Correct orientation of Alfa Antenna

Jaicdc1 · May 3, 2017

erikgraham said:
None of the above. Well the last one is probably best, but tilted up 15 degrees to aim more into the sky. Also it's OK if they are a little askew - they don't need to be symmetrical. Imagine they were the face of two flash lights and you want to illuminate the biggest possible area. You would want the "beams" of light to have the maximum spread so you don't want them to be aimed the same way. You'll want to turn and twist them on all 3 axis so they aren't parallel and aimed in the same exact direction........

(I know others have somewhat explained the solution further but I am just much better with seeing what's right vs some detailed descriptions)

So everything that you and other said makes some sense.

Is one of these two photos what you are all explaining, I.e. Which one is right or are they still off?

Lastly. HEEELLLLLP!! HAS THIS (pic 3) happened to anyone?
I can solder well and etc but it's not in a place where that's possible. Suggestions for the disconnected antenna?

1:

2:

3: HELP!!

Thanks!!
Jai

Whirlygig · May 3, 2017

Jaicdc1 said:
...HEEELLLLLP!! HAS THIS (pic 3) happened to anyone...I can solder well and etc but it's not in a place where that's possible. Suggestions for the disconnected antenna...

Yes, the exact same thing happened to me. These Alfas seem to work great but easy to break that little wire if not careful when tightening and readjusting. Might be fixable but since they are only $10, I just bought a new one and a couple of spares.

Joe Horn · May 4, 2017

Jaicdc1 said:
... Is one of these two photos what you are all explaining, I.e. Which one is right or are they still off? ...

Yes and no. Angled downwards is correct, and logo facing Solo is correct, but they should be aimed directly towards your Solo, not tilted towards each other as in either photo.

In brief, pretend that Solo is trying to read the "ALFA" logo. Position the antennas to help Solo do that (albeit upside down!).

You will find it very helpful to try aiming your remote control at your Solo and adjusting the positions of the Alfas while watching the number of connectivity bars on your app, especially when Solo is not very close to you. You'll quickly see exactly which position of the Alfas gets the most bars. I find that having the Alfas aimed slightly upwards (as in your first photo) is best when Solo is nearby (and therefore more or less above you) but as Solo flies farther away I lower both Alfas to straight down (because now the path to Solo is essentially horizontal).

Jaicdc1 · May 6, 2017

Thanks to you all, @Joe Horn and @Whirlygig

WG did you end up finding a fix for the ALFA issue? I took my dremel and opened up the antenna wire input "hole," it is by NO means a Jack.

I really don't know if it works, and all the reasearch I have seen points to there needing to be a specific length of wire in each antenna for it to get the correct Ghz,etc etc

I think it works but then again mid flight this am the utah weather went Nucking Futz! and took my solo 3000+ feet away from me despite my numerous calls to "come home."

I have been searching the next next neighborhood and cemetary here in Holladay (S East SLC) and finally found the drone in a walkway off of 4500s and 1300e where I live......

I need some sort of backup gps "oh shit my drone just god whisked off by the breath of an out of nowhere flash windstorm !" (its a thing...or it should be)...

Just busted 1/2 of one of my Master air Screw Props, footage on the go pro H4Silver was great! nobody even nicked it!

I have something called a "Small Lovely" that is bluetooth and ive chucked as far as I can and been guided back via iPhone to within inches of the thing. I has a 100yd or so distance, but I tell ya, that would have done much better than nothing today, which is what I had haha,

oh and the whole neighborhood of kids helping me find it....I even let one 19yo (im 29) drive my WRX STi around as I poked my head over fences looking for it...