Antenna mod
- Rob Thomson
- Site Admin
- Posts: 4543
- Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:34 am
- Country: United Kingdom
- Location: Albury, Guildford
- Contact:
Antenna mod
I swapped my stock antenna for an rp-sma socket.
Much more useful
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
Much more useful
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
Slope Soaring, FPV, and pretty much anything 'high tech'
...........if you think it should be in the wiki.. ask me for wiki access, then go add it!
...........if you think it should be in the wiki.. ask me for wiki access, then go add it!
Re: Antenna mod
I'll have to do it one day... should take a whole 5 minutes.
Re: Antenna mod
video it and time it, cos I doubt it
My er9x/Ersky9x/eepskye Video Tutorials
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5uJhoD7sAKidZmkhMpYpp_qcuIqJXhb9
Donate to Er9x/Ersky9x:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=YHX43JR3J7XGW
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5uJhoD7sAKidZmkhMpYpp_qcuIqJXhb9
Donate to Er9x/Ersky9x:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=YHX43JR3J7XGW
- Rob Thomson
- Site Admin
- Posts: 4543
- Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:34 am
- Country: United Kingdom
- Location: Albury, Guildford
- Contact:
Re: Antenna mod
Hardest part is getting the SMA install neat.
That being said...
A few days back I did 1820 meters on a stock antenna. No warnings - so view an could have gone further!
Rob
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
That being said...
A few days back I did 1820 meters on a stock antenna. No warnings - so view an could have gone further!
Rob
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
Slope Soaring, FPV, and pretty much anything 'high tech'
...........if you think it should be in the wiki.. ask me for wiki access, then go add it!
...........if you think it should be in the wiki.. ask me for wiki access, then go add it!
Re: Antenna mod
Very nice looking job Rob! Did you take any pictures? Care to share details and any lessons learned (learnt ) Did you actually us an RP-SMA setup or just install the mating (female) connector for a SMA antenna?
Ted
Ted
- Rob Thomson
- Site Admin
- Posts: 4543
- Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:34 am
- Country: United Kingdom
- Location: Albury, Guildford
- Contact:
Re: Antenna mod
Really nothing to it!
Just unsoldered the old cable. Soldered on the pigtail - and then secured the sma to the case.
Securing the SMA was the hard part.
What I did was.
Sourced a washer that the sma bulkhead connector attached too. Then pushed this into the old hole, by heating it with the tip of a soldering iron. This gave a good and secure metal base for the antenna.
On then inside of then case, I then infilled the hole with some sugru to provide additional purchase for the connector.
Finally, I capped the top off with another washer that was painted black.
Done!
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
Just unsoldered the old cable. Soldered on the pigtail - and then secured the sma to the case.
Securing the SMA was the hard part.
What I did was.
Sourced a washer that the sma bulkhead connector attached too. Then pushed this into the old hole, by heating it with the tip of a soldering iron. This gave a good and secure metal base for the antenna.
On then inside of then case, I then infilled the hole with some sugru to provide additional purchase for the connector.
Finally, I capped the top off with another washer that was painted black.
Done!
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
Slope Soaring, FPV, and pretty much anything 'high tech'
...........if you think it should be in the wiki.. ask me for wiki access, then go add it!
...........if you think it should be in the wiki.. ask me for wiki access, then go add it!
- Rob Thomson
- Site Admin
- Posts: 4543
- Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:34 am
- Country: United Kingdom
- Location: Albury, Guildford
- Contact:
Re: Antenna mod
Good point. It may well be am sma pigtail I used. It matches my antennas - so that's what matters!G550Ted wrote: Did you actually us an RP-SMA setup or just install the mating (female) connector for a SMA antenna?
Ted
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
Slope Soaring, FPV, and pretty much anything 'high tech'
...........if you think it should be in the wiki.. ask me for wiki access, then go add it!
...........if you think it should be in the wiki.. ask me for wiki access, then go add it!
Re: Antenna mod
Thanx for the description Rob.Rob Thomson wrote:Really nothing to it!
