How to Solder FPV Antenna Directly to VTX

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How to Solder FPV Antenna Directly to VTX

Рет қаралды 24,482

Күн бұрын

In this video I show you how to directly solder a 5.8 Ghz FPV antenna directly to the video transmitter (VTX). We'll be using an Immersion RC Spironet and a Lumenier TX5G6 as an example. However, this can be done with a whole array of different FPV antennas and VTXs...
There are two main reasons why you might want to do this.
1. Your build is so tight and small that there is no room for a VTX and antenna if you include the SMA connectors. A side effect of doing this will also reduce about 10 grams of weight. Something that's also good for small builds.
2. You broke your SMA connector in a crash and still want to be able to use the VTX. Hopefully, you didn't pull the traces along with the ripped SMA connector. If you still have traces you can solder to, you're good.
Another reason to do this might be if you have an SMA VTX but an RP-SMA antenna and don't want to use an adapter. You can just remove the connectors altogether.
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Пікірлер: 43

@CD-rt8wj 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you, gonna try this process with a UFL antenna either tonight or tomorrow. The VTX connector ripped off and the pads are laid out the same way as the larger SMA pads it seems.

@PinchTune 5 жыл бұрын

I don't remember if I've ever done a u.fl, but I can't imagine it being that difficult. Good luck.

@Eklown 5 жыл бұрын

Anything that can disrupt the flow of information on the surface of the wire or the "skin affect" will in the end result be a handful of issues. So do it once & do it right and that will just minimize your problems from happening in the first place.

@suneolsson9815 6 жыл бұрын

Perfect,,,,, some gays can do, and some cant,,, You done a perfect work whit antennas,,,

@JakeBlackburnXDC 7 жыл бұрын

Thanks man. Just broke my sma off my VTX so this will help.

@PinchTune 7 жыл бұрын

Welcome! It's pretty easy. Give it a go.

@JakeBlackburnXDC 7 жыл бұрын

Works great fella. Plus it looks dope.

@markfournier9161 7 жыл бұрын

Awesome tutorial It's exactly what I was looking for!!! Question, do you know if you need to keep the antenna coax at the same length as original or can you shorten it without any issues?

@PinchTune 7 жыл бұрын

Hi. I don't think it matters. I'm not sure if it will change the antenna's SWR, but I doubt it since the coax is not the active part of the antenna. That said, I don't have the equipment to test changes in SWR. Thanks for the good words.

@1Esteband 2 жыл бұрын

Are the losses of soldering the coax at 90 degrees angle higher than having a 90 degree sma connector? Thank you.

@PinchTune 2 жыл бұрын

The losses are all dependent of the SWR (Standing Wave Ratio). I feel most of the inexpensive transmitters aren't all that well tuned anyway. In something like this I don't thin it makes that much of a difference. This video is from 2016, but I think I made it when I either broke the connector, or was having problems with the signal with the original SMA. Either way, I remember it working better after I did this.

@jazepsjazeps 7 жыл бұрын

is fpv range better than with the connectors?

@PinchTune 7 жыл бұрын

It shouldn't make a difference really.

@jazepsjazeps 7 жыл бұрын

I have noticed that the connectors tend to warm up - 45-50Celsium. and around 70C transmitter temp. now I have soldered antenna directly - but transmitter goes to 90-100C, tried to solder two times, to get sure there is not defect in soldering.

@PinchTune 7 жыл бұрын

Hmmm. I've never noticed that, but I haven't tested. Ultimately, you want SWR to be at zero, but I highly doubt QC on these things is as good to test that on every single VTX. For me, as long as I'm getting the range, that's all I'm concerned about. This VTX i still performing very well. So I'm pretty happy.

@PinchTune 7 жыл бұрын

This seems it might be a case that the large SMA connector is working as a heatsink. With that removed, there is less metal to suck heat. This can vary from VTX to VTX, outside temp, airflow, etc, etc. However, if it's causing range issue to to overheating, you could apply a small heatshink to the side of the VTX. The VTX I did the work on in the video, I did not apply a heatshink to. Actually, I take that back. I did add one. Same thing with the previous one (The one in the cover photo). I didn't do this because I was having problems, but really because I had the space and figured it would be a nice addition.

