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Biff
2006.06.05, 10:34 AM
I know from my CB radio days that there is a thing called SWR. Signal wave ratio. The antenna, the coaxial wire had to be a certain lenght for maximum output. In 1/10 scale cars with regular radio systems, the antenna is cut to a certain lenght for the best reception. Seems were all over the board with MiniZs.

I have a car that allways glitches. The wire started getting shorter and shorter that ties into the metal antenna so I soldered a new one on, and left it longer than the stock set up. That really seemed to help.

Question is. Has anyone done away with the metal antenna and just ran some regular antenna wire through a tube like 1/10th scale cars? Does that help, and what length should it be?

MR02 running a JR XR2I radio

Thanks in advance.

Gary

HammerZ
2006.06.05, 11:08 AM
Yes, a longer RX antenna will improve range. If I run a stock antenna on my cars, they don't stay on very long. I have not resoldered the tab wire or anything. My version is just replace the stock antenna with a twist wire. They come insulated and in most cases are longer. The range will improve. The best thing is, if you roll the car just pull it back out. I think the Mini Z antennas that come with the cars are small mostly for the look's more than function. I have seen a bunch of different external antennas for the Mini Z's. Some you buy and some you make yourself, there are some threads here on it. I understand that there may be alot of weeding to find what you may want.

Biff
2006.06.05, 11:19 AM
I threw away the stock wire long ago and have been using the entennas that Ruf makes. That was a big improvement but I still get some glitching on parts of the track. Its killing me because I know on certain parts of the track I cant go wide open and I have to stay wide in some turns or Ill tag the wall. Im about to take all the bling off of two cars and build one really bad boy car. While I have the top end off, Im going to solder a long wire directly to the board so there is no lost resistance from the tab etc. Ill rig up a mount like we use on the bigger cars and run the wire through the tube.

I guess track testing will tell. :(

lfisminiz
2006.06.05, 06:31 PM
Let us know how it goes.

Biff
2006.06.05, 07:00 PM
Im taking the "Plunge" I guess huh? LOL

Ill take pics and post up what I learn. :confused:

byebye
2006.06.06, 02:41 AM
http://www2.mini-zracer.com/gallery/album581/P1010016_001

http://www2.mini-zracer.com/gallery/album374/P1010044_001

http://www2.mini-zracer.com/gallery/album703/P1010021

I've been doing it this way for a long time. My OLPS car runs the stock antenna but only because I didn't put one in.

I use a strand from CAT5 solid cable. I solder it straight to the board then route it out and make it almost 1.5 times longer than the stock length. I use the straw from a can of air. The wire that holds it is a stock antenna cut down and bent to length. Once it's done you can adjust the length by replacing the holder or re-bending it. The other great thing about this setup is the fact that when you travel you just pull the body off and pull the antenna out of the holder, lay it down and replace the body.

-Byebye

Biff
2006.06.06, 09:14 AM
Thats what Im talking about! :D

Thanks.

byebye
2006.06.06, 10:54 AM
Thats what Im talking about! :D

Thanks.

Cool man take some pics when you are done.

-Byebye

sciencemike
2006.06.06, 01:18 PM
http://www2.mini-zracer.com/gallery/album581/P1010016_001

http://www2.mini-zracer.com/gallery/album374/P1010044_001

http://www2.mini-zracer.com/gallery/album703/P1010021

I've been doing it this way for a long time. My OLPS car runs the stock antenna but only because I didn't put one in.

I use a strand from CAT5 solid cable. I solder it straight to the board then route it out and make it almost 1.5 times longer than the stock length. I use the straw from a can of air. The wire that holds it is a stock antenna cut down and bent to length. Once it's done you can adjust the length by replacing the holder or re-bending it. The other great thing about this setup is the fact that when you travel you just pull the body off and pull the antenna out of the holder, lay it down and replace the body.

-Byebye

I do the same thing.. Except i use a MINI-X antenna tube. Its just like the spray tube straw, just a bit larger around so its easier to fit the solid cat 5 through. And you can get them in any color to match your body. I got mine from RCMAHT for 1.80 for 6 or 8 of them. I also solder it directly to the board. But i do somthing a bit different for my AWD. Because the antenna for this setup has to travel over the board and across the motor wires i use a 1.5 inch piece of COAX cable to insulate it. This eliminates any of the noise from the onboard electronics.

lfisminiz
2006.06.06, 09:02 PM
Thats a nice pro looking job!

byebye
2006.06.07, 01:14 AM
Thanks! I actually made 10 for Brian here at Stafford for some of his cars. I may have a couple times tried to shape it into an internal antenna but didn't keep it that way. Cat5 cable has a few different colors, blue, blue/white, orange, orange/white, brown, brown/white, green, green/white.

