I made this Range Extender and it Works good too!!!

Tommy Drone · Jun 10, 2017

Ok so where I am, the range is not good.
It cuts out past 200 feet

I think because there is a lot of interference where I live.
So I made my own range extender, and I think it works good too! It really works

I can't at this time test it to see just how good, But if you have a plastic 10 dollar curved range extender now, can you also compare it to a CD or make it yourself and tell us what you found? I think this set up really works. Try it yourself.

dchao · Jun 10, 2017

As long as you never connect a smartphone or tablet for FPV, your ingenuous invention will work. Because your home-made wind surfer is actually blocking the 2.4gGHz downlink receiver antennas (which are located inside the RC).

magicj23 · Jun 10, 2017

dchao said:
As long as you never connect a smartphone or tablet for FPV, your ingenuous invention will work. Because your home-made wind surfer is actually blocking the 2.4gGHz downlink receiver antennas (which are located inside the RC).

lol

Tommy Drone · Jun 12, 2017

dchao said:
As long as you never connect a smartphone or tablet for FPV, your ingenuous invention will work. Because your home-made wind surfer is actually blocking the 2.4gGHz downlink receiver antennas (which are located inside the RC).

Ok based on what you just explained and it is true, that would mean that the other range extenders we see on the market that sell for like 10 dollars are all useless too. Yet there are youtube videos that seem to show that they work. Ok so what about the CD? I would expect the CD would work because the Wifi and Video antennas inside the controller are not blocked from the signal, and the center controller antenna would have it's signal bounced forward with a CD behind it. So do you agree the CD would help a little? For me I found it does help. I'm going to test further.

dchao · Jun 13, 2017

The bottom of the aftermarket windsurfer is resting on the tx antenna, which means the ceramic patch antennas are still unblock. (maybe partially blocked, ~20%). Your CD / Alu foil is completely blocking the antennas. Not good!

Tommy Drone · Jun 13, 2017

That makes sense, thanks, ok so I tested it today and while what you said is right, I promise you it works. However, I think the reason it works for me is because three antenna's l wifi, video, and control So far my max range was 500 ft with just the antenna alone, when I did the CD I got over 600 ft and when I put my home made plate on it went over 1200 ft. Now the stock is should hit up to 3000 feet plus but where I am that is no where close (DC). So I'm guessing the controller antenna maybe the weakest I don't know. Ok dude, thanks for you thoughts. I went to the store and I found a little foil bread pan and a small chicken Pot Pie foil plate too. I'm betting they may work good. I'm going to try them and make a video and share what I find. Peace, TD

charliesRig · Jun 17, 2017

I live in a edge of a ditch filled with water and lots and lots of tree when I first flown my Mavic I would max out at around 4000ft @600 ft height
I bought the cheep plastic reflective (gold foil) cups that slide down atenna

My range today is around 7400ft @700 ft height
Stand about 100 yard from the water filled ditch surrounded by trees
.......c
.

UpLift Aerial · Jun 17, 2017

I've seen ones made out of pop cans. (P3A/P)

N017RW · Jun 17, 2017

There is science (physics) behind the parabolic reflectors.
However gain can be achieved in simpler ways but not as effectively as using parabolas.

len750 · Jun 17, 2017

N017RW said:
There is science (physics) behind the parabolic reflectors.
However gain can be achieved in simpler ways but not as effectively as using parabolas.

Which idea would you recommend NO1? I'm flying P4 pro. Ready to make some (or order some).

N017RW · Jun 17, 2017

len750 said:
Which idea would you recommend NO1? I'm flying P4 pro. Ready to make some (or order some).

I don't have a P4P but if you want to use reflectors and they're applicable go with parabolas. It's science!

dchao · Jun 18, 2017

Science??
I would call it a parabolic shield, a true parabolic reflector has the feed antenna only faces the reflector (look at your satellite dish), so there is no direct wave arriving from the source. If you have both direct wave and reflective wave arriving at the same time, due to the difference in travel distance, they will be out of phase, so it'll just come out as noise.
This is why, OP's CD can also work as a simple "shield"
Parabolic antenna - Wikipedia

N017RW · Jun 18, 2017

Using the term parabolic reflector or mirror (since we're talking photons here) better describes their purpose or results better than shield which, to me, implies blocking, impeding, or similar.
The descriptor 'dish' is a type of parabolic mirror and not an exclusive description.

You are correct in your understanding of phase and wave summation effects but the experience of hundreds, if not dozens, of Phantom pilots would seem to contradict your assertion that imperfect applications of parabolas are not effective and result in noise. There would be some phase attributed degradation but the benefits outweigh this or no parabola at all. Also the simple reflector from CD, pie tin, or whatever would also induce the same phase errors.

These reflectors/mirrors are constructed to form a focal plane which coincides (and works well) with the folded or otherwise convoluted dipoles used since they are not a point-source radiator.

Again the proof is in the results pilots are experiencing which can be described by the science.