Maxx VS Terminator. Long distance antenna shootout!

Phantom751874 · May 9, 2016

dirtybum said:
Thank you for posting the results as any information that we can read involving others experiences with these antennas is useful. Would you mind giving a few details about the kind of area that you're flying from,like is there a wall of trees 300 feet away after you take off, or is there a mile of open field before any type of trees or buildings. Things like this would help us understand the results are getting, because reading this post results don't make sense that you would get the same as a standard DBS panel. So I'm just kind of curious your environment.

There are trees in my neighborhood but nothing over 50ft tall and not thick. I have clear line of sight with the first thing closest to me being a house roofline across the street. This is probably the cause of the issue. Even at 400ft up I can't imagine anything being able to deal with that roofline as I go further out and my angle gets lower. Its just a single story home nothing real high maybe at the top the roofline is 20ft. Not that it matters but it was very windy, storm moving in.

Phattaildeuce · May 9, 2016

I could use some suggestions regarding range (or lack thereof). Just got my controller back from MaxxUAV. I got the ITELite (DBS02) with the clean install kit (Jake did the install). I have a new P3P. I was getting a max of about 2800ft flying behind my house. Pretty rural area. No houses behind me. No major trees, no towers, close to a big lake. So I got the mod to increase the range. Took the P3P out after getting the controller back today and got the same signal loss at about the same distance. Frustrated to say the least. Here is the HealtyDrones flight record of one of my flights. Note the 2 warnings. Signal dropped out for a few seconds completely at around 2800ft on both ends of the flight. Also note the battery temp (139 degrees). That seems high. I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts or suggestions on what might be causing the poor range. Everyone on the forum seems to be getting huge distance, especially with the mods from MaxxUAV. Help!

HealthyDrones.com - Innovative flight data analysis that matters

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Prowler · May 9, 2016

@dirtybum . Thank for all your helpful info. I was wondering if u have tested or tried the REDbird tango wireless Repeater for the P2V+ or P3S.
REDbird tanGO 5.8ghz RC Repeater

phxbird57 · May 9, 2016

shockwave199 said:
Cactus a signal killer? That's the least of it. I wouldn't be surprised if there's some cats, dogs, or even humans buried in that thing! That cactus would be on my list to be removed entirely. But, maybe I don't have enough cactus appreciation. There can't be cactus huggers can there? That would be painful, I would think.

What would I do with the bodies then

Anyway it's in the neighbor yard. I has some cactus in my front yard good barbed wire.

Phantom751874 · May 9, 2016

Ok I'm impressed. Took another battery out. Wind calmed down but storm's still coming I think.

I pushed past the weak RC and Vodeo warnings full steam ahead and after maybe 30 seconds or so I got full signals back. I didn't go further as there's a whole bag of multiple neighborhood hurt beyond where I turned around.

While in the crap (Fresnel zone) I had video flicker but never lost RC and my telemetry stayed connected so I could see where I was on the map. On the way back that same area resulted in weak signals but I regained after 30 seconds again. I was also reducing altitude on the way back as well so had a few minor hiccups but once I goosed it up another 20-30ft everything came back.

Hopefully my MAXXUAV stuff arrives before the weekend as I'd like to take it out with the MAXXRange and my single 5.2 HK and go for broke.

Ed209 · May 9, 2016

Phantom751874 said:
Ok I'm impressed. Took another battery out. Wind calmed down but storm's still coming I think.

I pushed past the weak RC and Vodeo warnings full steam ahead and after maybe 30 seconds or so I got full signals back. I didn't go further as there's a whole bag of multiple neighborhood hurt beyond where I turned around.

While in the crap (Fresnel zone) I had video flicker but never lost RC and my telemetry stayed connected so I could see where I was on the map. On the way back that same area resulted in weak signals but I regained after 30 seconds again. I was also reducing altitude on the way back as well so had a few minor hiccups but once I goosed it up another 20-30ft everything came back.

Hopefully my MAXXUAV stuff arrives before the weekend as I'd like to take it out with the MAXXRange and my single 5.2 HK and go for broke.

Nice!

phxbird57 · May 9, 2016

Phantom751874 said:
Boom!
Sweet looking

Thanks Fredz! 2 days to the USA from Luxemburg! Insane shipping!

shockwave199 · May 9, 2016

Phattaildeuce said:
I could use some suggestions regarding range (or lack thereof). Just got my controller back from MaxxUAV. I got the ITELite (DBS02) with the clean install kit (Jake did the install). I have a new P3P. I was getting a max of about 2800ft flying behind my house. Pretty rural area. No houses behind me. No major trees, no towers, close to a big lake. So I got the mod to increase the range. Took the P3P out after getting the controller back today and got the same signal loss at about the same distance. Frustrated to say the least. Here is the HealtyDrones flight record of one of my flights. Note the 2 warnings. Signal dropped out for a few seconds completely at around 2800ft on both ends of the flight. Also note the battery temp (139 degrees). That seems high. I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts or suggestions on what might be causing the poor range. Everyone on the forum seems to be getting huge distance, especially with the mods from MaxxUAV. Help!

HealthyDrones.com - Innovative flight data analysis that matters

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

Tough to say for sure. My opinion is unless you're talking the BIG plate that these guys are using, the smaller one that you got, unboosted, is probably fairly close to being on par with stock antennas. I'm waiting for that very same antenna to arrive too, however I'm installing boosters. It's my feeling that with the smaller plate you really need to put the boosters in line to see the best results. This was what I had to ultimately decide on when I chose one of these- either the big plate with great results even unboosted or the smaller plate and having to have a boosted rig to really max out the potential. I chose the smaller plate because I had almost a whole boosted kit anyway and even though a boosted kit is a more cumbersome rig, it's still small enough for my liking, over the much larger plate footprint. Plus, I don't do long distance runs. I want smoking good signal at MUCH shorter distances. The stock antennas would probably do that 8 out of 10 times. I'm going for 10 outa 10.

