Etronix dsss rx losing signal - new antenna?

almunro · #1 03-04-2012

I think i need to replace the antenna wire on an etronix exg3 pro as it loses signal from the tx around the 25m mark. Never had a problem with it during the few times i ran it indoors but i ran it outside the other day and it activates the failsafe around that mark.

I have read that it may be a low voltage issue with the core/etronix dsss radios, but its at 10.8v which should be fine.

The antenna wire is a bit rough in places, although i cant see an actual cut through or an obvious break. Having a look at the connection of the wire to the rx pcb, its soldered in two spots, one to the internal wire of the antenna, and another part to the wire 'sheath' of the antenna. Is this a must do thing? Can i just replace with a standard piece of wire?

Any advice would be appreciated, as i want to sell it as stick radios arent for me but i dont want to sell on a dodgy piece of equipement.

Alex

paul508 · #2 03-04-2012

Hi, ive had the same problem in the past, mine was due to running the arial outside the body of the car and when i overturned the car it chopped off the tip of the arial and caused a join between the inner and outer cores of the arial.
cured it by cutting back the outer core by about 10mm so there was a good seperation between the two cores.
the arial is a coax wire like TV arial wire but on a much smaller scale.
hope this helps.

almunro · #3 03-04-2012

Thanks i will check it out.

Another idea that has just come to mind is that the esc im using it with only has a 6v 1.5a bec as opposed to the more standard 6v 3a, it was enough of a difference for the savox 1258 i put in to not work, and gave me terrible glitching. I will swap it over to another esc with 3a bec and see if it improves.

jaysllim · #4 03-04-2012

Me and my brother would sometimes get this nd even glitching,nd wa we found was to never let them drop below 11v nd never had problem simce but it might b sumit else with urs, just trying to help with my own experience thats all im not saying im right though

Hope it helps

Jay

almunro · #5 09-04-2012

Okay so still no luck with this.

Ive tried charged batteries giving me 11.6v on the tx, a cap on the rx and a different esc with a better bec but alas it still loses signal around the 30m mark. Its a definite loss, and i can drive the car away from me slowly and it will stop reponding, but then if i take a step forward it works again. It seems strange that it would be so on and off signal wise.

Im considering trying another rx antenna. Does anyone know where i can get suitable rx coaxial antenna wire from in the UK?

Im only able to test infront of my house at the moment, and was wonderin if all of the close wifi networks working on 2.4 would give such issues? I wouldnt have thought so if multple racers can use 2.4 with no problems, but wifi might be different.

Alex

dpackster1980 · #6 09-04-2012

A lad at our club used a Spectrum power cap which solved his problems. He had serious glitching and interference to the point it wasn't safe to race with. Give it a go, I think they are £7.

almunro · #7 09-04-2012

Ive got a capacitor on it and doesnt make a difference. I dont want to spend heaps on this as im sticking with a wheel radio and want to sell it, but i dont want to sell on a dodgy radio, even though when i bought it, it was sold to me as working fine. As i said when i used it indoors racing it seemed fine so the guy i got it off may not have known its issues.

Having just had another test, it makes a big difference with the position of the aerial, the best being vertical position (at 90' position at elbow connector). i can get 40m of recpetion when like that.

I was thinking maybe one if these http://www.giantcod.co.uk/frsky-patc...-p-406510.html

Smurfster · #8 09-04-2012

Had the same issue with my futaba 2.4, the aerial lead was fubarred. Replace the antenna lead. Hopefully its an easy swap like mine, but if its soldered on then youll have to be handy with the soldering iron.

If its soldered id reccomend getting a new reciever.

almunro · #9 09-04-2012

yeah its soldered, and as its coaxial its wire and sheath are soldered. I might give it a try, and if i screw it up i can sell without, but if it works cool.

I found some replacement antenna wires (coaxial) on giantcod if anyone else is interested.

Thanks