Ok, for my next question for the experienced pros.....I am guessing I have a setting off because the range isn't very far.... I raise it up to where I have a direct line of sight and I start losing transmission at a distance around 1200 feet......any advise?
There are so many factors that affect range. One is signal interference. The simplest way to see if this is the factor is to go someplace where there is very good and far line of sight with no chance for signal interference - like over the water. This is a bit nerve racking at first, but after a few uneventful flights, you begin to trust the craft.
As far as antenna orientation, most would suggest straight up and maybe a bit back. Let's put it this way though, if the copter was directly above you, you would want your antennas pointing straight outward and not up, with their faces 'facing' the copter. This same concept applies to when the copter is at a distance, and the reason I suggest a bit back as well is because the copter is probably at some altitude above you, and this is necessary to properly face it.
Altitude affects range too, so if you begin to loose video feed - which you normally loose first - climb...climb...climb...
You can also search out 'windsurfer' range extenders here on this forum and get lots of info. They seem to work pretty well and don't require any hardware modification to your remote.
If you wish to be a bit more aggressive about pursuing better range, you can also peruse this thread here:
Maxx UAV Antenna mod. It is one of the other options available to enhance range, but it does require a modification to the remote...
