SkyDude

Greetings,

I have a newbie question... What's the best way to mount the Rx antenna to the vertical stabilizer? I'm not sure if there is special mounting hardware required so the antenna stays secure.

I have an Avistar. The antenna exits the fuse on the side near the power switch and is just taped to the fuse under the elevators. Once a little fuel gets on it, it will slide loose. I'd like to have the antenna come out from the back "window" of the cabin area and run to the top front of the vertical stabilizer.

I'll want to do the same with my Super Sportster once I get it built in a few weeks.

Thanks much!

Charlie P.

I stick a 1/8" round-head pin in the stab. I use the old trick of threading the antenna through the holes of a scrap servo horn. The final hole is opened so it forms a hook. Then, a small rubber band from that hook to the pin keeps the antenna taught. I run the antenna out of the fuselage inside a piece of fuel tubing. Inside the fuselage the antenna is threaded through another scrap servo horn so it won't pull through the fuel tubing. The span between the receiver and the exit hole must be loose so it won't yank the antenna out in a crash.

Never tie a knot in the antenna and never glue it to any portion of the fuselage.

MinnFlyer will have a picture available shortly. ;-)

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

You asked for it, you got it! LOL

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

And this is what the "servo horn" piece looks like.

By the way, I've changed my method of attaching to the stab. I now use a short piece of fuel tubing with two (or four) slits cut half way through. Thread the antenna into one end, out the first slit, back in the second, and so on. Then use the same "pin" method to connect to the stab.

The tubing seems to hold up better than the rubber bands, but in a crash the antenna will still pull out of the tubing saving the antenna.

I still use an old horn as a strain relief inside the fuse though.
Dennis-

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Very nice DBC. Looks like I've got competition! LOL

SkyDude

Awesome info people! Thanks very much.

Now where did I put my old servo horn scraps? I'll have to go diggin'.

I also saw this on Tower Hobbies. The Antenna Cowl hook and Keeper...

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXD666&P=K

ufdfireman

Hey SkyDude....

I also have the Avistar. What version do you have? In my instructions, it tells you what to do on pg 17.
If you'd like, Ill take a few pics for you... let me know.

Also, I like the fuel tubing idea for the fuse exit that MinnFlyer illustrated.... Ill have to fix mine. Thanks.
I am curius, what program do you use to make these drawings? They are great.

MinnFlyer

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Mostly I use Photoshop. But sometimes I also use Illustrator, or Dimensions (all by Adobe)

SST

My Feedback: (2)

I've done the control horn thing, but on my SST .40, I glued a piece of nyrod to the top of the flat topped fin and looped a piece of covering over it. I then threaded the antenna through it, and wrapped a scrap of foam around the wire before drawing it taught, so the foam created a loose packing around the wire. I also use the fuel tube exit grommet gimmic.

SkyDude

ufdfireman - It's the Avistar Select and the manual covers only the basic steps for setup. It only has 12 pages. No mention of antenna routing in there. Out of the box, all radio gear and engine is installed. The antenna is just taped under to the fuse under the elevators.

This will probably be OK for a while, but will eventually come loose. I like the look of the antenna going up diagonally from the rear cabin to the rudder, so I'll eventually re-route it that way.

Thanks again everyone for all the good info. I'm new to this site, but I've already found a lot of good tips and entertaining stories.

This is a great hobby. I'm glad I'm getting back into it.

Cheers!

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

UFD,
I also use Photoshop.

MinnFlyer,
You've got too much on me. I have to sketch anew for each post I do, I believe you must have a huge cache of "stock" illustrations.
Dennis-

EloyM

My Feedback: (194)

On all wood airplanes such as you are discussing here, and with modern receivers, it is not really necessary to have the antenna externally. You can mount it internally, in a plastic tube such as the inside of a plastic pushrod. I believe a couple of companies package a single tube as an antenna holder. Install it to exit as far back in the tail as possible, and if the antenna is longer than the fuselage, just let it trail.
you can even use soda straws glued together to get the necessary length.
In fuselages with carbon fiber reinforcements, or with a lot of internal radio wiring (extensions, etc) you might run into problems, but not so in the average airplane.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

DBC, I started out drawing a new one each time too. After a while I saw it would be good to save them.

Just create a folder to store them all in, and save as you go. My folder currently has just over 200 images in it! LOL

Kaos Rulz

............cause I thought I was having da-ja-vu.

speedy3do

This one may seem crude but it works well for me, I start at the receiver end where it goes though the plastic tube, here I use heat shink as a stopper so your receiver wire won't get pulled out, next I glue a 1\2-3\4" piece of fuel tube on top of stab and use a tooth pick to keep the wire tight but allows it to slip when bumped, you can also make it any colour using wifes finger nail polish

hookedonrc

I mount my antenae exactly like MinnFlyer except for the pin that I put in the vertical stab. I use a T-pin with the rubber band looped through one arms at the top. That way I can push the pin in clear to the top spar of the pin and it holds perfectly. And if you want to get fancy, you can bend the t-pin at an angle so it follows the angle of the LE of the stab. BTW: I have the Avistar as well. Great plane to learn on.

ufdfireman

SkyDude:

Not sure if you have this resolved, but I scanned page 17 for you and took a couple pics.

Page 17

Fuse Exit Pic

Vert. Stab. Pic

speedy3do

Well skydude, looking at those pics might as well use duck-tape lol The tubing looks way better, but that is my view only

ufdfireman

I simply followed directions.
Where are the pics of your idea?

speedy3do

Hi UFD
I didn't mean to ruffle your tail feathers and I know you followed the instructions but to me it just looks like a big knot. Here is a pic showing my method maybe it looks like a mess to you?
Speedy3do

ufdfireman

Speedy,

No hard feelings here....
I was actually curious to see the toothpick method.
I do want to add a piece of fuel tubing on the exit.... so far there is no damage to the wire, but I would like to prevent it.
As far as the mounting on the stab, I think I'll try your idea.