P3S range problems with ARGtek installed

[dool730]

Hi,
I've installed the ARGtek kit on my standard and I'm losing signal at apprx. 120 ft -150 ft altitude range and 200-250 ft distance.... video too ...once gone I don't get signal(s) back until I'm within the 50-80 ft range???
This is consistent... no matter where I stand or position the antennae relative to bird ....Is there something I'm missing ...Did I mess the connections up ..is there a way I can test ... This happens with DJ GO or Litchi ...
thanks .....
ps bird went down several weeks ago ....had to replace camera WiFi wires
using Samsung galaxy 6 edge latest update

 

[Garry C]

it sounds like it IS possible your connections onto the board might not be the best. they are making a connection, other wise you'd have ZERO signal. as much as its gonna suck, re open and remove again, clean them off and re secure.

 

[David Ridge]

I also am having range problems with the Argtek range extender. Before the upgrade, my P3S lost video and telemetry at about 1200 feet, after the upgrade 800-900 feet. I checked continuity of the antenna wires and connections by checking continuity between the left and right antenna leads. Apparently as they go into the WIFI circuitry, those wires connect inside the "gray WIFI box" (the block of circuits into which the antenna leads connect). I've tried the omni antenna, now I'll give the paddle antenna a try. More to come....

 

[Unit505]

I'm getting about 3000ft on average, 4000ft on a good day in heavily wooded areas. I wouldn't think it's an ARGtek issue. Like said above, probably the connectors inside the rc.

 

[Matts175]

This comes up constantly on this forum. The installer is always blamed for not properly hooking up the u.fl connectors or mixing them up. Upon re-inspection, it's almost never the case. In reality, it seems like 50% of ARGtek users are happy, the other 50% say it's worse than factory (I fall into this category). Seems as though ARGtek has some kind of quality control issues. You'll NEVER see a thread like this about a DBS / ITELITE panel. 99% are happy with them.

That being said.... I hope you are still within 30 days and can return it. If not, you might be able to salvage it by installing some Alfa panel antennas in place of AGRteks, but still using The ARGtek bar mount set up.

 

[Matts175]

P.S. This is what's inside an ARGtek. Looks cheap to me.

 

[David Ridge]

I also am having range problems with the Argtek range extender. Before the upgrade, my P3S lost video and telemetry at about 1200 feet, after the upgrade 800-900 feet. I checked continuity of the antenna wires and connections by checking continuity between the left and right antenna leads. Apparently as they go into the WIFI circuitry, those wires connect inside the "gray WIFI box" (the block of circuits into which the antenna leads connect). I've tried the omni antenna, now I'll give the paddle antenna a try. More to come....

Well, it appears that my iPadd Bluetooth was interfering with the Argtek signal. After switching off my iPad bluetooth, my range went to 1800'

 

[gbmarsh64]

Well, it appears that my iPadd Bluetooth was interfering with the Argtek signal. After switching off my iPad bluetooth, my range went to 1800'

There sure seems to be a lot of inconsistency when it comes to range. Today I flew one of my P3Ss out to 812 meters (2664 ft) with completely stock antennas and I was using a Bluetooth controller on my tablet at the same time.

 

[Newman0912]

So here we go again.
The thread starts with someone complaining about the ARgTech upgrade, then someone responds to say it's not an installation or user problem - it's the product, Then later in the thread, the guy that started the thread replies to say, "Never mind, I figured it out and now I get 1800ft.

It's always the same.
Someone complains.
Someone else says 'buy DBS'
Then the original complaint responds to say 'never mind, I figured it out and now it's working'.

I have the ARg Tech upgrade, I like it becasue it was an easy upgrade and didn't damage the controller.
I know it's probably not the best upgrade, and it's probably not as good as DBI.
But, maybe I'm too cautious or too slow, but it took me an hour to upgrade.
I double and triple checked every step I made to a youtube video.

But, I read all the time how easy the upgrade was.... "I upgraded to Arc Tech in 10 minutes!".
Next thing you read is that "it doesn't work! It's worse than before!"
It always makes me wonder.
Yes, are there people that can do the upgrade in 10 minutes with their eyes closed?
Absolutely.
I'm sure 'Nigel' could. (Nigel helped me back in the DJI Forum a month ago on a few different questions I had and I value his opinions).

