WiFi analyser is a app all Spark owners should have.

[Gavieboydgi]

I keep seeing people asking why their video downlink is really bad.
And I always use a WiFi analyser before I set up my Drone and find out which channel and what band 2.4 or 5.8 is best to use where I'm stood, and I've never had problems since I've done it my downlink is always silky smooth and I never get interference as much now.
Here's the Android app I use.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer

This app shows me what is the best channel and I go into the go4 app WiFi settings and take it out of auto and pick that best channel.

 

[lmel2005]

Great app, but how we are sure, that the channel we choose where we stand, will not be congested 300m away?

 

[Mike Brown]

That looks like a great idea. Has anyone any idea for one that will work on a iPhone. All of those I have found do not seem to have this functionality.

 

[Northwood Mediaworks]

Great app, but how we are sure, that the channel we choose where we stand, will not be congested 300m away?

Very good point. Of course, depends on where you fly too... but in urban areas I would opt for 5.8 but you are still going to find lots of congestion in those frequencies also.

 

[Northwood Mediaworks]

Check the best WiFi analyzer apps for iOS I am reading through that...

**update - Ya, seems like there is nothing quite the same as that Android app so far, however the Spark itself will tell you which are the best channels at take off location.

 

[suprPHREAK]

Used to use this app at work, when looking for unsecure wifi connections. Great app!

 

[Gavieboydgi]

Used to use this app at work, when looking for unsecure wifi connections. Great app!

I always use it and my video downlink is always smooth as butter. I make sure that that I check where my spark is going to be flying which WiFi is being broadcast and the best channel to use then I check exactly where I'm taking off from and then I choose witch channel and if to use 5.8 or 2.4 ghz. It's always made my downlink perfect.

 

[quad]

there is a usable wifi activity viewer in the go4 application. there are all sorts of 2.8 signals around where but there is always a clear channel to use. if i was flying in a city or even an area within a cluster of houses i would opt to use 5.4.

 

[lmel2005]

Very good point. Of course, depends on where you fly too... but in urban areas I would opt for 5.8 but you are still going to find lots of congestion in those frequencies also.

My spark always chooses by default 5.8g.

The problem is that in CE mode, range in 5.8g is terrible. Not more than 200-250 m in real world.
It means, spark disconnects easily, even in short distance.

I use FCC hack to solve this.

As for channel selection, I leave it to AUTO, and the best channel (with less interference) is selected every time.

Note that this "best channel selection" is a function required in CE or FCC regulations, for all devices using WiFi channels.

So, I think there is no need for manual selection, except for the case of forced using a different band (eg 5.8g was auto selection, and we want to switch to 2.4g).
In this case, we can use the channel analyser of go4 app.

Anyway, I like this application, because it presents channel use in detail, with SSID and signal strength.
Nice work.

 

[netfolks2000]

My spark always chooses by default 5.8g.

The problem is that in CE mode, range in 5.8g is terrible. Not more than 200-250 m in real world.
It means, spark disconnects easily, even in short distance.

I use FCC hack to solve this.

As for channel selection, I leave it to AUTO, and the best channel (with less interference) is selected every time.

Note that this "best channel selection" is a function required in CE or FCC regulations, for all devices using WiFi channels.

So, I think there is no need for manual selection, except for the case of forced using a different band (eg 5.8g was auto selection, and we want to switch to 2.4g).
In this case, we can use the channel analyser of go4 app.

Anyway, I like this application, because it presents channel use in detail, with SSID and signal strength.
Nice work.

I think I'd leave it on AUTO also. As a previous commentor said, when you fly up and far, conditions change especially since WiFi signals are short range. I think I'd trust the Spark to pick its own frequency over my manual choice based just on where I'm perched to fly.

 

[Locutus40]

people say wifi.. 2,4 is not just wifi.. wifi is a protocol.. and a power rating.. ie 500 mill amps.. 2.4 my spectrum does 2.4 and goes far... and 5.8 wifi lol 5.8 is just normal for all fpvs out there..

whats bad is the 2.4 dji uses is solid meaning it does not skip around .. like spectrum uses frequency hopping and the other transmitters use fsss spread spektrtum thats what we need.. sure the spark sends out 1 watt of 2.4 but fixed.... and say 300 mah of 5.8
and the remote is 2 watts 2.4 but its fixed..

so like spectrum and that other brand they need to add spread spectrum hopping meaning nothing interferes....

your wifi at home goes 75 feet max why its only 500 mah.. not even a watt maybe 100 mah and the antenna and its not hopping.. 2.4 is saturated thats why we hobbyist use ham like 400 mhz long range kits on our fliers or hopping.. so dont fly low fly high and away from wifi homes etc.........

dji wont do this fsss stuff because 2 companies are priority patted it... but i see Chinese cheap rc cars with fsss names something else.. so i think its just a lie or dji is just to lazy to put it in.....

dji is not open source.. and i hate that.. i can build a drone same size that will do 20 miles and fpv for far less than a dji drone... and is freq hopping.....

but dji is about looks and the name.. hence apple products make a product look sexy name all that it can do and holly ****.. sell to the simpleton idiot that buys it... when you can take your time build your own and blow away them also 3rd robotics made drones longgggg before dji and they had return to home and where open source... mission planner let you change everything.. now its closed why they got money hungry..

so you see small drones on the market you can use open source firmware etc get those.. build a gps drone... dji is fun when you want simple and fast stuff..... meaning oh crap i need to replace a motor or speed controller dji is relaiblity is all folks and sexy and well the devil lol

 

[Brojon]

dji is not open source.. and i hate that.. i can build a drone same size that will do 20 miles and fpv for far less than a dji drone... and is freq hopping.....

