Spark range test ...Fpvlr antenna vs stock with reflector

Vako · Aug 2, 2018

Here the video and the result ....same place , same day,same android mobile phone

pmshop · Aug 2, 2018

Vako said:
Here the video and the result ....same place , same day,same android mobile phone

That's crazy the $60 is worse than stock with reflectors

webvan · Aug 2, 2018

Interesting, might be something wrong with these antennas, did you show this to the seller ?

I never got that kind of range with the reflector, more like 2, is it the small foldable one that fits on the antennas ?

BrandonW77 · Aug 2, 2018

pmshop said:
That's crazy the $60 is worse than stock with reflectors

Not only is it worse, it's more than 50% worse! About 1800 meters with the fpvlr and 3500 meters (2.2 miles!) with the reflectors. And.....the fpvlr is almost 15x the price of those simple reflectors. Crazy.

DameEdnaBrown · Aug 2, 2018

I take it the fpvlr is not an active antenna, that is, its got 2 metal plates inside that connect to the rc's antenna points so it doesn't have an RF amplifier inside it.

NRRTRAINS · Aug 2, 2018

only 6 or 7 sat's am i seeing that and how is this not getting a warning from the app .

pmshop · Aug 2, 2018

NRRTRAINS said:
only 6 or 7 sat's am i seeing that and how is this not getting a warning from the app .

Obviously 16 or 17 sats ('1' hidden by the sat icon)

NRRTRAINS · Aug 2, 2018

pmshop said:
Obviously 16 or 17 sats ('1' hidden by the sat icon)

you are most likely correct i did see full bars .for kicks i went back and looked and i could not see the one . i'm glad i't not my screen.

WinterRanger · Aug 3, 2018

Where did you get the reflectors from? Just the stuff you see on eBay?

webvan · Aug 3, 2018

Yeah I already asked about that yesterday, would like to know.

Vako · Aug 3, 2018

WinterRanger said:
Where did you get the reflectors from? Just the stuff you see on eBay?

from baggood the black , but you can find them and on ebay

SPARKY@63 · Aug 3, 2018

You can order from Droneworld S.A. THEY GOT IN STOCK FOR R256.00 cheap

Brojon · Aug 3, 2018

I make a pest out of myself by regularly pointing out that likely most of the boosted antennas are snake oil.
My minor was electronic engineering and I've been trained in radio and microwave.
Not one of these outfits publishes even a minimum of information to be taken seriously.
One even proudly told me they don't need to publish any stinkin specs - they rely on word of mouth from their customers.
Now - explain to me how you DON'T have any gain figures if you're claiming to improve on stock?
They don't even have antenna patterns.
So how do you know that their claims are valid? You don't.
Truth is most of their success I suspect is simple cognitive dissonance on the buyers part - I spent $250 so of course my distance must be greater - right?
Here's some facts:
By law they can't sell anything that violates FCC regs.
In the US all Dji products are at the max according to FCC specs.
Best they can hope for is to improve directionality.
Most claim to have planar panels but absolutely no way to adjust or test matching impedance.
Impedance matching is crucial to antenna performance and each of those connectors and extended pigtails connecting the antennas represent losses. There's a reason those feeds are short and to the point in the controllers.
Some units have boosters and batteries in them.
The highest power you can get legally is 4 watts. If the controller only put out 1 watt this would represent only a 3 dbi gain - assuming that the power in was sufficient to drive it to full power (remember those losses above?)
I have repeatedly asked for these folks to provide test measurements and I've been ignored.
I maintain that if you make claims you should have data to back it up.
At least the parabolic reflectors have some science to back them up.
If anyone would like to experiment with directional antennas I would suggest you look up making your own biquad antennas.
Here's a simple 2.4 ghz biquad. You can make two side by side for the Dji controllers.
I've seen plans and you should get around 10 dbi improvement from the directionality of the antenna. Of course this also means you have to be careful in positioning.

Vako · Aug 3, 2018

Brojon said:
I make a pest out of myself by regularly pointing out that likely most of the boosted antennas are snake oil.
My minor was electronic engineering and I've been trained in radio and microwave.
Not one of these outfits publishes even a minimum of information to be taken seriously.
One even proudly told me they don't need to publish any stinkin specs - they rely on word of mouth from their customers.
Now - explain to me how you DON'T have any gain figures if you're claiming to improve on stock?
They don't even have antenna patterns.
So how do you know that their claims are valid? You don't.
Truth is most of their success I suspect is simple cognitive dissonance on the buyers part - I spent $250 so of course my distance must be greater - right?
Here's some facts:
By law they can't sell anything that violates FCC regs.
In the US all Dji products are at the max according to FCC specs.
Best they can hope for is to improve directionality.
Most claim to have planar panels but absolutely no way to adjust or test matching impedance.
Impedance matching is crucial to antenna performance and each of those connectors and extended pigtails connecting the antennas represent losses. There's a reason those feeds are short and to the point in the controllers.
Some units have boosters and batteries in them.
The highest power you can get legally is 4 watts. If the controller only put out 1 watt this would represent only a 3 dbi gain - assuming that the power in was sufficient to drive it to full power (remember those losses above?)
I have repeatedly asked for these folks to provide test measurements and I've been ignored.
I maintain that if you make claims you should have data to back it up.
At least the parabolic reflectors have some science to back them up.
If anyone would like to experiment with directional antennas I would suggest you look up making your own biquad antennas.
Here's a simple 2.4 ghz biquad. You can make two side by side for the Dji controllers.
I've seen plans and you should get around 10 dbi improvement from the directionality of the antenna. Of course this also means you have to be careful in positioning.

