FPV Range issues...again.

[FatCatRC]

This time I won't be so hot headed. But me and @Lovestricken have been discussing my fpv setups and how my range is so poor. I have fpv in my kraton and noto. Both are running the same setup and both are wired the same way. I have an AKK 25mw to 1000mw long range version vtx and a AKK true diversity receiver. I have true x air patch antenna and true clover antennas. Both my rigs have the vtx wired to a buck convertor to supply 14.5 volts at a max of 3 amps. The convertor powers the vtx fan and the vtx. I have 2 other convertors running my delta fans for the motor and esc. Both rigs have caddex ntsc cams and have twisted wires. Now my issue is even at 1000mw (I know it should not be that high) I have terrible range, like under 300 feet. Both my goggle antennas are pointing down(best signal that way) and my cars antenna is away from the receiver antenna and is straigh up and down. Is there anything I can do to help my range. I have already gutted my cheap box goggle to install the AKK recevier module and my signal 2 feet away is still only at 95 percent according to the module. I want to make this understood that I know I should not need to run at 1000mw and I don't want to I just have it cranked to try and increase my range. Oh and both car and goggles have rhcp antennas. Below is a crayon drawing of my wiring. @SrC @fpvmiller

 

[SrC]

How close is the VTX antenna to the Lipo leads and motror leads.? Try different lead arrangements. 5ghz can be daunting when it comes to range. I know that 1000mw will cook the VTX and shouldn't even need to be that high normally. Surface freq noise is high in general. Line of sight is key with 5.ghz. Maybe part of the issue. Could even be a hardware defect???

 

[FatCatRC]

How close is the VTX antenna to the Lipo leads and motror leads.? Try different lead arrangements. 5ghz can be daunting when it comes to range. I know that 1000mw will cook the VTX and shouldn't even need to be that high normally. Surface freq noise is high in general. Line of sight is key with 5.ghz. Maybe part of the issue. Could even be a hardware defect???

I have a pic in my build thread if you would like to look at it. I don't think its very close. My vtx has a good fan to cool it an on 1000mw it doesn't get hot. But I don't want to run it that high, I shouldn't need too. This is my vtx https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07G34CPDN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I'm open to any ideas. Lovestricken said to try it with just the fpv on and walk to see if I get the same range with all other electronics off.

 

[IrieWheeler]

There's a lot of EMF emminating from your car I imagine. Do you notice your FPV signal is disrupted by throttle? I always run VTx's on my aircraft at 9V, you can research the reasoning behind this yourself if you want, it's a bit involved for our purposes here. I use TBS VTx's pretty much exclusivley so can't comment on this specific hardware but AKK is a respected brand.

I'd try and isolate your VTx/antenna from any other form of electronics if possible. You may want to wire a complety separate curcuit for your VTx because it looks like it may be aquiring a whole lot of noise along with it's power? Even shielding wire leads and maybe even the VTx itself with a bit of copper foil if you can might help. Try to situate your antenna as high and away from everything if possible of course.

You should be getting beautiful reception on 100mW at that distance so I think wiring the VTx as cleanly and noise-free as possible might be your first plan of attack?

Running a vTx at full pop all the time does not do anything for longevity but I think you know that already.

Good luck!

 

[SrC]

^^^

 

[FatCatRC]

There's a lot of EMF emminating from your car I imagine. Do you notice your FPV signal is disrupted by throttle? I always run VTx's on my aircraft at 9V, you can research the reasoning behind this yourself if you want, it's a bit involved for our purposes here. I use TBS VTx's pretty much exclusivley so can't comment on this specific hardware but AKK is a respected brand.

I'd try and isolate your VTx/antenna from any other form of electronics if possible. You may want to wire a complety separate curcuit for your VTx because it looks like it may be aquiring a whole lot of noise along with it's power? Even shielding wire leads and maybe even the VTx itself with a bit of copper foil if you can might help. Try to situate your antenna as high and away from everything if possible of course.

