Radiomaster TX16S Mk1 Antenna

[Sheepish]

I have a Radiomaster TX16S mk1 TX that I have had almost since they were launched.  In true boy racer style I have upgraded the stick units to the latest type and also added a carbon effect front, very bling!

The most recent mod was to add the removable antenna to make the TX easier to pack for transport and I wondered if there was any benefit in trying a higher gain antenna on the normal internal multi protocol module?

Radiomaster sell a Moxon type (attached) which is intended for ELRS protocol use and I wondered if this, or indeed any other higher gain antenna type, would be of benefit to the range on the normal internal multi protocol module my TX has?

There was some debate here recently on range issues with the Radiomaster and Frsky receivers with the internal Tx module and the usual tuning issues were discussed but I also wondered if the TX antenna would have made a difference?

 

I have taken a look on the internet but find nothing of direct interest other than about the ELRS protocol BVLOS flying.

 

I have to confess that I do have an ELRS module I use in this TX and have experimented with different antenna for this and even using them in normal VLOS flying, which is all I do, there does seem to be a benefit to signal strength using a more directional and higher gain antenna.  The use of the ELRS protocol has reduced the telemetry lost and RSSI warnings I get to zero for all the flying I have done so far but I wonder, would the higher gain type antenna work on a more “normal” TX and has anyone else tried this?

 

[Graham Davies 3]

Following with interest Sheepish. I'm the chap who has had range issues! 

 

I did try a different antenna on the FrSky module, but only a regular 2.4GHz type. I selected one with a bit more gain, but can't honestly say I could see a difference, and it made the TX difficult to fit into a case. 

 

For me, there's definite doubt in my mind about the output of the CC2500 section of the multi-protocol module built in. Anything you could do to give yourself some headroom would be a benefit. However, I'm not convinced the problem is the same on all chipsets or protocols, so it may be hard to compare apples with apples. Certainly, I seem to have a solid connection using the FrSky module.

 

Graham

[Andy Stephenson]

Any antenna that has increased gain also has increased directionality, whether it be vertical or horizontal.

Directionality = more signal gain in one direction at the expense of less in another so if you are at the limit of range, turning the antenna, may lose the signal altogether.

[Sheepish]

Thank you for the input so far.

I understand about the directionality? Of the higher gain antenna but this could also be an advantage perhaps.

If I am flying in front and above me and always facing the model as I have to to fly in my line of sight then an antenna that projects the maximum signal where I am looking directly at my aircraft should be an advantage or am I missing the point?

 

I am not an electronics expert and would welcome any input from someone that knows about what I am rambling about.

 

I guess the other question is if I attach a Moxon or similar 2.4ghz ELRS type antenna to my TX16 will I do any damage to the internal RF module?

[FlyinFlynn]

19 hours ago, Sheepish said:

Thank you for the input so far.

I understand about the directionality? Of the higher gain antenna but this could also be an advantage perhaps.

If I am flying in front and above me and always facing the model as I have to to fly in my line of sight then an antenna that projects the maximum signal where I am looking directly at my aircraft should be an advantage or am I missing the point?

 

I am not an electronics expert and would welcome any input from someone that knows about what I am rambling about.

 

I guess the other question is if I attach a Moxon or similar 2.4ghz ELRS type antenna to my TX16 will I do any damage to the internal RF module?

The other side of that coin is - Because the end of the whip antenna has the WEAKEST radiation if you point your antenna at your model and you lose control then simply lifting your Tx so the antenna is at 90 degrees to your model will present a much stronger signal to the model and should give you control back so you can land and investigate why you have so short a range.

Another point about directionality is the legal maximum transmitted power is quoted in EIRP - Effective Isotropic Radiated Power - so if you channel the Tx output power in one particular direction you effectively increase the EIRP in that direction. The Tx power is calculated by the power available at the antenna multiplied by the gain of the antenna. Tricky things  radio waves!

[Sheepish]

I did read sometime ago about the radiation pattern from a straight whip type aerial and understood that they project a donut shaped pattern of RF.  From this information it stated that using the aerial tilted to around 45deg should give the best compromise of signal strength and projection.  RF signal interpretation does seem a little like witchcraft but this could well be because I don’t know enough.

 

I appreciate there is no such thing as a free lunch but if I use a more directional and higher gain antenna (Moxon, Loop…?) can I use their RF projection pattern, whatever this is, to my advantage and will it be detrimental if I connect this type of antenna to the internal RF module in my TX16?

I also believe that the environment I am flying in is “noisy” according to the comments from a professional drone company that shares our site and this could also be impacting on the quantity of telemetry lost and RSSI critical warnings I get using the ACCST protocol.

 

Am I the Guinea pig here and need to just have a try and see what happens?
 

 

 

[JOHN MOSLEY 2]

I fly at a busy site and I get up to 100 frame loses and sometimes low %R values, I flew same model on my own at a different site more rural only got at most 2 frame losses and better %R value throughout 5 flights.