Mashed RX aerial

[jedzuki(2)]

Just bought a car on ebay. Anyway, it is meant to have the end of the RX aerial wire fitted to a screw around the base of a metal aerial- like some tank models.

But, someone has removed the insulation a few inches from the RX,and fitted the screw there. Now some wire strands are broken. [:0]

Can I replace the aerial wire with a regular piece? The same length of course. Or is aerial wire a special type? [?]

Acoms RX. Is the aerial wire available seperately?

Many Thanks. []

[jozza]

You can buy replacement wires from some model shops. The wire is not particularly special, just floppy copper, but the important thing is to get the length right. If you have another receiver to compare it to, you should be able to get away with using any thin copper wire of the same length; that's what I did to the receiver in my Monster Beetle and it works fine.

It's a bit like the car wire coathanger thing; you will get a signal with any old wire stuck in there, but if it's not tuned (the correct length) then you won't get such good range.

Transmitter aerials are more important, as the wrong length can cause damage, but I think that's only the case on high power transmitters (like CB radios). You shouldn't do any harm to the receiver by experimenting with a different wire.