Also another reason for it is your bare antenna wire shouldn't touch CF or the alloy motor mount or the motor shaft. On some bodies like the BMW the hole in the rear window is set back kind of far and can vribrate and hit other metal parts causing interference. The method I use gives you a full length insulated antenna.

-Byebye

lfisminiz
2006.06.07, 09:20 PM
Where do you get cat5 cable. I dont know what it is. :o

Limeaway
2006.06.07, 09:53 PM
Cat-5 wire = Category 5 network wire. It's meant for Ethernet Network PC stuff, I believe. RS offers 100ft of this wire, quite a bit of too much...You can probably find smaller amounts from a different source, just search google for Cat-5 Network Wire.http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062654&cp=2032058.2032227.2032240&parentPage=family

byebye
2006.06.08, 12:43 AM
Where do you get cat5 cable. I dont know what it is. :o

LImeaway is right. There are solid and stranded. I use solid. The solid is used for long pulls and is stronger where the stranded is used for shorter runs called "patch cable". I'm sure the stranded would work but I like the solid because it hold it's shape.

-Byebye

Limeaway
2006.06.08, 07:22 PM
Wow, I didn't even notice my link was messed up. RS Cat-5 wire. (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062654&cp=2032058.2032227.2032240&parentPage=family) At bit too much...(100ft :eek:) You can probably find another dealer with cat-5 wire, for a much cheaper price, and with a smaller quantity. Just search it on google I guess.

lfisminiz
2006.06.08, 08:58 PM
Thanks guys. ;)

MINIz guy11
2006.06.10, 10:31 AM
after reading these posts, it has made me want to try to make one

im8im8
2006.06.14, 05:40 PM
Wow, I didn't even notice my link was messed up. RS Cat-5 wire. (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062654&cp=2032058.2032227.2032240&parentPage=family) At bit too much...(100ft :eek:) You can probably find another dealer with cat-5 wire, for a much cheaper price, and with a smaller quantity. Just search it on google I guess.


FYI: You can go to your local home depo and get the cat-5 cables by the foot. I think they are approximately 20 cents a foot.

byebye
2006.06.15, 02:04 AM
There ya go, good find!

-Byebye

tzero
2006.06.18, 05:46 PM
Well I got around to installing the CAT-5 antenna on my Overland. Thanks for the idea ByeBye. BTW sorry for the blurry pic its off of my dads camera phone.

James

byebye
2006.06.19, 01:45 AM
Looks good tzero!

-Byebye

color01
2006.06.20, 01:28 AM
tzero, any noticeable differences with the CAT 5 in there? i just bent my stock antenna to fit under the shell, it'l okay outdoors but does start glitching at about 20ft away indoors. (then again, visibility goes only to 15ft indoors...dang walls.)

tzero
2006.06.20, 08:43 AM
I havnt had the chance to test it yet due to me burning my battery charger tray.

shuter
2006.07.05, 09:26 PM
http://www2.mini-zracer.com/gallery/album581/P1010016_001

http://www2.mini-zracer.com/gallery/album374/P1010044_001

http://www2.mini-zracer.com/gallery/album703/P1010021

I've been doing it this way for a long time. My OLPS car runs the stock antenna but only because I didn't put one in.

I use a strand from CAT5 solid cable. I solder it straight to the board then route it out and make it almost 1.5 times longer than the stock length. I use the straw from a can of air. The wire that holds it is a stock antenna cut down and bent to length. Once it's done you can adjust the length by replacing the holder or re-bending it. The other great thing about this setup is the fact that when you travel you just pull the body off and pull the antenna out of the holder, lay it down and replace the body.

-Byebye

Very nice antenna. I just bought 6 feet of cat 5 wire from a communications shop for a dollar. Looks like enough to make two dozen antennas since there are six shielded strands inside. Thanks for the info and pictures.

byebye
2006.07.06, 01:40 AM
No problem;) Glad to see people using it. I wonder where I could source the straws???????

