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-   -   Range fix (http://mini-zracer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1351)

Draconious 2002.02.08 03:41 PM

Antenna Alteration (improvement)
 
A while ago I thought I fried my Z.. I even saw smoke. Ever since this happen my range has been HORRIBLE I tried many things to get it back to my 60 foot and beyond range one of my expiremental antennas had... but it would hardly go past 6 foot before haveing a Zeisure (coin a new term hehe).

I thought maybe turning the dial setting on the variable resister under the PCB board, same side as crystal, the square silver one, might give me some range back. I saw absolutly NO change while changing this dial... I might have even turned it beyond its ability to function... it is likely broken now. But this could also be what fried too.. and it just aint worked since the deep fry.

I today decided to try to adjust the dial on the under side again, this is a hazard, cuz I do it with the batteries INSTALLED and the power and transmitter on.. trying to find a setting that wont give my Z a Ziesure. While doing this I remembered the tech tip for removing this dial, they said to solder the antenna to a different location.. so I touched my home made tool for adjusting this dial (a folded and cut piece of my aluminum) to this location (again risking the total melt down of my circut board, never said I was sane). When I did the Ziesure was greatly reduced... and this tool I was using was only about an inch long and quarter inch wide. I then got brave and started touching it to whatever else I thought might help, I found 3 places that reduced the Ziesure twitching greatly. But the one in the photo (will attach later) is the one that worked the best.

I got some solid wire and started holding it to these locations, eventualy while holding it to the sweet spot I chose I could walk my 60 foot distance from my TX with out the servo twitching more then a very quiet almost unoticable twitch, I could probly walk twice as far before it starts acting up...

The wire is half the diameter of the Mini-Z wire and was labeled GOLD WIRE, but I think its brass, or some colored stainless steel, its not magnetic but conducts heat and voltage realy good, the gold color does NOT sand off.. so who knows maybe its realy GOLD ;).

When all done and assembled my Z now as far as the radio is concerned works as good, and far better than, new! Infact I was running it upto 10 feet away with the antenna on my transmitter fully retracted ;). But when some one in other room turned on the hair dryer it started going nuts, so I pulled out my antenna and it worked again...

Conclusion is that when a Zs range is bad, the part that fried is likely that underside dial... although touching a wire, or conductive screw driver, or razor blade (I used all 3 in the past) to the sweet spots I found would determine if you could fix your range the way I did, but I dont recomend it because you will likely fry it if its not fried already, if you slip and touch things your not supose too... or the red black wires on the esc board cross (one of the design flaws).

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/dracon...nnaByPass1.jpg

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/dracon...nnaByPass2.jpg

Each color is a diff sweet spot, one of them has a few places that will work for solder points.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/dracon...SweetSpots.jpg

Draconious 2002.02.09 09:16 AM

Well further testing, working perfectly, still better then new! -- and that hair dryer thing was only because my Antenna on my transmitter was retracted... and oddly, it would only do it in one spot on the living room floor (hair dryer about 10 foot away), one spot about half a foot in diameter... while the hairdryer was on, maybe a pipe or someting was reflecting the signal at just the right frequency to make my car turn to the left ;). Once I pulled the TX antenna out half way to full, it went away, or at least was very minimal... the TV didnt do anything to it, my computer dont do anything to it (and my PowerSupply is definatly causing interferance but not seen on my Z), the refrigerator still does interferance, but only 10% of what it was doing when I first got my Z, the vacuum cleaner didnt realy do anything I noticed to it... its all good ;)

Now all I have to do is fix a few structural things... and maybe rewire my power wires as per my other thread... and it should be race ready again!

Draconious 2002.02.11 11:23 PM

Still working... occationaly single twitch but I've yet to notice it while driving it... kinda hard though since I messed up my steering in another way ;) -- might make a new post on that, it like dont want to turn when i tell it too ;) servo gear collide or soemting.

And this antenna fix should work on any mini-Z... weather components were fried or not.. I dont know for 100% sure, but it should. I say this cuz I kind of worded it like you have to fry it in order to try it, but it is still a risk of frying it whle trying it ;).


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