Hi!
I purchased a pair of CloverLeaf Antennas (these: https://store.3drobotics.com/products/clover_antenna) for my fatshark FPV goggle and transmitter.
They state in their store: "Want to get the most out of your FPV setup? Our circularly polarized cloverleaf antenna and skew planar antenna will take your video signal the full distance, ensuring you get top real-time imaging each and every time you fly."
So, I took of the original "vanilla like" fatshark antennas, placed the CloverLeaf ones and ... WEAK reception! My FPV system was good for half or third of the distance, compared with the vanilla fatshark antennas.
The Red Colverleaf antenna was placed in the transmitter, on the Y6. The blue one on my FPV goggles.
I tried them both in upward position, downward, opposite position: Same extremely poor results.
I elevated a TICKET with their support desk. 3DRobotics response was (let me copy and paste, so there is NO misinterpretation):
"I'm afraid the clover antennas are not compatible with the fatshark equipment, they has been tested with our Video Tx/Rx."
What ? those are 5.8 Ghz Antennas, and Fatshark system is also 5.8 Ghz ... And EVENTUALLY, if their Cloverleaf antennas are built with some weird effect that makes them only good for 3DRobotics FPV ... shouldn't they advice about it on their store ?
Their "marketing speech" should start saying "Want to get the most out of OUR FPV setup? instead of "Want to get the most out of YOUR FPV setup?"
Of course, I answered them with my concerns and recommendation about changing their opening text on the product page, but since some time passed, and they are not fixing their product page, I decided to warn the rest of potential buyers about this incompatibility...
Regards,
Enrique
Replies
Ooops ? I did not see that RP-SMA !!!
Lucky me, as I unscrewed the Cloverleaf antennas at that time, placed back fatshark ones, and it worked just fine for several days (before y crashed it !) On the FAQ of the FatShark manual, now that I search for it, they say that if I use RP-SMA I will get short range video ( http://www.fatshark.com/uploads/pdf/1719-1.pdf page 12 )
I will look into these adapters, Thanks David and Rob!! I would think it could have been nice for 3Drobotics support dept. to mention this ... or even place it on their product page ! Anyway, now I understand that there was a bit of ignorance on my side on my purchase. But anyway, such an important detail is not mentioned either on 3Drobotics product page, nor in fatshark sales pages or even datasheets, they -believe it or not- do not mention what kind of antenna connection use.
Regards,
Enrique
If you're plugging two connectors together which both have a central hole, then you shouldn't be too surprise when it doesn't work as expected! You should always look at the connectors to make sure the right things are going to connect!
One other thing I've found when using 3rd party cloverleaf antennas (the non-fatshark ones with a plastic cap over the antenna) Is that you can't mix and match them with the fatshark ones. This is because the fatshark ones are left hand polarised (I think), and the 3rd party ones all seem to be right hand polarised, but you can't tell this without cutting the cap open.
I would say that I am a consumer which may be that stupid ... and supposedly 3Drobotics is an american company which could actually be kind enough to explain things to stupid people like me in support ? or actually place a warning on their product page, not only stating that it will help "YOUR" FPV setup (generically speaking as it is) ?
Now what I understand from your post is that I will not solve the situation with these 3Drobotics Cloverleaf antennas just by buying an RP-SMA / SMA adapter ...
Maybe if y also exchange the connector on the antennas and solder the two wires all the way around ? I already confessed: I am stupid enough to buy the incorrect antennas, so I am perfectly capable of continue doing stupid assertions :) but ... is there any way to make these antennas compatible with fatshark equipment ?
Enrique, You will solve your problem if you get the proper adapters. What can be confusing is what is considered the male and female end of the connectors. It seems that some are sold using the threading as the determination of male and female and others are sold using the little center wire or hole for the wire as male or female. There is a great 7 or 8 part tutorial on You Tube by IB Crazy on FPV and antenna's. I'm not sure how I found it. There may be a link to it on the Ready Made RC website.
Regards,
David R. Boulanger
Hi David, yes, thanks, I actually found on amazon the correct adapters, they visually match on what I need for both antennas. USD 7.5 or something like that, and voilá problem solved :)
Enrique,
If both your antennas are from 3DR then the RP-SMA to SMA adaptors should work since both antennas are right hand polarized. The antennas are what determine polarization and not the radios. Just don't mix up and use one brand on the transmitter and another brand on the receiver.
Thanks Rob !
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