Camera Antenna Upgrade

Tom C · Oct 11, 2016

Hi all as Im beginning to get everything together to upgrade all my antennas on the st16 and the H I've seen that some people are even upgrading the antenna on the camera. Is there any of you that have done this mod? If so what exactly do you gain more than just upgrading the antennas on the H to make them both outside antennas? Also for the 2 antennas that everyone is upgrading to be outside of the body of the H for better signal is one of the antennas a 2.4GHZ and One a 5.8GHZ or are they both 2.4GHZ and the camera antenna is a 5.8GHZ antenna. Also does anyone know anything about possibly putting 2 antennas on each side of the H rather than just a single on each side, & when I say this Im saying that Ive seen 1 antenna pointing straight down vertically to the ground and the other either totally horizontal and flat to the H or at a 45 degree angle but both being connected to a single antenna line that goes into the drone??? Thanks Tom

Steve Carr · Oct 11, 2016

The easiest mod is just changing the antennas of the ST16. This can improve your connection considerably. Adding external antennas to the H comes with a higher degree of risk unless you are darn good with electronics and it will void your warranty. I'd go with just replacing the ST16 antennas first and get some flight time on them before going further.
These are the antennas I'm using:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ZWPS3O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
5 Turn Helical 5.8Ghz Antenna, for FPV - LHCP, RP-SMA

Tuna · Oct 12, 2016

The antennas on the body of the H are for the R/C, not the camera. On stock hardware, and the lower powered European firmware, I'm getting over 4,400 feet and probably further. The main trick is good clear line of sight.

The camera antenna is inside the camera itself and looks to be a complicated job just to get to it, never mind replace it. As others have said, you can get easy fit external antenna for the ST-16 which will give you much more benefit with a lot less hassle.

JCFlippen · Oct 12, 2016

Tuna said:
The antennas on the body of the H are for the R/C, not the camera. On stock hardware, and the lower powered European firmware, I'm getting over 4,400 feet and probably further. The main trick is good clear line of sight.

The camera antenna is inside the camera itself and looks to be a complicated job just to get to it, never mind replace it. As others have said, you can get easy fit external antenna for the ST-16 which will give you much more benefit with a lot less hassle.

I think Bo Lorenson (FPV Guy) modded his to be outside the camera enclosure.

ricmitch · Oct 12, 2016

So these two antennae just screw on to replace the two existing antennae on the st 16?

BillyTexas · Oct 12, 2016

Steve Carr said:
The easiest mod is just changing the antennas of the ST16. This can improve your connection considerably. Adding external antennas to the H comes with a higher degree of risk unless you are darn good with electronics and it will void your warranty. I'd go with just replacing the ST16 antennas first and get some flight time on them before going further.
These are the antennas I'm using:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ZWPS3O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
5 Turn Helical 5.8Ghz Antenna, for FPV - LHCP, RP-SMA

Both of those are 2.4ghz. Video is 5.8ghz. Dont believe it will work with video. These would work for rc and telemetry

Bill W.

ricmitch · Oct 12, 2016

Min has only one antennae and the small round one I think is for GPS?

BillyTexas · Oct 12, 2016

ricmitch said:
Min has only one antennae and the small round one I think is for GPS?

One long antenna is rc 2.4 ghz. Round one is 5.8ghz video connection. The 3rd for telemetry is inside the st16.

Bill W.

Steve Carr · Oct 12, 2016

BillyTexas said:
Both of those are 2.4ghz. Video is 5.8ghz. Dont believe it will work with video. These would work for rc and telemetry

Bill W.

Hey Billy, if you look at the second one listed it is a red spiral 5.8GHz antenna for video to replace the mushroom antenna.
The Alfa antenna is to replace the stick. I got the 2 pack because I will need the second one when I move the other 2.4GHz antenna to the outside of the ST16.

BillyTexas · Oct 12, 2016

Steve Carr said:
Hey Billy, if you look at the second one listed it is a red spiral 5.8GHz antenna for video to replace the mushroom antenna.
The Alfa antenna is to replace the stick. I got the 2 pack because I will need the second one when I move the other 2.4GHz antenna to the outside of the ST16.

Ok my mistake i thought it was all one link. Have you tried that red one?

Bill W.

Steve Carr · Oct 12, 2016

ricmitch said:
So these two antennae just screw on to replace the two existing antennae on the st 16?

Yes they are direct replacements. The spiral replaces the mushroom for video and the Alfa replaces the stick for telemetry.

Steve Carr · Oct 12, 2016

BillyTexas said:
Ok my mistake i thought it was all one link. Have you tried that red one?

Bill W.

Yes, that is what I'm using. It has worked really well. It comes from Romania so it takes awhile to arrive, but the cost was worth the wait.

Typhoon Charlie · Oct 12, 2016

If you take the front cover off the camera you can hang the antenna outside facing down. That will change the radiation pattern parallel to the earth instead of perpendicular. You cangain a lot of signal this way. I have tested both ways, the way it is from factory is a poor placement.

BillyTexas · Oct 12, 2016

Typhoon Charlie said:
If you take the front cover off the camera you can hang the antenna outside facing down. That will change the radiation pattern parallel to the earth instead of perpendicular. You cangain a lot of signal this way. I have tested both ways, the way it is from factory is a poor placement.

I gues it dosent affect the function of the gimbal?

Bill W.

Typhoon Charlie · Oct 12, 2016

BillyTexas said:
I gues it dosent affect the function of the gimbal?

Bill W.

Not at all, I have 2 and they work fine. Circular polarized antennas radiate from the side, the way they are placed makes them radiate to the sky and ground. Also they are too close to the electronics. Totally wrong.

John Dube · Oct 12, 2016

Typhoon Charlie said:
If you take the front cover off the camera you can hang the antenna outside facing down. That will change the radiation pattern parallel to the earth instead of perpendicular. You cangain a lot of signal this way. I have tested both ways, the way it is from factory is a poor placement.

I read If you hang it straight down it will increase the gain, however, if it is directly over you, you will be in the dead zone off the end of the antenna.

Typhoon Charlie · Oct 12, 2016

John Dube said:
I read If you hang it straight down it will increase the gain, however, if it is directly over you, you will be in the dead zone off the end of the antenna.

I have flown 250 directly above me with out issues. How often are you directly above you as opposed to hundreds of feet away.

Steve Carr · Oct 12, 2016

If you want to increase the signal distance I would still recommend changing the antennas on the ST16 before doing anything else. Pulling the antenna out of the camera can have unintended consequences. I have installed an external antenna on a CGO3 camera on a Q5004K but it is a tedious task if done correctly and there is a risk of damage if you are not careful. Also note that Yuneec uses Left Hand Polar Circularization (LHPC).