Not without an Amateur Radio license. Long range for FPV is using Crossfire and the like which work at 900 Mhz which used to be a cordless phone frequency. Won't be long before they crack down on the abuse. Then even with one of the more powerful transmitters out there you're not going to get much more range than a Dji Spark - same rules apply to control frequencies.

 

[Locutus40]

Not without an Amateur Radio license. Long range for FPV is using Crossfire and the like which work at 900 Mhz which used to be a cordless phone frequency. Won't be long before they crack down on the abuse. Then even with one of the more powerful transmitters out there you're not going to get much more range than a Dji Spark - same rules apply to control frequencies.

since when did you ever hear of the fcc aresting or charging anyone with a crime for transmitting on a ham band without a license.. only illegal pirate radio..

why well radio transmitts all the time hence able to track.. there not concerned with a drone flying one time a month for an hour or 2 then maybe never again or 6 months later...

so you can use the long range stuff all you like... just dont use it every hour of every day... its frequencie power and antenna db that get you range..

first dji spark uses wifi well its 2.4 ghz it does not spread spektrum or hop which it should i have a dx8 transmitter that is 100 mw in power with the update to x band and it hops all over the 2.4 no interfiernce ever... so they could if they wanted to its firmware is all alittle firmware update to tell it to do that but they wont or dont care...
what is needed is freq hopping to solve all the problems..

and 5.8 all fpv uses 5.8... what we need are freq that are not used by anyone like 323.5050 mhz im just taking a stab there.. but ive been on scanners that no one ever talks on... the fcc hogs u p all the channels and its bs...... so i say use what you have when you want....

 

[Brojon]

lol - argue argue all you want but it IS illegal to fly 900 Mhz without a FCC Amateur license. That's a fact and all the anarchistic ranting won't change it.
Yes, frequency hopping is a good thing nothing to do with anything tho since Dji doesn't have it. You might as well complain they don't support 8K video. They balance their tech with a target consumer price and capability range. Nothing is free and more capabilities comes at more expense.
My comments were more directed towards the homebrew drone with 20 mile range and FPV. I'd like to see something to back that statement up.

 

[Locutus40]

lol - argue argue all you want but it IS illegal to fly 900 Mhz without a FCC Amateur license. That's a fact and all the anarchistic ranting won't change it.
Yes, frequency hopping is a good thing nothing to do with anything tho since Dji doesn't have it. You might as well complain they don't support 8K video. They balance their tech with a target consumer price and capability range. Nothing is free and more capabilities comes at more expense.
My comments were more directed towards the homebrew drone with 20 mile range and FPV. I'd like to see something to back that statement up.

why are you acting like a child?
seems that way... your one of those omg i have to follow all the rules because uncle sam says to... no buddy.. you dont..... there not concerned with someone flying a drone a hand ful of times in a few months on some ham band....

ok end of story....

the dji line up can use hopping.. every other radio system uot there even the chinese junk radios for rc cars uses fsss hopping they just call it something else..

so dji could to.. and its all firmware not some chip some women back in the day created it.. and the military uses it to some degree... why dji dont use it is a mystery....

now respond and act like im a jerk for breaking rules or telling people its no problem... i came on here to debate not act like kids in a school yard fight....

im to **** old for that

dji could be great but they choose the route of ehhh problem sure ill fix it ill reelease another drone that will fix it... dji does not care about us.. only massive profits theve proven it from the start.... what we need is some genuis hacker to come up with a way to add freq hopping... or mods that mess with transmission power like hardware..

 

[lmel2005]

I would like to see a custom Fw for a DJI drone, copyright free, simple and stable as rock, and all the community to add functionality on that.

 

[legend 2000]

I've had thre best luck with putting my phone cable with an adapter to my remote.

 

[Brojon]

why are you acting like a child?
seems that way... your one of those omg i have to follow all the rules because uncle sam says to... no buddy.. you dont..... there not concerned with someone flying a drone a hand ful of times in a few months on some ham band....

I'd have to say that you're the one acting like a child - wanting to whatever you want with no thought to anyone but yourself. We call those brats where I come from. Of course we see a lot of that today so maybe you think it's normal to be so arrogant and selfish.
The rules and frequency spectrum allocations are there because it would be total chaos otherwise. Of course you probably know very little about it other than whining about how it cramps your style. Me? I'm actually trained in RF and microwaves by the very Uncle Sam you sneer at.