NRF24L01+PA+LNA help, don't work

Projects Networking, Protocols, and Devices
1

Hi, I made a project with a UNO r3 and with a NRF24L01+PA+LNA radio(long range with black antenna). I need help about strange thing.

At first it was mount with a basic NRF24L01+ radio. Work good but the range was a little bit too short. So I bought a pre-amplified PA+LNA with a black antenna (common on eBay) to have a better range.

It didn't work at 30cm or neither at 10m. It is only working if I touch the PCB of the radio or the antenna with my finger

I searched the internet, i'm not the only one and I red about the lack of current from the 3.3v pin of the arduino and because the pre-amplified version of the radio need something around 100mA. So they told to have a separate power source and also try to add a capacitor on it. what I did

I try my breadboard power converter (the most popular one i guess), i red it can give up to 700mA of current. So i plug my radio on the 3.3v pin and the ground too. Everything is grounded together, both uno and radio share the converter's ground pins.

I still have the same problem, the data is sent only if I touch the radio PCB or i just found that if my antenna is at a 45 degree angle the data is "almost" always sent (but not if straigth or 90deg).

Is someone can help me ???

2

Try using different power levels. In case the power level is too high, some radios cannot communicate when they are too near to each other.

As it seems to work when you touch the device, it further seems you are having trouble with distorted (SPI) signals. Try setting the SPI clock lower (e.g. DIV4 or DIV8). Use shorter jumpwires.

3

Everybody who is looking for answer about this same problem, please look to this topic from another forum this explain THE way to fix it. (foil paper)

So if you are not able to transmit data except when you touch the antenna or PCB, do this trick. I did it and my radio is working for a really big range.

Hope this will help other !