-Byebye

MINIz guy11
2006.07.12, 05:54 PM
just buy some regular antenna tubes and cut them in half. they wont look too long now

shuter
2006.07.17, 01:47 AM
just buy some regular antenna tubes and cut them in half. they wont look too long now

Sorry to have to ask but what is a "regular antenna tube"

DogbreathRacing
2006.07.17, 02:26 AM
antenna (http://www2.mini-zracer.com/gallery/Dogbreath/Dcao0168)

here was a simple underbody antenna, about 10 inches of bell wire (found at local hardware store for about $0.07 a foot, wrapped around a small screwdriver bit and the insulated with heat shrink

PaulBoth
2006.07.17, 11:32 AM
Does anyone know what the ideal length is for our PCB's? I would be interested in doing this especially to the F1 car, to help it look more realistic.

Or is it safe just to take the stock antenna, make it 1.5 inches longer and run with that?

PB

Slipstream
2006.07.17, 05:11 PM
The ideal antenna length for 27 MHz is way too long. Ideally we should use 1 (full) wave length long for a particular frequency, but RC uses something a lot shorter. Here is an Antenna length calculator (http://www.csgnetwork.com/antennaevcalc.html). 27 MHz @ full length would be something like 34ft. Even @ 1/8 length its 4+ft.
The 5 or so inch antenna in the mini-z is for scale looks so the range will be limited. Then again the car is small you won't be able to see it 150 feet away.
If you want to find the best correct length for a freq. but still keep it manageable, take your exact crystal freq. number ncluding the numbers after the decimal point and plug it into the calculator and get the 1/8 wave length. Keep dividing by 2 till you get to the length you want.

For example: Channel 11 in the radio shack crystal set is 27.175 so:

1/8 wave lenghth is 4ft. 3 - 11/16in. or 51.6875in.
1/16 wave length is 25.844in.
1/32 wave length is 12.922in.
1/64 wave length is 6.461in. I would stop here unless 13 inches is Ok for you then I would stop at 1/32 wave length.

MINIz guy11
2006.07.17, 09:37 PM
i just got my antenna done on my 02. about 1 foot of cat 5 wire is on it now

PaulBoth
2006.07.18, 07:50 AM
Nice link... thanks.

One question though, it says Vertical Length... how much does laying the antenna horizontally affect the reception length?

Also, does it matter what material the antenna is constructed of? Is copper better than silver/tin/steel etc?

PB

The ideal antenna length for 27 MHz is way too long. Ideally we should use 1 (full) wave length long for a particular frequency, but RC uses something a lot shorter. Here is an Antenna length calculator (http://www.csgnetwork.com/antennaevcalc.html). 27 MHz @ full length would be something like 34ft. Even @ 1/8 length its 4+ft.
The 5 or so inch antenna in the mini-z is for scale looks so the range will be limited. Then again the car is small you won't be able to see it 150 feet away.
If you want to find the best correct length for a freq. but still keep it manageable, take your exact crystal freq. number ncluding the numbers after the decimal point and plug it into the calculator and get the 1/8 wave length. Keep dividing by 2 till you get to the length you want.

For example: Channel 11 in the radio shack crystal set is 27.175 so:

1/8 wave lenghth is 4ft. 3 - 11/16in. or 51.6875in.
1/16 wave length is 25.844in.
1/32 wave length is 12.922in.
1/64 wave length is 6.461in. I would stop here unless 13 inches is Ok for you then I would stop at 1/32 wave length.

shuter
2006.07.19, 08:28 AM
The ideal antenna length for 27 MHz is way too long. Ideally we should use 1 (full) wave length long for a particular frequency, but RC uses something a lot shorter. Here is an Antenna length calculator (http://www.csgnetwork.com/antennaevcalc.html). 27 MHz @ full length would be something like 34ft. Even @ 1/8 length its 4+ft.
The 5 or so inch antenna in the mini-z is for scale looks so the range will be limited. Then again the car is small you won't be able to see it 150 feet away.
If you want to find the best correct length for a freq. but still keep it manageable, take your exact crystal freq. number ncluding the numbers after the decimal point and plug it into the calculator and get the 1/8 wave length. Keep dividing by 2 till you get to the length you want.

For example: Channel 11 in the radio shack crystal set is 27.175 so:

1/8 wave lenghth is 4ft. 3 - 11/16in. or 51.6875in.
1/16 wave length is 25.844in.
1/32 wave length is 12.922in.
1/64 wave length is 6.461in. I would stop here unless 13 inches is Ok for you then I would stop at 1/32 wave length.


