Best way to increase zip zaps range

BitZipAddict · #1 05-11-2003, 02:25 PM

My new supra only gets about 10ft range. Whats the best way to increase this (bigger antenna, thicker guage wire) please help

ZipRC · #2 05-11-2003, 02:28 PM

get a huge 64 foot telescopic antenna on your remote so you can control your zz from inside your house and drive it to school lol.

#3 05-11-2003, 02:33 PM

1. My school sucks
2. Some jackass at my school would purposely step on it
3. I live on the border of my district
4. The border is about 10 miles away

Bad Company · #4 05-11-2003, 02:35 PM

Umm, I don't think he was serious about driving it to school.....where you?...LOL

BitZipAddict · #5 05-11-2003, 02:36 PM

i didn't mean for a joke, it would be nice if i got a practical reply

viperkilla · #6 05-11-2003, 03:03 PM

This idea may seem stupid, but it actually works. My friend and I put foil on our antennas like about 15 sheets. Then i held his zip zap on one side of the house and my friend had the controller on the other side of the house. The zip zap was still running even though it was 40ft away!

flatlander_14 · #7 05-11-2003, 05:16 PM

i use a foot of 22g solid core stereo wire that i soldered to my pcb, it is coiled up into a pig tail antenna also for convenience. i also have a 3ft rabbit ear antenna in my remotes. it is about as long as 7 zz trading cards laid end to end.

i used to do the foil thing, but it gets really annoying if you race different places or take your zips to a friend's house. the new antenna is much better. i get about 40-50ft of range now.

BitZipAddict · #8 05-11-2003, 07:25 PM

where did you get that antenna from? and is it a direct fit on the controller?

MadScott · #9 05-12-2003, 02:22 PM

The cheapest, longest antenna I've found was part of a clearance rabbit ear set for the TV at RS. It will probably take a bit of drilling and dremeling on the antenna to get it to seat properly but diffuculty level is maybe a 2. Another great way to boost range is to crank up the power in your controller by adding a 4AA battery pack to it or even adding a 9volt battery with a +5volt regulator.

flatlander_14 · #10 05-12-2003, 04:11 PM

i used the antennas froma set of TV rabbit ears lol. i just found them. i walked in my room with modding my zip in mind, i glance at the antenna, i think 'hell, i can live without the news' and took them off. i was eyeing some of the antennas at RS the other day, i may upgrade to the 6 footer

edit: oh yeah, and all i had to really do was grind down some of the antenna base so it would sit in the controller properly

Labmonkey · #11 05-14-2003, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MadScott
Another great way to boost range is to crank up the power in your controller by adding a 4AA battery pack to it or even adding a 9volt battery with a +5volt regulator.

madscott...have you actually tried this? just curious

lab

MadScott · #12 05-14-2003, 08:26 PM

Its in the process, just need to shake free a little bit and then I'll finish it up.

Tony · #13 05-27-2003, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BitZipAddict
My new supra only gets about 10ft range. Whats the best way to increase this (bigger antenna, thicker guage wire) please help

open it up and untie the not

Rex · #14 05-27-2003, 06:00 PM

Everybody here's got good ideas. My first Zip only went about 12 feet. I untied the knot on the car and replaced the tiny ant. on the remote with one about twice the length from an old hobbie remote. Last, but not least, I adjusted the coil on the car as much as I could to get a little more distance.

This got me 35 feet or so. Far enough for me.

The confusing thing is that my other Zip goes even farther with no modification.

Azimov · #15 05-27-2003, 06:00 PM

The easiest way is to put a longer antenna on the controller and a longer antenna on the car. I use a TV rabbit ears antenna on the controller and a spring that would be 24" long if stretched on the car. I get well over 300ft of range now. I've posted this in other threads. Look around the forum a bit.