[RCSE] How long is it :-) The Ext Antenna

[GordySoar]

How long is the Hobbico antenna? Tower Hobbies doesn't say   My 28-inch homemade antenna makes a definite difference, and it really doesn't look very different from the one in the Tower Hobbies picture. Hi Mike, I made one up from a Radio Shack Cordless extending antenna by simply soldering on a connector to plug it in.  However it was about 12" long and while it added some distance, it was a pain because it was so long it kept pivoting around.   The Hobbico External Antenna is tiny! I'm gonna say about 6" long extended.   While the Freq Checker is advertised as insurance their claim makes its expectations way too high.  As far as Jim L's comment  I need it to reduce the chances that some idiot doesn't shoot me down. Way too much paranoia happening here, shoot downs are very extremely rare, certainly every instance is devastating for both parties, but no Freq Checker is going to protect you from that, a clear reading on any scanner, doesn't do you any good once you get up and someone turns on.   IF you guys go back to the first posting about this thing, I said it was awesome timing for it to arrive....never talked about keeping you safe in your beds at nite.  Prefect timing in the context that three of the top TX suppliers were now going to offer Spectra Synth Modules and that the dials are tiny, very tiny depending on the age of the eyes looking at the dials. I got pumped about (and posted in this context) that owners of synth TX modules will now have a very inexpensive way to confirm that they are on 25 versus 35 or 26, etc...immediately upon turning on their TX.  It would be a bonus if it also showed the active freqs..reliably. We didn't have the external antennas to test but it became pretty clear that the 'checking active channel' part of the value wasn't there without, and now apparently not with...at least not with the supplied External Antenna.  But also right now, it is reliable with an earphone plugged into it.  Which equates to what Mike mentioned, his 28" telescoping antenna seems to work good.   I tested mine with the earplug wire laying stretched out on the ground with the Checker on the ground too, as it would normally end up at most sites while you put your plane together.   If you don't need or want to use it for checking your own TX, no worries, don't get one. If you want to check active channels, get out a walkman ear plug. But if you want to protect yourself from chaos, don't come to the field.   I like the checker because it helps with personal responsibility, with or without a synth module. One of our test team though he had his 52 module but actually had a 48 in.  While there was no freq conflict on either channel tonite, the Freq Checker caught him. Yes it caught him while he was at the winch and so was the Checker....but it caught him.   Hobbico needs to do some reality checks on its claims about the Freq Checker. I would have paid double for one that read all the TX's on the field...with out an ear plug dangling...will pay double. Because unlike a scanner, it shows all acitive channels at a glance! BIG thanks still Hobbico for bringing the Freq Checker to us at all.  A bigger one when they bring the Freq Checker that they are advertising :-) How about it Hobbico? Gordy