(Sorry for the long-winded post, but I prefer to be thorough)
I’ve recently received my Solo back from a long stint at 3DR headquarters in San Diego. It had an issue that I haven’t seen mentioned before, so I thought that I’d post about it just in case it helps someone. If anyone has this problem, it definitely could be the cause of signal quality and range issues.
Short Story:
The right channel on my controller radio did not work. I took the controller apart to see if it was the connector and it was not, the channel just didn’t work. I sent it in for repair… two months later, I’ve got a new Solo which has a controller radio that appears to properly work.
Testing procedure:
Take off propellors (we’re testing this on the ground)
Turn on Solo and Solo Controller.
Open the Solo App and press "Fly Solo" (No need to spin up the motors, we just need the screen on the app).
In the Solo App, press the signal indicator on the right side of the top bar to reveal the RSSI value (signal strength).
Remove both antennas and take note of the RSSI.
Screw left antenna on and take note of the RSSI.
Take left antenna off.
Screw right antenna on and take note of the RSSI.
If either of the channels RSSI value does not increase when you install its antenna, you’ve got a problem.
You can use the process of elimination to determine if the problem is a bad antenna, a bad internal antenna connection, or a bad radio.
The installation of either antenna should show a large increase in RSSI on either channel, and the two RSSI readings that you see should be relatively close. I would think that a reading that’s anywhere between equal to within 4 or 5 dB of each other would be normal. In my case there was about a 20 dB difference between left and right, enough for me to realize that there was some definitely wrong.
Long Story:
I was testing out a pair of Alfa directional antennas, just viewing the dB difference between them and the stock antennas in the Solo App and noticed something strange. I hadn't had any noticeable range issues, but I noticed that in the Solo App I had no signal on my right antenna. Left antenna read normal, & I saw a 4 or 5 dB difference between the alfa and stock antenna, but the right side was about 20 dB lower than the left, in any configuration, with either antenna. So I got in touch with support to see if this was normal to which they said: “No. If you’re comfortable taking the controller apart, take it apart & check the antenna connector”. So I took it apart & firmly seated the connecter, then put a dab of hot glue to hold it in place. That did not fix the problem, still no signal from the right antenna. I sent the controller in for repair and they fixed it, but then they suggested that I send the entire solo back for a swap with one that they’ve tested to be 100%. So I sent that back (and then they apparently misplaced it, or it's replacement, after they received it--but that's a whole separate issue that I won’t go into right now).
Two months later, I have a new (or possibly refurbished) Solo on which both antennas appear to be properly functioning.
A few other things that I've learned over the past few months:
FedEx Ground takes an excruciatingly long time to deliver a package from the east coast to the west, 3DR might think of offering to allow users to pay extra to expedite this process.
In general, once 3DR has your Solo, it's a relatively quick and painless process.
3DR email support is good, but it takes a looooong time to iteratively solve a problem through email, particularly when you sometimes don't get a response for 2 or 3 days.
3DR phone support is way faster than email support.
I’ve recently received my Solo back from a long stint at 3DR headquarters in San Diego. It had an issue that I haven’t seen mentioned before, so I thought that I’d post about it just in case it helps someone. If anyone has this problem, it definitely could be the cause of signal quality and range issues.
Short Story:
The right channel on my controller radio did not work. I took the controller apart to see if it was the connector and it was not, the channel just didn’t work. I sent it in for repair… two months later, I’ve got a new Solo which has a controller radio that appears to properly work.
Testing procedure:
Take off propellors (we’re testing this on the ground)
Turn on Solo and Solo Controller.
Open the Solo App and press "Fly Solo" (No need to spin up the motors, we just need the screen on the app).
In the Solo App, press the signal indicator on the right side of the top bar to reveal the RSSI value (signal strength).
Remove both antennas and take note of the RSSI.
Screw left antenna on and take note of the RSSI.
Take left antenna off.
Screw right antenna on and take note of the RSSI.
If either of the channels RSSI value does not increase when you install its antenna, you’ve got a problem.
You can use the process of elimination to determine if the problem is a bad antenna, a bad internal antenna connection, or a bad radio.
The installation of either antenna should show a large increase in RSSI on either channel, and the two RSSI readings that you see should be relatively close. I would think that a reading that’s anywhere between equal to within 4 or 5 dB of each other would be normal. In my case there was about a 20 dB difference between left and right, enough for me to realize that there was some definitely wrong.
Long Story:
I was testing out a pair of Alfa directional antennas, just viewing the dB difference between them and the stock antennas in the Solo App and noticed something strange. I hadn't had any noticeable range issues, but I noticed that in the Solo App I had no signal on my right antenna. Left antenna read normal, & I saw a 4 or 5 dB difference between the alfa and stock antenna, but the right side was about 20 dB lower than the left, in any configuration, with either antenna. So I got in touch with support to see if this was normal to which they said: “No. If you’re comfortable taking the controller apart, take it apart & check the antenna connector”. So I took it apart & firmly seated the connecter, then put a dab of hot glue to hold it in place. That did not fix the problem, still no signal from the right antenna. I sent the controller in for repair and they fixed it, but then they suggested that I send the entire solo back for a swap with one that they’ve tested to be 100%. So I sent that back (and then they apparently misplaced it, or it's replacement, after they received it--but that's a whole separate issue that I won’t go into right now).
Two months later, I have a new (or possibly refurbished) Solo on which both antennas appear to be properly functioning.
A few other things that I've learned over the past few months:
FedEx Ground takes an excruciatingly long time to deliver a package from the east coast to the west, 3DR might think of offering to allow users to pay extra to expedite this process.
In general, once 3DR has your Solo, it's a relatively quick and painless process.
3DR email support is good, but it takes a looooong time to iteratively solve a problem through email, particularly when you sometimes don't get a response for 2 or 3 days.
3DR phone support is way faster than email support.
