Futaba FASST tiny antenna - keep inside fiberglass hull or expose 1"?
06-07-2008, 01:18 PM
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Futaba FASST tiny antenna - keep inside fiberglass hull or expose 1"?
Recently I purchased a Futaba R603FF 3-Channel Receiver and the antenna is super short. The instructions say to still put it up, but by the time it reaches out the back of my Magnum 57 (Enforcer) hull it has only a little over an inch peeking out. Can I just make it stand up under the hatch? Anyone with experience with these and bigger boats?
06-07-2008, 02:39 PM
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RE: Futaba FASST tiny antenna - keep inside fiberglass hull or expose 1"?
Expose it! a little is better than none at all. You might be able to get away with keeping it in the hull. I know SOME people have said they have done it without issue. BUT if you expose it, then you should not have a problem.
I ran a couple of FASST radios on boats. With the antenna exposed I had no issues at all.
Good luck!
I ran a couple of FASST radios on boats. With the antenna exposed I had no issues at all.
Good luck!
06-08-2008, 08:32 AM
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RE: Futaba FASST tiny antenna - keep inside fiberglass hull or expose 1"?
In my experience it helps the range to expose it a little. I don't bother on my small boats that never get far away, but I noticed a few problems on my bigger faster boats that can get way out there in a hurry. I ran a couple inched on ant out the top and now I have more range than I'll ever need.
06-08-2008, 06:37 PM
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RE: Futaba FASST tiny antenna - keep inside fiberglass hull or expose 1"?
The idea with any antenna is to get it as high as possible, and as far away from things that might 'obstruct' it as possible. The key words here are "as possible". Sometimes that isn't very much, but some is better than none. Especially with UHF or microwave type antennas, it's called "line of sight". If it can't be 'seen' by the transmitter, it just isn't gonna have much range at all. Here's where you start getting into what is 'transparent' to RF and what isn't. (That includes the curvature of the earth with longer range stuff, cell phones, etc.) At 2.4 Ghz water isn't all that 'transparent'. Very 'thin' slices of water is okay, sort of. A 'thicker' chunk of water isn't transparent. How thin is thin, and how thick is thick? Depends a lot on how pure that water is. I ain't opening THAT can of worms 
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06-08-2008, 07:35 PM
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RE: Futaba FASST tiny antenna - keep inside fiberglass hull or expose 1"?
hm.... ok, I'm convinced. I'll try to move the receiver as close to the back of the boat as possible and try to run as much out as I can. Definitely need to do some range testing still.
06-08-2008, 09:53 PM
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RE: Futaba FASST tiny antenna - keep inside fiberglass hull or expose 1"?
I switch to the FASST 2.4 on my gas boat and the antenna was not long enough to have it come out where the the FM antenna was coming out.
So I have the antenna coming out of the box at a different location and than up through the radio box lip.
That gives me about 3 to 3 1/2 inches of antenna outside, absolutely zero range problem. Actually the range is better than what I used to get with the FM radio.
Dan
So I have the antenna coming out of the box at a different location and than up through the radio box lip.
That gives me about 3 to 3 1/2 inches of antenna outside, absolutely zero range problem. Actually the range is better than what I used to get with the FM radio.
Dan
06-09-2008, 12:45 AM
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RE: Futaba FASST tiny antenna - keep inside fiberglass hull or expose 1"?
Yeah! Thats how my antennas used to look! Perfect! I NEVER had range issues at all with the fasst system. I used a 3PK and a 3PM. Best darn radios I ever had hands down.
ORIGINAL: Dan S
I switch to the FASST 2.4 on my gas boat and the antenna was not long enough to have it come out where the the FM antenna was coming out.
So I have the antenna coming out of the box at a different location and than up through the radio box lip.
That gives me about 3 to 3 1/2 inches of antenna outside, absolutely zero range problem. Actually the range is better than what I used to get with the FM radio.
Dan
I switch to the FASST 2.4 on my gas boat and the antenna was not long enough to have it come out where the the FM antenna was coming out.
So I have the antenna coming out of the box at a different location and than up through the radio box lip.
That gives me about 3 to 3 1/2 inches of antenna outside, absolutely zero range problem. Actually the range is better than what I used to get with the FM radio.
Dan
