Powering 3w Boosters from Phantoms Remote Battery!

[John Locke]

Prior to the mod I was getting only about 1800 feet due to being in a high interference are with huge power distribution towers and hills everywhere.

With the new mod my best flight was 10,384 feet.

If you get a chance, could you test your range without amplifying the video side? Just bypass the amp with your antenna cable for video. I would like you to test my belief that amplifying only the control side will provide a range of ~2mi, which for many is adequate. My RF measurement test's show the P4 RC to have a weak control signal to the craft (less than P3P). However the video downlink from the craft to the RC seems to be really good (more than P3P). If the control signal is lost, I believe that event automatically shuts down the video link, implying the video signal is weak too, but it's not. I think a lost control signal disables the video link automatically, for some unknown reason. I believe on the P4 we only need to boost the control signal to have a good range, but I haven't had time to verify this theory.

If my theory is correct, many folks can augment the range with one amp instead of two. Along with that, the internal RC battery would last longer, powering only one amp instead of two.

If this theory holds true, it might possible to install one amp inside the RC, like Drone World claims they are doing in their Falcon P4 kit. (they are claiming two amps internal, but I don't see how that's possible)

 

[dwallersv]

How about designing a headgear to mount that big antenna and keep RC light?

I know, old thread/post, but this simply could not be passed up:

 

[The Ghost]

I have read bad things about drone world. Also they are crazy expensive. I use the dbs02 antenna with maxx amplifier booster modification . In highly congested area I get only 3000 ft , with amplifiers I get 4000 ft. In country I can get 5 miles or more . Really like Maxx USA modifications.


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[cstout]

Thank you, @SolarDude for sharing this great idea. I've just completed my mod and saved a significant amount of space in my small hardshell backpack! Now I need some shorter high quality cables for remote to amp. This is great to be able to fully remove the entire antenna mod and switch to my other amplifier setup(s).

 

[ebi718]

Thank you, @SolarDude for sharing this great idea. I've just completed my mod and saved a significant amount of space in my small hardshell backpack! Now I need some shorter high quality cables for remote to amp. This is great to be able to fully remove the entire antenna mod and switch to my other amplifier setup(s).

Nicely done!! Btw, why are both LEDs of Sunhans blue? Are both transmitting? On mine, only the amp connected to the TX antenna glows blue; the RX side is always white.

 

[cstout]

Nicely done!! Btw, why are both LEDs of Sunhans blue? Are both transmitting? On mine, only the amp connected to the TX antenna glows blue; the RX side is always white.

Hmm, it might be because I had the controller powered off for that picture? I'll pay closer attention next time I fly it and see what color they are. It's been extremely windy the last two days (lost a good section of my fence so I'm not going up in the air and losing my P4). Hopefully it calms down soon so I can get out again.


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[Fancher9-76]

How about designing a headgear to mount that big antenna and keep RC light?

A backpack would be great also..

 

[Turbomania]

If you get a chance, could you test your range without amplifying the video side? Just bypass the amp with your antenna cable for video. I would like you to test my belief that amplifying only the control side will provide a range of ~2mi, which for many is adequate. My RF measurement test's show the P4 RC to have a weak control signal to the craft (less than P3P). However the video downlink from the craft to the RC seems to be really good (more than P3P). If the control signal is lost, I believe that event automatically shuts down the video link, implying the video signal is weak too, but it's not. I think a lost control signal disables the video link automatically, for some unknown reason. I believe on the P4 we only need to boost the control signal to have a good range, but I haven't had time to verify this theory.

If my theory is correct, many folks can augment the range with one amp instead of two. Along with that, the internal RC battery would last longer, powering only one amp instead of two.

If this theory holds true, it might possible to install one amp inside the RC, like Drone World claims they are doing in their Falcon P4 kit. (they are claiming two amps internal, but I don't see how that's possible)

All due respect!!! of coarse
In the ( fly from your car/house thread ) our theory is that the video side is the weak link. the OP of that thread now only runs a video side amp on his set up.
I have been out 4 miles with no amp on the control side, non directional antenna. no DBs panel. never dropped 1 bar of control.

Turbo

 

[Turbomania]

Hey guys.

I have the DBS MaxxRange antenna mod and decided to add the 3w Boosters to it which I purchased from Jake @ www.MaxxUAV.com and I love the performance from both of them working together.

The one thing I did not like was the extra weight that the USB battery pack added to the controller to power the 3w boosters. I used my own USB battery pack which was about the same size as the battery Jake sells which is on the large side.

I knew the remote controller has a built in 8v large battery pack that I could power the 3w amps from since the input voltage on the 3w amps is between 5v and 12v DC.

So last night I decide to try to dump the battery for the 3w boosters and just power them directly from the built in battery pack in the remote controller.

It worked out just fine and I really like how this came out since its light and about as simple as you can get it now.

I thought it would have been better to even put the boosters inside the controller but there is no room from them plus they could cause other issues being so close to the main circuit board inside the controller.

Here is what the controller looks like now and its working better than before. I can fly from inside my house at the kitchen table pointing out a glass sliding double door and get just at 3 miles out before turning back.

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Here is a link to all the pictures showing how I wired everything up inside the controller if your interested.

Dropbox - Phantom Booster Mod

Nice Mod!!

 

[cstout]

All due respect!!! of coarse
In the ( fly from your car/house thread ) our theory is that the video side is the weak link. the OP of that thread now only runs a video side amp on his set up.
I have been out 4 miles with no amp on the control side, non directional antenna. no DBs panel. never dropped 1 bar of control.

Turbo

So, are you saying there is no benefit to amping the control side?

 

[Turbomania]

So, are you saying there is no benefit to amping the control side?

No is a strong word, not ready to commit to that...lol, how about, very little in my environment.

 

[ebi718]

For those of you amping the receive side, is the booster closer to the antenna? If so, how close?

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[miamijato]

problem I see is what about when you switch off to the 14 dbi Maxxrange panel, a lot of switching around I guess.......

 

[GadgetGuy]

So, are you saying there is no benefit to amping the control side?

I amp both, and have control and video out to 6 miles on the P4 using a DBS-02 on a GL300A transmitter

 

[The Ghost]

I amp both sides and have no problems but will look at what you say when I'm flying once weather is better

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[John Locke]

Maybe with the dbs2 antenna the control transmit side is adequate without amplifying. I just know that with stock antennas the P4 control signal sucks big-time, way less power and range than P3P. I also know the P4 craft measures good for video transmit strength, higher than P3P.

When I get out to the fringe limits for range, I prefer losing video signal before control signal, because I don't like going into auto RTH.

I'm hoping to embed an amp inside the controller, but I only have room for one amp inside the case. So I'm trying to decide which antenna to boost as my first test.

 

[Turbomania]

For those of you amping the receive side, is the booster closer to the antenna? If so, how close?

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Real close

 

[ragexd1]

Quick question for the OP or anyone else that did this mod, I have two of these boosters coming in the mail today and plan on doing the mod right away, when powering the controller, do I plug the boosters in first then power up, or plug in after the power up. I have the p4 controller, just hoping I don't run into any issues as the one guy did where the battery went bad during install.


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[elarryland]

Here's mine, used a toggle switch to turn auxiliary power off and on.

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[cstout]

do I plug the boosters in first then power up, or plug in after the power up.

Are you referencing your remote when you say, "then power up," because if you are I've actually powered on my amps then remote and the other way around and had no issue either way. Just don't forget to power your amps or you'll lose connection real quick and feel like a dummy. (I've done this a couple times...)