I was on a quest to find some rubber-covered foam balls to stick on the end of the antenna, and I saw a gumball machine with the smaller, acorn-shaped plastic prizes. Do you think you could just glue a magnet to the underside of the acorn’s ‘hat’ and slot in the cup to put the antenna through?Snap back together and it’s done.
thx
Just get a ping pong ball or similar and put it in a balloon. Instert the aerial into the ball and zip tie balloon to hold it in place.
The fun bit is putting the ball into the balloon. It tries out your dexterity and finger strength and may be a sign of a mis spent youth.
I’m missing something here. Why would you want a ball on the end of your antenna?
so you don’t poke ya mates eye out…
I don’t have any dexterity, mate, that’s why I want to do the thing with the plastic acorn thing. Too bad antena tips don’t stick to magnets.
Just go to your local wally mart they should have one of those happy face balls that people put on there care antennas. Up here in Calgary (cowboy town) and (not broke back mountain kind) they have ones even with cowboy hats on. Or did they not have ones at Jack in the box at one time?
They were out of the happy face balls, so I wanted to try something else. I like to be ‘different.’ Different can be cool. :rasta:
They only other alternative to a ball is to replace your antenna with a ducky-type antenna. Anybody ever tried the “Power stick” from Hobby-Lobby?
thx
TomoHawk,
Rather than changing antennas (a real pain for a number of reasons), find some plain old foam balls and decorate them however you like. Or to be really different, glue an ostritch feather to the antenna (peacock?)…
PS - Anyone asks why, tell’em it makes for a stronger signal. Then they’ll stay away from you (helps to wear a foil cap too!).
Some of those antenna balls had points on them!
If I changed the antenna, I’d go for a short (7inch) stick one.
I won’t say it isn’t possible, but I don’t think the overal results would be all that good. With any ‘shortened’ antenna you always give up something, and in this case that would probably be range. That could be because of the radiation characteristics of a ‘shortened’ antenna, or a reduction in radiated power. The power thingy from more than one reason dealing with antenna matching and transmitter circuitry. No huge reason why you couldn’t try it, just don’t throw away the ‘old’ antenna!
It’s a falicy that short antennas have decreased range or power. Some are desiged to give you 100% output from the transmitter. Ace uses short antennas on all the transmitters, and so some other makers. Just ask a sailplane guy.
The decreased range/power thing with ‘short’ antennas is a matter of frequency usage and the antenna’s design. Unfortunately, it isn’t “false” in all cases. If the ‘shortened’ antenna is properly designed there should be little noticable difference in performance. The ‘key’ words there are “properly designed”. If someone makes one for your particular radio transmitter, then that’s good! Another one of those ‘unfortunate’ things is that all transmitters are not designed the same, so a ‘one-design’ short antenna just won’t always work well. Good luck.
I just made a ball protector by cutting a cube of squisky-foam, then trimming all the corners, followed by more trimming, then more trimming…
then cut a slot wth a thin pocket knife and put it on the antenna.
I’m still working on one from plastic that will snap-together.