Hello Guys,

I've been wanting to ask this question about the new 2.4 Ghz TX. I'm currently not using it, but I've seen that a lot of people using it and in videos, why the antenna is bent upwards, left or right side, why it's not straight? Does it have to be that way, or if we keep the antenna straight, would it create some kind of dead zone of frequency?


Thanks and please clarify it.


Mody

# Gotta learn before I buy one[8D]

When in Rome, I do as the Romans. Tx antenna up.......

So it does not really matter whether antenna is on left/right/upward or straight position, it does not create a dead zone while it's straight?

Actually you are correct only the problem is not so dramatic. The antennas null or poorest performance is pointing straight at the airplane and this is why its reccomended to try and keep the antenna ninety degrees to the airplane as much as possible and the easiest orientation to do that is with the antenna bent over to the left or right not straight where it is pointing at the airplane much of the time.

John

Because of my OCD, Im unable to fly with my antenna turned to the left or right. [:@]

John, Scooter,

Well, I now understand that's what I have been thinking about, so left or right, whatever works.


Thanks guys

Just found this on Spektrums web site:

Don't point your transmitter antenna at the aircraft

The antenna output is "apple" shaped - that is to say, the lowest output comes directly out the tip of the antenna. For maximum output, keep your antenna away from the model.

Do point your transmitter antenna vertical

You don't fly over your head, do you? Unless you're flying directly over your head, orienting your transmitter in a vertical position - no matter what way you hold your transmitter - will provide great results. How big a deal is this? For most flying, it's a non-issue. But for optimization, keep the antenna from being pointed at the aircraft.
Why it matters
Our lead engineer says the radiation pattern from the Tx antenna is apple-shaped - the least output is out the tip of the antenna.

http://www.spektrumrc.com/Community/...Practices.aspx

Scooter,

It seems to be a great information

Gotta do some research at Spektrum /JR's website.

Does not matter what system you are using Don't point that little guy at the airplane. Is the sky gonna fall, Probably not but why tempt the sky. Actually the same applies to our 72 equipment except no one ever paid much attention.

And yes left or right is no diff.

John

Thanks John and the guys who shared their great experiences & suggestions.

When I instruct student pilots, I tell them to try to keep the antenna perpendicular to the plane direction of travel and not point the antenna toward the plane. Usually, that means pointing the antenna straight up and working with it like that.

But, it's more important to teach proper flying technique than to worry what direction the antenna is pointed in. For most beginner pilots, the focus should be on the plane not the antenna.. except, perhaps, to not forget to extend the antenna on the 72 MHz systems.. [X(] Yeah.. I learned that the hard way..

CGr

I'm still using 72Mhz and 2.4 Ghz is in the pipeline of my future purchase, but Thank GOD, I never flew my plane without having the antenna fully extended. Still I keep this practice and of course only one plane "knock on wood," I cannot afford to lose it.

2.4 Ghz is my next goal.

If you have a transition period when you do start to use both for a period, be very careful the fellows are tending to forget the antennas when they do use 72. This is very common.

John

John,

You are right about it, and it's a good thing for me so that I'd be careful. I'm waiting it to get hopefully in the end of January 2011. I hopefully get some college refunds or some savings I guess.

I'd surely update y'all

Oh yeah.. you are so right. What happened to me was typical of what can and does happen.

I flew most of the day on 2.4GHz. When the wind died down, I pulled out my Sig/Herr Little Something Extra electric conversion on channel 42. I followed procedure, "fired it up", and put it in the air. A very short time later, the thing went out of control at full throttle and dove right into the ground. Oh crap.. I forgot to raise my 72 Mhz transmitter antenna.

I didn't notice it at first because I was so used to seeing the stub antenna on top of my transmitter that it just looked normal to me. Soooooo [:@]

CGr.

This whole "antenna UP" thing just doesn't sit well with me. Next time you have a large group of fliers, watch how they hold their transmitters. A LOT of them hold the Tx low - and if they point the antenna UP, they are pointing it right at the airplane.

Even if they hold it more "conventionally" the least amount of signal is going "skyward"

I point mine to the right. This way, the strongest signal (which comes from the side of the antenna) is always going toward the plane.

Now, before anyone says it...

I have some friends who lost control of a plane on landing. They reported it to the manufacturer and the manufacturer told them that they had their antenna pointed in the wrong direction. They said, "Because the antenna was pointed to the right, and you were landing from the right, your antenna was pointed at the plane"

So, basically they were saying that it was operator error... B. S.

That is a crock - and I told them so. This was clearly the manufacturer's way of hiding the fact that their system failed.

And here's why: Since that incident, I have watched these guys fly. They all hold their transmitters low AND they face the oncoming plane as it is landing!

So, if anything, they are pointing the antenna right at the plane NOW, whereas when their antenna was to the right, they were NOT.

I have always had my antenna to the right and that's where I will always keep it!

I was watching a video one day of a guy flying one of those huge scale models of, I think it was a B-29. He flew the whole time with his antena pointed at the ground, and he didn't have a problem at all, so there is a lot of background info that backs what you say, Mike.

I tell the students to point it up only to get them started. What happens after that, well, that's up to them. I've had people at the field "warn" me to point the antenna this way or that way, so I did. But, hey, I've flown with antennas pointed in every which way and still made it ok. The only time I had a problem was when I didn't extend the stupid thing, and that wasn't the radio's fault.

CGr.

But now you're talking 72MHz. The controversey is over 2.4GHz antennas

Yep, you are right. But, I just wanted to digress on that. Besides, it's kinda hard to extend an antenna on a 2.4GHz transmitter..

Wow,

Great experiences and I'm kinda nervous to buy me a 2.4 Ghz TX, I have lost 4 planes but this time I cannot afford to lose another one.

I'd like to ask y'all one more question, which one is better according to your experience 72 Mhz or 2.4 Ghz performance wise, glitch wise and so on

2.4 wins hands down

Thanks Minnflyer,

I'd go for 2.4 Ghz my 2011 project. I'm thinking either Hitec Aurora 9 or Spektrum DX8 also Hitec Optic 6.

Sorry I forgot to add this.

With 2.4 Ghz Radio, the antenna position should be downward or the right side not pointing at the plane? Or whatever position it can be but pointed straight?

Position the antenna so that when you are flying, the side of the antenna is facing the plane.

Thanks Minnflyer,

2.4 Ghz 2011's project, things would much get better in 2011.