Another ARGtek sucker?

dodoftwogirls · Jul 16, 2017

So I went ahead and bought the Argtek upgrade. I installed tonight and am not impressed. In fairness I live in an area where I was getting constant interference messages using the original remote. I think all I did was enable the remote to pick up more interference. Get about 1,600 feet and lose signal. Same as the stock remote. Same interference messages. Same distance. Just out $65 dollars. I guess my remote looks cool though with panels and a longer antenna unless I am missing something.

Just as an aside... moving left to right looking behind the remote... what does each antenna do on the ARGtek?

Dpemberton415 · Jul 17, 2017

May seam off the wall but are you using iOS or android?

anotherlab · Jul 17, 2017

Since you already have the Argtek mounted, search this site for the posts about the Alpha APA-M25 antennas. They have a higher gain that the ones that come with the kit and should provide greater range.

dodoftwogirls · Jul 17, 2017

Dpemberton415 said:
May seam off the wall but are you using iOS or android?

I am on iOS.

chatikib · Jul 17, 2017

anotherlab said:
Since you already have the Argtek mounted, search this site for the posts about the Alpha APA-M25 antennas. They have a higher gain that the ones that come with the kit and should provide greater range.

Nice suggestion; this offers perspectives.

Dpemberton415 · Jul 17, 2017

Ok I read awhile back not sure about where I did but for some reason iOS and DJI go have a conflict in the software that causes those interference warning message to pop up I can't tell you how many times it does each flight but after reading that I've learned to ignore them. I am interested in a antenna upgrade though for strong video downlink I'm pretty happy with my range as is the way it come out of the box. I fly on a daily basis and have a route I fly scanning the tree and fence lines for deer and that route takes me 5300 feet from home point. But after I do go out that far and the video gets choppy it tends to stay that way even a few hundred feet out.

anotherlab · Jul 17, 2017

FWIW, I did see an improvement with the Argtek and my P3S. I don't know what my max distance is, my comfort level is visual range. On Saturday, I flew it it about 2000 feet out and the video and control was rock solid. That was over farmland with a clear line of sight and using the flat, directional antennas that come with the Argtek.

If you are not seeing any improvement with the Argtek, you may want to check the connections inside the remote and make sure that they are all secure.

chatikib · Jul 18, 2017

If the connection inside the remote control is incorrect then the flight distance is less than 200 ft. Then it only works on the signal from the remote control's motherboard.

zamarawa · Jul 18, 2017

Transmitter will burnout without a connected antenna?

anotherlab · Jul 18, 2017

zamarawa said:
Transmitter will burnout without a connected antenna?

It could, it depends on the strength of the transmitter. If no antenna is connected, the energy that would have been transmitted can get reflrected back into the antenna. This can interfer with the reception and degrade the transmitter. I don't know enough about radio transmitters to know if the RC transmitter is strong enough to damage itself. It also may have circuitry to degrade or disable the transmitter if the antennas are not connected.

Uncle Stumpy · Jul 20, 2017

dodoftwogirls said:
So I went ahead and bought the Argtek upgrade. I installed tonight and am not impressed. In fairness I live in an area where I was getting constant interference messages using the original remote. I think all I did was enable the remote to pick up more interference. Get about 1,600 feet and lose signal. Same as the stock remote. Same interference messages. Same distance. Just out $65 dollars. I guess my remote looks cool though with panels and a longer antenna unless I am missing something.

Just as an aside... moving left to right looking behind the remote... what does each antenna do on the ARGtek?

Same with me. All the connections in the transmitter are rock solid and it gets the same range as the standard transmitter. I got out to 3000 feet over prarie with no power lines but I could have done that with the standard set up. Waste of time and money.

SnowGoose · Jul 21, 2017

anotherlab said:
Since you already have the Argtek mounted, search this site for the posts about the Alpha APA-M25 antennas. They have a higher gain that the ones that come with the kit and should provide greater range.

The alfas are pretty amazing. I routinely get 3500-4000' in the city, but can more than double that range without urban interference.

Uncle Stumpy · Jul 21, 2017

anotherlab said:
Since you already have the Argtek mounted, search this site for the posts about the Alpha APA-M25 antennas. They have a higher gain that the ones that come with the kit and should provide greater range.

Nice! It would mount on the ARGtek base? Where can you buy one? I could always Google it.

SnowGoose · Jul 21, 2017

Yup, they'll mount right to your Argtek base, here you go.

Alfa APA-M25 dual band 2.4GHz/5GHz 10dBi high gain directional indoor panel antenna with RP-SMA connector (compare to Asus WL-ANT-157) Amazon.com: Alfa APA-M25 dual band 2.4GHz/5GHz 10dBi high gain directional indoor panel antenna with RP-SMA connector (compare to Asus WL-ANT-157): Computers & Accessories

Alfa 2.4HGz 7dBi RP-SMA Panel Screw-On Swivel Antenna for Alfa Netwrok Adaptors - Also Works for 3DR Solo Drone, DJI Phantom 3 Drone, Yuneec Typhoon H Amazon.com: Alfa 2.4HGz 7dBi RP-SMA Panel Screw-On Swivel Antenna for Alfa Netwrok Adaptors - Also Works for 3DR Solo Drone, DJI Phantom 3 Drone, Yuneec Typhoon H ST16 Controller, adds Range: Computers & Accessories

Uncle Stumpy · Jul 21, 2017

SnowGoose said:
Yup, they'll mount right to your Argtek base, here you go.

Alfa APA-M25 dual band 2.4GHz/5GHz 10dBi high gain directional indoor panel antenna with RP-SMA connector (compare to Asus WL-ANT-157) Amazon.com: Alfa APA-M25 dual band 2.4GHz/5GHz 10dBi high gain directional indoor panel antenna with RP-SMA connector (compare to Asus WL-ANT-157): Computers & Accessories

Alfa 2.4HGz 7dBi RP-SMA Panel Screw-On Swivel Antenna for Alfa Netwrok Adaptors - Also Works for 3DR Solo Drone, DJI Phantom 3 Drone, Yuneec Typhoon H Amazon.com: Alfa 2.4HGz 7dBi RP-SMA Panel Screw-On Swivel Antenna for Alfa Netwrok Adaptors - Also Works for 3DR Solo Drone, DJI Phantom 3 Drone, Yuneec Typhoon H ST16 Controller, adds Range: Computers & Accessories

So it would be the three items just like the original ARGtek - the first one in the middle and the other two on the sides? Hey, it can't hurt to give it a try. So sick of getting out only 1500 feet!!!

SnowGoose · Jul 21, 2017

Here's a pic of my setup without the argtek mount.

Joshua32crane · Jul 22, 2017

Yeah you know what helped me after I did the ARGtek Upgrade, leaving the 2.4ghz video panels on and putting the stock antenna back on with a homemade winsurf. I was getting better distance in an open field but around my house I was only getting 900FT.

So then I put a wifi booster on the 5.8ghz and then I started getting better signal around my house.

Uncle Stumpy · Jul 22, 2017

SnowGoose said:
Here's a pic of my setup without the argtek mount.

That is pretty sweet. I like how you used the holes for the support bar to mount 2 of the antenna.

Joshua32crane · Jul 22, 2017

This is what the ARGtek Upgrade was doing to me.

It was trying to Autoland over and over
(In a tree)

Joshua32crane · Jul 22, 2017

Yeah it came out pretty good, but I just wished I would have gotten a longer antenna. I can tell when I turn around st long distance that it looses signal, because it's behind the camera and gives of interference