Interesting reading... I have spent way too much time on different antennas and range extenders trying to enhance the video/control signals at greater range without much success. I fly my XSP over rugged inaccessible canyons & waterfalls on the Big Island. I’ve had harrowing moments loosing signal, but the Home command has always worked, thankfully. I always keep the Home return altitude at 150’. I’ve been using the latest beta firmware with no issues.....so far. The performance seems crisper..
I finally bit the bullet and got the $130 Itelite antenna on eBay. Yes, it’s big, but very light weight. The clip to hold it to the RC is funky, but can easily be enhanced to hold it more securely. The brain surgery on the RC unit is tense but doable. Use a white table cloth, well lit room, and have no distractions. It takes about an hour, if you take your time to fully understand each step before proceeding.
The range increases have been dramatically improved — 200-300%. In an open field, the range is scary far, well out of sight, which I’ll never do again. There is still the occasional video signal hiccup, but they are brief and few. It’s a drastic mod, but IMHO, worth it.