Long and short- boosted is a way better approach with the smaller plate, imo. YMMV.

dirtybum · May 9, 2016

Phantom751874 said:
Boom!

Thanks Fredz! 2 days to the USA from Luxemburg! Insane shipping!

Sweet, now you got to dress it up like this

ImageUploadedByPhantomPilots1462847591.327884.jpg

Shout out to Procharged97
Thanks bro!

phxbird57 · May 9, 2016

Phattaildeuce said:
I could use some suggestions regarding range (or lack thereof). Just got my controller back from MaxxUAV. I got the ITELite (DBS02) with the clean install kit (Jake did the install). I have a new P3P. I was getting a max of about 2800ft flying behind my house. Pretty rural area. No houses behind me. No major trees, no towers, close to a big lake. So I got the mod to increase the range. Took the P3P out after getting the controller back today and got the same signal loss at about the same distance. Frustrated to say the least. Here is the HealtyDrones flight record of one of my flights. Note the 2 warnings. Signal dropped out for a few seconds completely at around 2800ft on both ends of the flight. Also note the battery temp (139 degrees). That seems high. I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts or suggestions on what might be causing the poor range. Everyone on the forum seems to be getting huge distance, especially with the mods from MaxxUAV. Help!

HealthyDrones.com - Innovative flight data analysis that matters

Phattaildeuce You may want to check it again on a different day and see what you get. or in a different location. With my stock P3a with just a wind surfer I'm getting 18000ft. That is in a zero interference location. flat & dry.

phxbird57 · May 9, 2016

dirtybum said:
Sweet, now you got to dress it up like thisView attachment 53141
Shout out to Procharged97
Thanks bro!

Love it. I was thinking two red blood shot eyes from them LONG trips.

phxbird57 · May 9, 2016

Phattaildeuce said:
I could use some suggestions regarding range (or lack thereof). Just got my controller back from MaxxUAV. I got the ITELite (DBS02) with the clean install kit (Jake did the install). I have a new P3P. I was getting a max of about 2800ft flying behind my house. Pretty rural area. No houses behind me. No major trees, no towers, close to a big lake. So I got the mod to increase the range. Took the P3P out after getting the controller back today and got the same signal loss at about the same distance. Frustrated to say the least. Here is the HealtyDrones flight record of one of my flights. Note the 2 warnings. Signal dropped out for a few seconds completely at around 2800ft on both ends of the flight. Also note the battery temp (139 degrees). That seems high. I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts or suggestions on what might be causing the poor range. Everyone on the forum seems to be getting huge distance, especially with the mods from MaxxUAV. Help!

HealthyDrones.com - Innovative flight data analysis that matters

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

How far are you from NASA launch Pads?

Phattaildeuce · May 9, 2016

phxbird57 said:
How far are you from NASA launch Pads?

Not sure if that's a joke....if so, good one. If not, 30 nautical miles.

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Phattaildeuce · May 9, 2016

shockwave199 said:
Tough to say for sure. My opinion is unless you're talking the BIG plate that these guys are using, the smaller one that you got, unboosted, is probably fairly close to being on par with stock antennas. I'm waiting for that very same antenna to arrive too, however I'm installing boosters. It's my feeling that with the smaller plate you really need to put the boosters in line to see the best results. This was what I had to ultimately decide on when I chose one of these- either the big plate with great results even unboosted or the smaller plate and having to have a boosted rig to really max out the potential. I chose the smaller plate because I had almost a whole boosted kit anyway and even though a boosted kit is a more cumbersome rig, it's still small enough for my liking, over the much larger plate footprint. Plus, I don't do long distance runs. I want smoking good signal at MUCH shorter distances. The stock antennas would probably do that 8 out of 10 times. I'm going for 10 outa 10.

Long and short- boosted is a way better approach with the smaller plate, imo. YMMV.

Appreciate the insight. Maybe I should have done the boosters in the first place. Do you know if I can add them on the mod I did?

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Phantom751874 · May 10, 2016

dirtybum said:
Sweet, now you got to dress it up like thisView attachment 53141
Shout out to Procharged97
Thanks bro!

phxbird57 · May 10, 2016

Phattaildeuce said:
Not sure if that's a joke....if so, good one. If not, 30 nautical miles.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

know no joke I seen your were some what close to it. just was not sure. Then I checked and seen your about 35 miles.

shockwave199 · May 10, 2016

Phattaildeuce said:
Appreciate the insight. Maybe I should have done the boosters in the first place. Do you know if I can add them on the mod I did?

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

Absolutely. Visit that same vendor. You should probably do some more flights though before you commit to the extra money and hardware for the whole rig. That, and since the vendor did the install, discuss your concerns with them too. Good luck.

dirtybum · May 10, 2016

Phantom751874 said:

My mind is blown and my face is melting and dripping onto my good shirt!

phxbird57 · May 10, 2016

dirtybum said:
My mind is blown and my face is melting and dripping onto my good shirt!

That is a cool picture.

Phantom751874 · May 10, 2016

dirtybum said:
My mind is blown and my face is melting and dripping onto my good shirt!

Ha, not real, I superimposed it onto an antenna pic in this thread by combining 2 pics I googled and blending them together. How cool would it be to have a sticker like that though.