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Just wondering if the tubing for old receiver antennas can be purchased locally? Maybe at TruValue, auto stores, Hobby Lobby, etc. Hoping someone will know before I start driving all over town trying to find it...must be somewhere. I would like to put new antennas on all my stuff. Appreciate any help.

Every hobby store that sells RC probably has lots of them, in any color you want. Let your fingers do the walking, make some phone calls to the hobby stores in your area. It's a bit odd that you're asking us if those are available in stores near you.

You might be as surprised as I was...last time I was at my LHS they said they did not have this tube. In addition, it being a 30 minute drive definitively rules them out. Trying to improvise...maybe someone has found alternatives so I don't have to buy it online. If, there is an alternative I am absolutely certain this is the right place to ask.

There's 3 hobby stores that I go to that sell RC stuff...each one has a container full of antenna tubes of every color. Any store that sells RC and doesn't have antenna tubes is just plain weird.

I'm not sure what to suggest for an alternative, perhaps someone else has used something different?

Coelacanth wrote:There's 3 hobby stores that I go to that sell RC stuff...each one has a container full of antenna tubes of every color. Any store that sells RC and doesn't have antenna tubes is just plain weird.

I'm not sure what to suggest for an alternative, perhaps someone else has used something different?

I totally agree with "plain weird." I assumed they did not want my business. Odd money was green that day. That same day I asked for a gas tank for airplane (PT40) as well...didn't have that either. That day I did see the tubes for antenna control rods and almost tried that.



Just wondering if someone had some ideas, so I did not chase my tail around town looking and then order it online anyway.

I bought some new blue ones and the diameter was smaller had to to add shrink tubing for a fit snug and way to short. Then I found some early Andy's antenna tubes and the marking on them was polypenco nynaflow pressure tubing 1/8 H SK82.01

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/nylaflow.php

Hobby shops that don't have car style antenna tubes may still have the aircraft control lines (like a Morse cable) and the inner tubes work great. Still won't help if your not near a hobby store tho. Pressure tubing would be perfect but its often on spools making it too curved.

Last time I bought an antenna tube it came with a 7-11 big gulp....that was 20 plus years ago...still using it on my daughters optima today

328isjohn wrote:Last time I bought an antenna tube it came with a 7-11 big gulp....that was 20 plus years ago...still using it on my daughters optima today

yes...those were the days

USA-1 wrote:I bought some new blue ones and the diameter was smaller had to to add shrink tubing for a fit snug and way to short. Then I found some early Andy's antenna tubes and the marking on them was polypenco nynaflow pressure tubing 1/8 H SK82.01

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/nylaflow.php

I ordered 10' of it just to see...will let you guys know how it turns out.

USA-1 wrote:I bought some new blue ones and the diameter was smaller had to to add shrink tubing for a fit snug and way to short. Then I found some early Andy's antenna tubes and the marking on them was polypenco nynaflow pressure tubing 1/8 H SK82.01

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/nylaflow.php

+10 cool points to USA-1

Cool! Were they straight? I may have to place an order I have a lot of too short, too loose antenna's. I'll be nice to cut them to lenght.

USA-1 wrote:Cool! Were they straight? I may have to place an order I have a lot of too short, too loose antenna's. I'll be nice to cut them to lenght.

Straighten with lighter/heat/stove.