Eggfinder antenna upgrade
- Thread starter g zilla
- Start date
Help Support The Rocketry Forum:
sl98
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2012
- Messages
- 575
- Reaction score
- 118
I can't speak to what is better but there is a list of options in this thread:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?120994-E(gg)xtras-Accessories-for-Eggtimer-Eggfinder
Base on the recommendation of Cris, I bought the antennas from Mouser. They arrived this weekend.
There is a lot of discussion in the thread above (and links to related threads) which might also help.
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?120994-E(gg)xtras-Accessories-for-Eggtimer-Eggfinder
Base on the recommendation of Cris, I bought the antennas from Mouser. They arrived this weekend.
There is a lot of discussion in the thread above (and links to related threads) which might also help.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2011
- Messages
- 1,459
- Reaction score
- 57
Are you looking for an antenna for the transmitter or receiver?
The Linx with the center band at 916Mhz is likely the best source. The Chinese ebay specials don't generally have the specs listed.
On the receive side, a patch antenna would be helpful for base monitoring of a really "aggressive" flight profile. Aggressive would be very high and far. A patch antenna is heavy and awkward so it doesn't lend itself for pedestrian mobile use. A 1/2 wave Chinese clone is probably just fine
on the receive end or for the best, two 1/2 Linx or a 1/4 wave Linx on the transmit side if space is a premium on the rocket.
If one is going after rockets say in the 3000 foot altitude range or so with a lot of ground clutter that can hide rockets, one doesn't likely need a
super sensitive receive antenna. The stock wires I hear work well in that case if robustness isn't a factor. Kurt
On the receive side, a patch antenna would be helpful for base monitoring of a really "aggressive" flight profile. Aggressive would be very high and far. A patch antenna is heavy and awkward so it doesn't lend itself for pedestrian mobile use. A 1/2 wave Chinese clone is probably just fine
on the receive end or for the best, two 1/2 Linx or a 1/4 wave Linx on the transmit side if space is a premium on the rocket.
If one is going after rockets say in the 3000 foot altitude range or so with a lot of ground clutter that can hide rockets, one doesn't likely need a
super sensitive receive antenna. The stock wires I hear work well in that case if robustness isn't a factor. Kurt
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2011
- Messages
- 1,459
- Reaction score
- 57
I am very new to the eggfinder and have never flown it. I do know however, that the Linx antenna has been used to 10,000+ Feet.
Also, I would avoid any eBay/Amazon antenna and order from a place like Mouser, as they have detailed specifications.
Also, I would avoid any eBay/Amazon antenna and order from a place like Mouser, as they have detailed specifications.
I've heard of a rocket being successfully tracked to 14,000'. Of course there is a lockout if the rocket is travelling at Mach but as soon as the speed drops and as long as there is satellites locked, Rf packets should be streamed. I'm waiting to see if anyone sends a project higher with a patch antenna on the receive end and see if the range is farther. Kurt
I used the stock wire antenna on the Tx and an ebay 3.5db whip on the Rx and tracked and recovered a flight to 14,991' @M1.6 in June. It landed 2.4km from the pad and I drove straight to it. Using Rocket Locator on an Android, I could "see" where it was before I left the launch area. A basic setup is seriously good. Better antennas could only be more of a good thing.
Winston
Lorenzo von Matterhorn
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2009
- Messages
- 9,560
- Reaction score
- 1,749
I can second that from my readings in RC/FPV/"drone" forums. Don't believe any antenna spec for Chinese junk on eBay and I'm not talking about them being slightly off, they're often way off, even for another frequency band entirely.
One I've seen recommended elsewhere, available cheap from multiple sources:
https://www.streakwave.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=ARC-PA0910B01
That's the one I got. The shipping is a killer. One needs to order a cable for the receiver but they are available on ebay. Just match the connectors. It is a bit awkward for pedestrian use. Get the final fix and then remove and attach another
antenna to go after the rocket. With the LCD unit, will get the beep, beep, beep again when in range. The antenna specs on the receive end aren't as critical as on the transmit side. A perfectly tuned antenna on transmit means it's most efficiently
radiating the Rf energy to free space. Kurt
Similar threads
