So I feel this mod is still slightly unfinished. Yes, two upgraded cards give you oodles of range (so does my fpvlr amped setup). I really want my cake an eat it. Unamped, dual cards, 8db omni. Dual cards, amped, fpvlr for max range if I need it.
RolandS888 measured the output of stock and amped cards and it seemed to be capped at 20db.
NYG and others seemed to get close with country codes etc, and one person reported a range increase with TW etc. I could never get a command output to show more than 20db.
NYG may have got more with driver mods.
There was some talk that I could not use my amped fpvlr at the same time as a modded transmitter card as the amps only took a certain max input.
My 1 card (solo) 8db omni range was 700m (2300ft) metro. My 2 card (solo and transmitter 8db omni range is 2km (6500ft).
My 1 card (solo) fpvlr amped range is 2km (6500ft) with 3 bars of signal left.
I finally got some 30db attenuators, plugged them inbetween 2 card setup and amped fpvlr. My range was 10m (33 feet)
My guess is the attenuators are only going to be relevent if the transmitter card is putting out more than 20db. If not, the attenuator is taking it to zero or minus. Amped zero is still zero.
The input range on the 2000mw sanhaus fpvlr amps is actually up to 20db.
So in theory, I should be in magic land, plug in my fpvlr now and fly to the moon.
Just concerned, don't want to blow up the amps.
Lets say we did find a way to pump up the modfied card outputs higher than 20db. Even to 30 as it looks like they should with a USA country code. Then I will need the attenuators if I want to leave the cards both in, and occasionally use amped fpvlr. I plug in the attenuators and the amped setup.
I would then have to tune the power output to xx db, for unamped, so that when I wanted to go amped, I could use the attenuators in the field, without using a laptop to drop the output db to 20.
So say I was able to bump it to 50db, knowing that with 30db attenuators, it dropped to amp'able range at 20db.
So the mysterys still are :
0) Should I just do it, plug in my amped fpvlr into my 2 card setup, and see if I get to the moon?
1) When I can put a 2nd (transmitter) high mw card in, and go from 2300ft to 6500ft with no other changes. Surely there is a higher mw output at play that no one seems to be able to meaure for certain with software or a meter. Why is it still only showing on Rolands meter as 20.
Is it because i've already for the 1st upgraded card in the solo, and now that they are a pair, they do magic?
2) Will the amped setup of 2000mw boost a 20db input more than say a 10db input?. Eg, does it amplify whats there by a factor of x, or does it take what it finds and takes to to a specific max level.
Anyway, not sure I should do 0) without making sure its outputting 20 not 30, so I've a meter on the way.