advise please

[beanz]

i cut of a 3rd of my rx antenna with rotor blade ,will this make a difference?.can i still fly ?it will initialize but i had a few jerks and scary moments.

[Pipistrelli]

It will be very dangerous to fly like that, the antenna is a tuned length to the frequency. Are you on 35mhz?

I can send you a replacement antenna, if you are good with soldering skills.

The quick fix would be to trim half its original length, if its 35mhz that will be 500mm. You will lose some range, but at least at half size it will be somewhat tuned again.

Carry out a range test to make sure before you fly though.

[MrKev]

Do you think that the manufacturer (Futaba, JR, whatever) made it the length they did for a reason? after all, less wire is cheaper, right?

[Paulice]

I would suggest to get some 0.5 mm2 and solder it on to make the original length, and not fly till it's done, the last thing you want is a rogue helli flying into someone because you got out of range.

[Pipistrelli]

Yes, it they are manufactured for optimum distance, with a half length aerial performance will be reduced by about 12-15%, but is still tuned to half-wavelength, having a 3rd of it missing will be totally out of tune, so range will be affected by as much as 90%. Hence the jerks and scary moments noticed so far.

For the same reason base loaded aerials are much shorter, but act like a full size, because they are tuned to a 'function' of the wavelength.

[Boggy]

Do you think that the manufacturer (Futaba, JR, whatever) made it the length they did for a reason? after all, less wire is cheaper, right?

we all started somewhere kev!

its in beginners. hes a newbie and his post is titled advice please. and he had the common sence to ask the question

[beanz]

hi,thanks for the offer.
yes im on 35mhz. its for a hbfp

shall i pm you my address.

kind regards lee

[Pipistrelli]

we all started somewhere kev!

its in beginners. hes a newbie and his post is titled advice please. and he had the common sence to ask the question

Ron,

I think MrKev's question was directed at me because I recommended cutting to half-(wave)-length. I don't think it was a criticism of Beanz post in particular!

[unwind-protect]

I think MrKev's question was directed at me because I recommended cutting to half-(wave)-length

Well, 1m (the usual length) is closer to 1/8th of a wavelength of 35MHz radiation. Which is strange, as I'd always assumed it was a quarter wave antenna.

[Pipistrelli]

Well, 1m (the usual length) is closer to 1/8th of a wavelength of 35MHz radiation. Which is strange, as I'd always assumed it was a quarter wave antenna.

Unwind-protect,

Do you work for Microsoft, because what you have said is technically correct, but absolutely useless for fixing Beanz antenna problem? LOL.

[unwind-protect]

No, but I do have to work with their products all day; it's probably corrupted me!

What I was expecting was the original length would be a quarter wave (which seems to be the usual length for antennas, for reasons I only vaguely understand); and I had no idea how a 1/8 wave antenna would compare. So I was surprised to see that the default length was 1/8 wave.

I'll shut up now

[beanz]

antenna received.

many thanks

regards beanz....