OMG I am confused about DX-7 Antenna, bent or straight out?

[birdie]

So I got my ass chewed on by the VP of a local club for telling someone that I was told from tech support that the antenna on my DX-7 should be bent up while flying..

He said he spoke at length with a lady that runs the radio department at Horizon, I guess, and that she said the antenna should stay pointed out.. NOT BENT up, or sideways or anything but straight out...like most 72mhz radios..

He said he was told that the only reason the antenna even had the ability to "bend" was to be placed in a case or packaging in a convenient fashion.

HELLOOOO...? IS there anyone here that can tell me what the hell is right or wrong my DX-7 antenna..??

I was told by a guy that works inthe tech service part at horizon several yers ago that the antenna should always be bent upwards while you are flying..now I get the exact opposite info..

I don't know who to listen to..I sure don't wanna crash anything..

anyways..what do you guys do?

[zzw26n]

bent .........

[sweetpea]

Either is fine. Just like 72mhz there is a cone of silence (though smaller) with the antenna pointing directly at an aircraft. Many folks point it to the side so that it never has that cone in flight.

I have been flying for 2yrs with the antenna straight. I'd rather have a momentary hit in flight (which I have not nor have my fades been high) then have my antenna pointed to the side while on approach. I could be putting the plane in the cone for the entire approach path to landing.

Its no different than all the 72mhz guys that flew with the antenna damn near hitting the ground from holding the radio down vs up.

Its all preference.

[exeter_acres]

I point mine at the ground so the side of the antenna is towards the airplane...

[3DHobbyShop]

Mine always points straight out. I understand Bill Clinton has a DX7 and his points to the side.




Seriously, though, back when poeple were so hot about this topic, I tried it all different orientations for many flights and could never get it to do anything but work. At the field, I'm sure I often have no idea where it's pointed.

[smokin]

you'll be fine with it in just about any configuration. the idea is to NOT have the point, or the "ball" of the ant pointing directly at the plane. you'll be fine! happy flying.

[Josh Price]

I had this very conversation yesterday at the field with a few guys and when ya get the chance go out and try what I am going to explain

the antenna can be either way with just about every radio but the key is how you hold your radio.
the antenna is a omni antenna which is the style we have used even with 72mhz but the down side is the antenna radiates its signal in a donut style pattern and sends very little signal out the tip of the antenna. you now are probably asking why do I need to know that.. well b/c if you always have your antenna pointing straight out and you turn your body to follow the airplane while you fly, the antenna is pointing straight at the plane and the signal has a much greater chance in fading hense the only signal it is getting is from the tip.

I bet a guy yesterday 5 bucks on this and proved it with a very simple test.
got to range check and put it on low power. then start walking back wards away from the plane with the antenna POINTING STRAIGHT AT IT. straight out like it had a lazer pointer on it at the plane. you should get to a point like 30 feet where the signal drops off and the plane is going in and out of fail safe and the servos start trying to recenter.
Now WITHOUT letting go of the low power button turn your body 90 degrees or bend the antenna up where the plane now sees the SIDE of the antenna and not just the tip. you should regain control for at least 10-20 more feet.
like I said, yesterday we had this same conversation at the field and a fellow club member almost lost his p-51 with a spectrum radio... I showed him this test and he was left in shock it made that much of a difference.

[Polarrod49]

Read the Manual.

[smokin]

now what fun is there in that? the manual? LOL. funny how we always kind of forget that step isn't it? i know i have a time or two myself and probalby will agian!

[sweetpea]

Considering the manual does nothing to help the question. Only mention of antenna position is on page 100

"Do not point the transmitter antenna directly toward the model. The radiation pattern from the tip of the antenna is inherently low"

[phippsj]

Tell that old coot know-nothing boss-hog VP that he doesn't know what he's talking about. He probably tells people that hovering your plane is not scale-like as well. Gee, hundreds of pilots at Joe Nall this year flying 2.4 had their antennaes bent 90 degrees.

Get a data logger (if your JR/Spektrum receiver is compatible) and check the numbers with the antennae straight out and bent 90 deg up or down. You will find lower numbers with the antennae bent 90 deg.

Any tech support is just going to give you their CYA response. The user community will probably agree that 90 degrees up is the preferred config.

[Ed Hornbuckle]

I heard that when you get old, it bends in the middle...

[bodywerks]

Did a range check with the antenna straight and received 50+ fades and a few frame losses. Did the exact same range check but with the antenna bent 90 degrees up(not sideways) and received 2 fades on one antenna and no fades elsewhere and no frame losses.

[sweetpea]

Its all in the angle of the dangle.

[Josh Price]

	Quote: Originally Posted by bodywerks
	Did a range check with the antenna straight and received 50+ fades and a few frame losses. Did the exact same range check but with the antenna bent 90 degrees up(not sideways) and received 2 fades on one antenna and no fades elsewhere and no frame losses.

exactly like I had explained...... thank you body works....

whether it is up or to the side really dont matter b/c on a omni antenna the signal is sent out of the sides.... so as long as the plane can see the sides of the antenna whether it is up or to the side the signal will be the same.