Have a guide or tutorial? Post it up!
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By Alan Hawkins
#4843072
For Christmas this year I got one of the stubby antennas that are $10 on eBay. I liked it a lot but the first time I wore it I ended up loosing it. (Boo!) so since I still plan on one day offering a MT500 kit in resin I decided that I needed to make my own so that I could cast it. But I wanted to do it a bit different this time. Since my radio has had all of the electronics removed I made it to where my antenna goes all the way down into the body. That way it won't just pop out.

I started with a 1/4" wood dowel ($1)

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A pack of assorted vinyl vacuum end caps ($2.50)

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1/4" vinyl hose from Home Depot ($3)

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I slipped my dowel down into the radio to the desired height, marked that and cut it. It fits in the radio snug and won't fall out.

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Cut my clear hose down and added the vacuum cap. From here you can dip it in the Plasti-Dip or, what I did next since I had some laying around is I added some heat shrink to the wood and clear tube. Just to make it a bit beefier. You don't have to do this. I was just playing around.

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This stuff in black.

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And DIP!

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I let it dry for 30 minutes and then flipped it over, I put a bit of water on the tip of my finger and tapped the pointed end down and then let it set upright for another hour.

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Of course, I couldn't wait.. So I tried it on the radio. Not too shabby for a project that took a few hours.

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All said and done this project cost me $17. So not as cheap as getting one off of eBay. But, if you need to build three or four then suddenly this is the better way to go. I am planning on one day making a MT500 kit in resin, so having an antenna that is my own creation is important to me.

Hope this helps!
User avatar
By csullivan1980
#4843073
I bought one of those stubby antennas from eBay too bad I gorilla glued it in my radio.

Yours looks awesome!
Alan Hawkins liked this
User avatar
By Cyberkorr
#4843380
Wow. Way cool Alan. Bookmarked this for future reference.

I agree with Jay, there needs to be an DIY with Alan section. Most of my bookmarks are your DIY threads!
User avatar
By Alan Hawkins
#4904351
Thank you. And it's a great tutorial. My question would be, do you always hijack someone's tutorial thread with your videos? Or am I just REALLY lucky today?

If I sell my 2007 Honda Element for $7500

Are you going to park your 2009 next to mine and say "That's a great car! Mines the same but somewhat different. I'll just leave it right next to yours." Then plop a sign on it for the same price?
User avatar
By Mercifull
#4904354
Blimey, didn't expect that response, especially as the only reason I posted it here was because I took inspiration from your pvc tube technique. I've removed the video but kept the original post.
Alan Hawkins liked this

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