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I am going to repost this as there seem to be some confusion..

Thanks.. Grim


Just watched the video......good job! i must confess that i was unaware of installing the RX laying down flat label up, and i have to admit that i have at least one boat that i know of that i have the RX standing up longs ways, double sided taped the inside wall of the boat.....so far no problems but i will try to correct it.! I enjoyed the video and got alot out of it.........I may go to the 400mm antennas eventually but honestly, the boats and cars i have on DSM have performed flawlessly. Im stuck with the servos ive got so ill have to take my chances and hope my luck holds out.......its a little frustrating to be honest to have so many conditions attached to what should be a well engineered radio system, but ill get over it...........FM just made me lazy i guess...JUST JOKING MAN! Keep on doing what you do!
 
Daniel, I would love to see your antenna setups and range test results!

Please provide that when you get a chance. (Bty.. just so everybody knows.. the longer antenna does not provide any further RANGE.. just more opportunity for reception in all or odd conditions)

Team Futaba marine recommends the 400mm antenna in RC marine applications.. (but.. choose as you might!)

on we go!

Grim
 
Just watched the video......good job! i must confess that i was unaware of installing the RX laying down flat label up, and i have to admit that i have at least one boat that i know of that i have the RX standing up longs ways, double sided taped the inside wall of the boat.....so far no problems but i will try to correct it.! I enjoyed the video and got alot out of it.........I may go to the 400mm antennas eventually but honestly, the boats and cars i have on DSM have performed flawlessly. Im stuck with the servos ive got so ill have to take my chances and hope my luck holds out.......its a little frustrating to be honest to have so many conditions attached to what should be a well engineered radio system, but ill get over it...........FM just made me lazy i guess...JUST JOKING MAN! Keep on doing what you do!
In the end. no real wrong.. I got away with a BUNCH.. and then I didn't. One cost me a chance at a Heli Nats.. the other a boat heat loss (no boat loss) thank goodness.

Then.. as I started testing further.. I too was lazy in my setups.. LOL.. when I look back.. some was like.. what was I thinking!..lol

in the end I hope to shorten the learning curve for others.

Grim
 
You can also waterproof these receivers so they will literally function under water even after soaking it under the water for days. Not going to post how to do that though as I don't want to suggest another violation to the Futaba laws.

Daniel, I for one would love to hear how you are doing this. Please PM me if you still want to refrain from posting it up here.

I've heard several ways ...from balloons to epoxying the entire board to dipping it in corrosion X.... on my old FM stuff, I just used balloons, and never had issues.

BTW, when replacing the internal antenna, do you suggest leaving the second antenna inside the radio box or installing a second tube? Seems to me the best reception would be with dual antennas sticking up, and not one buried inside of the radio box...

Ok...I'm listening!!!
 
Frank.. just to note.. the antennas (Diversity) need to be 90deg to each other for "BEST" reception. There will not be as much benefit if you run them both straight up out of the box. Just a heads up!

Cheers!

Grim
 
I got some 1.13 coax cable 42" with 2 female ends from a company named data alliance, . I striped the end to match the 324rx and got 2 antenna for like 5 bucks. I ordered 4 so that's 8 antenna shipper for like 30 bucks. Thanks Grim for introducing me to the 324

Daniel, I would love to see your antenna setups and range test results!

Please provide that when you get a chance. (Bty.. just so everybody knows.. the longer antenna does not provide any further RANGE.. just more opportunity for reception in all or odd conditions)

Team Futaba marine recommends the 400mm antenna in RC marine applications.. (but.. choose as you might!)

on we go!

Grim
The internal antenna left down in the hull is no different than leaving the external antenna down in the hull. Either one is better up high but it wasn't even about that when I did it it was about fixing a receiver that the foil internal antenna was corroded. The internal plugs in with same connector so I plugged a second one in and routed it nicely in the receiver and out through a notch and grommet in the case. Merrily stating what you can do and it does work. It was more of a repair than a performance modification for me. I sure as heck wasn't having range problems or I would have tried those foot and a half long antenna first. Lol.

These were R603FS Fasst receivers and I have no idea if the new stuff is even designed the same to do that. The fasst receivers will be in use for a long time yet and adding a second wire antenna will fix a receiver with a rotted foil internal antenna. Futaba doesn't fix them that is for sure. Never did even when they were still in production. They just tell you they can't fix it at all and maybe offer you a discount on another new one. A $3 short antenna can fix it and you don't even have to run it up a second tube. Just leave it in the box but at least both are good functioning antennas again.

How can you preach 400mm antenna to get it up and then wonder how the internal one if run up would not just maybe be just slightly better than left down in the box. Again please remember the thousands of R603FF single external antenna receivers that functioned identically to the R603FS diversity dual antenna receiver. Most likely because that internal one buried in the hull isn't doing all that much for you.

It isn't even ever the static range so much that your after anyhow as that is already awesome what your doing is trying to ensure you don't have a intermittent glitch from the system because of water roost, electronic interference or whatever. But of course, that is hard to measure so we rely on range increase as a indication but it surely isn't telling the whole story as with the link to transmitter being interrupted is not exactly the same as how far it goes in normal conditions. Robust connection that doesn't drop out when conditions aren't normal. Futaba has the best protocol of them all IMO already.

When your flying drones way out is when the range really matters. Have flown them out so far that it is literally a spec you don't see change of direction unless you travel a few hundred feet or so so you can see which way the spec in the sky is going. Futaba never let me down. Guess what antennas are on the factory Futaba receivers. TWO coax wire ones. HMMMM !!!! Who would have thought they would have Futaba diversity dual antenna receivers from the factory with both coax external antennas? That's just a crazy design. Lol.

As for polarization of the tip being 90° to the other once the boat is running the tube lays back most the time any how so they end up polarized differently all the time. Surely could put a tight smooth 90° bend at top of tube with a little heat and solid wire inside keeping it round until it cooled.

Check out all the FUTABA 2.4 ghz receivers for aircraft that use two coax wire antenna. Now which do you think they are trying to get more range out of ? A surface or air receiver ? In any case they make dozens of 2.4 ghz receivers with two wired antennas. All of them are that way actually.
Why ? because it works and because aircraft fly out WAY further than a boat ever does. Hence two coax cable antennas for max range and interference rejection you get with increased reception.
The one internal and one external on Futaba receivers was for convenience of installation and simplicity and because they already have more range than usually even needed like that. I mean really what is the "advertised" range of even a Diversity receiver. A couple or few hundred feet is all. Not sure if they have a advertised range on aircraft receivers but bet it is a few feet further. Planes and drones fly with every orientation there is from the antennas when installed in aircraft in proper orientation which isn't super critical as I have seen them laid out parallel to each other and still get awesome range. Way further than you can see to still fly it. I used to fly the drones with leds on them at night at ranges in the miles we have done the FPV with Futaba radio too.

URL unfurl="true"]https://www.towerhobbies.com/radios/aircraft/receivers/?cgid=radios-aircraft-receivers&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Futaba+Systems&srule=best-matches&sz=24[/URL]
 
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Grim I have some 350mm extension antennas I bought years ago, I tried them on a couple R614FS but they wouldn’t power up.
I guess I need the 400mm?
hum.. the antenna would have nothing to do with powering up. Not sure what happen..
 
strange.. IT COULD BE.. that the antenna is needed to register an RF signal.. but I would be surprised.. just a note.. Futaba as far as I know has never made a 350mm antenna.. so.. not sure what those were.

Grim
 

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