How about wire diameter? If very thin wire was used it could easily be 34ft. and very light. How does wire diameter effect reception?

shuter
2006.07.19, 08:34 AM
antenna (http://www2.mini-zracer.com/gallery/Dogbreath/Dcao0168)

here was a simple underbody antenna, about 10 inches of bell wire (found at local hardware store for about $0.07 a foot, wrapped around a small screwdriver bit and the insulated with heat shrink

Looks like it is all under the body. How does reception compare to a stock antenna?

gnehcoel
2006.10.05, 02:27 AM
Thanks! I actually made 10 for Brian here at Stafford for some of his cars. I may have a couple times tried to shape it into an internal antenna but didn't keep it that way. Cat5 cable has a few different colors, blue, blue/white, orange, orange/white, brown, brown/white, green, green/white.

Also another reason for it is your bare antenna wire shouldn't touch CF or the alloy motor mount or the motor shaft. On some bodies like the BMW the hole in the rear window is set back kind of far and can vribrate and hit other metal parts causing interference. The method I use gives you a full length insulated antenna.

-Byebye

Hi byebye

Your custom antenna is great. I tried to do DIY in a similar way too. I put the cat5 through a "heat shink" tube and hook one end to the wire from the car. the other end, i do a "spiral" along the heat shink tube and end it towards the end of the tube. Do you think this method will cause some interference?

thanks,
Leo

byebye
2006.10.05, 05:03 AM
I'm kind of confused on how you did it. Can you take a pic? Glad to see I gave you some ideas. It's always great to hear about others experiences.

-Byebye

betty.k
2006.10.05, 06:00 AM
Has anyone done away with the metal antenna and just ran some regular antenna wire through a tube like 1/10th scale cars? Does that help, and what length should it be?

yes, this will help.

aerials work best being one single continuous wire, whether that be a flexible wire or the stiffer stock aerial wire. even a solder join can effect the performance of an aerial.

to work out the correct length reqires a liddle brainwork! :eek: (it won't hurt for long!)
There is a very important number everybody should know. 3 x 10^8 ! (300 Million). It's also known as "the speed of light" (in metres per second).

It is the "C" in E=mc^2, but I don't think we need to go that far :-)

We use this number to work out the 'wavelength' of a particular radio frequency.

The formula is L= C/F
C= 3 x 10^8
F= Frequency in Hertz (27MHz = 27000000 Hz)
L= Wavelength (in metres)

Example:
[3x10^8]/[27x10^6]=11.11 metres.

Antennas work best a specific lengths.
Usually these are 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 5/8ths of a wavelength.

Stick with 1/4, it is simple and the smallest.
11.11 / 4 = 2.78 Metres.

So the best length of antenna to use is 2.78 metres long. Not very practical ?

Loading coils help make antennas look electrically longer or shorter than they really are. But for antennas so drastically short of their ideal length, it doesn't help much.

using the above maths i've successfully made aerials for all sorts of stuff, 1:10 rx's, xmods, cameras, etc.
i've even gone as far as 1/8 and 1/16 wavelength with good results.

i've personally never had an issue since using futaba radios.

dean
2006.10.05, 04:42 PM
My method is altogether different.
Bag ties are useable with very good reception and usually free in the package used for shipping mini-Z's

They are long,you can bend them anyway you want under the body and leave only a little sticking out of the body if any at all ,because in some cases you can keep it all under body especially in F1 CupCars.

gnehcoel
2006.10.06, 01:29 AM
I'm kind of confused on how you did it. Can you take a pic? Glad to see I gave you some ideas. It's always great to hear about others experiences.

-Byebye

I have attached a pic. when I test with my car, I did not solder the wire to the car yet. I just hook up the CAT5 end to the eye lid and use some tape to tape it together to test for interference. Also, when I test my car, I put it on a raised platform so that i am only testing to see if the car respond to my radio signal (I did not put it on the track). The car responds, but the servo just shift to left and right and looks out of control.

Please take a look at the pics and see if this setup is wrong.

Thanks,
Leo

DogbreathRacing
2006.10.06, 01:48 AM
the antenna looks good but your interference is from the bad connection, use a screw to clamp the ends together or a spot of solder.....never twist and tape an antenna.

byebye
2006.10.06, 05:58 AM
I have attached a pic. when I test with my car, I did not solder the wire to the car yet. I just hook up the CAT5 end to the eye lid and use some tape to tape it together to test for interference. Also, when I test my car, I put it on a raised platform so that i am only testing to see if the car respond to my radio signal (I did not put it on the track). The car responds, but the servo just shift to left and right and looks out of control.

Please take a look at the pics and see if this setup is wrong.

Thanks,
Leo

Yeah that will work. Only reason I didn't do that was because I couldn't get the antenna through the stock hole on the body when wrapped around the straw.

