Rubber duck antenna

[Rotech]

I would like to ask, Can you install a rubber duck antenna to a transmitter to increase transmision? And if so what type can you use?

[The Gemini]

One option..
http://www.cheapertronics.com/produc...=62&item_id=11

[Rotech]

These are te same people who sell the RFID, I wounder if they are willing to install the antenna for you?

[The Gemini]

I think at one time he was talking about offering one with the antenna installed, but I don't know if that ever developed.
It really isn't hard to do. I think all you have to do is drill a hole in the case and then it uses a set screw to connect the stock antenna wire to it.

Why are you thinking about adding one??? There are other options for antennas .

Just looked at the site again...I thought I had seen one. Really made for a car installation, but it does already have the antenna installed.

http://www.cheapertronics.com/produc...=61&item_id=14

[piperpilot]

If you order an antenna with the 40m Terminal Block enclosure, I typically will drill the hole and install the antenna. You can also find instructions I wrote a while back in my knowledgebase here:

http://www.cheapertronics.com/articl...&article_id=27

Since this is just a hobby for me, I am trying to get away from offering products that require a lot of work on my side like soldering (my wife thinks I spend too much time on this). More and more I will be offering kits with all of the different parts and minimal assembly required.

The antenna does seem to help the range and stability of the transmitters, especially the 40m versions.

PiperPilot

[The Gemini]

Piper...the picture that goes with that link seems to have gone AWOL...

[piperpilot]

Fixed...its there now...that is the old 40m battery powered enclosure that I don't offer any more.

[Rotech]

Fixed...its there now...that is the old 40m battery powered enclosure that I don't offer any more.

Piper what are you marketing for the car transmiter now??

[nightwalker]

Has anyone put one of the Rubber Duck antennas on their 40m transmitter and had it work?

My wife didn't like to looks of the wire hanging out of the transmitter box in her car. so, being a nice guy I had a couple of these little antennas around and I installed one per the directions from cheapertronics website. Wow, when it connects at all it's for only a few seconds at a time at best. I can't get it to stay in range long enough to test it.

I put the long wire back on and all is well again. It seems odd to me that the antenna would make that kind of difference.

[Bill Brower]

Has anyone put one of the Rubber Duck antennas on their 40m transmitter and had it work?

My wife didn't like to looks of the wire hanging out of the transmitter box in her car. so, being a nice guy I had a couple of these little antennas around and I installed one per the directions from cheapertronics website. Wow, when it connects at all it's for only a few seconds at a time at best. I can't get it to stay in range long enough to test it.

I put the long wire back on and all is well again. It seems odd to me that the antenna would make that kind of difference.

I have done it here: http://board.homeseer.com/showthread...hlight=antenna

[nightwalker]

Interesting, thanks for thread. I assume it's working well for you still. I may try something like you've done. I was really getting good performance with just the wire sticking out of the box, this was strictly a try to quell the wifes comments about it's looks. Your install looked pretty slick.

[Bill Brower]

Remember it is all a balancing act. If you make one transmitter really good other transmitters may suffer. The way I balanced everything out is disable the plugin and get Hyperterminal running. Then you can see how the transmitters and receiver play together.

[nightwalker]

I suppose if the experiment works I'll do the same for all of them. Each car has 2 transmitters and and it's been rock solid for months. I hope i'm not going to screw up a working system for the sake of a little antenna.