ADS-B antenna extension?

I’m building my hexacopter with the Orange Cube and I just noticed that the short ADSB antenna can only protrude about 2cm above the top carbon plate. So it will be a tiny antella, sitting right between two massive batteries.

Since most of the antenna is inside a carbon fiber (and battery) “shield”, I assume the ADS-B reception will be less-than-optimal. So I’d like to find a way to position this antenna for optimal reception.
Is there any way we can extend the antenna wire without voiding the warranty?

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On the carrier pcb, if you de solder the antenna wire, you can solder on either a coax to a aircraft ADSB antenna or a u.FL connector to use a plug. Ground is on the pads either side of the antenna feed hole

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Do you care to show a pictures for this mod or shall we just wing it?? Seems to me that it should probably come stock with u.FL connectors to allow users to add their own antennae length. (@philip aren’ these still in beta production (sorry beta 2, or b whatever you’d like to call is good sir)

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We gave you a $250 free ping… and now you want a connector that 99% of users won’t use at our expense just because?

Thank goodness I don’t believe that the customer is always right or we would be broke!

:stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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Yes, I’m in a grumpy mood today…

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And I absolutely love that ads-b is included in the new carrier board! It is one of the reasons why I decided to go with the Cube for my new build(s).
My only worry was that the antenna will be inside the carbon fiber frame for the most part, which might have some negative impact on the signal quality. I was only looking for a way to improve this if this was the case.

Resolving issues and having “the creators” and “the users” interacting as a strong productive community is in my eyes also one of the strengths of the Cube & Herelink products.
I apologise if it came across as a critique, that was not my intention. I was just looking for a possible solution if my frame created a signal-blocking situation, because I can imagine that other people might run into the same problems because flight controllers aren’t always positioned outside of the carbon frame, like in my situation.

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My response was to @Matt.C, and I was being a grumpy bastard…

Sorry

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This should help you :wink:

P.S. Phillip Grumpy, never :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::wink:

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@philip
Is there a way to check if the actual Ping is working on the board?

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Go fly… see if you pick up any aircraft

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I have already done that, and even took the whole think without props at less than 500m meters from an airport fence and got nothing.
When the firmware was still in beta, i had managed to see it working in one of my tests. Thats why i am asking if there is any way to see if there is any stream of data, or if the Ping is not working on it.

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We tested it and doesn’t work. Antenna needs to be or longer or an SMA connector so we can install an antenna to get it far away. I would make a connection in the GPS or the PING in the GPS that is always in the good location 99% of the time the CUBE is inside and shielded by Carbon and batteries. SO it will almost never work. Start soldering on a PCB board of the Heart of the drone is risky.

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I just installed a u.fl on my board so i could test some more. Measured that the Antenna and ground pins are properly connected and come all the way out on my SMA plug and also connected a 1090Adsb external antenna and i still get no signal. At the moment i am looking to roll back the firmware to the beta version to check if all works well.

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Got a new board and as soon as i installed my cube and took it close to a window (not even out of the office) i started getting signals. Seems the problem was the board and this is why when i first got it i use to have it working on an ON/OFF basis. So far within 30 boots in a period of one week, it seems to work fine.

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I am seriously considering installing a connector as well. But I am a bit nervous about damaging the board (I have done a lot of soldering but no small pcb solderings)

Do you have any pictures of the installed connector?

For the antenna: should I just look for a specific ADS-B antenna and any standard u.FL to SMA extension cable?

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Here are three pictures from the board i had installed the smd u.FL connector and the ADS-B 1090mhz antenna. I apologize for the delay but i was out flying the last couple of days, testing 4.0.0 firmware.

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I am considering buying one of these. I already use a pingRX and I know it does need to be well located. I think a uFL connector is really required here. You can even sell various coax lengths antennas. Just charge more. Soldering uFLs is not for everyone. Done a few and it is not an easy mod.

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Firstly Grumpy Philip,thank you so much for all you do for the community,ive got a couple cube blacks with normal and mini carrier boards,also got a ADS-B carrier board and a orange cube love it,but would be nice if you could offer the ufl connector on it,as you say not every one will use it but a nice feature to have.

Please keep the great work you are doing up Philip.

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Thanks!

We are looking at how to assist in this. I do agree that a UFO connector would be super nice as standard

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I expect nothing for free and would pay extra for a connector. That’s just me.