Dear friend. There are some of what you say are right. I mowed the antennas as a consumer and not as an expert. Both antennas are in my hands and advertised exactly as I tried them. They have been installed and used very well and specifically or as accurately as the manufacturer told me. Both the fpvlr and the reflectors promise and advertise that they have an increase in the range exactly as they do, so I tested them ... Those who make them have to prove some things not me.
Friendly

Brojon · Aug 3, 2018

Vako said:
Dear friend. There are some of what you say are right. I mowed the antennas as a consumer and not as an expert. Both antennas are in my hands and advertised exactly as I tried them. They have been installed and used very well and specifically or as accurately as the manufacturer told me. Both the fpvlr and the reflectors promise and advertise that they have an increase in the range exactly as they do, so I tested them ... Those who make them have to prove some things not me.
Friendly

Don't take it personally. I was merely commenting so other folks can make informed decisions.
If someone buys one of these aftermarket "boosters" after they've read what I have to say - well, they made a decision for better or worse. If you'd known what I had to say would you have bought them?

Leskent · Aug 4, 2018

Brojon said:
I make a pest out of myself by regularly pointing out that likely most of the boosted antennas are snake oil.
My minor was electronic engineering and I've been trained in radio and microwave.
Not one of these outfits publishes even a minimum of information to be taken seriously.
One even proudly told me they don't need to publish any stinkin specs - they rely on word of mouth from their customers.
Now - explain to me how you DON'T have any gain figures if you're claiming to improve on stock?
They don't even have antenna patterns.
So how do you know that their claims are valid? You don't.
Truth is most of their success I suspect is simple cognitive dissonance on the buyers part - I spent $250 so of course my distance must be greater - right?
Here's some facts:
By law they can't sell anything that violates FCC regs.
In the US all Dji products are at the max according to FCC specs.
Best they can hope for is to improve directionality.
Most claim to have planar panels but absolutely no way to adjust or test matching impedance.
Impedance matching is crucial to antenna performance and each of those connectors and extended pigtails connecting the antennas represent losses. There's a reason those feeds are short and to the point in the controllers.
Some units have boosters and batteries in them.
The highest power you can get legally is 4 watts. If the controller only put out 1 watt this would represent only a 3 dbi gain - assuming that the power in was sufficient to drive it to full power (remember those losses above?)
I have repeatedly asked for these folks to provide test measurements and I've been ignored.
I maintain that if you make claims you should have data to back it up.
At least the parabolic reflectors have some science to back them up.
If anyone would like to experiment with directional antennas I would suggest you look up making your own biquad antennas.
Here's a simple 2.4 ghz biquad. You can make two side by side for the Dji controllers.
I've seen plans and you should get around 10 dbi improvement from the directionality of the antenna. Of course this also means you have to be careful in positioning.

Very informative thanks

Matty J · Aug 4, 2018

Brojon said:
I make a pest out of myself by regularly pointing out that likely most of the boosted antennas are snake oil.
My minor was electronic engineering and I've been trained in radio and microwave.
Not one of these outfits publishes even a minimum of information to be taken seriously.
One even proudly told me they don't need to publish any stinkin specs - they rely on word of mouth from their customers.
Now - explain to me how you DON'T have any gain figures if you're claiming to improve on stock?
They don't even have antenna patterns.
So how do you know that their claims are valid? You don't.
Truth is most of their success I suspect is simple cognitive dissonance on the buyers part - I spent $250 so of course my distance must be greater - right?
Here's some facts:
By law they can't sell anything that violates FCC regs.
In the US all Dji products are at the max according to FCC specs.
Best they can hope for is to improve directionality.
Most claim to have planar panels but absolutely no way to adjust or test matching impedance.
Impedance matching is crucial to antenna performance and each of those connectors and extended pigtails connecting the antennas represent losses. There's a reason those feeds are short and to the point in the controllers.
Some units have boosters and batteries in them.
The highest power you can get legally is 4 watts. If the controller only put out 1 watt this would represent only a 3 dbi gain - assuming that the power in was sufficient to drive it to full power (remember those losses above?)
I have repeatedly asked for these folks to provide test measurements and I've been ignored.
I maintain that if you make claims you should have data to back it up.
At least the parabolic reflectors have some science to back them up.
If anyone would like to experiment with directional antennas I would suggest you look up making your own biquad antennas.
Here's a simple 2.4 ghz biquad. You can make two side by side for the Dji controllers.
I've seen plans and you should get around 10 dbi improvement from the directionality of the antenna. Of course this also means you have to be careful in positioning.

So save your money and stick with stock or at most parabolic?

Brojon · Aug 4, 2018

Matty J said:
So save your money and stick with stock or at most parabolic?

I've actually tested some of the parabolics with mixed results. I have one for my Phantom 4 that actually gives me consistently better range - maybe another 500-800 feet through trees and such.
I have yet to find one for the Mavic that doesn't actually *hurt* performance.
The Phantoms have a much larger remote and as such the antennas are literally twice as long as the Mavic or Spark's antenna and I suspect this is the reason for them being more amenable to parabolic focusing.
Now just to clarify I'm not saying boosted planar antennas are junk - what I said was not one of these people are willing to provide test results.
Without test results you have no idea what you're buying nor any clue whether any effort was made to optimize their operation. The thing that concerns me is that if the mismatch between the internal transmitter and antenna is severe enough it can damage the transmitter. Poor design can also result in spurious emissions outside the band which reduces your power and causes interference.
They may well help somewhat but I'm *very* skeptical of the extreme claims - remember Dji claims much greater range than they can actually deliver too

Marketing y'all.