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Posted: **Sat Nov 14, 2020 2:41 pm**

I have noticed that these are available and wonder how much they improve reception, especially as I'm now (when we are released from lockdown) flying an Xcalibur jet.

Also, these antennae are available in differing lengths. Can I use 2 different length antennae on 1 receiver (S8R)??

Posted: **Wed Nov 25, 2020 4:47 pm**

I just decided to give it a try so bought some from T9. They did not turn out quite as I expected as the ends of the antennas did not show up in the T9 picture. This is what they look like:

20201124_132909_001.jpg: (2.28 MiB) Not downloaded yet

I thought it was worth it to try these as I was a little concerned with low RSSI from the installation in my Xcalibur jet and also my Mosquito.

I suspect the low RSSI readings may partially have been due to using a vertical antenna in the plane and having my Tx antenna horizontal. Although I have the 2nd antenna in the plane in a horizontal position, it may have been pointing straight at me when I did the range check. I had not realised the significance of the antenna orientations till recently.

I will recheck the range figures with the original antennas fitted and then compare with these enhanced ones under the same conditions and report back.

Posted: **Sat Nov 28, 2020 11:37 pm**

Antennas inside the fuselage?
Any carbon parts around them?

João

Posted: **Sun Nov 29, 2020 7:21 am**

Yes, inside the fuselage which is all glass fibre. The canopy fits over and is all glass fibre.

Second testing with enhanced antennas done by mistake without fitting the canopy but I think that makes little difference.

The "enhancement" is nothing more than 25mm of brass tube over the antenna and soldered to the screen.

Tests conducted in my front garden, so not optimum conditions perhaps.

I tested first with the standard wire antennas fitted by using range check with the plane in the "worst" orientation - that is with the horizontal antenna pointing straight toward me. The other was vertical. I walked away until I got low RSSI warning at 44. Then took RSSI readings with the Tx antenna horizontal and vertical.

Then I turned the plane 90° so the Rx horizontal antenna was at 90° to me and walked back to the same position and recorded the RSSI figures for horizontal and vertical Tx antenna positions.

I then swapped out the original antennas for 1 x 150mm and 1 x 80mm antennas, the 150mm item being mounted vertically and repeated the testing. Results herewith.

Not very vigorous testing as lifting the Tx up and down produced better figures at higher positions. I tried to keep that constant.

Test site:

20201127_091635.jpg: (2.44 MiB) Not downloaded yet

Enhanced antenna mounting:

20201127_091520.jpg: (1.87 MiB) Not downloaded yet

Results:

: Antenna Tests.jpg (83.23 KiB) Viewed 6781 times

Posted: **Sun Nov 29, 2020 7:14 pm**

Those are dipole antennas, They should be much better than the original antennas, if they are well made of course.

I use only dipoles on the DIY receivers I build..

João

Posted: **Wed Dec 02, 2020 3:45 pm**

jhsa wrote: ↑Sun Nov 29, 2020 7:14 pm Those are dipole antennas, They should be much better than the original antennas, if they are well made of course.
I use only dipoles on the DIY receivers I build..

João

Does that mean you think my results for RSSI for the enhanced antennas is low?

Posted: **Sun Dec 13, 2020 10:40 pm**

well, it looks a bit better than the other antennas, right?
But were you having that low RSSI that close to the plane???

I don't really like the placement of your horizontal antenna. It looks like it is quite close and parallel to the power cables?
I think you might have to repeat that test at your field and do a proper range test there.
Also turn the plate on its left side and measure. I think the controller box will get in between the radio and the horizontal antenna.

João

Posted: **Tue Dec 15, 2020 11:41 am**

jhsa wrote: ↑Sun Dec 13, 2020 10:40 pm well, it looks a bit better than the other antennas, right?
But were you having that low RSSI that close to the plane???

I don't really like the placement of your horizontal antenna. It looks like it is quite close and parallel to the power cables?
I think you might have to repeat that test at your field and do a proper range test there.
Also turn the plate on its left side and measure. I think the controller box will get in between the radio and the horizontal antenna.

João

The low RSSI readings were with the Tx in range test mode so I was about 25m from the plane.

I agree the horizontal antenna location does not look good. Having stripped one of the new enhanced antennas to find out what was there, I took one of the original 150mm antennas, stripped about 1mm of outer plastic from the screen, slipped 25mm of brass tube over and soldered the screen to the tube, then shrink-tube wrapped it. I can retro-fit that longer antenna to the horizontal position and raise it away from the power cables and see what difference that will make. Agreed, it will also be better to test at the field. What do you mean by "the plate"??

It will be a while before I report back on that, as flying is difficult/not allowed just now due to weather/covid/my recent foot surgery!!

Thanks for your advices João.

Jerry

Posted: **Tue Dec 22, 2020 11:48 am**

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