Wifi extender/repeater for Karma.

[JCLs]

MotoX88294

Had to go to web to see pictures. Nice job. Please let us know any install issues. Looks like 2 patch antennas. Can you easily take off so can fit in the travel case? Most important how does it work?


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[MotoX88294]

MotoX88294

Had to go to web to see pictures. Nice job. Please let us know any install issues. Looks like 2 patch antennas. Can you easily take off so can fit in the travel case? Most important how does it work?


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Thank you very much! Install was a piece of cake, after drilling two quarter inch holes, it all snaps back together nicely. I left all of the ten or so torx screws out holding the controller together so I could easily take it all apart by hand if I wanted to out in the field. My next project will be a different mounting bracket so I can still carry the transmitter in the case and have a small setup time. That way all I have to do is clip it on, screw on the wires and go. If I can get the setup time less than or equal to the transmitter boot-up time, ill be tickled pink. In my opinion, the 10 or so gauge stamped steel bracket is a little overbuilt, and holds the antenna too close to the controller, so if I make modified version from whatever kind of aluminum I have laying around the garage, it should work perfectly...its not holding much anyway. I'll be testing out how it works tomorrow evening if it ever stops raining.

 

[JCLs]

Where are you located? I am in Houston, took Karma out to our flying field just to play with some things today. Did some close in flying with a guy flying a 600 gasser heli inverted. Thought wow great video and pics, but DA never turned camera on.

I have ordered the antenna. Do they provide instructions on taking controller apart? Hope so. I have one of those great old hardware stores a block away from me so figure I can come up with modified mounting bracket. A big reason I bought Karma was compact carrying. Need that. Not looking for longer range, just higher reliability. I have a quad I built that I have had out 1.5 miles and am stepping out in half mile increments but should make at least 4 miles, probably 6 but am using 1.3 GHz for video and UHF for control and yep have ham license. Karma great for travel and really stable platform for the GoPro camera.


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[Ninabeertje]

Great info thanks for sharing.. i love the product...

Thanks for sharing and give some positive feedback.

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[Lon Denard]

Thank you very much! Install was a piece of cake, after drilling two quarter inch holes, it all snaps back together nicely. I left all of the ten or so torx screws out holding the controller together so I could easily take it all apart by hand if I wanted to out in the field. My next project will be a different mounting bracket so I can still carry the transmitter in the case and have a small setup time. That way all I have to do is clip it on, screw on the wires and go. If I can get the setup time less than or equal to the transmitter boot-up time, ill be tickled pink. In my opinion, the 10 or so gauge stamped steel bracket is a little overbuilt, and holds the antenna too close to the controller, so if I make modified version from whatever kind of aluminum I have laying around the garage, it should work perfectly...its not holding much anyway. I'll be testing out how it works tomorrow evening if it ever stops raining.

The big question for me is cost and effectiveness.

 

[WallyWallWhackr]

USPS followed my meme to a tee; my RangePro finally came in the mail and I found time yesterday to do the install with the help of some new IFIXIT tools. I haven't had a chance to test it out but here it is!:

snipped gallery links

That is really beautiful work there. Is there a parts list?

 

[MotoX88294]

IT WORKS! It allows me to go so much farther while maintaining clear video! Of course I had to deal with another lost GPS scare in the five minute test flight i squeezed in on Monday evening. Luckily I had full control and clear video so it turned out to be no big deal. I have a long weekend ahead of me so I'll be able to test some things, make mods, and take more pictures.

@JCLs I am in Hawaii. There are zero instructions included but its not hard to figure out.

@Lon Denard I paid $109 US. It improves video quality at greater distances for sure. More to find out later.

@WallyWallWhackr Thank you! I'll get a parts list together since everything I used wasn't in the kit. Who knows maybe I'll make a video. More pics for sure though on my initial assembly!

 

[WallyWallWhackr]

IT WORKS! It allows me to go so much farther while maintaining clear video! Of course I had to deal with another lost GPS scare in the five minute test flight i squeezed in on Monday evening. Luckily I had full control and clear video so it turned out to be no big deal. I have a long weekend ahead of me so I'll be able to test some things, make mods, and take more pictures.

@JCLs I am in Hawaii. There are zero instructions included but its not hard to figure out.

@Lon Denard I paid $109 US. It improves video quality at greater distances for sure. More to find out later.

@WallyWallWhackr Thank you! I'll get a parts list together since everything I used wasn't in the kit. Who knows maybe I'll make a video. More pics for sure though on my initial assembly!

Now all we need to really do is find out if the antenna on the drone is the wire they have in the leg. If it is, I say that is part of the problem, because the cable feeding it is not even a coax.
If it is the two wire nibs inside the case, that could have been done a bit more robustly as well. Either way, it would be nice to string a tiny coax fed lead to a lid mounted WiFi antenna connector, where one can then attach a 7dB or such external wand. I can't help but think that the GPS antenna or the chosen circuit elements are on the weak side too. Does the thing even have an inertial reference device in it?

I modified a Cubox-i a few years ago. You remind me of me.

 

[MotoX88294]

Now all we need to really do is find out if the antenna on the drone is the wire they have in the leg. If it is, I say that is part of the problem, because the cable feeding it is not even a coax.
If it is the two wire nibs inside the case, that could have been done a bit more robustly as well. Either way, it would be nice to string a tiny coax fed lead to a lid mounted WiFi antenna connector, where one can then attach a 7dB or such external wand. I can't help but think that the GPS antenna or the chosen circuit elements are on the weak side too. Does the thing even have an inertial reference device in it?

I just had mine apart to tinker and see whats going on under the shell. The wire in the leg just goes to a sensor that lets it know if the gear is extended or not.
I have no idea on the rest of whats going on in there yet.

