QD Monster beetle (90s) antenna question

[Andreascanr 2]

Hi! I am so glad to have found this forum! Hopefully someone can help me out here.

 

I have an old Tamiya QD monster beetle from the early early 90s. It’s missing both transmitter and receiver antennas. They broke of many years ago.

Now I have a six year old son who would love to play with the old car.

 

Would it be possible for someone to help me out with measuring the antennas exact length? That way I would be able to order spares.

 

//Andreas (a hopeful dad) :-)

[waterbok 1161]

Welcome Andeas,  its a fun car not just for the young.

Finding the right antenna may be hard, the antenna on the car is just an spring wire, remote i have been looking for ages to find replacement.

I have a set so i will measure them, maybe you have more luck.

[Andreascanr 2]

Thank you so much for your help and time!

I'm looking forward to hearing about the length of the antennas.

[waterbok 1161]

Lenght of remote antenna: 50cm, Insert diameter: 4.5mm, thread M3

Lenght of car antenna: 30.5cm the little bend is 1.5cm total wire approx 32cm, wire thickness .9mm

[Andreascanr 2]

Big big BIG thanks!!

[esteban s 0]

Look out on ebay,these come up from time to time.

[esteban s 0]

Recently bought a car antenna for my QD Monster Beetle on ebay.

[esteban s 0]

One for sale at this moment on ebay!

[waterbok 1161]

6€ for a piece of metal/piano wire and a bit of plastic. The car antenna can be easily DIY

 

[waterbok 1161]

I asked a ebay seller of telescopic antenne if he has some that may fit. 

Also checked a qd remote max diameter which fits would be 5mm

[waterbok 1161]

Mmm short but could work L-250mm

[waterbok 1161]

If you look at ebay or amazon there are several providers that sell 4.3mm antennas that are approx 450mm long.

I also DIY an antenna out of 300mm bicycle shifter cable and an M3 socket screw. Worked

[Andreascanr 2]

Thanks for all the great answers and your time.

I heard from my local rc-shop that it is really important that the antennas are the exact right length and width. Do you mean that it works even with a  slightly shorter antenna?

[waterbok 1161]

Exact length imo is important for the 2.4 receiver antenna, with 27mhz I always had different lengths of wire on all kind of different brands receiver.

Sure Google can answer that

[Andreascanr 2]

Oh well he probably was talking about 2.4 ghz then. I'll try. Thank you again!

[berman 2348]

Length is also important with AM radios, not as exact as 2.4ghz though. 

 

I was going to buy a QD antenna for my MB, but had 3 new SRB antennas sitting around, so cut the wind off the end and duplicated the QD base with some needle nose pliers. Works fine.

[Andreascanr 2]

I have tried it now with a really really short antenna on the transmitter and a piece of piano-wire om the reciever and it works! My son (and me ofcourse) LOVES IT! 

It hasn't got the same reach as when I was a kid but it works. I will find a longer antenna to fix it.

Btw! Batteries nowadays are a badword of a lot better than in the nineties! 

 

Thanks again for the help!

[waterbok 1161]

So here are the result of todays test. From left to right, original QD, 4.3 x 440mm replacement, 5mmx290mm flexible.

Original and replacement on the right

Flexible

 

Range test, original Tamiya fully extended, remote held at approx 1m height - distance approx 50m

Replacement 440mm - dist. approx 50m

Flexible 290mm - dist. approx. 30m

Cost:

Replacement 440mm about 4€

Flexible 290mm about 5,50€

Really liked the flexible antenna even if range is  less as with original but due to the size of the car and taking into account that its for kids. Thumbs Up