Antenna Question

[Ericke1]

I have noticed that many peoples rigs have a very short antenna tube-obviously without cutting the receiver wire, is there a significant loss in range if one were to leave much of the wire in the receiver box, cut the plastic tubing and have a short antenna wire sticking out of the car instead of the standard size.

 

[HeartBreak]

Usually, the very short antennas are a trait of Spektrum/DSM receivers, which are on 2.4ghz or there-bouts.

 

[Cupooterluvr]

My RC18t has a 6 inch antenna wire but it goes all the way to the end of the street before it starts acting wonky. Well it did before the ESC crapped out on me.

 

[psunitro]

DONT cut the wire on a typical AM or FM reciever! As was said, the 2.4's have a shorter wire. If you cut the wire on a "regular" reciever, it will cut down range GREATLY.

 

[Ericke1]

....obviously without cutting the receiver wire, is there a significant loss in range if one were to leave much of the wire in the receiver box, cut the plastic tubing ................

Thanks I got that part, just wanted to know if I could leave the wire in the Receiver box, no cutting or I will have a loss of signal

 

[HeartBreak]

Not a good idea. You typically want the antenna as high up as possible. It's okay to have a little bit trailing out of the tip of the tube.

 

[Cupooterluvr]

Almost half of my Maxx's antenna sticks out the top of the tube. It's REALLY long, almost 2 feet. I just coiled it around the tube then wrapped it in electrical tape.

 

[psunitro]

LOL, WITHOUT cutting, I need to read better!

Yes, signal will be weaker with less sticking out.

 

[Bad Maxx]

Yep, I'm with Cupooterluvr, almost all of mine are wrapped around the tube and attatched with tape, heatshrink, or knotted.

 

[Plaidfish]

on my electrics I do this

you take extra lexan from the body when you cut it out....drill a few holes on either side and lace it up...I let the body hold it down and it works great and you don't have any antennae hole.....for some reason it doesn't work as well with nitro.....

 

[Ericke1]

thats like art or something

 

[Plaidfish]

since I added a spektrum RX I trimmed the base of the antennae adn stuck it to the RX....RX comes out with wire holder and all still attached....easier to remove all the electronics for repairs now

 

[Ericke1]

looks like ur setup with the lexan would cause some resistance while racing or turning

 

[Plaidfish]

:shrug: the lexan looks close to the servo arm but there is plenty of room for it...the newer version is taped on the top edge of the RX now so it's even farther from the servo horn.....

 

[Bad Maxx]

Yep, I've seen that done before, RCs come up on eBay with that once in a while too. My only concern is with bashing it wouldn't hold up and would likely rip the wire out of the RX completely. There is just no "give". Looks cool though.

 

[Plaidfish]

Yep, I've seen that done before, RCs come up on eBay with that once in a while too. My only concern is with bashing it wouldn't hold up and would likely rip the wire out of the RX completely. There is just no "give". Looks cool though.

:shrug: let me dispell some of your concerns with a quickness my friend... it will bend a full 360deg and it sits under the body completely...if you are trashing things in there you need to re-evaluate your driving area or your driving skills.....the tape will tear off WAAAAY before the wire rips as well.....I've lost more tubes from their base than I have thwire from this setup......
I have tried this with nitro and lost alot of range (maybe had 100 ft) but it was still sufficient to play around at the track....I WOULD NOT recommend using this for nitro R/C, maybe on a ST or TC but nothing with a big block engine......

 

[Bad Maxx]

:dancin:

::shrug: let me dispell some of your concerns with a quickness my friend... it will bend a full 360deg and it sits under the body completely...if you are trashing things in there you need to re-evaluate your driving area or your driving skills.....the tape will tear off WAAAAY before the wire rips as well.....I've lost more tubes from their base than I have thwire from this setup............

I'm not sure what you mean by losing a tube, but personally I would rather lose a tube, or 20 of them, than to lose any wire. And questioning my driving skills or area is just a bit much for my pointing out something that to me appears to be fairly obvious and was not meant to upset you:surrender. I said it concerned me for bashing, maybe we have different ideas about what that entails, and some people don't bash at all, lol on my budget I certainly shouldn't! But yeah I break stuff under the body all of the time. I always wondered if this method worked whenever I have seen a picture of it on an RC because it looks cool....

:
I have tried this with nitro and lost alot of range (maybe had 100 ft) but it was still sufficient to play around at the track....I WOULD NOT recommend using this for nitro R/C, maybe on a ST or TC but nothing with a big block engine......

Someone else mentioned this as well, why do you think this effects nitros this way? And why doesn't it effect big blocks?
not certain

 

[Plaidfish]

pardon my PC speak, I wasn't attacking, just being a smart ass....no blood, no foul....
when the tube falls out of the holder it dangles the wire out as far as the tube and I've personally wrapped a few up in my wheels....

I think Nitros put out a greater frequency noise than the electrics do and the wider (crossing ) pattern of teh antennae in this config may be picking it up easier....

I was saying I tried it with Big Blocks only and DID NOT have good luck...I was abe to use it but with a serious range reduction and noticed more inconsistencies in the control....like slower responses, steering drift, throttle servo issues while buggy was in the air.......it may work better with small block nitros but I have no patience for those finicky lil migraine causing toys.....
wasn't attacking just being a smart ass....but if you felt that way maybe you're hiding a bad driving secret....HMMMMMMM???!?!?!?!

seriously I wasn't trying to bash you.....








or was he...I mean I..hehe

 

[Lessen]

Don't mind fishy.. he just got out.

 

[Bad Maxx]

No problem! I've been known to be a bit of a smart a** myself from time to time.