Originally Posted by
Hydro Junkie
Why not? You seem to know everything about everything else.
BTW, since you seem to have forgotten, it used to be standard practice to route antennas out of the top of the fuse and up to the top of the vertical stab. It was also a standard practice to route the antenna inside the fuse using a zig zag pattern for better reception. My first two planes were routed in those ways per an instructor's directions in Idaho Falls ID. That was back in 1986 and, since AM and FM systems haven't really changed, that is unless you have a PCM or 2.4GHz system, that information is still good. A CF control rod can still affect how a signal is received, considering CF is used to make antennas used in two way communications but, then again, that's old school tech that's not used anymore for anything in R/C, especially aircraft.
Since you know everything, what fuel do I need for my boats? I have boats that run .21, .45 and .67 sized engines. Can I get away with 5% nitro or is that too much?
Actually the zig zag pattern was to make it fit in the fuselage. In reality you de-tune the antenna with each and every bend. Having erected many wire antennas, the best thing for a wire antenna is to be as straight as possible. Now, the amount of de-tuning was so minimal as far as the Rx was concerned, that the practice worked for our purposes.
A great many things effect signal propagation. Power out of the TX combined with Rx sensitivity just to start. Neg 80 db is a typical level for our receivers. Very difficult to see on a scope because background radiation runs at those levels too. Frequency is another big factor. 75MHz for the sub guys can go as deep as 10 feet depending on water condition. And sometimes even more. While 2.4 simply does not penetrate water to any real amount. An inch if you're lucky. Weather also impacts propagation. Humidity will play havoc. In the micro wave communications world it's called Rain Fade. 23 Gig MW systems I could push a signal 10 miles in the desert at 100 mW. Let it start to rain and I'd be lucky to go 100 yards. But my Satcom systems at 7 Gig would do 23,000 miles on just a couple of Watts. And even the sun can play with it. Ever get a hit when you fly past the sun? It happens. Not often but it does happen. And I suspect it happens more often with 2.4.
But don't believe me. I've just worked the environment for over 40 years.