Maxx VS Terminator. Long distance antenna shootout!

[GadgetGuy]

I received my Maxx range antenna on Sat. installed it today, install went ok, except removing one of the antennas on the left side of the board


I got the clean install kit, which I think makes it look better, well clean

Fired it up and did a quick test, I live in a very very congested area and sadly never really got to test out in the open, so who knows if its better or worse, I did however do a high altitude run, and was able to get almost 2 miles before I brought it back, I still had full signal which was great, but I moved my remote I'd lose it, wish there was some sort of guide on how to aim this thing when you cannot see it, I usually do this at night so at least I can see the lights but when its that far lights wont even help. It was very windy tonight and when I reached that distance I had 50% battery and decided to come home, well I started to freak when all I could hit was 14-17mph I did make it back but there was a part of me that thought to just land it out there and drive to pick it up, lol

I made it back with about 24% battery left.
I might have to go boosted, because I realize that trees almost right away make me lose signal, how much really does going boosted help? is it just a little, or is it really night and day?

Side note, Jacob at the American location for MAXXUAV has been great with communication, I have over 20 emails from him from the very beginning, needing to add the clean install to my order after I already ordered, to him letting me know it wasn't in stock at first, I also bashed him when I received the package as the Clean install kit wasn't in there, yet after I already emailed him, sure enough it was hiding on the bottom I apologized but still embarrassing

I'm happy with it overall, still need to do some testing, and maybe look into getting it boosted, boosted gives you the penetration not necessarily more distance but should punch through trees/branches and leaves?

Two things. Boosted increases both the range and the penetration. Secondly, if you unlock the DJI GO map (so North is no longer up), the neon green line back to your Home Point will be vertical when the controller antenna is directly aimed at the bird. Rotate the controller until the line is vertical, and then keep it vertical throughout the flight. Good luck!

 

[fastfed]

I use the litchi app, anything on that I could do?

thanks

 

[fastfed]

also, I did a pre made run using litchi tonight, I also did it a week ago, I just now found out about "healthydrones" website, signed up and uploaded my flight logs. Holy crap that program is so awesome!

In anycase, there is a section that shows you your signal and for the most part the new antenna is stronger, I compared my old and new flight log and had signal in places my old one didn't, at my max distance when I did a run with a clear line of sight, my signal was 25.9, can someone tell me if thats a decent signal strength? the #'s look pretty consistent for the most part only when I'm on top of it do I see a single digit #

 

[MK47]

Two things. Boosted increases both the range and the penetration. Secondly, if you unlock the DJI GO map (so North is no longer up), the neon green line back to your Home Point will be vertical when the controller antenna is directly aimed at the bird. Rotate the controller until the line is vertical, and then keep it vertical throughout the flight. Good luck!

Im new to the quadcopter world and DJI but what do you mean by "Unlock the DJI GO map" ?

 

[MasterBlaster]

What he means is, see the map in the bottom right of my pic? There is a gold lock in the top right of the map. If you tap it, it will allow the map to rotate. If it is locked, it locks North as up/top

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[dirtybum]

Got to 50000 with the Terminator UNBOOSTED last nite (didnt make it all the way back though)
Wondering if I should even bother w/ boosters. Maybe for piece of mind or in certain paths[emoji41]

 

[Tommymonkey]

Got to 50000 with the Terminator UNBOOSTED last nite (didnt make it all the way back though)
Wondering if I should even bother w/ boosters. Maybe for piece of mind or in certain paths[emoji41]View attachment 60161

Man your brave lol 49% 50,000ft crazy

 

[dirtybum]

Man your brave lol 49% 50,000ft crazy

Thought i would have a wind push... Nope! Landed two miles short[emoji41]

 

[maxwell smart]

Thought i would have a wind push... Nope! Landed two miles short[emoji41]

DB was that a night trip ?? I got to get me a tracker. My dog just is-ant interested.

 

[dirtybum]

DB was that a night trip ?? I got to get me a tracker. My dog just is-ant interested.

Yeah, it was at night, but it was the P4 and I don't have a tracker on it, I should get one though

 

[MK47]

DBS02 Boosted vs Maxxrange Boosted. is there a big difference between the two antenna?

planning on picking up a kit

 

[dirtybum]

DBS02 Boosted vs Maxxrange Boosted. is there a big difference between the two antenna?

planning on picking up a kit

Huge difference! Most people report the maxxrange UNBOOSTED doing for them what the dbs-02 boosted can.
Get the maxxrange! Its a complete game changer.
This thread is long but its obvious some havent read the early pages to see some of the amazing tests me and Ed209, snd others did w/ these antennas

 

[shockwave199]

I've read from the beginning and almost went for the maxxrange. The size of it stopped me though and I went for the 02. The big plate is a commitment. You have to be committed to long range flight if that's the only one you're gonna buy. I wouldn't recommend you buy it if you're not flying serious long range all the time. Either that or buy the 02 as well if you don't really need to push the limits frequently enough. I haven't even needed to install the 02 yet. The whole kit is still in the box. I don't usually fly manually or litchi missions much further than 2-3 thousand feet out. I got the 02 thinking it would be nice insurance that at any time the extra umph would be great. I also have the boosters to install. But at those distances I have never had an issue remaining stock with windsurfers. I've flown behind me with windsurfers on with perfect signal, lol. Assess what you really want and how you really fly. There's no denying the charm and ease of picking up a stock remote and just going out to fly. That has always been the draw of dji light bridge. Once you mod, you're in it and that includes the extra inconvenience. Think wisely.

