Phantom 3 STANDARD antenna upgrade

[dirkclod]

hey guys - all good and im inside my controller

just a quick question. There are 2x 2.4G antenna sockets. Do these need to be connected to the ITELITE antenna in any particular order / way.

I assume (please correct me if im wrong) that the 5.8ghz antenna get connected to port 1.

i assume (please correct me if im wrong) that the 2.4ghz antennas get connected to port 2 and 3 but it doesnt matter which goes into what. Is that correct?

thank you

Yes....port 1 is 5.8 and the other 2 are the 2.4's . Sorry for the delay but our times are way off

 

[Simon L]

Following this thread with interest. Just ordered the DBS P3 Standard solution and now waiting for it to arrive.

My question will be the same as one raised earlier on the wifi range even with this kit fitted in CE areas. I am in the UAE which falls under CE.

The best I have managed before losing video and telemetry is 613m (just over 2000ft), and if I get increased range, I definitely want the increased live feed and flight info

 

[Icarus 1]

I'm considering this mod, but have a couple questions, if someone might know the answers.

1) With a directional panel antenna, how sensitive do you need to track the aircraft in order to maintain signal? I imagine the farther the aircraft, the more precise you need to be, but within 300m or so, do you only need to be within 180 degrees?

2) Would it be possible to keep the stock antenna array for close range work, and add a switch to use the dbs mod antenna? (Obviously I would have the panel removed when using the stock array as to not block the built in panels.)

 

[dirkclod]

Welcome to the forum the both of ya's
Simon I'm not sure what you will get in your area so maybe someone who has did this will chime in .
Icarus #1..Yes the farther away the more you have to aim it and I do so by watching my Wi-Fi indicator on my screen to keep it as high as possible .
As far as being in closer it's not as hard .
# 2...I don't think you will need to do that as it works great in close and not even sure how you would go about doing it .

 

[Simon L]

Thanks for the welcome dirk. It will be frustrating if the video drops way before the RC connection breaks. I suppose I could consider an amp for the WiFi which may overcome CE restrictions

 

[dirkclod]

Thanks for the welcome dirk. It will be frustrating if the video drops way before the RC connection breaks. I suppose I could consider an amp for the WiFi which may overcome CE restrictions

I really don't know just what will be your case where you are and have done a lot of antenna mod's. I have never used amp's on any of mine
here cause I just didn't need em . I've read a bunch in the P2V+ mods section that have and really get out there but that's what their going for .
Read some in there and maybe you can get an idea you like . Is where I have found most of mine . They are different quad's but still 2.4 and 5.8 so same principle .
This Standard is still pretty new and all or some are seeing what works the best for distance .
Is trial and error right now
But we will get it

 

[Simon L]

Ridiculous that there are no firm regulations in place in Dubai regarding hobby drones but suffer from a reduced wifi based on being under CE instead of FCC

 

[Scott Gibson]

Dirk,

I'm definitely going to be purchasing those cables from Tony at FPVR (I think that's the place?). I'll swap out all the black ones with the insulated. Once you did that, is that why you think you are getting roughly 7000' max distance now?

 

[dirkclod]

Dirk,

I'm definitely going to be purchasing those cables from Tony at FPVR (I think that's the place?). I'll swap out all the black ones with the insulated. Once you did that, is that why you think you are getting roughly 7000' max distance now?

I think it helped as the test I did behind my house which has a lot of interference was only getting around 3000' and changed ad got about 1500' more . Know all places are different which you know but I do know from using the thin cables before when I changed them out I got better .
As far as that 7000' I know when I get a chance to go to the field I get my best distance I will get even more and gonna do it before I put those shorter ones to the panel on to see if they make any difference .
I will put his link in this in a second .Am sure you can get them elsewhere I just get mine there .


FPVLR.COM - ONLINE STORE

 

[dirkclod]

I think it helped as the test I did behind my house which has a lot of interference was only getting around 3000' and changed ad got about 1500' more . Know all places are different which you know but I do know from using the thin cables before when I changed them out I got better .
As far as that 7000' I know when I get a chance to go to the field I get my best distance I will get even more and gonna do it before I put those shorter ones to the panel on to see if they make any difference .
I will put his link in this in a second .Am sure you can get them elsewhere I just get mine there .


FPVLR.COM - ONLINE STORE

U.FL to RP-SMA FEMALE 8" -20cm for rc control

 

[Scott Gibson]

Dirk,

Thanks for the link! Just a few questions for you:

1) do you think those blue cables will help on the outside?

2) what mobile device are you using with your DJI GO app? iOS? Android?

 

[dirkclod]

Dirk,

Thanks for the link! Just a few questions for you:

1) do you think those blue cables will help on the outside?

2) what mobile device are you using with your DJI GO app? iOS? Android?

Don't know about the shorter cables till they get here but will compare them with the ones that came with it and post back. I think they will .
IOS...Mini 2 with Cell

 

[Scott Gibson]

Ahhh.......ok thanks Dirk! I thought that was your pic earlier with the blue external cables. Definitely curious to see if that would make a difference. I"m going to change out the internal cables as soon as I get those! Hopefully that will increase my range from 4000' to about 7000'!!!