You should be getting beautiful reception on 100mW at that distance so I think wiring the VTx as cleanly and noise-free as possible might be your first plan of attack?

Running a vTx at full pop all the time does not do anything for longevity but I think you know that already.

Good luck!

Not so much on throttle but I do notice it. I don't get white or black lines just gets really staticky and black spots then the feed cuts out until I turn around. I'll try to get one of the rigs out tonight and post a video of my goggle dvr. Both rigs have the same issue. I had the same issue with my old aio cam too. And I wired that one all on its own battery with a cap and still would not make it to the end of that parking lot. I get a way better range in a differant lot I run at, like nearly dbl the range easy. Ive tried caps, I tried running it off its own battery everything I can think of. Would my car receiver mess with it at all? I know drone antennas are no farther apart then mine is.

 

[IrieWheeler]

Not so much on throttle but I do notice it. I don't get white or black lines just gets really staticky and black spots then the feed cuts out until I turn around. I'll try to get one of the rigs out tonight and post a video of my goggle dvr. Both rigs have the same issue. I had the same issue with my old aio cam too. And I wired that one all on its own battery with a cap and still would not make it to the end of that parking lot. I get a way better range in a differant lot I run at, like nearly dbl the range easy. Ive tried caps, I tried running it off its own battery everything I can think of. Would my car receiver mess with it at all? I know drone antennas are no farther apart then mine is.

Your Rx isn't an issue. As SrC said, there's a reason they call it a ground floor and you say that the reception is half what it is at another site you drive at? If you have a lot of RF activity in your region it certainly could be contributing for sure. It's really hard to diagnose things over the internet and I'm no authority to say the least...

I'd start with what one of the other gents suggested and make sure your VTx is working properly by powering it and the cam separately without the car runnung under it to make sure all is well if you haven't already. If it doesn't work at 25mW or 100mW it's not going to work at a Watt. I'm going with RF or electromagnetic interference from noisy power/fans/motors/etc. at this point but how you build a setup like this and/or make it interference-free on a truck is not something I can comment on as I just got my own wheels in the mail yesterday and my greenhorns are sharp with these things.

 

[SrC]

^^^ Great advice. Completely isolate the whole setup off the rig, Leave the rig out of the equation, and test it standing alone on the bench and perhaps outside and in different areas where you would be actually running this. Try to dial it in this way, to know it is functional and adequate for surface use.
Once confirmed operational and done, then reinstall in your rig. Take it from there.

Edit: Watch your Ground pins, Every ground pin is different. A dedicated and effective "signal ground" isolating video from the "power ground" affords better video quality. Try to keep power ground away from the signal ground if feasible.
Also, Lipos can be noisey (EMF wise), You might need a low ESR Cap in there somewhere. FPV Quad guys do this with caps frequently. Maybe experiment with dry cell batteries to compare video quality, to prove or disprove this theory.
Keep the VTX board voltage as low as absolutely needed.
Just some more ideas.

 

[rotauq]

Not so much on throttle but I do notice it. I don't get white or black lines just gets really staticky and black spots then the feed cuts out until I turn around. I'll try to get one of the rigs out tonight and post a video of my goggle dvr. Both rigs have the same issue. I had the same issue with my old aio cam too. And I wired that one all on its own battery with a cap and still would not make it to the end of that parking lot. I get a way better range in a differant lot I run at, like nearly dbl the range easy. Ive tried caps, I tried running it off its own battery everything I can think of. Would my car receiver mess with it at all? I know drone antennas are no farther apart then mine is.

VTX; really like stable power, cap on the vtx and a ubec/vrm if you run on the same battery as you delta fans.
The way you mention it, i quadriple check the antenna connector on the VTX. Interference will show patterns that get worse by distance. This sounds more like antenna's not doing as they should.
The average drone rX creates more mess than the bigger surface receivers, don't worry about that.

If all your neighbors are running there overpower wifi routers on 5Ghz...

ps. You arent using the auto channel finder on your goggles are you? Always manually select the corresponding channel