks and areas then chew each bite at a time. But did want to see if it was even any thing that would be possible if and when I am at that point of wanting to dive a lil deeper in to it. It would suck if I decided to go learn more and then find out oh that only works for the re500 or eailer version of the phantoms software.

Before this thread was started I had wondered if some thing like that was possible and had my suspicions it was possible even if noone had gotten around to it yet. Even thinking there is probably a possible way to also do some thing simuler to turn up the FC40s cameras configurations to turn its power output up to what its actually capibal of.

 

[isopro]

Re: How to manually increase the txpower of PV2 for more ran

Right on thanks. and being I dont have much past any thing I can call basic linux knowledge, This is not some thing I planed on doing necessarily till I understood it better it is some thing I decide to . Tho I have the basic Jist of what was explained. and telneting in to a devise to change configurations. When I do learn new things I like to break it down in to different chunks and areas then chew each bite at a time. But did want to see if it was even any thing that would be possible if and when I am at that point of wanting to dive a lil deeper in to it. It would suck if I decided to go learn more and then find out oh that only works for the re500 or eailer version of the phantoms software.

Before this thread was started I had wondered if some thing like that was possible and had my suspicions it was possible even if noone had gotten around to it yet. Even thinking there is probably a possible way to also do some thing simuler to turn up the FC40s cameras configurations to turn its power output up to what its actually capibal of.

The only tricky part is editing the /etc/config/wireless file, to remove the useless DOS chars, the rest is not that bad.

 

[J.James]

Re: How to manually increase the txpower of PV2 for more ran

I could probably handle that part.

 

[J.James]

Re: How to manually increase the txpower of PV2 for more ran

Tried to do this today and the first part seemed to go ok but the second part I cant seem to get a web browser to open up a connection in to the extender at all.

This is to change the txpower of the Drone, to change the txpower of the repeater you must connect to the webUI of repeater because the UCI commands don't seem to work on the repeater, the ip is 192.168.1.2 using a web browser same password, just change the locale and txpower using the UI and save& apply after, you will be able to see the result directly on the webui, Also the txpower results for the drone are not accurate on the extender webui, you must use iwconfig from an ssh shell connected to the drone to get accurate txpower info of the drone...