Devo 7E NRF24L01 installation

Hi everyone,

I could use some help with debugging. I removed the stock module from my Devo 7E and installed a NRF24L01.
So far so good. The transmitter has no errors when starting up, I assume that means the module is recognized.

The problem is, I can't bind to my Silverware quad. I have a T8SG with the same model file, which binds instantly.

I triple checked all connections with a multimeter, it all looks fine. I usually know what I'm doing, but I'm feeling a little out of my depth here.
How do I debug this? What else can I check?

Progress!

I disabled the PA, and after that managed to get a single bind. After that the binding failed again. It feels rather random.

What I noticed while I was bound is that the telemetry signal strength was around 1%. And I failsafed constantly.

I have no experience to diagnose what could cause these signal strength issues. Bad solder joint? They all look good, and multimeter continuity checks out for all of them.

Another update on this:

I re-enabled the PA and can use the module relatively reliably at 300uW. So I suspect this is an issue with the on-board LDO not being able to supply enough power.
I will install a AMS1117 power regulator and report back.

Sounds to me more like a wiring problem.
I had this kind of NRF module for a long time beside an A7105 and the CYRF in my 7e.
How did you bind the CE pin, via resistor or straight to VCC?

It’s connected straight to 3.3V

Latest update:

As aMax suggested, the AMS1117 didn't do anything.

Next thing I did was to remove the long wire connecting the CE pad with VCC, and bridge the pads directly on the NRF module with a tiny wire. If I read the telemetry correctly, that only reduced reception quality.

Next I build a ghetto RF shield using cling wrap and aluminum foil. That did two things. It allowed me to go up to 30mW (I lost bind at 100 mW), and it introduced so much noise to the signal that the model became uncontrollable (even on 300uW). So I removed the shield again.

Suggestions guys?

One more:

I soldered a 20k resistor between CE and VCC. That improved things a lot. I also put back the ghetto RF shield.
It's not as good as my T8SG was, but it's ok now.

Maybe someday I'll desolder the 4in1 module from my T8SG and put it into my Devo. But that's for another time.

It's good enough. I'm calling it a day.