 

[WallyWallWhackr]

I just had mine apart to tinker and see whats going on under the shell. The wire in the leg just goes to a sensor that lets it know if the gear is extended or not.
I have no idea on the rest of whats going on in there yet.

Five conductors? I think a bit more than that is going on, and besides one can see the void (albeit covered) trailing down the length of one of the legs. That is most likely an antenna. The open/closed sensor is by the hinge. But then it could be some long huge hall effect wire or such. But five conductors in the connector? Seriously just a gear down sense device? I have doubts.

 

[MotoX88294]

Five conductors? I think a bit more than that is going on, and besides one can see the void (albeit covered) trailing down the length of one of the legs. That is most likely an antenna. The open/closed sensor is by the hinge. But then it could be some long huge hall effect wire or such. But five conductors in the connector? Seriously just a gear down sense device? I have doubts.

Good point. My bike's kickstand has two wires haha. I didnt even think to look what else might be going on in there. Is it molded into the leg?

 

[JCLs]

IT WORKS! It allows me to go so much farther while maintaining clear video! Of course I had to deal with another lost GPS scare in the five minute test flight i squeezed in on Monday evening. Luckily I had full control and clear video so it turned out to be no big deal. I have a long weekend ahead of me so I'll be able to test some things, make mods, and take more pictures.

@JCLs I am in Hawaii. There are zero instructions included but its not hard to figure

I got and installed it today. They have video but it has some different things like bumpers on the first piece. No and no bumpers on mine though there should be. A pita to get the plastic place to snap in after the coax connectors in place.

I have to figure out a way to get it in case. No testing for awhile it seems as it is pouring here. You. Be in a great place for video and pictures.

I have had to replace an arm, well I actually fixed one but like new one better. The arms each have bigger cable with I think 5 wires, but only a pair going to legs as I recall.

 

[WallyWallWhackr]

Here it is, but no clue without pulling the cover piece.

Good point. My bike's kickstand has two wires haha. I didnt even think to look what else might be going on in there. Is it molded into the leg?

I took a few shots. Maybe I will take the plastic cover off and see what it is. One leg is engineered to be light weight so a lot of material gets strategically removed while keeping the strength. One is the connector feed, and one is the leg with the cavity in it and cover. There is a small chance that the polymer choice of the leg and the cover has an attenuative effect on the antenna,

 

[Billybob]

Can you post a link to it?


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[Billybob]

IT WORKS! It allows me to go so much farther while maintaining clear video! Of course I had to deal with another lost GPS scare in the five minute test flight i squeezed in on Monday evening. Luckily I had full control and clear video so it turned out to be no big deal. I have a long weekend ahead of me so I'll be able to test some things, make mods, and take more pictures.

@JCLs I am in Hawaii. There are zero instructions included but its not hard to figure out.

@Lon Denard I paid $109 US. It improves video quality at greater distances for sure. More to find out later.

@WallyWallWhackr Thank you! I'll get a parts list together since everything I used wasn't in the kit. Who knows maybe I'll make a video. More pics for sure though on my initial assembly!

Can you post link to antenna?


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[Billybob]

IT WORKS! It allows me to go so much farther while maintaining clear video! Of course I had to deal with another lost GPS scare in the five minute test flight i squeezed in on Monday evening. Luckily I had full control and clear video so it turned out to be no big deal. I have a long weekend ahead of me so I'll be able to test some things, make mods, and take more pictures.

@JCLs I am in Hawaii. There are zero instructions included but its not hard to figure out.

@Lon Denard I paid $109 US. It improves video quality at greater distances for sure. More to find out later.

@WallyWallWhackr Thank you! I'll get a parts list together since everything I used wasn't in the kit. Who knows maybe I'll make a video. More pics for sure though on my initial assembly!

I just ordered one too- let us know how it goes.


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[wintertree]

IT WORKS! It allows me to go so much farther while maintaining clear video! Of course I had to deal with another lost GPS scare in the five minute test flight i squeezed in on Monday evening. Luckily I had full control and clear video so it turned out to be no big deal. I have a long weekend ahead of me so I'll be able to test some things, make mods, and take more pictures.

@JCLs I am in Hawaii. There are zero instructions included but its not hard to figure out.

@Lon Denard I paid $109 US. It improves video quality at greater distances for sure. More to find out later.

@WallyWallWhackr Thank you! I'll get a parts list together since everything I used wasn't in the kit. Who knows maybe I'll make a video. More pics for sure though on my initial assembly!

Thanks for your efforts....getting a better / stronger signal to and from karma solves one of the main negatives (the only one for me) for this drone....I have never had an issue....other than when I get a little close to max range...but I fly at our farm mostly and interference is very low....Question...could you please post how to get the controller apart without marking it up....I had a quick look this morning ...and a heads up on this topic would be a huge help to me and I am sure others....great stuff !....

 

[MotoX88294]

Thanks for your efforts....getting a better / stronger signal to and from karma solves one of the main negatives (the only one for me) for this drone....I have never had an issue....other than when I get a little close to max range...but I fly at our farm mostly and interference is very low....Question...could you please post how to get the controller apart without marking it up....I had a quick look this morning ...and a heads up on this topic would be a huge help to me and I am sure others....great stuff !....

I will make a video on how to get it apart later tonight

 

[wintertree]

I will make a video on how to get it apart later tonight

Thankyou....I am excited about the upgrade and to see real life results ...I can see another karma in my future so i always have spares....

 

[Billybob]

Thankyou....I am excited about the upgrade and to see real life results ...I can see another karma in my future so i always have spares....

Found this online. Just published. Did you do it? Nice.

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