 

[maxwell smart]

I've read from the beginning and almost went for the maxxrange. The size of it stopped me though and I went for the 02. The big plate is a commitment. You have to be committed to long range flight if that's the only one you're gonna buy. I wouldn't recommend you buy it if you're not flying serious long range all the time. Either that or buy the 02 as well if you don't really need to push the limits frequently enough. I haven't even needed to install the 02 yet. The whole kit is still in the box. I don't usually fly manually or litchi missions much further than 2-3 thousand feet out. I got the 02 thinking it would be nice insurance that at any time the extra umph would be great. I also have the boosters to install. But at those distances I have never had an issue remaining stock with windsurfers. I've flown behind me with windsurfers on with perfect signal, lol. Assess what you really want and how you really fly. There's no denying the charm and ease of picking up a stock remote and just going out to fly. That has always been the draw of dji light bridge. Once you mod, you're in it and that includes the extra inconvenience. Think wisely.

Yea well I have 2 controllers, one stock and one maxrange with boosters. I get the boath worlds thing. The 2 controllers came at a high price, I lost 2 birds. What I fly now is a P3A I got with no controller and no camera. I put a P3P camera from the first P3P I had , it crashed but the camera was OK. And I lost the second one being stupid,so now I have 2 controllers. the P3P that I lost as I was stupid ,was my favorite. I had it madder to the max, I really miss that bird.

 

[RocketBrew]

Once you do the mod on the controller, you can purchase some Omnidirectional Dipole antennas (similar to the stock antennas) for "normal" flying.
Examples:
2.4GHz 6dBi Indoor Omni-directional Antenna
2.4GHz/5GHz 10dBi high gain directional indoor panel antenna
7dBi Grey dipole RP-SMA Omni Antenna

I've read from the beginning and almost went for the maxxrange. The size of it stopped me though and I went for the 02. The big plate is a commitment. You have to be committed to long range flight if that's the only one you're gonna buy. I wouldn't recommend you buy it if you're not flying serious long range all the time. Either that or buy the 02 as well if you don't really need to push the limits frequently enough. I haven't even needed to install the 02 yet. The whole kit is still in the box. I don't usually fly manually or litchi missions much further than 2-3 thousand feet out. I got the 02 thinking it would be nice insurance that at any time the extra umph would be great. I also have the boosters to install. But at those distances I have never had an issue remaining stock with windsurfers. I've flown behind me with windsurfers on with perfect signal, lol. Assess what you really want and how you really fly. There's no denying the charm and ease of picking up a stock remote and just going out to fly. That has always been the draw of dji light bridge. Once you mod, you're in it and that includes the extra inconvenience. Think wisely.

 

[ray rokni]

I'm beginning to believe that older fw did have better range

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[dirtybum]

I'm beginning to believe that older fw did have better range

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In my experience, not the older firmware necessarily but the older motors aircrafts had a stronger video output, this is been documented and I've experienced it myself. But honestly now with these big panels it doesn't matter which aircraft I fly, I'm getting perfect signal for miles

 

[ray rokni]

In my experience, not the older firmware necessarily but the older motors aircrafts had a stronger video output, this is been documented and I've experienced it myself. But honestly now with these big panels it doesn't matter which aircraft I fly, I'm getting perfect signal for miles

Hey db,

The two are same type motors, same RC GL300A.
At the moment since I don't have the battery mod yet, I run out of juice with stock RC in LOS conditions, my main testing purposes right now are in non LOS, and so far the older fw beats the latest fw in different locations by around 2000'.
I should be getting the multistar 5200 and the charger you told me to get tomorrow, I ordered two battery mods from Tom at horizon, should get it next week.
What settings should I use on the lipo charger for the external 5200.

Thx


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[fastfed]

I'm about to order the DJI - EvoLite Kit boosted kit from maxxuav, for my Maxxantenna, more so for the penetration of the amps.

that said a couple questions.
Can I just use the antenna only on days I don't really need the penetration ? open areas and such?
What do you guys do for weight? With the maxxantenna I can handle it with a lanyard around my neck, but I think with a 5000mah battery and 2 amplifiers it will get heavy lol
Is it a good deal? I looked it up and those amps on ebay for for 80 or 90 bucks each, so it seems like a great deal with the battery ,cables and mount kit.

Say I had everything hooked up, amps on an all and not far away, the battery dies for the amps, anything bad gonna happen?

thanks

 

[ray rokni]

If your battery dies on the amps you will lose signal and the bird will initiate rth, when it gets close enough, and I mean close!! you can then control it as normal to take over rth and auto landing.
The batteries I got from Jake lasts all day of flying and the next day! I have a back up pack in case also.

Here is how I mounted mine as I don't use tripod mounts!

I'm about to order the DJI - EvoLite Kit boosted kit from maxxuav, for my Maxxantenna, more so for the penetration of the amps.

that said a couple questions.
Can I just use the antenna only on days I don't really need the penetration ? open areas and such?
What do you guys do for weight? With the maxxantenna I can handle it with a lanyard around my neck, but I think with a 5000mah battery and 2 amplifiers it will get heavy lol
Is it a good deal? I looked it up and those amps on ebay for for 80 or 90 bucks each, so it seems like a great deal with the battery ,cables and mount kit.

Say I had everything hooked up, amps on an all and not far away, the battery dies for the amps, anything bad gonna happen?

thanks

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