RX Aerial Wires

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25 October 2014 at 10:05 #5335
Len Morris 2
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@lenmorris2
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25 October 2014 at 10:05 #53005
Len Morris 2
Participant
@lenmorris2
All the receivers I've ever seen have their aerial wires permanently connected. Not normally a problem, but, if it is, can the wire be cut and then rejoined with an in line connector?

Len
25 October 2014 at 10:29 #53006
Colin Bishop
Moderator
@colinbishop34627
No problem if is the old 27 or 40 MHz sets with their single trailing wires as long as the overall length (including the connector) remains the same.

Not sure about 2.4 Ghz though but as they are very short already there should be no need to cut them in normal circumstances.

Colin
25 October 2014 at 10:35 #53008
Dave Milbourn
Participant
@davemilbourn48782
Agreed, with the emphasis on don't muck about with 24G receiver aerials! I have some little single-wire in-line connectors kicking around somewhere. I'll have a look later and report back, as they aren't easy things to find commercially these days.
DM
25 October 2014 at 11:06 #53011
Len Morris 2
Participant
@lenmorris2
Oh thanks for that Dave and Colin as I'm on with the job right now. As you can guess it's Resurgam and I need to get the aerial wire through the 'pressure hull' . The sealing is no problem but I didn't want to tie the RX permanently into the hull. I'm on 40 mHz so with all your help am now quite confident. Note the comment about length and it will be exact to the last mm!

I'm going to seal the end of the aerial wire with super glue, epoxy, whatever, as I'm told this is essential.

Len
25 October 2014 at 11:11 #53012
Paul T
Participant
@pault84577
As I write this I am walking to the old air raid shelter in my garden.

In line connector………strip the insulation off the ends of the wire, twist the bare ends together and wrap with tape……simples!

Closing the door as I press the send butt-@[—)………
25 October 2014 at 11:23 #53015
Dave Milbourn
Participant
@davemilbourn48782
That's the cheap Sellotape from the Pound Shop (for ten rolls), of course. Perish the thought of using PVC insulation tape! Alternatively I gather that a tube of "liquid solder" is useful…….

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
25 October 2014 at 11:28 #53016
ashley needham
Participant
@ashleyneedham69188
I use spring steel or now and again thin brass wire for sticky up aerials and either solder the cut down rx wire to it (if brass) or use nothing more than a normal mains type 4mm (I think) female connector on the rx wire, and bend the end of the steel aerial to a u shaped end to spring inside the connector.

Been doing this for years, never had a problem. Pic. Guess where the aerial is !

Ashley

Edited By ashley needham on 25/10/2014 11:29:40
25 October 2014 at 13:10 #53022
Len Morris 2
Participant
@lenmorris2
The humour and banter on this site is excellent. It's whats keeps you going when you hit one of those 'and it was going so well moments' – which I just have! Separate post but DM please come back!

Len
27 October 2014 at 17:23 #53105
Len Morris 2
Participant
@lenmorris2
Does it matter if aerials are horizontal or vertical?

Len
27 October 2014 at 18:07 #53107
Dave Milbourn
Participant
@davemilbourn48782
Vertical every time. (Did I go away there for a moment, then?)
DM
27 October 2014 at 20:14 #53111
ashley needham
Participant
@ashleyneedham69188
BUT will work fine horizontally however you will not get the full range, ..and this will depend on exactly how near the water it is..

I have found that just having the tail end vertical (4 or so inches) is advantageous if the rest is horizontal, and also not bunched up.

This does not contradict DM`s post, as of course it is best to have the aerial vertical, but sometimes you dont want a full length bit of wire sticking up as demonstrated by the ecranoplan, 4 inches of vertical, rest held flat by stringing out the wire over a bit of card..full range BUT the rest of the wire is clear 4 inches of the water…and the motor is brushless so diminishing interference (you see, it all adds up)

Ashley
27 October 2014 at 21:33 #53116
Len Morris 2
Participant
@lenmorris2
Hi Dave and Ashley,

Thanks for that, wisdom received. But, is that just because the TX aerial is vertical (normally) or doesn't matter?

Len
27 October 2014 at 22:58 #53118
Len Morris 2
Participant
@lenmorris2
Hi Everybody,

I have now cut and reconnected my aerial wire. DM kindly said he had some in line connectors but that small ones were hard to find. How right he was. Blank looks from every store and shop I visited! Here's the Garrett solution.

