Soldering in the middle of the wire is a very bad idea, it's too easy for the joint to break because it's succeptable to vibration. If you're just a little carefull with a soldering iron you can replace an antenna in just a minute or two. There is no risk to the electronics inside so long as you don't intentionally hold the soldering iron on the board for more than about 5 seconds. Use a dot of heat shrink tubeing at the base of the joint to strengthen it and you're all set.