WiFi / Bluetooth mod for Heltec V3 Meshtastic node.

31mm of small gauge wire to replace the spring style WiFi / Bluetooth antenna for better range.

[@MyTube4Utoo]

Thanks for the video.

[@Time-travel-1880]

Thanks for the video, I will definitely give this a go

[@Tore_Lund]

I mounted a pigtail to attach a patch antenna (needed to get WiFi through the outer wall of my home) I also soldered a PCB edge SMA connector on instead of the flimsy IFL connector for the antenna. Plenty of ground plane under the white paint on both sides of the PCB to solder all 4 legs. An edge SMA with 1.7mm spacing fits nicely and the center conductor rests perfectly on top of the 0 OHM resistor on the signal line to solder on. would save you another 0.5 dB. I had to unscrew the display and flip it over to have room for the soldering iron, but it fits back on with the SMA connector. Now I also have a neat way to mount the Heltec in an enclosure, simply with the nuts on the SMA connector threads.

[@altitude1039]

Thanks for sharing.
I did something similar for a few non-LoRa Heltec dev boards (WiFi 32kit) that I am using for OWM weather data. Was having trouble connecting to WiFi. The pcb antennas are poor at best. I am also using a wire length of about 31mm.

[@SeptemberRain8888]

Thank you for the video. Just a question, could you also solder a wire onto the spring antenna?

[@rickadair5573]

Nice video Paul well explained

[@RCDUDEFPV]

Thumbs up

[@2bij3]

Thank you, I am considering a similar modification, because Bluetooth is not great either. What wire length did you choose?

[@RADIO_DAZE]

31 mm was the length i used, thanks for the comment and for watching 👍

[@2bij3]

Same as WiFi. Will try to put coax between them, so that it comes outside the PCB.

[@melindemuller6501]

So, 31mm with or without the soldered bit?

[@RADIO_DAZE]

with the soldered bit 31mm total length.