Where are your RMA connectors at on your controller? Mine are on the horizontal side of the controller, so I literally have a very, very short distance from those to the connectors on the DBS01. I can't find my pics to show you, but they are somewhere back on this thread of my mod, with pics of the controller.

 

[dirkclod]

Ahhh.......ok thanks Dirk! I thought that was your pic earlier with the blue external cables. Definitely curious to see if that would make a difference. I"m going to change out the internal cables as soon as I get those! Hopefully that will increase my range from 4000' to about 7000'!!!

Where are your RMA connectors at on your controller? Mine are on the horizontal side of the controller, so I literally have a very, very short distance from those to the connectors on the DBS01. I can't find my pics to show you, but they are somewhere back on this thread of my mod, with pics of the controller.

That picture I stole just to show ya what I was getting and here's mine .

 

[Scott Gibson]

I like your setup also, I should have considered, but I was worried my Samsung tablet would interfere with the cables on the right side of the controller.

What is 2nd switch you have on the left hand side of the controller?

 

[dirkclod]

I like your setup also, I should have considered, but I was worried my Samsung tablet would interfere with the cables on the right side of the controller.

What is 2nd switch you have on the left hand side of the controller?

That's a slow yaw switch J Dot makes em . That's plug and play I had one in my P2's and love it so put one in this one . Lights up when on .
Here it is and I hard yaw left first then flip switch and do the same . Ya see how much it slows it . You can give it less stick and goes even slower .
I'm just adding all I can that works with the Standard I did with my P2's

 

[Scott Gibson]

Oh very interesting....what exactly does that plug into on the controller board? If anything?

 

[dirkclod]

Oh very interesting....what exactly does that plug into on the controller board? If anything?

Yea it plugs in to two spots .The second white one at the bottom and the red and black one's to the battery .
It's like pigtails . You unplug one and the switch connecters which are the same just plug in line . Real simple .The way I fly I use it a lot .
You can read all about them in P2V mods . About everything that works with the P2 works with this one .

You can see where I haven't plugged the battery connecter back in yet in this picture . Seems I've lost a bunch of photo's somewhere

 

[DaveReidPhoto]

//edit// the "Imgur" links are the links to the photos....


Well thank you to everyone who has helped me through this thread.

I thought i would create this "mini tutorial" on my experience with the DBS01 Mod for Phantom 3 Standard Installation incase anyone else is nervous or would like additional detail that isnt covered elsewhere.
Here is a link to the whole "album" on imgur for future reference if need be: DJI Phantom 3 Standard with ITELITE DBS01 Mod

Step 1 (no photos for this, if you cant identify screws and an ability to use a screw driver, you might be in trouble :
Unscrew the 4 screws from the back of the controller and remove the Phone holder to make it easy to work with.

Step 2:
Very carefully start to pull the case apart on the remote controller. Do this with caution as my cable that was connecting my USB port was glued / siliconed to the otherside of the case making it hard to get into it. It required me to carefully slice away the silicon holding it down.

Step 3:
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet
disconnect the power supply. This pulls horizontally out. ITs easy to identify (its the 2 wire thing in the picture and its connected to the big circle cylinder thing in the remote - aka the battery)

Step 4:
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet
Disconnect the three wire plug (brightest thing in the picture and in focus) this pulls directly up. From memory this is the gymbal control

Step 5:
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet
Disconnect the USB cable. Again this pulls directly up.

You should now have your 2 halves disconnected and it should appear something like this
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

Step 6:
The main antenna from the middle and the 2 antennas all meet in much the same point on the boards. You need to use a razor / hobby knife / anything that is sharp and painful and able to work in small areas. You need to pick off the silicon that is holding the antenna cables onto the board. Here is what it looks like with 1 done, and then all 3 done.
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet


Step 7 (no photo you decide if you want to remove or just move out of the way):
Remove / move out of the way the existing antenna cables and antenna's

Step 8:
Drill 3 holes in the case. I used a 6mm drill bit and it was a very snug fit for the connectors. I attempted to put them in the top aligned to the ports on the new antenna plate
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

Step 9:
Connect the 2 which are close to each other (aligned to Port 2 and 3 on the DBS Antenna) to the 2.4ghz ports

Step 10:
Connect the single connector to the 5.8ghz socket (this was the one that the main antenna was connected to)

Step 11:
Feed the new wires down the middle and make it pretty and neat

Step 12:
Reconnect USB & Gimbal cables

DOUBLE CHECK THAT THE POWER SWITCH IS OFF ON THE REMOTE CONTROL BEFORE PLUGGIN IN THE POWER

Step 13:
Plug in the power after confirming IT IS OFF
DO NOT TURN IT ON UNLESS THE MOD IS CONNECTED TO THE ANTENNA - as per note that comes in the package

Step 14:
Connect the representative external ports to the antenna and mount appropriately.
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

FLY LIKE THE WIND BULLSEYE!

 

[Timritchieblue]

Well I'm thinking about upgrading, now DBS01, or FPVLR V.2? Is one better than the other?

I have found the clear cables, so 4" would be better?
Looks like the DBS01 would fit in my backpack easier?