Antena Wire Broke
Moderator: hbartel
Antena Wire Broke
anybody know if radio shack (or somewere else) carries a wire that will be good for replacing an antena on a hitec receiver? thanks!
- Which_way_is_up
- Posts: 1637
- Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2002 8:54 am
- Location: Dallas, Texas
Gilbert, Yes Radio Shack should have what you need. Just get a spool of general "hook up" wire of the same general diameter. The size or diameter of the wire is not critical. Just get something about the same as the old ant. wire and make sure that it's stranded wire and not a single solid wire. A multi-stranded wire will be a lot more flexible and will not "fatigue" break like a solid wire will.
Just as the diameter of the wire is not critical nor is the length. Just measure the pieces of the old ant and cut a new piece that will be within an inch or so of the old one.
The most important thing is that you know how to make a GOOD solder joint when you repair an ant. You will create more problems with a badly soldered new ant. then you can imagine.
Just as the diameter of the wire is not critical nor is the length. Just measure the pieces of the old ant and cut a new piece that will be within an inch or so of the old one.
The most important thing is that you know how to make a GOOD solder joint when you repair an ant. You will create more problems with a badly soldered new ant. then you can imagine.
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- Posts: 3330
- Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2002 10:30 pm
- Location: USA
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- Posts: 3330
- Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2002 10:30 pm
- Location: USA
I'm sure somebody has already tried this, I sodered a quick connector from an auto supply store, this way i can save a cupple buck by using the same receiver in different wings, also after a hard mid air that breaks the wing i can just disconnect the receiver without digging the antenna off the covering. I used the same wire that broke off.
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- Posts: 3330
- Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2002 10:30 pm
- Location: USA
I`ve been doing that for about 3 years now Gil. There are better connectors available though. I use small gold plated pin connectors from an electrical outlet store covered with heat shrink tubing. That large plug might mess up your radio range. I don`t know.
With this set-up you can also keep some spare antennas(i) ready to go in your "repair kit" If you take a hit to the wing that cuts the antenna, you can just tape another one to your plane between heats.
With this set-up you can also keep some spare antennas(i) ready to go in your "repair kit" If you take a hit to the wing that cuts the antenna, you can just tape another one to your plane between heats.
Lee, I will make a range check before I fly, I went to radioshack and the smallest ones I found were bigger than what autozone carries, these are pretty small once you cut the plastic off and grind up a little bit of matterial off, they hold very good once they are in and they are very light, but gold platted conectors sound way better, were did you get these gold plated pin connectors?
- Which_way_is_up
- Posts: 1637
- Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2002 8:54 am
- Location: Dallas, Texas
Back in Feb. of 2003 I created a thread about replacement ant. and connectors. You can see it here http://www.rccombat.com/forum/post.asp? ... ORUM_ID=13 unfortantely it's in the achrives and the photos are missing. I tried to update the post but the system wouldn't let me. So here's my original post.
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For those of us that have flown flying wings in combat installing the ant. can be a pain. I guess it's not necessarily the installation but the removal. I like to imbed the wire in the wing and so I've started copying a method that Lee Liddle uses in his planes which is a take off of the base loaded antennas with their pin connectors. Simply go to any computer parts store and get some of the male and female pin connectors used in the various computer connectors (serial, parallel, etc) and a roll of small gauge stranded wire. The pins cost all of 8 cents a piece!
Then cut your ant off about 3 or 4 inches from the receiver and solder on a pin and cover with a small piece of heat shrink tubing. We use the male pin for the receiver and then solder the female connectors onto the rest of the ant wire. Measure the length of that wire and cut a bunch more and solder connnectors on them too. Now you can imbed the wire into your wing and have an easy quick connect method of installing and removing your receiver without bothering to rip out the ant wire or repairing after a midair. You've got a dozen more waiting to be installed in your next wing.
Some of the guys install their receivers in their Avengers, Bandits, etc. wings too. So this would work just fine in those planes as well.
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For those of us that have flown flying wings in combat installing the ant. can be a pain. I guess it's not necessarily the installation but the removal. I like to imbed the wire in the wing and so I've started copying a method that Lee Liddle uses in his planes which is a take off of the base loaded antennas with their pin connectors. Simply go to any computer parts store and get some of the male and female pin connectors used in the various computer connectors (serial, parallel, etc) and a roll of small gauge stranded wire. The pins cost all of 8 cents a piece!
Then cut your ant off about 3 or 4 inches from the receiver and solder on a pin and cover with a small piece of heat shrink tubing. We use the male pin for the receiver and then solder the female connectors onto the rest of the ant wire. Measure the length of that wire and cut a bunch more and solder connnectors on them too. Now you can imbed the wire into your wing and have an easy quick connect method of installing and removing your receiver without bothering to rip out the ant wire or repairing after a midair. You've got a dozen more waiting to be installed in your next wing.
Some of the guys install their receivers in their Avengers, Bandits, etc. wings too. So this would work just fine in those planes as well.
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