Re: Rx antenna questions


"Randy Maheux" <rmaheuxr@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:TH0zh.3070$6a.1262@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
My nephew and I are "playing" with RC boats and it is all new to me. I
would like to be able to move the receiver and ESC from one boat to
another. Mounting them isn't a problem, but I don't know what to do about
the antenna (fixed to the receiver). Here are a couple of questions:

Is there a way to put a disconnect in the antenna wire near the receiver?
Would some kind of mini-jack from Radio Shack work? What about using one
wire of a JR type connector?

Pretty much anything with good, low resistance, sprung contacts will do.
Since it is exposed to water, you should definitely use gold plated
contacts.

How critical is antenna length? I've seen models with similar radios
using antenna lengths between 12" and 30".

Length does matter, but whether it matters enough is the question. Ideallly
you want your receiver antenna wire to be related to the radio's target
wavelength by factors like 1/4, 1/2, etc. (there are other factors, but
that's the
basic idea). But it's safe to assume that the receiver manufacturer picked a
length that was suited to the circuit and reasonable for the model - a 1/4
wave antenna would probably be physically too long. (You could try doubling
it to see if range improves, though.)

What difference does the gage of the antenna wire make? That which comes
with the receiver is a fairly fine size - one that Radio Shack doesn't
carry. Could I use 24 gage braided copper wire?

Probably. RF tends to travel on the surface of conductors so a little more
surface might do some good. (On the other hand, it might also detune the
receiver in some cases where the circuit is fussy.) Give it a try and
compare it to the original. (If you need finer wire, a hobby shop may carry
it.)

-Wm




.

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