I mixed up my DJI FPV V1 and V2 goggle antennas! How can I tell them apart?

[droneguy]

I thought it might be helpful to the small few that actually have both v1 and v2 goggles and use stock antennas.

The antennas on the DJI v1 and V2 digital FPV goggles look the same from the outside, but on the inside they are quite different. The version 1 FPV goggles operate on the 5.8GHz frequency band. The antennas are tuned for optimal performance with these frequencies. The V2 goggles operate on both the 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz bands and the goggles / DJI FPV drone can switch back and forth to either one to maximize bandwidth and range. This means the antennas have been tuned to support both of these frequency bands. Using the V1 antennas on the V2 or vice-versa will result in inefficiently tuned antennas being used and sub-optimal signal transmission and reception. The net effect will be reduced range and potentially more latency. So using the right antennas is important.

So what if you already owned the V1 goggles and now also have the V2 goggles and you remove the antennas for transport but accidentally mixed them up. Are you destined to an ( Mod Removed Language)of questionable range and efficiency? Will you need to live with the life-long regret of not marking those new antennas before you even put them on the V2 goggles? Luckily no... There is a simple way to tell them apart. The V1 antennas weigh more than the V2 antennas. On my food scale, the V1 antennas weigh 5.5g whereas the V2 antennas weigh 5g. There you go, now identify those bad boys already so you don't have to walk around with a scale in your pocket!!

 

[tevek]

Thanks for the info. From what I’ve read the V2 are multi band whereas the V1 are 5.8. Is there a weight difference? Well you’ve already answered that and I guess for the first adopters it may be an issue. Out with the white marker things and ID your gear, I’m going to wait until the raft of counter point/argument discussions wind up before I move forward on my V1 gear. Fitted an insta360 camera to my chimera 7 today and flew about 3 klms and it worked just fine so all the palaver regarding whether the new fpv rig is suitable for the hard core fpv pilots is essentially a moot point.

 

[droneguy]

Thanks for the info. From what I’ve read the V2 are multi band whereas the V1 are 5.8. Is there a weight difference? Well you’ve already answered that and I guess for the first adopters it may be an issue. Out with the white marker things and ID your gear, I’m going to wait until the raft of counter point/argument discussions wind up before I move forward on my V1 gear. Fitted an insta360 camera to my chimera 7 today and flew about 3 klms and it worked just fine so all the palaver regarding whether the new fpv rig is suitable for the hard core fpv pilots is essentially a moot point.

I haven't performed a range test on the new antennas. I suspect since they are lighter that they are probably tuned for both frequencies, but not optimally. The 2.4GHz would have significantly longer range so even if they are bot sub optimal, the net result should be longer range for the new FPV drone. The bigger question tat everyone want to know is: With these multi-band antennas, has the range on 5.8GHz alone been affected for the air unit and caddx vistas?

 

[tevek]

I haven't performed a range test on the new antennas. I suspect since they are lighter that they are probably tuned for both frequencies, but not optimally. The 2.4GHz would have significantly longer range so even if they are bot sub optimal, the net result should be longer range for the new FPV drone. The bigger question tat everyone want to know is: With these multi-band antennas, has the range on 5.8GHz alone been affected for the air unit and caddx vistas?

I guess we will soon find out regarding range with the Caddx and AU, there are videos dropping every minute it seems with various tales on the new combo. I was watching Bardwell’s take on the pros and cons and he seemed to suggest that a few of the concerns can be addressed with FW updates. Funny thing though at the end of the video I couldn’t help wondering that we have all of a sudden become a little precious with each new DJI release. Bringing digital to the table a while back had the diehard flyers yelling from the rooftops. Fast forward 18 months and people are complaining of a lack of stock and endless demands for more features. We’ve never had it so good, and so my chimera can fly a stupid distance and record at 4K on the way there, doesn’t mean I’ll push it til it drops. I was flying at work last week out and over the desert behind the camp and by the time I had landed, I had an audience of people wondering what the hell the noise and quad was all about. Each of them were surprised at the technical level of the thing I was flying and the sheer size of it. I’m all for incremental improvements but I can’t complain with where I am at the moment, certainly a different story 15-20 years ago when my gear would just burst into flames mid flight....