@jazepsjazeps 7 жыл бұрын

hi! thanks for replay. I have tested now some combinations, and did not found significant difference between cheapest cloverleafs, default whip and 12db linear omni antenna, maybe some 10%-15% better is 12db ones, but also narrover, this can be felt when copter make turn or angle, at 600-700m distance. But about heating - this is not very good parameter, I wonder if there is possible some very good quality transmitter which does not heat up...

@Eklown 5 жыл бұрын

I'd be a little bit more cautious when making your cut because any surface cuts or dings to the center wire is going to cause impedance mismatch for any info running along the surface of that wire being transmitted.

@PinchTune 5 жыл бұрын

Hi, I agree with that. The more careful, the better. That said, I don't think most of these FPV VTXs are tuned to perfect SWR like some more high-tech and expensive radio equipment. Not to mention, we run such low power transmission that a little mismatch in SWR doesn't seem to hurt much. I think the tolerances in this FPV equipment are still too high to even have to worry too much about that.

@1artillery1 7 жыл бұрын

Hey which soldering is good to buy I bought one it's a 60 watt can't get the solder to glue and connect power wire ground wire and flight wires to my esc. Also I'm using a flat head tip

@PinchTune 7 жыл бұрын

60 watt should be fine. Make sure you "wet" the tip of your iron before you touch the parts to help transfer heat. I'd also highly recommend liquid flux. I use it all the time and it helps transfer heat a lot quicker, not to mention, fuse the parts together better.

@MFR-zk4zc 7 жыл бұрын

hi, dude.. is it normal, if i got continuity between the signal and the ground of my female rp-sma from my eachine tx801? or could it be a faulty?

@PinchTune 7 жыл бұрын

ummm. I have never tested an antenna for continuity across positive and negative, but theoretically, I don't think there should be. Maybe test another VTX for the same thing?

@marchood99 6 жыл бұрын

I'd you testing just the antenna then yeas as it will make a full circuit if it's on the vtx with antenna attached then it's the same but you should not if there is no antenna attached to the vtx when testing it I think

@tygasdeath6914 7 жыл бұрын

how do you remove the original connector from the vtx

@PinchTune 7 жыл бұрын

I believe I clipped off each of the 4 legs with snips, then desoldered each of them individually.

@davidno1reallykinnett440 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this! :-) Subscribed!

@wendelldeloach3048 7 жыл бұрын

I have a rpsma vtx could I do this ? I broke the needle that goes into the antenna close to the base of vtx

@PinchTune 7 жыл бұрын

It doesn't matter if it's RP-SMA, the polarity is the same. It's just the connector that's different. So yes, you can do it too.

@wendelldeloach3048 7 жыл бұрын

PinchTune awesome thank you I'll have to give it ago

@randylachman5273 7 жыл бұрын

where to get the mesh?

@PinchTune 7 жыл бұрын

I got the black stuff from Fry's. And the blue and green from Hobby King.

@kevinhill5476 7 жыл бұрын

Where did you buy the vice ? love it !

@PinchTune 7 жыл бұрын

The little vise is from Frys. Cheap too. It's been very useful.

@BBB-vb2fn 7 жыл бұрын

nice vid, thanks. think im going to do that to my wizard. 👍

@PinchTune 7 жыл бұрын

Good luck!

@iknowaguy1564 6 жыл бұрын

Its out of focus :(

@PinchTune 4 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I know. :( This was before I had a proper camera setup.

@arthill2310 6 жыл бұрын

Do ya think you can figure out how to focus on the item rather than the table?!?!

@oggymorowse4984 7 жыл бұрын

i have the same crap heat gun.

@PinchTune 7 жыл бұрын

LOL. I know. I got this one at Fry's. I'm surprised it still works after nearly 2 years. Though it rattles now. Eventually I want to get a better one with a smaller nozzle that will be more exact at where I heat. My soldering iron is great though. :)