Need a motorised mini telescopic antenna for movie prop!?

[moxon]

Knowing my way around some basic electronic components & knowing which way to point a soldiering iron, I have been given the job of building a couple of little "spy" devices for an upcoming low-budget movie.

These things DO NOT DO ANYTHING! They just need to look pretty! What I wanted to make was a little metal box with a few switches & buttons & flashing LEDs etc. One switch I really wanted to make a miniature antenna extend out, like a transceiver device.

However looking around I'm beginning to think there are no such things as "miniature motorised telescopic antennae"??

Can anybody here please offer any advice? I am fine with the boxes, the switches & buttons, the LEDs etc etc. But I need some sort of antenna-looking metal rod that will slide out of the box at the flick of a switch!

Thank you, and sorry about strange request lol.

 

[dougy83]

You could use a mini linear servo to push out an antenna rod, e.g. https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_sop=15&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=linear+servo&LH_PrefLoc=2 I'm not sure but I think I saw the travel is ~3/4" for one of the small ones. You can also use rotational servos to drive a rod.

 

[canadaelk]

How big (or small) is miniature? How much travel? Telescoping transistor radio antennas are hollow inside and you could rig up something similar to a car radio antenna. E

 

[BeerBelly]

For a movie prop just use a bicycle brake cable and hide it from camera view.

 

[moxon]

Thanks for the replies! Yes it is a little metal gadget I need to make (maybe half the size of a pack of cigarettes). A car antenna is way too big. I will look at using a servo to physically push out a metal rod. Thanks again for all your suggestions.

 

[alec_t]

A car antenna is way too big

Not if you have the camera a long way off and use a blue/green screen technique and a bit of editing