 

[thetechnobear]

I was watching a livestream (mad tech?) the other day, and he pointed out there is a very small difference visually between v1 and v2.
v1 antennas have 2 notches on them at the top, where as v2 have 3 notches.

(he also said the v1 rattled more when shaked... but that seems a little less clear on the stream )


note: I cant confirm, as I don't have them... but he showed this on the stream, and someone in chat also confirmed they had noticed the same.

 

[droneguy]

Thanks for this, I hadn't noticed the notches but haven't used stock antennas on the V1 in forever. I just upgraded the v2 antennas as well. The rattling seems to be an issue with the antennas as I have both v1 and v2 stockers that rattle. Stock v2 antennas aren't polarized so they won't work well for the air unit or vista.

DUALITY 2.4/5.8 STUBBY for DJI - TrueRC Canada

TrueRC never stop! The duality is a dual band CP omni covering both 2.4 and 5.8GHz bands in a single compact stubby package. Drop-in fit on the DJI FPV goggles V2*, letting you leaving them on at all times, thanks to a much lower profile than the stock linear antennas.

www.truerc.ca

 

[msinger]

@droneguy any idea if those TrueRC DUALITY stubbies work better than the stock V2 antennas?

 

[droneguy]

I got them on Monday and only flew two batteries on them so far but nothing long range. TrueRC did some testing and the told me for one, the stock antennas aren't circular polarized (so they will be more susceptible to reflections especially in multi-path environments) whereas the duality stubbies are and the VSWR is improved significantly for the 2.4Ghz band. I intended on going out to fly over the lake this weekend since we still had good ice and snowy conditions, but after a week of rain and hot weather, I think the lake will be too wet to perform any type of range test this coming weekend. Not sure when I'll be able to do a proper range test. What I can tell you is that they work really great in and around buildings are way easier to pack with the stubbies. I've been running the 5.8 GHz stubbies on my v1's since they were available with great results. So I expect no less from these as well.

 

[msinger]

It looks like you picked them up just in time. They seem to be backordered everywhere right now.

 

[droneguy]

The 4 pack was back ordered, I had to buy 4 singles.

 

[droneguy]

I wish that somehow they could have been as small as the Singularity stubby but obviously supporting two frequencies makes that impossible. The singularities are so nice on my V1s. They are so small it's great for packing and transport, but still have as good of range as stockers.

 

[msinger]

Here's a comparison between the stock antennas and TrueRC DUALITY stubbies:

 

[aSae]

@msinger thats should be a great improvements! do you happen to stumble into any video links that shows the in flight quality/range comparison? thanks in advance

 

[msinger]

do you happen to stumble into any video links that shows the in flight quality/range comparison?

Haven't seen anything yet. Maybe @droneguy will have some feedback to share soon since he owns them.

 

[aSae]

Cool thanks, currently looking at it, but what to choose? LHCP or RHCP?
sorry for the noob questions, this is my first digital unit, usually flies with analog where i match my goggle with my unit antennas. for this case, i am not sure the dji fpv drone itself is LHCP or RCHP....

 

[msinger]

what to choose? LHCP or RHCP?

You'll need LHCP.

 

[droneguy]

According to preliminary information the antennas on the new FPV drone as well as the v2 goggles antennas are not circular polarized so technically you can get either. The v1 goggles antennas were left-hand circular polarized (LHCP) so if you want compatibility with the air units, then LHCP is better unless you want to change all the VTX antennas on your air units as well to make the all RHCP.

 

[msinger]

unless you want to change all the VTX antennas on your air units as well to make the all RHCP

I guess this is not an option for @aSae though since DJI seems to have no option available for changing the antennas.

 

[droneguy]

@msinger thats should be a great improvements! do you happen to stumble into any video links that shows the in flight quality/range comparison? thanks in advance

The TrueRc and Luminiere antennas are tuned better and will be more efficient for that reason, but they are also circular polarized where as current information seems to indicate the drones antennas and v2 goggle antennas are not. Therefore the benefits of circular polarized antennas for mutli-pathing, reflectivty, and obstructions will not be as prominent with the new drone.

 

[droneguy]

I guess this is not an option for @aSae though since DJI seems to have no option available for changing the antennas.

I expect someone to develop and release CP antennas for the drone at some point. The benefits are too great to ignore. The safe option is to go LHCP to at least support the air units.