My own 'logic' tells me that it has to be literally impossible for the upgrade to be worse than original.
Think about it.
Just compare the size of the internal flat antennas - the original antenna inside the controller case as big as a postage stamp, and the comparable size of the Arg Tech flat panel antennas.
Even if the Arg Tech's don't have a lot of 'interesting' things inside them when you open them up, it is certainly an upgrade from the original ones.
I'd love to see a (3) way comparison, side by side.
The original internal antenna cracked open, the ARg Tech flat panel, and the DBI.
I suspect that looking inside the DBI will be just as surprising as looking inside the Arg Tech panel.
I don't think an antenna of any kind is much of a complicated design.

Matts175 - That was a great video, and I enjoyed it. You did a good job.
But, I'm wondering what good is looking inside the ARg Tech if you don't compare it to anything else?

Someone out there that really knows electronics must be able to tell us how to actually 'test' an Arg Tech antenna panel - maybe with a multimeter - to determine if it is actually working correctly, right? I don't know how, and I didn't search for that answer, but I suspect there's an easy way to do that and put this to bed once and for all.

If 50% of the Arg Tech users have worse performance than before they installed it, and everyone is believing it has nothing to do with the ability of the person installing it correctly, then that would mean that the product is defective. If it is, there must be an easy way to test it, right?

As you may have figured out, I'm happy with the Arg Tech upgrade.
Reasonable cost, easy to install, no damage to controller, and at least for me, it made my flying better.

Thanks for reading.

 

[c.barry14]

I have to agree and am happy with my Argtec upgrade.
Pre upgrade 1200 feet and post upgrade just yesterday went 4906 ft


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

 

[Matts175]

I didn't make the video. Never claimed that I did.

 

[Robert Carson]

I've read many posts by Matts 175 and have learned a lot from them.
As far as Argtek.... I ordered mine in early December and "most" of it arrived on Feb 14. I say most because the 5.8 omni was missing. They sent me all 2.4ghz antennas. So...since I had been waiting such a long time for the kit, I made my own mount for my P3 4k

 

[Robert Carson]

and used 3 dual band 9 dBi antennas. It had increased my range for both control and video from 800 to 1500 m.
Now that I have the argtek antennas my range has increased to 1.2 miles.
Thats just my personal experience so far.

I guess we all have our own opinions about it but mine does work. As for DBS?? I haven;t used it so I don't know.
But....Matts175 has been helpful to me.
Thanks

now how did I happen to hit post and

 

[ShadowCrabb]

What exactly did ARGtek make regarding upgrades?

 

[Ntinosios]

Hi.. I installed the argtec 2 flat panels and 1 omni antenna. I use to go 400 meters max with factory antennas. Now I go 250 metres after that I lose video signal. does anyone know what to do? I triple check the wires they are ok so what is the problem. Thanks

 

[Older_Man]

What exactly did ARGtek make regarding upgrades?

They came out with this.

 

[Robert Carson]

Hi.. I installed the argtec 2 flat panels and 1 omni antenna. I use to go 400 meters max with factory antennas. Now I go 250 metres after that I lose video signal. does anyone know what to do? I triple check the wires they are ok so what is the problem. Thanks

If you are sure the wires are ok remember it is very important to keep the flat panels pointed directly at the drone. It's not as easy as it seems. Being off a few degrees will cause you to loose the video signal. Now that I'm more used to it my range with good video has increased to 2600m in areas without interference.
I hope you are able to get it working properly.

 

[solentlife]

I have found once I started to modify antenna and add boosters that the Argtek mount threads on the 'bar' are a thread or two short of ideal. I had to grind back the extension leads so they could fully thread on and be grounded. If I didn't - the threaded cap hit the nut and wasn't centre pin didn't connect properly. I could wiggle / turn the lead as it wasn't tightened down internally.

Basically the Argtek plastic is a little thick where the threaded ends come though.

For those with poor results - it may be worth seeing if a thinner nut can be used to secure the antenna mounts ... so the antenna can screw down properly ? My Argtek antenna do without modification - but maybe I'm lucky ? I know my extension leads do not unless I remove about 0.5mm from the threaded caps.

Nigel