433MHz Half-wave dipole for LRS

How to make a simple half-wave dipole useful for 433MHz LRS.

You need:

• SMA Pigtail with your desired coax length, the cable I used is RG316
• Plastic antenna tube (found some made by Reely here in Germany, 380mm long)
• Two pieces of wire each 200mm long, I used AWG28
• Hotglue

Mark the center on the antenna tube and use a solder iron to make a small hole in the tube right at the center. Do not cut the tube in half, this will give a better mechanical stability.
Prepare the open end of the SMA pigtail. Keep the feedpoint cap as short as possible.

Solder the two pieces of wire to the coax open end. Be sure the center wire will not touch the outer shielding.

Pull the wires through the antenna tube and the coax open end into the tube hole.
Then apply some good amount of hotglue to strengthen this point.

Cut the antenna tube including the wires inside to an overall length of 300mm. Each half of the tube to 150mm.

On my EZ* I sticked the dipole through the wing. On the lower end, the antenna tube (and only the tube!) was cut and put back together using silicon fuel tube (from nitro engines). This way it’s flexible and will not break in case of ground contact during landing.