Hi All.   So I was flying in open farm land with no power lines  no tall trees etc...but I could not get more than 120 meters... I am using a windsurfer ..It would just loose signal
then RTH ..but once it started that I got control back...if I tried to fly further the about 2 meters on again RTH...ai so any ideas....on the flight log it showed lots of WiFi reconnect ....btw video was perfect no issues there so it was just the 5.8ghz ...

Try  flying in a different field. Maybe there is something buried there you can't see.

Underground pipes, transmission lines. Hidden treasure. ;-)


RedHotPoker

Do you get the same issue with the windsurfer removed?  The windsurfer effectively turns your omni-directional antenna into a uni-directional one. Keeping the controller facing the drone becomes crucial when you have one installed.

Maybe their is a broken antannae ? Try taking of the windsurfer. Trial and error, Oh and maybe their is a airport in range. Or you in beginners mode (not likely) just a thought. Reinstall the app. But what im saying go though all the possibilities . Even the controller might have a problem or the antenna  on the drone might be cracked?

Hi.
Did you do the IMU calibration?
If not test it and see if it works.
Have a great day!

Know that the 5.8 is your stick antenna.  Know that the 2.4 wifi is your FPV.  Know that the 2.4 wifi antennas are patch antennas hidden inside the controller and facing directly in front of you if your controller is horizontal to the ground.  So position stick antenna straight up and then tilt controller appropriately so as to aim for best connections.  Try that without the windsurfer.  Then when you think you have that down, consider the windsurfer.  However, know that the windsurfer will do nothing for your 2.4 FPV and it could make matters worse since your 5.8 control signal should already have further range than your 2.4 FPV anyway - without the windsurfer.

Good luck

Hi Kevin, it is recommended to change to another open place to check the range. Please remove the windsurfer and adjust the antennas direction to see whether it helps.

BTW, please enable the airplane mode and disable the Bluetooth during the testing.

DJI Susan Posted at 2018-4-8 22:20
Hi Kevin, it is recommended to change to another open place to check the range. Please remove the windsurfer and adjust the antennas direction to see whether it helps.

BTW, please enable the airplane mode and disable the Bluetooth during the testing.

Hi Susan

My mobile device was in airplane mode and had no other apps running ... I tried in other open places and without the windsurfer and did  all the other suggestions but still it looses signal @ +/-120m and RTH .. Video feed 100%... I get control but very quickly but still cant go further than +/-120m . My max Height is not more than 60m  

The P3S is notorious for sometimes having a short range.  Terrain and wifi interference are mostly the culprits.

If your using an Android device, be sure that the app has been forced closed in the settings/app screen. Any other apps for flight on same device as well.
Also, make sure no other wifi enabled devices are near such as tablets, other cell phones. If the were ever connected to your p3, they may be connecting to your p3 wifi at same time as your flight device(phone/tablet), causing severe degradation p3 signals. found out the hard way.

stuka75 Posted at 2018-4-9 09:45
If your using an Android device, be sure that the app has been forced closed in the settings/app screen. Any other apps for flight on same device as well.
Also, make sure no other wifi enabled devices are near such as tablets, other cell phones. If the were ever connected to your p3, they may be connecting to your p3 wifi at same time as your flight device(phone/tablet), causing severe degradation p3 signals. found out the hard way.

Hi   I don't have any other devices nearby ... I have tried all the advice and read many treads on the topic but still not more than+/- 120m.  It is only the 5.8 GHz( control) as the Video is fine no problems there. How can I test if there is something @ fault with either the RC or AC ??...

kevin watkyns Posted at 2018-4-9 05:43
Hi Susan

My mobile device was in airplane mode and had no other apps running ... I tried in other open places and without the windsurfer and did  all the other suggestions but still it looses signal @ +/-120m and RTH .. Video feed 100%... I get control but very quickly but still cant go further than +/-120m . My max Height is not more than 60m

Thanks for the clarification. In this kind of situation, you may consider sending the aircraft end RC in for diagnosis: https://www.dji.com/support

hi I saw on a forum that there is a chip that might go faulty on the 5.8ghz module.that is on the main board....how can I test it

Dang, Been away awhile. Updated my P3S controller over the winter with a 2.4/5.6 range extender...What's windsurfer?

opps...   Update 5.8

sSkyPilot Posted at 2018-4-10 17:00
Dang, Been away awhile. Updated my P3S controller over the winter with a 2.4/5.6 range extender...What's windsurfer?

the Windsurfer is a cheap "range extender" which slides over the antenna to give a more directional and "stronger" signal.  

