New ArgTek Install

[Elbert Hill]

My range was greatly improved with the Argtek. There's not much to it. Three wires to the antenna connectors on the controller board, and the antennas themselves. Replacing the antenna's with the Alphas would gain you some distance and it would rule out the Argtek antennas as the source of the problem.

If replacing the Argtek antennas with the Alphas doesn't fix the problem, I would then check the connections on the controller board. Take off the antenna leads and make sure that sockets are clean and do not have any silicon or other goo interfering with the connections.

With the Argtec Extender with a P3Pro I made it to a little over 17,000 ft..........only problem is though didn't quite make it back....in one piece ! Between a headwind and some kind of interference I was about 2,000 ft short of making it home.

But I do learn from my stupid mistakes !

 

[Shaw520]

Which Alpha models did you get? Two of the APA-M04 and one of the APA-M25?

Yes
DJI Phantom 3 Standard Quadcopter Drone Alfa RP-SMA Antenna Upgrade Kit - Rokland

 

[Shaw520]

With the Argtec Extender with a P3Pro I made it to a little over 17,000 ft..........only problem is though didn't quite make it back....in one piece ! Between a headwind and some kind of interference I was about 2,000 ft short of making it home.

But I do learn from my stupid mistakes !

Tough way to learn a lesson,.... 17000ft is along way out there,..did you ever determine what the actual cause of crash was ?

 

[LeftHandFlyer]

That's why I mentioned it. The time you put in to do the modifications, as a hobby or not, is worth much more than the parts to do so.
Overall, you will end up paying basically the same price for a lesser aircraft +Parts+time. I get it though, yes tinkering is all well and good, but when it's not needed, nor necessary, the cost outweighs the benefit. That is all I am saying in that regard. I tinker myself at times, but if the technology already exists, ( And this is just from experience) you are wasting your precious time and additional funds to do such that are not needed and will cost you much more than the benefits.

I'm sure my $400 P3S Setup with 5 batteries and argtek is much less for a $800 P3A or a $1000 P3P with 5 batteries.

 

[Fly Dawg]

I'm sure my $400 P3S Setup with 5 batteries and argtek is much less for a $800 P3A or a $1000 P3P with 5 batteries.

This may be true, but you still have a lesser aircraft than what you would have paid for originally. Pro's and Con's for each. It depends on if you want higher quality imagery, or just for fun flying. Personally, I have and will continue to be a VLOS supporter. Extended range means nothing to me other than violation of VLOS. After 3200 feet horizontally, even with cree strobes, VLOS is out the window.