I have no professional asociation with Maxstream. I'm just a user reporting my test results.
I purchased a pair of the new MaxStream 1W extend radios last week. See
Test configuration: I used 1W Xtend radios for both ends of the link. Both radios were set to 115K baud for both the RF and serial speeds. Both radios were set to 1W
Radio #1 was attached to a 9dBd loop yagi mounted on my chimney, and pointed in the general direction of the ocean. (I live ~ 2mi from the coast) It had a serial loop back connector installed,it just echoed what was sent. The clear line of sight was a 5 degree wide slot where I could just glimpse the ocean between two trees. Lots and lots of stuff in the freznel (sp?) zone.
Radio #2 was connected to a laptop and used the MaxStream
900Mhz small dipole. My son and I took radio #2 out for a flight. I flew, my son ran the laptop and radio. We had no external antenna , we just wedged the radio up next to the window.Results: We go good solid 115K baud copy at 23nm (GPS measured) My goal was 20nm and I did not want to go too far out to sea in a single engine aircraft. (I stayed within gliding distance of the numerous pleasure boats, but
23 miles was the last of the boats.) I could not climb over 1800ft because the clear ocean abeam my chimney lies below the San Diego class B airspace.The radio was still sending and receiving 100% at 23 miles. The radio was somewhat sensitive to aircraft orientation, one could easily turn so the tail, wing etc blocked the signal.
Several Notes: This was 115K half duplex. On the bench I measured the 1/2 duplex turn around time to be ~ 9msec MaxStream specs 9.4msec.
Paul