The chip that I am talking about seems to control the signal between the 2 antenna on the Drone its self ... what the forums are saying is that it overheats and shorts out so basically it is a high resistance. to the 5.8 GHZ coming into the drone therefore the short range ........Does DJI have any Comment ???      

KevinP3S Posted at 2018-4-9 21:00
Hi   I don't have any other devices nearby ... I have tried all the advice and read many treads on the topic but still not more than+/- 120m.  It is only the 5.8 GHz( control) as the Video is fine no problems there. How can I test if there is something @ fault with either the RC or AC ??...

I don't understand this post.

In the op you wrote:  ....on the flight log it showed lots of WiFi reconnect ....

But on the above post your wrote:

It is only the 5.8 GHz( control) as the Video is fine no problems

I don't understand you how conclude that it is only 5.8 while at the same time you say the wifi has "lots of reconnect"

Mark The Droner Posted at 2018-4-12 02:15
I don't understand this post.

In the op you wrote:  ....on the flight log it showed lots of WiFi reconnect ....

I assumed it was the 5.8Ghz  WiFi due to the fact that the video showed no loss or lag on my Device. Therefore  the only signal that seemed to be disconnecting was the 5.8Ghz ....  due it RTH mode kicking in due to loss of signal.... I hope that clears it up for u ..... I don't have any other issues with the P3S but the very short range on the control side ...  120m max then RTH due to loss of signal

Okay - but on the P3S there is no 5.8Ghz wifi.  There is only 2.4 ghz wifi.  

So apparently when you said "on the flight log it showed lots of wifi reconnect" what you meant to say was "on the flight log it showed lots of control signal reconnect"

It doesn't make sense that your 5.8 goes out before your 2.4  Either you're not bending, positioning, and aiming the stick antenna correctly on your controller, or you have some sort of technical problem with the 5.8.  


This is how NOT to position your P3S antenna...




This is how you correctly position your P3S antenna

Mark The Droner Posted at 2018-4-12 04:52
Okay - but on the P3S there is no 5.8Ghz wifi.  There is only 2.4 ghz wifi.  

So apparently when you said "on the flight log it showed lots of wifi reconnect" what you meant to say was "on the flight log it showed lots of control signal reconnect"

As far as I know ... the Video and GO app info works on 2.4GHZ and the RC (stick control) works on 5.8 GHZ with Phantom 3 Standard ... as there are 2 sets of Antenna on the RC 2 "flat" internal (2.4) and 1 Omni external (5.8)   

Yes, that's right.  We like to call those little flat antennas "patch antennas."  

Mark The Droner Posted at 2018-4-12 04:52
Okay - but on the P3S there is no 5.8Ghz wifi.  There is only 2.4 ghz wifi.  

So apparently when you said "on the flight log it showed lots of wifi reconnect" what you meant to say was "on the flight log it showed lots of control signal reconnect"

I do have the antenna correct .. I figured that its technical/hardware issue but 1) the P3S is out of warranty and 2) as I am in SA there is no DJI shops near me so I am trying to sort out the issue without having to pay for postage etc  

Range extenders? My p3s has bad range too, I am thinking about an extender for it.

kevin watkyns Posted at 2018-4-12 06:16
I do have the antenna correct .. I figured that its technical/hardware issue but 1) the P3S is out of warranty and 2) as I am in SA there is no DJI shops near me so I am trying to sort out the issue without having to pay for postage etc

If the warranty has run out, then you must have experience with this AC.  Did it always have this problem or is the problem new?

glaive010-sp Posted at 2018-4-15 10:25
Range extenders? My p3s has bad range too, I am thinking about an extender for it.

If you have a range problem, it's usually best to identify and solve that problem than to mask it with a so-called "range extender."