As DB stated it is best to have the most solid connection possible. I solder mine straight to the board. You can also solder the eyelet to the cat5 and screw it down like stock. The soldered connection will be much better. Do be careful when soldering at the board. You want it to be a solid connection. Too much twisting a turning and bending can cause the wire to loosen the pad on the board or loosen itself from the board causing a bad or lost connection. Not a good thing on the track or outside for that matter.

Good job :D

-Byebye

gnehcoel
2006.10.06, 11:22 AM
Yeah that will work. Only reason I didn't do that was because I couldn't get the antenna through the stock hole on the body when wrapped around the straw.

As DB stated it is best to have the most solid connection possible. I solder mine straight to the board. You can also solder the eyelet to the cat5 and screw it down like stock. The soldered connection will be much better. Do be careful when soldering at the board. You want it to be a solid connection. Too much twisting a turning and bending can cause the wire to loosen the pad on the board or loosen itself from the board causing a bad or lost connection. Not a good thing on the track or outside for that matter.

Good job :D

-Byebye

I use a 3/64" heat shrink as the tube, it is smaller and lighter. This way it should go through the stock hole. I works for my 360 gt and calsonic z.

I will try to solder it on the eyelet tonight. I just wonder why I need to screw it down? At the screw, I have a "L" shapped metal (stock antenna cut and bent) which allows me to place the antenna a fixed spot. I think srewing it down will create another connection for the "reception" and cause some interference. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks to byebye and DB for all your help.

gnehcoel
2006.10.06, 11:25 AM
Hmmm ... also, does the antenna length really matters? I saw ppl using the antenna length calculator. I used antenna from Kyosho, xmod, atomic and PN before. They all worked the same ... not sure if the length will actually make a big diff.

thanks,
Leo

Natedog
2006.10.27, 02:05 AM
Hmmm ... also, does the antenna length really matters? I saw ppl using the antenna length calculator. I used antenna from Kyosho, xmod, atomic and PN before. They all worked the same ... not sure if the length will actually make a big diff.

thanks,
Leo

YES, antenna length matters...but others will work...the proper antenna works best though. This is much more critical for the tx than the tx...incorrect tx antenna can burn up the output circuit.

BTW, who's used the Kyosho underbody antenna pcb setup? Good or bad results?

Dougboy
2006.11.01, 05:43 PM
BTW, who's used the Kyosho underbody antenna pcb setup? Good or bad results?

I know ppl who have used it. Its worse than the stock antennae, especially when racing with alot of other cars.

I made my own cat5 antennae today because i sometimes experience jamming at the local track when running with all the AD's. Here is what it looks like. I look forward to testing it out this friday.
:cool:

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/8928/dsc02352mq7.jpg

Natedog
2006.11.01, 09:22 PM
I know ppl who have used it. Its worse than the stock antennae, especially when racing with alot of other cars.

W0W, worse than stock that's scary!!! :eek: What's an AD?

pomme de terre
2006.11.02, 05:38 PM
Yea I used to have the Kyosho internal. Its alright if youre just driving by yourself, but if you go to the track, it will jam like crazy.

Stay away from it...

Natedog
2006.11.02, 08:44 PM
DOH!!! You'd think Kyosho would've done better than that...thanks for the info though. :)

BillH
2006.11.05, 06:02 AM
Does anyone have a idea for a good internal ant, or is the body too thick?

betty.k
2006.11.06, 02:56 AM
Does anyone have a idea for a good internal ant, or is the body too thick?

short answer, an internal aerial is a bad idea.

it's nothing to do with the plastic body, you would get the same poor range whether the body is on or off.

the reason internal aerials suck so much is not because of the fact that it's internal, it's because the aerial is horizontal to the ground. the best reception is enjoyed when your aerial is at a 90 deg angle to the ground.

i'm hazy on the details but i think it's because the ground absorbs much of the signal, keeping your aerial as far away from the ground as possible is the key. :cool:

monkey19
2007.01.03, 05:32 PM
I snapped one of my stock antennas last week, it actually lasted a lot longer then I thought it would. Would this work? It is unbraided pair from a cat 5 cable, threaded through an air can straw. Would it be a problem if I soldered the bottom of the wire to an adapter similar to the one that comes off the board and just fasten the two together with a screw (similar to the stock antenna setup) not sure if that would cause to much interference…..




