Phantom 3 Standard range mod , let's do it together...

[supra01]

No doubt man I know I ruined mine now lmao I tried and tried to soldier it I finally gave up much after I ruined it

can't see it good but trust me I ruined it lol ! I know it doesn't help but man do I wish I would not have bought this thing

 

[randaljds]

Maybe a silly question but after removing the chip would it do the same putting a wire between the two antenna plugs? Haven’t read this fully but aren’t you merely making a switching antenna system into a permanent duel antenna?

 

[Sputnikxws]

Hey Supra, sorry for the late response, I went to bed early last night. Yeah it looks like a mess bro. You can take that circuit board to an electronic store and see if they have a replacement for that chip. Hopefully, they can identify it. If not then ask for guidance/direction on where or who to go to (RadioShack, Heathkit, etc).

Been thinking that this whole mess with the weak/loss of signal is working as designed (WAD) by DJI for safety reasons.Not really convinced that this chip alone is the culprit. There's probably some sort of a signal limiter circuit (Diode/Capacitor??) to do this. Just my thought but then I haven't work on circuits in a long time and technology has advanced exponentially.

 

[supra01]

Thanks ! Yea you're right it makes sense to me also I tell you I took the easy way out I bought a new esc board and I'm not doing any updates and hopefully this fixes it I read a thread or two where that's what they had to do is buy a new esc board from eBay so here goes nothing I will defiantly let everyone know if this fixes it ! No updates for me I hope says Saturday dilivery time so we will see

 

[HappyStandardOwner]

I apologize for Google translator.
I hope this post will answer most questions.
Friends. There was a real way to repair the frequent breakdown of the Standard - a weak control signal. I know a lot of Copters with this problem. The problem is in the chip, which switches the control antennas of the copter. By removing the chip and installing a jumper instead, we connect one of the antennas permanently. The second antenna stops working.
Here is a short instruction on what to do.
1. Check the integrity of the chip. To do this, measure with a multimeter whether there is a contact between points 1 or 2 with ground (point 3) in my picture. If point 1 or 2 has contact with the ground, the chip is defective.
2. Remove the chip. I made it with a heating fan and tweezers.
3. Connect the jumper of points 1 and 4. Do not allow jumper and central pad contact under the chip. Do around or above the platform. In my picture there is an insulating film for this.
4. Assemble the copter and enjoy the beautiful work.
Strongly do not recommend doing this yourself, if there is no experience of soldering small parts. Give the master to repair cell phones.
This chip is a primitive switch between antennas. Its elimination does not entail any consequences.
Many of my comrades in the local forum have made such repairs, fly and are happy. I'm including. See my video. The only danger (it is not proved) that without a chip is too strong a signal to the receiver, since the chip absorbed some of the energy. Therefore, one should be careful not to bring the remote close to the copter when it is turned on. At least 1 meter. Especially if the transmitter of the console is amplified or there is a directional antenna.
There is another way to check the chip's malfunction, it's on the video that I posted a couple of pages back.
Turn on the copter, smartphone with the application, turn on and take away remote to get the message "weak control signal". Next, attach any metal object to the point 4 in my picture. The signal should be good. This indicates a malfunction of the chip. The metal object in this case became an antenna bypassing the chip.

 

[Sputnikxws]

I haven't had a peek inside my phantom yet so can you tell me which antenna (lower Point 3) is getting disabled by this mod? Also, what if I just physically disconnect the lower Point 3, wouldn't that have the same effect/result as this mod?

 

[HappyStandardOwner]

Contact number 1 goes to the antenna nearest to it - the top one. Contact No. 2 goes to the bottom antenna respectively (pictured). The contacts are connected to the center wire of each antenna. If you just unplug 1 and 2, you will be left without antennas.
Inside the chip is a short circuit. Contacts 1 and 2 are closed to ground. Therefore, the antennas do not work. It is necessary to remove the chip in order to remove the short circuit. And solder the jumper to restore contact with one of the antennas. The jumper can be set to 4 - 1 or 4 - 2 of your choice. Accordingly, one or the other antenna will work. You do not need to put two jumpers, one antenna is enough. Connecting two antennas at the same time will be bad. One jumper, one antenna, and everything is ok.
Function of the chip - the inclusion of one or the second antenna. You put a jumper in place of a chip, connecting one of the antennas forever, and turning off the second one forever. Two antennas are an unnecessary invention of developers. One antenna works perfectly.

