on my 36 i wanted to hide the antenna so i wrapped it around the skids and then zip tied it up one side of the tail boom support , down the other side , under the frame , around the battery holder , up the other side of the frame and left about 2-3 inches hanging under the heli right in the middle. will this effect the performance any?? i won't be able to tell for a while because my battery and charger are worthless and i need the spare cash for a hotel. we have a hurricane (rita) coming right at us here in houston. let me know your opinion on this kind of set-up!! thanks!!

Usually, any time you shorten, wrap, or coil your antenna, you reduce your overall range. Most of the time, especially with micros, it isn't noticeable because you don't go very far with them to begin with. Personally, I had range problems coiling my antenna around the skids or boom, and so now have it extended through an antenna tube which i've tied to my landing skid. It varies with every receiver, and more important, where you fly and how much interference is present.

The best way to test it is to stick your helicopter on the ground and start walking away with your transmitter antenna collapsed. You should be able to reach about 50 ft without any large ammounts of chattering on your servos.

Another good option is to just buy a deans whip antenna, they're like $11 and really simplify everything with no real noticeable impact on range.

Id suggest wrapping it around the horisontal tail fin and through the tail servo mount and back then once you don't have enough to wrap it around the servo mount again wrap it around the fin until you have no wire left except 1in. take that and tape it so it's pointing straight up. just make sure the wire is secured as if it gets loose that tail rotor will eat it up.

PS: i've gotten range of 300-500 feet with this method. must've gotten lucky (just make sure you have new batteries and the controller tip isn't pointed any where near the heli. if it's above you point it towards the ground, if it's infron of you point is straight up. )

ok sounds good . i don't plan on the heli getting more than 50 to 75 away so i should be good. plus the heli looks so much better this way!!

glad you like it.

what does a deans antenna do that keeps the range and performance but is still shorter?

My understanding of it, is that the antennas are base loaded, and basically have a small chip(?) that amplifies the signal some. Reception is not as good as a full length antenna, but still good in most cases. And it's significantly shorter than a big ugly wire hanging from your helicopter or wrapped around your skids.

I wonder if there's somebody who can explain a few things to me about RC Rx antennas. In particular, how most Rx antennas are 1/4 wavelength, while at least one outfit sells you 1/8 wavelength.
Loading? Ok for Tx's. You must optimise the Tx / antenna / freespace interfaces, and you have the space to do it.
But Rx's? A chip? What's it do?[
Last time I heard it was "e dot dL" volts to the input circuit. Wrong?
Amplifiers, yes, OK, but make sure the noise figure's low enough so as not to deliver you lots of amplified noise too!
Anybody want to talk this sort of stuff?

Cheers

[:-]