Ok so here are my specs:

• Eachine Wizard x220
  
• Eachine TX526 vTx set at 600mW
  
• JJPRO goggles
  
• Matching Aomway cloverleaf antennas for vTx and goggles
  
• Runcam Swift 2 with GoPro lens
  

For those that are familiar with the Wizard: I've moved the vTx wires from the VCC and joined them with the camera wires on the 12 volt pads on the pdb.   Connected the video (yellow wires of each).   Also added an LC filter between the power imput and the vTx/camera.  

Problem: Video is horrible.  It's fine if I'm directly in front of myself, but anything even remotely "far away" or behind the smallest tree it goes to snow on the screen.  It's basically unflyable.

What I've tried:
-Tried switching the vTx channels
-Tried another location
-Tried various antennas

PLEASE HELP.  What else can I do?  Do you really need diversity goggles in this hobby to even see what you are doing?

Turn the power down. 600mW is excessive and will rapidly overheat the video transmitter unless you are moving all the time.

Are you sure the channel your VTX is using is the same as your goggles are using? If you just try scanning for the video signal while the quad is right next to you, then especially with 600mW, you will get what looks like a good picture, but you may well be on an adjacent channel.

Also, if you have ever powered up the VTX at 600mW without an antenna or with an antenna that wasn't properly connected, the output stage of your VTX will probably be damaged. This would also manifest as a poor signal.

(29-Apr-2017, 11:25 PM)unseen Wrote: Turn the power down. 600mW is excessive and will rapidly overheat the video transmitter unless you are moving all the time.

Are you sure the channel your VTX is using is the same as your goggles are using? If you just try scanning for the video signal while the quad is right next to you, then especially with 600mW, you will get what looks like a good picture, but you may well be on an adjacent channel.

Also, if you have ever powered up the VTX at 600mW without an antenna or with an antenna that wasn't properly connected, the output stage of your VTX will probably be damaged. This would also manifest as a poor signal.

Thanks for the reply. Never had powered it without an antenna but I guess you never know in a crash if it lost a connection momentarily. I have a new vtx on order to see if that is the case.

I made sure it's the right channel.

Are you flying it with a 3S or 4S battery?

Yeah I would try turning it down to 200mw at least. I have a very similar setup, Swift2, TX526 and Aomway antennas. I havent actually tested mine @600mw yet and video has been very clear on my Eachine Goggles 2.
And also (dont hold me to it ) but I want to say I read somewhere that the TX526 is known for outputting much more power than spec. I'll follow up on this when it's not 5:30am

I know this goes without saying but since I work in cable I just have to point out the following a couple points to check:

Make sure your connectors are tight on the quad and goggles/receiver and that any bends are not so tight that they create a kink in the antenna.

I will add my bit, check antenna and vtx are same, SMA or RPSMA. 9 times out of ten the problem is the wrong antenna on the vtx. worth a look.

(30-Apr-2017, 08:29 AM)unseen Wrote: Are you flying it with a 3S or 4S battery?

4s.

(30-Apr-2017, 10:55 AM)Drone0fPrey Wrote: Yeah I would try turning it down to 200mw at least. I have a very similar setup, Swift2, TX526 and Aomway antennas. I havent actually tested mine @600mw yet and video has been very clear on my Eachine Goggles 2.
And also (dont hold me to it ) but I want to say I read somewhere that the TX526 is known for outputting much more power than spec. I'll follow up on this when it's not 5:30am

Yes, up to like 900 something in some channels. I'll try tuning it down.

(30-Apr-2017, 11:29 AM)Carl.Vegas Wrote: I know this goes without saying but since I work in cable I just have to point out the following a couple points to check:

Make sure your connectors are tight on the quad and goggles/receiver and that any bends are not so tight that they create a kink in the antenna.

Yup all tight. Thanks.

(30-Apr-2017, 11:57 AM)BigglesFPV Wrote: I will add my bit, check antenna and vtx are same, SMA or RPSMA. 9 times out of ten the problem is the wrong antenna on the vtx. worth a look.

Good thought but if it was a male sma antenna I theoretically wouldn't get any signal (it would fry) right?



I have another identical vtx on the way (amazon prime so no need to wait for China shipping) to see if it is a bad vtx.

(30-Apr-2017, 01:10 PM)checcles Wrote: Good thought but if it was a male sma antenna I theoretically wouldn't get any signal (it would fry) right?

At 600mW, the signal will quite happily jump the gap. It'll still burn out your VTX, but you'll get a signal.

Hell, you'd probably get a signal with no antenna at all at 600mW if you were right beside the quad!