HERE external M8N GPS and compass upgrades!

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The HERE is here! Arrived on Monday from Jesters Drones. I got the full kit with the ProfiCNC HERE GPS/Compass, IMP Concepts folding mast, and plug & play wiring. This produced the most stable fly mode (loiter) my solo has ever had! It even came a smoother and more stable stop when letting go of the sticks.

I replaced a stock Rev B GPS and v2 shield. I'm in a valley where GPS always sucks on and near the ground. Usually I was lucky to to get 7-9 sats and 1.9 to 2.3 HDOP with the stock GPS and v2 shield. It would drift like a drunken idiot at all altitudes, and very much so when low. At altitude it would be at best 1.5 HDOP and 8-10 sats.

The HERE kit produced 14 sats and a 0.8 HDOP on the ground in my crappy valley. Hover in fly (loiter) even low to the ground was the most stable I've ever seen. It just stayed put, rock solid, no longer drunk. Up above the tree line and hill, 21 sats and 0.6 HDOP.

This GPS is what the solo should have had from day one. I think it actually was supposed to but someone wanted to save some pennies.

The compass is better hardware than the leg compass. It will be less vulnerable to magnetic interference from the ground and on board. It also has ArduCopter standard system status LEDs to provide operator feedback.

Installation was straight forward since it was fully assembled by Jesters Drones and ready to hook up. Remove the stock piece of crap GPS. Drill or cut a hole/notch in the plastic hood for the wires. Rout the wires neatly through the solo and plug in the GPS and Compass connectors.

You need to change one parameter (COMPASS_ORIENT) from 38 to 0 using Tower, Mission Planner, or Solex. I made a one click package for Solex to do this through its firmware updates menu.

Jesters sells the kit here for $78 which is a steal: HERE GNSS Solo GPS Kit

PhotoGrid_1500511766621.jpg
 
Last edited:
GPS has 0 to do with range
Range is antenna, wifi cards (don't recommend) or amplifiers
 
Bottom line? Range improvement?
Did you read the post? I think the purpose, results, and cost are explained. o_O

Looks like what is on a Reconnaissance Aircraft.
In the Solo Mod Club facebook group, this has been dubbed "The AWACS Mod" for that reason :)

main-qimg-d0a60ee20d1699fec3e3fd441e90e9a2-c
 
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Do you have a 3DR Backpack ? would like to see how that fits into the Backpack
 
do you have to remove the battery from the solo in the backpack ?

meaning 1 battery fewer that i can carry with me ?
 
Just ordered my Here tonight
Ian sent me a mast when I bought his old 690 frame
Now if I could just find a cable
 
I think they all get their cables from Leo, and Paul only sells them in the kit. Emailing Leo. Trying to get a here solo cable and a IMX6 to PH2.1 carrier cable. Might just have to break down and buy some cable making tools
 
would love to see a pic with solo inside the backpack to see how it all sticks together inside
 
The HERE is here! Arrived on Monday from Jesters Drones. I got the full kit with the ProfiCNC HERE GPS/Compass, IMP Concepts folding mast, and plug & play wiring. This produced the most stable fly mode (loiter) my solo has ever had! It even came a smoother and more stable stop when letting go of the sticks.

I replaced a stock Rev B GPS and v2 shield. I'm in a valley where GPS always sucks on and near the ground. Usually I was lucky to to get 7-9 sats and 1.9 to 2.3 HDOP with the stock GPS and v2 shield. It would drift like a drunken idiot at all altitudes, and very much so when low. At altitude it would be at best 1.5 HDOP and 8-10 sats.

The HERE kit produced 14 sats and a 0.8 HDOP on the ground in my crappy valley. Hover in fly (loiter) even low to the ground was the most stable I've ever seen. It just stayed put, rock solid, no longer drunk. Up above the tree line and hill, 21 sats and 0.6 HDOP.

This GPS is what the solo should have had from day one. I think it actually was supposed to but someone wanted to save some pennies.

The compass is better hardware than the leg compass. It will be less vulnerable to magnetic interference from the ground and on board. It also has ArduCopter standard system status LEDs to provide operator feedback.

Installation was straight forward since it was fully assembled by Jesters Drones and ready to hook up. Remove the stock piece of crap GPS. Drill or cut a hole/notch in the plastic hood for the wires. Rout the wires neatly through the solo and plug in the GPS and Compass connectors.

You need to change one parameter (COMPASS_ORIENT) from 38 to 0 using Tower, Mission Planner, or Solex. I made a one click package for Solex to do this through its firmware updates menu.

Jesters sells the kit here for $78 which is a steal: HERE GNSS Solo GPS Kit

View attachment 6644
Just ordered my Here tonight
Ian sent me a mast when I bought his old 690 frame
Now if I could just find a cable
Ian has a few cables.
 
You just need to trim a little of the foam in the bag for the mast to fold down flat. I have trimmed a lot to make the polar pro lights fit too, but you get the idea.

View attachment 6654

Thx, i see i can carry all my batteries with the here :cool:
i pulled out the LED stripe from the polarpro plastic and glued it right onto the front of Solo, so no need to modify foam
 
  • Like
Reactions: Johnny Baer
The HERE is here! Arrived on Monday from Jesters Drones. I got the full kit with the ProfiCNC HERE GPS/Compass, IMP Concepts folding mast, and plug & play wiring. This produced the most stable fly mode (loiter) my solo has ever had! It even came a smoother and more stable stop when letting go of the sticks.

I replaced a stock Rev B GPS and v2 shield. I'm in a valley where GPS always sucks on and near the ground. Usually I was lucky to to get 7-9 sats and 1.9 to 2.3 HDOP with the stock GPS and v2 shield. It would drift like a drunken idiot at all altitudes, and very much so when low. At altitude it would be at best 1.5 HDOP and 8-10 sats.

The HERE kit produced 14 sats and a 0.8 HDOP on the ground in my crappy valley. Hover in fly (loiter) even low to the ground was the most stable I've ever seen. It just stayed put, rock solid, no longer drunk. Up above the tree line and hill, 21 sats and 0.6 HDOP.

This GPS is what the solo should have had from day one. I think it actually was supposed to but someone wanted to save some pennies.

The compass is better hardware than the leg compass. It will be less vulnerable to magnetic interference from the ground and on board. It also has ArduCopter standard system status LEDs to provide operator feedback.

Installation was straight forward since it was fully assembled by Jesters Drones and ready to hook up. Remove the stock piece of crap GPS. Drill or cut a hole/notch in the plastic hood for the wires. Rout the wires neatly through the solo and plug in the GPS and Compass connectors.

You need to change one parameter (COMPASS_ORIENT) from 38 to 0 using Tower, Mission Planner, or Solex. I made a one click package for Solex to do this through its firmware updates menu.

Jesters sells the kit here for $78 which is a steal: HERE GNSS Solo GPS Kit

View attachment 6644

Woah! What is that Red little box with 2 red wires sticking out on the right side of your Solo???? lol
 

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