Antenna Wire Routing

[Steven9026]

One quick question. I have a Mountain models Switchback, and I ran the antenna wire out the rear of the fuselage. I want to take the remaining wire, and zig zag it back and forth under the vertical stab just to keep it from hanging out the back. Does anyone know of a problem this might create? Will it reduce the distance by doing that? Please give me any advise that you may have on this.

Thanks,
Steven

[steve lewin]

Do you mean the horizontal stab/tailplane ? If so and you can keep the zig zag fairly open it might be o.k.

If you mean running the antenna back and forth on itself under the fuselage it will reduce the range almost as much as if you'd just cut it off at the back of the fuselage.

I'd just leave it myself. Better radio range beats neatness every time for me.

Steve

[rorywquin]

First do a range check with the antenna hanging down and then do what you plan and do another range check.

I guess it is a fairly small model if you have antenna wire hanging out the back so...........you should not be flying very far away from where you stand!

[Steven9026]

I meant the horizontal stab, I wasn't paying attention to what I typed. Well I guess I'll just let it hang like it does on the rest of my planes. I just hate seeing this long wire dangling from the back of a nice looking plane. It kinda takes away from the looks.

Thanks everyone,

Steven

[U2Steve]

Run it out to a wingtip, then back to the tail. Looks neater, but only if you don't detach the wings often. (I use this for my little parkflyers, because I don't take them apart often.)

You could also get an Azarr or Deans loaded antenna, hide it in the fuse, and be done...

Steve

[apex]

Originally posted by Steven9026
[B]I meant the horizontal stab, I wasn't paying attention to what I typed. Well I guess I'll just let it hang like it does on the rest of my planes. I just hate seeing this long wire dangling from the back of a nice looking plane. It kinda takes away from the looks.


What I do in my SwitchBack is a wrap most of the antenna around a straw (being careful not to let it cross over itself) and tape each end down so it doesn't unravel. I make the wraps right next to each other, nice and snug. You can also cut slits in the ends of the straw instead of using tape. I leave about 3 inches of antenna between the straw and receiver and leave about 6 inches hanging off the end of the straw and push the entire thing into the rear fuse of the SB. Nothing hangs out and range checks show there is no loss in signal strength, but be sure to range check yours. If you search the forums for 'antenna and straw' you may find some extra hints. Azarr antenna's are also very nice, you can get them for $10 with free shipping from www.azarr.com.

[Steven9026]

apex,
Thanks, I have read several postings about doing the straw thing, and have also looked at the azzar antenna. I just didn't trust them. I have heard equal good and bad things. When you did your range check, did you walk the plane from your TX and check it that way, or did you use the anttena down on your TX to check it?

Steven

[apex]

I secure the plane so it can't go anywhere, stick in a batt, arm the ESC, etc. Then I retract the antenna all the way down and start walking away from the plane, periodically throttling up and watching for twitching. I hold the TX pointed in all different angles and facing different directions and walk a semi circle at ~50-100 feet away. If I can get 50 feet with the antenna down and no glitching, I know it'll fly outta sight long before it loses signal from the TX.

Just popping the antenna down standing right next to the plane wont tell you anything, as you could be glitch free even without an antenna attached to the RX at that range. But if you tried to fly it you might only get 10 feet with it the antenna extended. :)

[Steven9026]

Apex,
Thanks. The way you did your radio check is that way I normally do mine. I was just wondering if you did it that way,or used another method with the attenna around the straw. I'm going to give it a try. It sure looks better tucked away inside, than hanging out the back. Wish me luck. LOL.

thanks,
Steven

[rorywquin]

50 to 100 feet does not seem like a very good range to me! Although admittedly the plane is on the ground!

Multiplex recommend 80 meters for a range check with the aircraft 1 meter off the ground and the antenna collapsed.

Might be worth checking your method against this mehod.

[apex]

Depends highly on the TX and the RX and the size of plane since that's going to limit how far away it will be flying.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=604823&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1173

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16101