http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o301/emeritek/PICT0033.jpg

pomme de terre
2007.01.03, 05:53 PM
You can just solder it directly onto the PCB

marc
2007.01.03, 06:17 PM
This may sound like a dumb question I don't know. But does material make a difference in antanna receiveing signals? Meaning copper wire versus the regular wire that comes with the Z's, or other type wires? Anybody studied materials?

monkey19
2007.01.03, 06:45 PM
You can just solder it directly onto the PCB

Thanks i will give it a try tomorrow.

pomme de terre
2007.01.03, 07:46 PM
Not sure about the material, but this is what Atomic claims about their Elastic Antennas

*
Special designed alloy
allow Better signal reciving.


http://www.rcatomic.com/main/products/1/AR16series_demo.jpg

pchan0
2007.01.04, 12:17 AM
HPI Racing titanium antenna, none better!

LINK (http://cgi.*******a/HPI-RS4-Micro-Titanium-Antenna-Z154_W0QQitemZ150061772947QQihZ005QQcategoryZ34063 QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem)

soulstice
2007.04.09, 11:38 AM
Is there any internal antenna design that works, or will that perpendicular rule always doom internals. I really don't like having the antenna stick out 1. because it's ugly and 2. because i have to remove my antenna's everytime i travel.

dean
2007.04.09, 04:09 PM
Soulstice, My reply is on page 3 of this thread.

Bagties work great !!! :D :D :D

You can line the outer edge of the underbody with it and that should be enough the thin wire really receives signal well.
If you if you need more length make a small coil or let some stick out of the body this way you can still bend it down for easy transport to and from the race track. :rolleyes:

http://mini-zracer.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=21307

.
.
.

arch2b
2007.04.09, 04:18 PM
some have done well with the coil antennas although i have not.

you can always get some guitar string which is very flexible and will not break so you can simply fold the antenna down when packed up. you can even bend a small coil spring at the base to make it easier.

DogbreathRacing
2007.04.09, 07:09 PM
I have run coiled or loomed underbody anttenas for almost 20 years and still do on most of my rigs, never had any real problems that were actually caused by the antenna itself (in off-road the biggest problem was dirt getting into the receiver and causing glitch)

faydoiinspire
2007.04.24, 12:22 AM
I use a strand from CAT5 solid cable. I solder it straight to the board then route it out and make it almost 1.5 times longer than the stock length.

-Byebye

Never knew i could use CAT5 wires. Got the orange to match the Anima II/ Mclaren F1LM, and the blue antenna for the awd. Thanks for the tips byebye! :D

pics attached. :cool:

byebye
2007.04.24, 07:07 AM
Lookin good faydoiinspire!

-Byebye

Mini-Me-Zee
2007.09.07, 04:47 PM
Does anyone know if any or all of these antennas reduce glitching while passing over the loop of the Core timing system?

Roger
2007.09.11, 01:44 AM
HPI Racing titanium antenna, none better!

Oh yeah ! Low budget racing: Paper clip with heat shrink :D

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z287/Rserafin161/IMG_4781-1.jpg

Skv012a
2008.12.10, 08:20 PM
Sorry to revive, but after looking through all of these threads my question remains unanswered- how to make a WORKING, non glitching internal antenna? Those who made successful one didn't quite provide enough info on wire material/length/resulting range. Other setups just don't seem to work for me.

I've tried Cat5 wire of stock length, 24" length, full (I believe 7') length coil and nothing worked very well past 20' or so.

Is there a way to make a non-glitchy unit that could go at least 50'? Also, whats the range of stock antenna's on the Zs? I heard that these are capable of 50' + but I simply don't see anything glitch-free past 25-30' at most.

byebye
2008.12.10, 08:57 PM
Sorry to revive, but after looking through all of these threads my question remains unanswered- how to make a WORKING, non glitching internal antenna? Those who made successful one didn't quite provide enough info on wire material/length/resulting range. Other setups just don't seem to work for me.

I've tried Cat5 wire of stock length, 24" length, full (I believe 7') length coil and nothing worked very well past 20' or so.

Is there a way to make a non-glitchy unit that could go at least 50'? Also, whats the range of stock antenna's on the Zs? I heard that these are capable of 50' + but I simply don't see anything glitch-free past 25-30' at most.

Yeah it's called 2.4ghz asf...:rolleyes:

Seriously though I've never had success with an internal antenna. You may never have both an internal and good range with AM.

Kris

Skv012a
2008.12.10, 09:37 PM
Was afraid to hear "an easy payment of $199.99 + S/H" lol. My only fear of that investment is that if it were to fry or bust...