Video and RC boosters Micro 2W amps

[DiluxEdition]

This is the same thing that FPVLR is selling at like a 1000% markup.
You can get the bare board, and then get pigtails to connect directly to the antenna plugs, or put connectors, but you will lose more signal as every connector loses about .3dbi..
XQ-02A 2.4G 2W Dual Way Wifi Signal Amplifer Boost Module Auto Switch $12.84 Free Shipping @GoodLuckBuy.com

or you can get one with the connectors and power plug already installed
Amazon.com: 2.4G 2W Radio Amplifier Module White for DJI Phantom Walkera 2.4G Transmit Part: Toys & Games

Maybe I'll take some pics and post a how to when I start on mine.

According to FPVLR, birdside the original signal is only 20mw or so. So this amp will not boost that to 2W but more like 600mw or so. If it was 100mw then it would get the full 2W. You don't want to use amps with signals over 100mw, you will need to attenuate to 100mw and then boost, but the P3 is below 100mw anyway... You can pretty much use these amps on anything at or near 2.4ghz as long as the original signal is 100mw or below...

 

[DiluxEdition]

I guess it is MIMO, but I'm not sure how that works since the radio only has 1 antenna for Video RX...


"Downlink MIMO multiple antenna technology with OFDM modulation and advanced algorithms to improve stability of data bandwidth in complex environments and improved overall dynamic performance."

http://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/lightbridge/en/Lightbridge_release_note_en.pdf

Or maybe that is just the actual Lightbridge unit. Perhaps we have MISO on the P3 and it technically would just be a diversity system...

 

[DiluxEdition]

For some reason I cant get it to work on the radio. only pulling .4w (likely most of that from voltage regulator) and signal got worse... tried twice by switching to another amp...

 

[LarsR]

Inn ce mode the output is 15mw. And with "Air side booster mod" it peaks at ca 100mw

booster measured

 

[Kingkamayamaya]

Thanks so much! Would you be able too confirm what antenna locations are receive for RC and what ones are the transmit video back. If you would identify them looking down with battery facing you. FYI I was told front left and back right are video. On the board the antenna plug into connections markets 1/3 and 2/4 at opposite corners of the board. I don't know how that relates so any info would help. Lastly the antenna on the bird are also marked 1thru 4. Thanks so much!

 

[maxwell smart]

Thanks so much! Would you be able too confirm what antenna locations are receive for RC and what ones are the transmit video back. If you would identify them looking down with battery facing you. FYI I was told front left and back right are video. On the board the antenna plug into connections markets 1/3 and 2/4 at opposite corners of the board. I don't know how that relates so any info would help. Lastly the antenna on the bird are also marked 1thru 4. Thanks so much!

 

[maxwell smart]

I got mine on the rear antenna, not the one with the compass.

 

[Mark The Droner]

?

I've never seen this before. That looks like a standard controller amp, not the mini. Can you tell us how well this works?

 

[Vertigo]

So you're only boosting the FPV video signal on the phantom? Wouldnt that risk to reduce the control range, as the strong signal may overwhelm the control reception on the phantom?

 

[Mark The Droner]

I thought the video signal was digital and was embedded within the RF signal.

 

[Vertigo]

I thought the video signal was digital and was embedded within the RF signal.

The video is digital, buts transmitted via RF (radio frequency), as is everything, so Im not sure what you're saying. My point was that a strong transmitter (and likely, one with no perfectly clean signal or perfect channel separation) on the phantom is quite possibly going to hamper its ability to receive your control signal as both are in the 2.4 GHz band.

 

[Mark The Droner]

So you're saying the aircraft is sending two signals at once?

 

[Vertigo]

So you're saying the aircraft is sending two signals at once?

That is correct. How else do you think you could lose video signal without losing telemetry (position, voltage etc) or vice versa? You also have 2 RSSI indicators for this reason.

 

[Mark The Droner]

How do you know you have lost the video signal and the video hasn't just crashed?

I lose video and not telemetery and vice versa in my P2V, and there's no question whether it's one signal.

My question is, are you telling us the P3A/P is sending two independent signals at once as a fact, or is it just your assumption?

 

[Oso]

....is sending two independent signals at once a fact

I don't know enough about the topic to have any first hand knowledge, but the mods here have explained the P3 signals a few times over the past 15+ months.

For what its worth, this is my understanding:

Lightbridge uses TDM to merge the uplink control channel with the video downlink. Telemetry and app data are encoded in the video downlink's audio channels.

Like I said, I dont know enough about those technical details, so if that info doesnt help or add value I apologize in advance. Let me know if I need to delete it. Cheers!

 

[Mark The Droner]

Right. Well, I've read about Lightbridge and when I was done reading it I was far from completely understanding it. But from what I could gather, there is some kind of merging with the digital information and the RF signal, so my assumption is the digital info is independent, but it's incorporated into the RF signal, but leaving enough RF signal to allow the ability to use that which is not part of the digital stream to communicate in more conventional ways. Hence, you have the digital stream and you have the conventional RF data combined into the same signal. And that's the magic of Lightbridge.

But then again, I could be dead wrong.

Thanks for your input, Oso.

 

[WetDog]

The video is digital, buts transmitted via RF (radio frequency), as is everything, so Im not sure what you're saying. My point was that a strong transmitter (and likely, one with no perfectly clean signal or perfect channel separation) on the phantom is quite possibly going to hamper its ability to receive your control signal as both are in the 2.4 GHz band.

You really, really want the control signal to be greater than the video signal. Otherwise you stand to have your nicely modded UAV sit there and transmit clean video of your Phantom happily sitting there until RTH cuts in. Not to mention the repetitive strain injury you will get from hitting the RTH button in vain.

 

[Vertigo]

How do you know you have lost the video signal and the video hasn't just crashed?

hmm, what? You have 2 RSSI indicators on the app, one for video downlink signal the other, well, is actually quite tricky, so lets just say its not video.

I lose video and not telemetery and vice versa in my P2V, and there's no question whether it's one signal.

I'd certainly question it if you can lose them independently, but I know nothing of the P2.

My question is, are you telling us the P3A/P is sending two independent signals at once as a fact, or is it just your assumption?

Fact. Here some RF analysis on the signals:
Phantom 3 Lightbridge Frequencies

Telemetry is FHSS like the control signal, video is fixed frequency.

 

[Mark The Droner]

Great info. Thanks for the link.

 

[maxwell smart]

I dont like it when I lose video signal. And with the 3 watt sunhan on the bird it is last signal that gets dropped. I have 3 watt on the RC controller as well.