Buggy antenna length
 

I just purchased a Team Associated RC8.2e buggy. The antenna tube is approximately 10 inches long. Can I cut that down to a few inches of tube outside the body, or will that prove too short? In all product photos, Team Associated images show the antenna cut down to maybe two inches of length protruding from the body.

I have the same car.

Not sure if you took off the plastic tube yet, the actuall antenna is only about an inch shorter than the actual tube. I was hoping that it would be as short as it was in the pictures as well.

Not sure if you were asking if you can cut the tube and have the excess antenna inside the receiver box? I know some of the radio have a shorter antenna from the get-go.

Here's the thing.... It's physics. The higher the radio frequency, the smaller the antenna. So a 2.4ghz - or 2400mhz - radio has a small stubby antenna, and a 75mhz (or 27mhz) will have a longer antenna. The antenna length is tuned based on the transmitter. Changing the antenna length will affect performance and range.

You should never cut the antenna wire. If you find it to be too long, you can coil it and zip tie it and secure it inside the receiver box or chassis. You can then cut down the plastic tube to a more agreeable size. Test drive it, and see if your range or reception is affected. Generally radios of all frequencies in R/C have like a 1,000 ft range - which is pretty ridiculous. A couple hundred feet would be fine. So you can normally get by with coiling up the antenna and making it smaller.

Just make sure you're only cutting the plastic antenna tube. Those are like 99 cents at the hobby store and not a big deal if you need another. You don't want to cut the wire and have to send your receiver back to the factory to have it fixed.

ya, some radios need the most help they can get so when you "loop" the extra antenaa don't let it cross directly over itself as in some radios it can cause the antenae to think it's "short" right where the wires cross.

Like the others said, the internal wire is only a fraction shorter than the tube. Do NOT cut the wire!

I found out the wire length when I changed receivers since I use the same transmitter for my 4 cars. I have a Spektrum reciever in my 8.2E now and the wire is only about 4 inches. By the time the wire goes along the body, only about 2 inches go up inside the tube. I cut the tube so it just sticks up through the body hole.

Rick

Thanks for the info. I have not cut the tube nor the antenna, yet. I will try removing the tube and carefully routing the antenna within the chassis with just a sliver (maybe two inches) protruding beyond the body.

Thanks for the information.

Let me know how this turns out. I would like for my antenna to be about an inch or two outside the body as well.

I used to keep my airtronics antenna right in the radio box and never had a problem. Some marine rxs don't even have one.

Here's a drastic example of what I do with my receivers for a Spektrum radio. I tightly and carefully coil up and stuff my DSM1 short, or DSM2 long antenna into the receiver case it comes in, barely even fits inside. Guess what, it works fine.

The bonus to doing this is that I don't have to mess with antenna wires when swapping a receiver to another RC, plus it's clean looking and won't get damaged.

+1 cdwilliams1 said.... 2.4ghz has a ridiculous range, no need for a long antenna protruding from the car. coil or route the wire within the body or battery box, and have the antenna tube be as short as you'd like. the long tube is really for folks running 27mhz.

any yes, never cut it. i have 3 receivers in my tool box that my boys wanted to "cut" for that factory, stubby look :)

Were you able to give this a go? So do I need to basically just take the actual antenna and roll it up and stick it in the box and leave maybe 2 inches out?

Haven't had a chance yet
 

I haven't had a chance yet (been working all week). I'm hoping to wrap the antenna around inside the chassis and not even have it protrude from the body. I'll let you know how it goes (and take pictures).

I have the .2 nitro and I coil my antennas up, and slide a piece of shrink tube around it, give it a quick hit with a lighter, and stuff it in the reciever box and its fine. I drive at large outdoor tracks like rev in socal and a little smaller like the yard in orange and range is never an issue. I also run my 1/10 electrics the same way with the antenna coiled up and shrink wrapped, again never an issue. Looks alot cleaner too.

Not sure if you were ever able to try this but tonight I took the majority of the antenna and have it just sitting in the box. I'll see tomorrow how it works.