The Official "My P4 Range Is Too Short" Thread - Don't Start New Range Threads!

I installed my DBS ITELITE for my phantom 4, and I'm only getting 3000 feet of range.....what could be the problem? going to check connections asap
 
Jammer said:
For those of us in Australia that are stuck with CE compliance limits, elevating the TX will get you out to 2km line of sight .
Im hoping the DBS mod will mean I don't have to do this anymore..
Click to expand...

From an elevated location I was able to get 4Km out last week. I'm in Australia.
Everything stock, P4, nVidia Shield K1, Litchi.
Still had 4 bars on transmission signal.
 
Jammer said:
What operating environment??
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I was over the pismo CA pier, sitting at an elevation of about 300 feet and a distance of 3000 feet away. I was north of the P4 but never lost my LOS with the P4. Conditions were clear with a slight wind, but i figured given the circumstances i should have at least gotten 2 miles out of it.
 
IMG_1248.PNG

I had my P4 out trying to see the distance it would achieve, I have had several video signal losses before at 3000' or so but made it out to 5200' this time and lost signal. As you can see at the furthest point from home is where I lost signal and turned back. I'm elevated over all obsticals and have direct LOS of the unit. Shouldn't it reach the circumference of the green circle with direct LOS?
 
Bryan22 said:
Hey listen I may be wrong myself when I say I bought mine thinking it would reach out to a distance of like 3.1 miles and it only will go like 3/4 of a mile and I ran up on this site and thought what a great site cause I am sure they are people here that can show some new flyers like me things that I am sure are right under our noses and I don't want to complaine because I love my phantom and more than anything just trying to figure out if it's something I am doing wrong cause I am seeing great post of people getting great distances out of theirs
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Range for these aircraft is no different than for any other radio transmission. The figures cited by DJI are maximum performance under ideal, unobstructed conditions. This is not sleezy on DJI's part -- it is a spec that is important to know, and is about the only specification in this domain that can be reasonably measured.

We are using the microwave part of the radio spectrum (2.4Ghz) to communicate with the aircraft. As such, anything with moisture/water in it that gets in the way of the signal will attenuate it dramatically. For example trees, foliage, dirt.

I've seen the P4 go 4.2 miles (22,000 ft) in the Arizona desert before loss of signal (it's on youtube). I've sent mine out nearly 2 miles without problems. I've also had the signal cut off in as little as 800 feet when there is a dense forest between me and the aircraft.

There's no meaningful way to measure, or specify, range under "real world" conditions. These vary so greatly from flight to flight that, like everything else, some technical understanding is necessary to get the most out of the aircraft, and have realistic expectations for a given mission/flight.
 
Airron said:
If I were to add some range extender to my P4, which one would everyone suggest???


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
Click to expand...
Copper film parabolic reflectors actually work really well, and are cheap. Drawback is it turns your remote antennas into directional beams in terms of heading (azimuth is still unfocused), so you have to be aware that you're pointing in the direction of the aircraft. If you fly over your head behind you, and are buried in flying FPV and forget to turn around, range will be very short. I got this one from Amazon ($20):

41GkaplFKaL.jpg


There are many different versions of this solution, most of them separate shells that slip over each antenna. I recommend this one (or similar) where the two shells are connected together so that the entire arrangement has more stability and precision in terms of direction when inserted over the antennas. I like this model because it folds up like a clamshell, protecting the copper film, and making it compact to carry in a P4 case.
 
i made it a little over 4600ft with my p4 with steel silos and such in line with me. never lost any bars on radio signal but lost a couple on video signal. that's with a box stock p4. getting almost a mile with obstructed view had me thrilled. im perfectly happy with the range I got under those circumstances. reading about range complaints from some people tells me it is more about area than anything else. but im impressed with mine. will try the windsurfer next time I am out
 
Bingo! Installed the DBS MOD today and did a short test in the P4 out to 6000ft. Not even a flicker. Yesterday at the same spot I could only go 2200ft. I'm very happy!
Tomorrow if the weather is good I will push it out further.
Best money I spent since I bought the aircraft.



Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots
 
Took my P4 (totally stock) to my parents farm. Yes there is a lot of trees but I got to 700m and it lost connection and RTH, which is a lot less than the 5km it states. No chance of interference from other sources (Australian outback and cows don't tend to emit 2.4Ghz !!) but there were quite a few trees (think small forest) between me and the P4. I was on the high side of the farm and flying at 35m (115ft). Tallest tree would have been 25m. Any ideas or was it just a case of the trees got in the way ? On the upside I got some awesome shots of an outback sunset :) Just would have been nice to include the giant dam at the back of the property.

View media item 2890
 
Jammer said:
Bingo! Installed the DBS MOD today and did a short test in the P4 out to 6000ft. Not even a flicker. Yesterday at the same spot I could only go 2200ft. I'm very happy!
Tomorrow if the weather is good I will push it out further.
Best money I spent since I bought the aircraft.



Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots
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How hard is this to install into the remote?
 
I did some research and came up with the following specs from Johnny B.

So, if the GL658C really does have an output of .743 watts, which is over twice the GL300c, will the GL658C work with the phantom 4??.

Has anyone tried this??
7e1b95dd07d44e737b4d198468415756.jpg
 
MGS9500 said:
I did some research and came up with the following specs from Johnny B.

So, if the GL658C really does have an output of .743 watts, which is over twice the GL300c, will the GL658C work with the phantom 4??.

Has anyone tried this??
7e1b95dd07d44e737b4d198468415756.jpg
Click to expand...
Yes it will work with the phantom 4
 
Ok, does this improve the range... has anyone tried this? I can't find any threads on someone who has done this, with or without an added mod.
 

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