 

[HappyStandardOwner]

Friends! I believe this mod will help those who have suddenly dropped the range and stability of the control signal. Usually this happens after the firmware is updated. I think the chip burns out because during the process the remote is too close to the copter. I did not, because I always kept the remote far enough when updating the firmware. But I had a broken chip during a very close flight, when I was shooting my family, and the copter often came close to the rc.

 

[supra01]

Well got the new board in and all wired up.. now the funny thing is when I looked at firmware it's the new firmware !! Strange how a whole new board never been used can have current firmware but now for some reason I'm getting a Compass air intermittently if I didn't know better I would think maybe the plug was loose on the circuitboard where I plugged it in but I'm sure I plugged it in good any ideas or thoughts

 

[Sputnikxws]

Oh my! Maybe you need a "newer" compass (firmware? module? or both?) for your new ESC board?? I saw something in YouTube that when you order a new shell, the compass has more or better shielding? Who knows. Maybe it has a "slightly different" version of the compass also. It is not uncommon for companies to replace chip sets for better or cheaper compatible components without telling the consumers.

 

[supra01]

Thanks that makes sense it's kind of scary when it gets a couple hundred feet away and does it switches to the ATT I mode

 

[supra01]

Fixed my bird completely I done the imu calibration and it's perfect now I flew it 1,900 ft so far with no problems and full signal ! It's night time so don't want to press my luck too much but . Main esc board replacement fixed it ! Hopefully this will help someone !!

 

[Sputnikxws]

Good for you bud. Now, was the 1,900 ft in a residential area? I don't think I can get that far (on a straight line) taking off from my backyard. I have been taking notes and identifying "dead spots" in my area. Some spots if I speed past it I regain the signal while others are just to much that the RTH kicks in before I can get past it. Have come to accept it as a fact of life but if a new ESC board would fix it, then I would really consider getting one.

 

[supra01]

For some reason my post didn't post on here last night ! I calibrated the imu and it's perfect now I flew 1900 ft it it was in the dark so I didn't want to push my luck! So all that being said the new esc main board fixed it and I am on the latest firmware and no problems at all ! So hopefully this will help someone !!

 

[supra01]

 

[randaljds]

Just wondering, did you attempt the mod this post is about prior to buying a whole new board? I am trying it at the moment and I must admit it might be a little over my skill level soldering something so small... But hey nothing ventured nothing gained? Figure I can stuff it twice for what it'll cost me to send it to dpi.

 

[randaljds]

Friends! I believe this mod will help those who have suddenly dropped the range and stability of the control signal. Usually this happens after the firmware is updated. I think the chip burns out because during the process the remote is too close to the copter. I did not, because I always kept the remote far enough when updating the firmware. But I had a broken chip during a very close flight, when I was shooting my family, and the copter often came close to the rc.

Thank you old mate for going to all this trouble to post this! It's very much appreciated by me here in Australia! I'm going to attempt to do this tomorrow and see what happens... cheers from Australia!

 

[HappyStandardOwner]

I'm going to attempt to do this tomorrow

Please be very careful. To not get the result with replacing the board, like the guy before. Very small parts. If you are not sure about yourself, give it to a specialist. I did it. I took out the old chip myself, and I did not dare to install the new one, and gave it to a friend who is repairing cell phones. He did it in 2 minutes. And he did perfectly.
In addition, if, nevertheless, the installation of the chip has become unsuccessful, it is not necessary to change the entire central board. It is enough to change the module of the receiver in which this chip is located. Now one of my local friends ordered a receiver from Phantom 2, and will check if it is compatible.
Greeting from Russia!

 

[supra01]

Yes I took mine to a guy who repairs electronics and he was just not set up for something that small so after he tried I also got my stuff! And I tried ! But it was so small and I am no expert . Anyhow after I kept trying to get the small wire to stick across the chip. Finally you could not see the small place where I was trying to solder. So I just ordered the new board ! Only because I don’t know anyone here where I live who can do anything that small. But the new board did fix mine perfectly now !!

 

[electron0101]

OK...let's do it...got two standards, same problem, just did mod on first board...will do board transplant tonight...and will be back with news, hopefully good tomorrow!!!