Mark The Droner Posted at 2018-4-15 10:37
If you have a range problem, it's usually best to identify and solve that problem than to mask it with a so-called "range extender."

There is no problem with mine. DJI already confirmed that. When I say short range I'm comparing it to my friends Mavic pro which will go way farther.

The Mavic RC sends the control signal mostly with 2.4 GHz and the feed comes with Occusync for long distances or with WIFI for short distances. 2.4GHz  signal is stronger than 5.8 GHz signal with the same sending power.

glaive010-sp Posted at 2018-4-15 10:41
There is no problem with mine. DJI already confirmed that. When I say short range I'm comparing it to my friends Mavic pro which will go way farther.

Haha ok - this thread should give you some ideas ...

https://phantompilots.com/thread ... stance-tests.72014/

Mark The Droner Posted at 2018-4-15 11:43
Haha ok - this thread should give you some ideas ...

https://phantompilots.com/threads/this-is-gonna-be-fun-distance-tests.72014/

Ok. I'll take a look. Thanks

Mark The Droner Posted at 2018-4-15 10:34
If the warranty has run out, then you must have experience with this AC.  Did it always have this problem or is the problem new?

@ Mark its a second AC since  December was in beginners mode for the first few flights its only now that I am getting use to it I am trying to fly greater distances  .... I have read "most" of the threads (there are lots ) and tried most of the solutions and still no joy ... the only " solution " now that I have not tried is the 5.8GHZ chip one ... but as it involves working on the main board I am trying to get as much info as possible .  

I've never heard of the "5.8ghz chip" one, but then again, I don't have a P3S.

I've looked at P3S photos though, and I see the 5.8 antenna connection on the board of the P3S is held differently than on the P2V+.  The silicone doesn't completely encapsulate the connection as it does the p2V+ (i.e. black goo of death0.  



That makes it easier to remove the cable, but it would also allow air to get in which could cause oxidation on the copper pin which could then dilute the connection.  I've learned this can happen the hard way because I've experienced it myself.  If that is what is causing your problem, you could remove that ufl cable and then clean those tiny stems.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DeoxIT- ... Wipes-/281463470106




Obviously you could do the same with your controller antenna connection as well - especially if they're exposed to air.

Be careful you don't damage the board or the cable when you cut through the silicone.  Know you must lift that ufl head straight up or you risk damaging the part as it is attached to the board.  Needle nose pliers works nicely - grab it head on, wriggle it left and right just a bit so you know it's loose and then pull it straight up.  

It's possible this would solve your problem.  It has worked for me when I've had range problems come up out of the blue for no apparent reason.

Good luck

this is the chip i am talking about and the fix people are doing

Oh yeah I saw that on the other forum.  What I don't like about that plan is it disables one of your two receiving antennas, perhaps unnecessarily.  

Mark The Droner Posted at 2018-4-16 13:40
Oh yeah I saw that on the other forum.  What I don't like about that plan is it disables one of your two receiving antennas, perhaps unnecessarily.

Yes, that component would appear to be the diversity switch, which means by performing a bypass, only one antenna would be used.

Yes that seems that is the case that now only 1 antenna would be active but by attaching  a new high gain Omni directional antenna to the rear ( most of the time the drone facing away from u )that will help . If what they say in the forums that the "Diversity Switch chip " does overheat and short-circuit under certain conditions this is a "cheap " repair for Phantoms out of warranty and easier than replacing the full main board  or sending it into DJI. But I wish there was a test I/we could do to check the chip first as the test they explain does not make sense to me

The chip overheats???  Oh, that's great.  Does that mean only one antenna will work and it won't switch?  Or no antenna will work...?  

If only one antenna worked - the front one - you could fly it backwards... Haha

Good luck

Mark The Droner Posted at 2018-4-17 02:22
The chip overheats???  Oh, that's great.  Does that mean only one antenna will work and it won't switch?  Or no antenna will work...?  

If only one antenna worked - the front one - you could fly it backwards... Haha

the chip short-circuits and caused a high resistance to the Antenna's so therefore a short range on both antenna

I see.  Good luck.  

thanks....well keep u posted