Just unsoldered the old cable. Soldered on the pigtail - and then secured the sma to the case.
Securing the SMA was the hard part.
What I did was.
Sourced a washer that the sma bulkhead connector attached too. Then pushed this into the old hole, by heating it with the tip of a soldering iron. This gave a good and secure metal base for the antenna.
On then inside of then case, I then infilled the hole with some sugru to provide additional purchase for the connector.
Finally, I capped the top off with another washer that was painted black.
Done!
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
Merry Christmas.
Ted
Re: Antenna mod
Custom 9x with M64/Telemetry Mod
- Tr3TopFlyer
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Mon Feb 10, 2014 1:07 pm
- Country: -
- Location: Columbus Ohio
Re: Antenna mod
Rob after installing the connector what antenna did you use? Did you do this to allow for better range?
"it's easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled."
Cheers!
Cheers!
- Rob Thomson
- Site Admin
- Posts: 4543
- Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:34 am
- Country: United Kingdom
- Location: Albury, Guildford
- Contact:
Re: Antenna mod
Just about flexibility.
It gives the option of using a 5dbi omni, or a 7dbi patch.
To be fair - the stock antenna goes a long way if you set your receiver up right
It gives the option of using a 5dbi omni, or a 7dbi patch.
To be fair - the stock antenna goes a long way if you set your receiver up right
Slope Soaring, FPV, and pretty much anything 'high tech'
...........if you think it should be in the wiki.. ask me for wiki access, then go add it!
...........if you think it should be in the wiki.. ask me for wiki access, then go add it!
- Tr3TopFlyer
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Mon Feb 10, 2014 1:07 pm
- Country: -
- Location: Columbus Ohio
Re: Antenna mod
Rob the reason I'm asking is because I was experiencing some range issues when using the X series Rx's with 1.3GHz VTx. I am using a low pass filter to help eliminate the harmonic but still wasn't able to achieve a proper range test until I lowered the output power of the VTx from 400mW to 200mW and move the Rx several inches farther from the VTx. At that point I was able to get about 70 meters distance, in range test mode, before getting a loss of signal at the Rx. I just want to optimize everything I can to avoid any issues. Any suggestions are very welcome.
"it's easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled."
Cheers!
Cheers!
- Rob Thomson
- Site Admin
- Posts: 4543
- Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:34 am
- Country: United Kingdom
- Location: Albury, Guildford
- Contact:
Re: Antenna mod
Not really sure you will get the answer here - much better suited to ask on fpvlab?
It sounds to me like you have some sort of frequency interplay - I guess thats why with fpv its all about 'separation' to avoid problems!
It sounds to me like you have some sort of frequency interplay - I guess thats why with fpv its all about 'separation' to avoid problems!
Slope Soaring, FPV, and pretty much anything 'high tech'
...........if you think it should be in the wiki.. ask me for wiki access, then go add it!
...........if you think it should be in the wiki.. ask me for wiki access, then go add it!
Re: Antenna mod
I wonder what the transmitter output power is, and if it can be changed or is changed to the different regions. Using the patch antenna in the UK would probably take you above the legal limit of 100mW ERP....Rob Thomson wrote:It gives the option of using a 5dbi omni, or a 7dbi patch.
On the original D8 receivers the 'whisker' was/is set to 33mm which is about 3mm too long, which would lead to a shorter range. Has this been corrected with the new RX's or the PCB aerials?Rob Thomson wrote:To be fair - the stock antenna goes a long way if you set your receiver up right
I am waiting on the delivery (hopefully on Friday) of a nice little unit which will make answering the above questions a simple process, along with helping me construct/modify aerials with some confidence. ----> http://www.rigexpert.com/index?s=it24
- Tr3TopFlyer
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Mon Feb 10, 2014 1:07 pm
- Country: -
- Location: Columbus Ohio
Re: Antenna mod
How is that different from an RC Explorer?
"it's easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled."
Cheers!
Cheers!
