Antenna selection or replacement

ndfellow · Jul 6, 2015

Not that I want MILES out of my solo, but I want better reception for closer flights. the Itelite DBS ones are $400 from DSLRPros and I'm not sure I need to spend that with no gimble yet, but would like something to get me a bit more range. Any recommendations?

Earldgrayjr · Jul 6, 2015

FPVLR

http://fpvlr.com/store/product-category/solo/

rrmccabe · Jul 6, 2015

ndfellow said:
Not that I want MILES out of my solo, but I want better reception for closer flights. the Itelite DBS ones are $400 from DSLRPros and I'm not sure I need to spend that with no gimble yet, but would like something to get me a bit more range. Any recommendations?

Just buy the DBS P3 antenna. Same 2.4 ghz frequency as Solo.

ndfellow · Jul 6, 2015

rrmccabe said:
Just buy the DBS P3 antenna. Same 2.4 ghz frequency as Solo.

And connectors?

rrmccabe · Jul 6, 2015

Ask him but I think its all the same. He did a 2.5 mile test run with a ITELITE panel on a Solo.
I

David Weston · Jul 6, 2015

<-- It's the way to go "far Out" and wide. I've seen the vid. DBS.

Adimuzio513 · Jul 6, 2015

Haven't got to try a DBS panel yet but will say that my fpvlr kit does exactly this. I'm not really trusting solo just yet long range but it's given me much better signal in rf crowded and wooded areas and to 1000 feet out and 300 up I keep 3 or 4 bars pretty much everywhere. This is on my controller and the app stays under 60 as well but at least my bars in app fall off to one or two no matter what antenna at about a hundred feet. I just ignore those and beside hitting my height limit haven't had Rth trigger yet. Pretty happy with it for my needs, not a bad price either but can't attest to range beyond 1000 feet yet so wel see I may get a dbs as well if I decide to try distance. I likely won't ever touch my stocks again I tried over the weekend and my video and signal were a joke compared to the upgraded antennas.

Raybro · Jul 6, 2015

Adimuzio513 said:
Haven't got to try a DBS panel yet but will say that my fpvlr kit does exactly this. I'm not really trusting solo just yet long range but it's given me much better signal in rf crowded and wooded areas and to 1000 feet out and 300 up I keep 3 or 4 bars pretty much everywhere. This is on my controller and the app stays under 60 as well but at least my bars in app fall off to one or two no matter what antenna at about a hundred feet. I just ignore those and beside hitting my height limit haven't had Rth trigger yet. Pretty happy with it for my needs, not a bad price either but can't attest to range beyond 1000 feet yet so wel see I may get a dbs as well if I decide to try distance. I likely won't ever touch my stocks again I tried over the weekend and my video and signal were a joke compared to the upgraded antennas.

I've gone straight out LOS to 2000' on my stock antennas, I know Rich has done twice that. I will need a mod once I start doing Tower missions.

Adimuzio513 · Jul 6, 2015

Raybro said:
I've gone straight out LOS to 2000' on my stock antennas, I know Rich has done twice that. I will need a mod once I start doing Tower missions.

Yea I'm confident even with stock I'd have decent results in a perfect area problem is that's nowhere around here. So seems like Tony's kit did just what I'd hoped in working through the Congestion both trees and homes and wifi etc. I'll also so straight above left right as long as it's not behind me I keep a good signal. So at a couple or few hundred feet long as you use common sense you don't have to be following it pointing which is nice.

Have to say I Love manual flight as well barley use fly mode anymore try it if any haven't. It's so smooth and fast well worth taking time to practice and get used too. Much easier to fly near the ground or in tighter spots without gps drift worries since you control it. Much more predictable flight period for me.

Say I'm flying manual and get out too far will it still switch and RTH or how's that work I'm asuming it does right?

rrmccabe · Jul 6, 2015

Yes, lose connectivity in manual and it will RTH like normal. GPS is active in manual. Just not used for navigation.

Adimuzio513 · Jul 6, 2015

rrmccabe said:
Yes, lose connectivity in manual and it will RTH like normal. GPS is active in manual. Just not used for navigation.

Thanks I figured but just wanted to be sure I wouldn't find out the hard way I was wrong.

So what about the gps disabled modes it just lands where it loses contact I think is what I'd read is that correct.

rrmccabe · Jul 6, 2015

I have not tested anything beyond manual and fly mode. So not going to speculate. I don't trust anything I read (except what I read here)

I assume the manual is correct under advanced modes.

I probably should try these modes before I hang $850 worth of camera and gimbal under it !

Adimuzio513 · Jul 6, 2015

Yea probably a good plan I used stabilize manual now but haven't got up the guts for sport or acro. I'd love too but it won't be any time soon, I'd bet a "uh I don't know what happened it just took off" with logs saying acro would likely get a good laugh at 3dr service, I'm sure most would take it to best buy though and end up with a new one. If I wasn't hoping for this to succeed so much and they weren't so good to customers maybe an option but I'm not going to add to the problem when they seem to genuinely be doing their best.

Jubalr · Jul 6, 2015

Any mode you put the Solo in has no effect on loss of signal action. You can be in any mode and a loss of signal will trigger RTH. That's a condition set in the controller. Regardless if it is 10' or way out, if it loses signal, you turn off the controller or run over it with a truck; same result. That is how we use to test them, just turn off the controller. Then we started to be able to put it on switches. You can see it in MP as well. There is a separate section just to tell it what to do in the event of loss of signal.

Adimuzio513 · Jul 6, 2015

Jubalr said:
Any mode you put the Solo in has no effect on loss of signal action. You can be in any mode and a loss of signal will trigger RTH. That's a condition set in the controller. Regardless if it is 10' or way out, if it loses signal, you turn off the controller or run over it with a truck; same result. That is how we use to test them, just turn off the controller. Then we started to be able to put it on switches. You can see it in MP as well. There is a separate section just to tell it what to do in the event of loss of signal.

Nice thanks glad to hear that I need to dig into mp when I get some time seems there's a lot in there.

NYG · Jul 6, 2015

I ordered a couple of higher power wifi cards. I have no idea if they'll work, but I think they should. And I just can't seem to control myself from wanting to tinker........

rrmccabe · Jul 7, 2015

He will probably sell you one NOW

Adimuzio513 · Jul 7, 2015

Normy norm said:
I want one of these antennas now!!!!

He will and fast I got mine two days after ordered and am very happy I decided to get em. I tried the stocks once since then on the 4th and may have lasted 5 minutes and a hundred and fifty feet before I landed and switched back. My feed was already laggy and my signal dropping fast. I would recommend these to improve short range and congested areas, beside his long range ability I haven't went past 1000 feet at 300 alt yet just being cautious from all the stories, but I'm sure it's not a problem. Actually last night I kept every bar on my controller pretty much the whole flight, it was at home in a dense area so not real far out about 3 or 4 hundred feet, still nice to see no drop.