Find an oil seal and pull out the lip spring-

Unscrew it at the connection point and the spring will jump into a straight line-

Chop off each end-

Solder them to the wires-

Heat shrink them-

And then screw them back togrther-

The job turns out very neat and is rock solid-

Len
28 October 2014 at 09:56 #53123
Banjoman
Participant
@banjoman
Very neat and clever indeed! That one has been noted down in the little black book for future reference …

/Mattias
29 October 2014 at 17:03 #53142
Geoff Sleath
Participant
@geoffsleath41411
You could also use the 2mm bullet connectors often used for small battery connectors. I use them for any battery powered models drawing fewer than about 15 amps (I use 4mm for much higher currents).

Aerial length isn't super critical to a the odd mm. and pretty well every model aeroplane has a its aerial oriented horizontally and often operate a ranges far greater than most model boats, though without the water effect.

That Mux receiver in your picture will work as well as it's possible to get with your boat and shouldn't be troubled by any motor interference. I have several like that on 35Mhz on both electric and petrol powered models and never get a glitch from the motors or the spark ignition.

Geoff
30 October 2014 at 01:01 #53158
Len Morris 2
Participant
@lenmorris2
Hi Geoff, thanks for that.

Problem with 2mm bullet connectors is that by the time the males and females are fitted and all sleeved up you are getting towards 4mm diameter. Just so you know the finished sleeved aerial connector in mi picture is 1.5mm diameter.

You are dead right about model aircraft aerials. In fact I should have remembered. When I flew many years ago my model aerials always ran from the cockpit to the tailplane – essentially horizontal. However, as I seemed to be always going straight up or straight down, perhaps I had a vertical aerial by default!

Mi problem (and it might not be – we'll have to see) is that Resurgam's aerial wire is coming out of a tin hull and I'd like to keep it under her tin superstructure. Added to that is that she'll be two feet down. But, on the bright side is the fact that she'll probably never be more than 30 feet away. Just hope the signal will punch through it. Then comes the question of gloop in ponds, saltwater, and chlorine in swimming baths. My brain hurts!

Thanks for your comment about the Multiplex RX. It provides reassurance as we progress into no man's land!

Len
30 October 2014 at 10:32 #53165
Malcolm Frary
Participant
@malcolmfrary95515
It is very likely that the length of aerial inside the hull will be effectively "wasted". Better results might well be obtained if you make the external (unshielded) part the same length as the original unmodified one. Pruning it back a bit is usually easier to arrange than lengthening it.
30 October 2014 at 21:20 #53176
Geoff Sleath
Participant
@geoffsleath41411
Len

By all means try out your receiver with the antenna contained inside the metal hull but I wouldn't be surprised if the range is close to zero. Adding the water won't improve matters. Don't full size submarines have external antennae for communication? I'd certainly try and fit a plug and socket in the hull to connect it outside somehow. You may get away with it as your range is very short and it'll be interesting to see what happens. Do a range check before launch!

Geoff
31 October 2014 at 01:08 #53184
Len Morris 2
Participant
@lenmorris2
Hi Geoff, thanks for that – particularly your comment "I wouldn't be surprised if the range is close to zero". Spurred me into action in 'mend it or end it mode'! Just bundled up the whole aerial wire and chucked it in the hull-

Put the tin lid on and switched on. All the waggley bits waggled and the motor motored (but that was next to the boat). The next bit was quite funny really. There's no way you can get the distance inside a house and keep sight of a model so you need observers Much shouting upstairs and downstairs but eventually it was established that we had control, a good 30 feet away through brick walls, a tin hull and with the aerial wire bundled up! I'm now reasonably confident that with the aerial wire extended outside the hull but under the superstructure, it'll work for the distances I need. We'll know soon!

Len
31 October 2014 at 20:40 #53219
Geoff Sleath
Participant
@geoffsleath41411
Great news Len. I'm delighted to be proved wrong in my pessimistic assessment. Just remember that range check with collapsed aerial before you "Dive. Dive. Dive." in earnest

Geoff
1 November 2014 at 01:25 #53224
Len Morris 2
Participant
@lenmorris2
Dear Geoff and Malcolm,

Thanks for your advice.

I think you could be right Malcolm about the external length. That's easy to fix if there's a problem. And Geoff, thanks for the "witch's warning", point well noted.

Len
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