Re: Antenna mod
The Rigexpert IT24 arrived today. So some quick tests made.. The 'normal' aerial (2dB) was checked, in fact three of them from Frsky were checked and found to have an SWR of 2.2:1 and it dipped lower at a higher frequency. Adding a bit to the 'whisker' to make the overall length of it to be 25.7mm dropped the SWR down to 1.09:1 along with centring it to 2440/30 Mhz which seems to be the centre of the band that the Frsky TX module seems to use. The aerial cover makes a substantial difference to the SWR and the 'whisker was cut to allow for this. Without the cover, the 'whisker' would be nearer to 29mm to achieve the same result.
All of the above has a bearing on the way that the receiver aerials are constructed and the fact that the 33mm 'whisker' on some of the Frsky receivers are way off from what they should be, which is another topic for another thread in the pub at a future date I reckon.
The Frsky 5dB aerial was pretty good as its SWR at 2430 Mhz was 1.7:1 and the Frsky 7dB patch was even better at 1.45:1. Both aerials were roughly central for the frequency range we use as to the lowest SWR.
I would love to know how the Taranis stacks up with regard to power output. Maybe we should meet up with your TX and my Rigexpert in hand Rob.
All of the above has a bearing on the way that the receiver aerials are constructed and the fact that the 33mm 'whisker' on some of the Frsky receivers are way off from what they should be, which is another topic for another thread in the pub at a future date I reckon.
The Frsky 5dB aerial was pretty good as its SWR at 2430 Mhz was 1.7:1 and the Frsky 7dB patch was even better at 1.45:1. Both aerials were roughly central for the frequency range we use as to the lowest SWR.
Taking the Rigexpert as being fairly accurate as I have no other means of checking its power calibration. The Frsky DJT module power output was measured at 25 mW which is lower than what I would have expected. So the use of the 5dB or the 7dB patch antenna would be a good idea in the UK.Flaps 30 wrote:I wonder what the transmitter output power is, and if it can be changed or is changed to the different regions. Using the patch antenna in the UK would probably take you above the legal limit of 100mW ERP.
I would love to know how the Taranis stacks up with regard to power output. Maybe we should meet up with your TX and my Rigexpert in hand Rob.
- Rob Thomson
- Site Admin
- Posts: 4543
- Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:34 am
- Country: United Kingdom
- Location: Albury, Guildford
- Contact:
Re: Antenna mod
Can do - I have two radios.
1 with stock antenna, and one with my mods.
Your only an hour or so from my place.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
1 with stock antenna, and one with my mods.
Your only an hour or so from my place.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
Slope Soaring, FPV, and pretty much anything 'high tech'
...........if you think it should be in the wiki.. ask me for wiki access, then go add it!
...........if you think it should be in the wiki.. ask me for wiki access, then go add it!
Re: Antenna mod
This might be interesting for you - I got myself an It-24 and spend today some time checking the measurement results against a professional spectrum analyzer. See attachment. Everything looks good (considering it's low price tag). As long as the SWR is low it's quite precise. Peak power measurements also seem to make sense. It's build on top of the CC2500 + CC2591 btw, just like the Frsky stuff.Flaps 30 wrote: I am waiting on the delivery (hopefully on Friday) of a nice little unit which will make answering the above questions a simple process, along with helping me construct/modify aerials with some confidence. ----> http://www.rigexpert.com/index?s=it24
The +5dB gain setting in the spectrum analyser mode is broken btw, make sure you don't use it when graphing or you will see nothing but noise. The graphs looked strange and I asked the manufacturer - gain setting will disappear in the next fw-version.
- Attachments
-
- IT24 vs FSH3.pdf
- (264.94 KiB) Downloaded 271 times
Re: Antenna mod
Nice work there Spainman
It certainly was of interest. Some of what you have done is also verified this end, although I didn't check out the +6dB setting so I will not use it. Seems like that chipset is getting around a lot.
It certainly was of interest. Some of what you have done is also verified this end, although I didn't check out the +6dB setting so I will not use it. Seems like that chipset is getting around a lot.