Syma X8 issue using 2W signal amplifier..help?

[RallySoob]

hello fellow quad-heads! I can not get this 2w 5volt 2.4ghz signal amplifier to extend my range, instead it has shortened it a lot when it is turned on; ive exhausted my search efforts

Im desperate for some help so here goes...

The bird is a Syma X8W-v3. I did the antenna mod/upgrade by installing the pigtail for attaching the 6db antenna & i confirmed achieving 1500-2000ft signal range so i did the same thing to the drone itself and got it to go out to 3500-3900ft.

Now i want more range for an fpv setup ide like to try so i got this antenna amplifier off amazon that is advertised as a dji phantom upgrade but in fact its universal to some degree obviously. (I hope lol)
I bought and installed the 5-6v BEC as instructed in the tutorials. Im using a syma x8 battery for now that is attached to the back of the Tx. Its all external mounted for now but the tutorials did mount bec internal fyi

Bec powers up with red light indicator on, signal amp powers on with blue light indicator on... drone flies normal out to about the factory distance or less(250ft'ish) and loses signal until i run towards it to get it back. This occurs with bec set to 5v and also when it is set to 6v. I read 6v is best for this unit

Ive confirmed all the connections are accurate as far as rp-sma and sma adapter location etc it is all good SO it makes me think the problem is not mechanical or whatever but instead something like... maybe im not reaching the minimum signal power output to activate this amplifier? Or is it possible that its made for analog and im using digital? Im clueless when it comes to all that... very new to drones but do have lil rc background

*lights on

Note: the tutorials were not for the x8 but actually a CX20 and phantoms so im wondering if this will not work with the x8 for whatever reason since i cant find a pic or sign of a syma using 1

 

[RallySoob]

This is exact kit i got...

 

[Jackson]

Which antenna are you using?

 

[RallySoob]

The one that came with it broke right away..but i did do a run with it before the guts fell out the base & no good as well ... so im using the trusty 6db antenna's from the antenna mods i did previously. They look the same inside & out even the length. Im assuming any 2.4g antenna will work just fine right? Ive tried my 2.4/5.8 circular polarized mushroom antennas too and no dice

 

[RallySoob]

Note: my range goes from 3500ft+ with amplifier unplugged/off using the same 6db antenna and with the 2w amplifier on/plugged in i get less than normal range using the same antenna, its like x5 range :/

I did ponder the thought of the antenna being some special one made for the amp but from all the info i gather they are universal for most all 2.4g signals but i did read somewhere that another brand 2w signal amp had a minimum mW requirement that the Tx need push out before activating the amp. That would make sense cuz my range is simular to that of having no antenna attached at all wich would be same thing as an amp that wasnt turning on and sending the signal thru the 6db antenna.

 

[RallySoob]

I wish i knew how to test signal strength .. both at the wires and also like a RF readings at distances . Any1 familiar with the tools involved feel free to share

 

[Jackson]

Not much info, but it seems to work.

 

[GJH105775]

I wish i knew how to test signal strength .. both at the wires and also like a RF readings at distances . Any1 familiar with the tools involved feel free to share

The proper tools are generally pretty expensive and if you aren't sure as to what they are I'm sure you don't have them or need to spend the chunk of change to get them. With that said you can do some test with things like RSSI and perhaps a multimeter, though you could assume it were an antenna or signal quality problem.


Smaller antennas can impede the benefits of an amplifier by the carrier wire being too small, however this is mostly for more power than you are talking. You can also see some benefit of using things like a full wave resonance vs half wave resonance or hertz dipole antenna for more power, but again this might not be your problem.



Could you have some sort of break/impedance in circuit continuity on the antenna in or out side?

Sounds like you are pushing out a dirty signal, the antenna is not functioning properly due to connection fault or even bypassing the antenna altogether.

 

[GJH105775]

Just thought of something, I once accidentally put SMA to RP-SMA and being as there was no pin only the ground was connected so it degraded the signal and almost burnt up my transmitter.

 

[RallySoob]

Ya im aware of the male pole involved in the rp-sma equation and double checked those fittings too many times already. It is so mind boggling at this point that i have decided that i must of added power to the amplifier before having the antenna attached when testing/install or something cuz after the fact, i read that will blow the unit up via the instructions. After reading countless successful reviews on these amps all over the boards i came to this assumption. Unless its the tiny rp/sma adaptor that is the bad compenant but given the complexity of the two variables i vote for the amp being the culprit

Btw im going to look into buying a different brand/model and maybe even more mw like up to 5w...why not ? I got big power supply so ... we'll see.

Given the antenna works well alone you can only assume the issue is in the 2 parts mentioned right? Im wondering if that thing makes more led color indicators than just blue and possibly blue stands for a malfunction code if some sort... i lost instructions today ofcourse

 

[GJH105775]

Ya im aware of the male pole involved in the rp-sma equation and double checked those fittings too many times already. It is so mind boggling at this point that i have decided that i must of added power to the amplifier before having the antenna attached when testing/install or something cuz after the fact, i read that will blow the unit up via the instructions. After reading countless successful reviews on these amps all over the boards i came to this assumption. Unless its the tiny rp/sma adaptor that is the bad compenant but given the complexity of the two variables i vote for the amp being the culprit

Btw im going to look into buying a different brand/model and maybe even more mw like up to 5w...why not ? I got big power supply so ... we'll see.

Given the antenna works well alone you can only assume the issue is in the 2 parts mentioned right? Im wondering if that thing makes more led color indicators than just blue and possibly blue stands for a malfunction code if some sort... i lost instructions today ofcourse

Can you post some close up pictures of the amp? It might be fixable, and they usually burn or crack a resistor that is usually placed by the output to the antenna, but that varies greatly on the design. Also if you have access to any schematics of the amp, might be able to help there.

 

[RallySoob]

Ya i dont even have the instructions sorry and the thing is shrink wrapped in white as u can see... it powers up fine cuz i learned the blue light means it working atleast, thats good. No signs of anything went bad yet. I have few more x8 controllers so im going start a new tx mod from scratch and try amp that one up too see if that changes anything

Im going keep trying few more things. Shouldnt it still send a normal signal thru it even when its unplugged/powered off but still attached?

I need test that still and im going try focalize the signal with this parabolic shield dish thing i made from my mavic pro's old signal booster ...maybe that will help .. plus i rewired everything and relocated the bec etc .. wml

 

[Jackson]

Btw im going to look into buying a different brand/model

This seem decent. No need to worry about regulating the input voltage either (Operation Voltage: 5V-15V), eliminating one thing in your chain, and has a metal case. Good reviews too.
http://www.banggood.com/FPV-2_4G-2W...er-For-DJI-Phantom-p-965221.html?rmmds=search