About long enough to go from the headset jack to about the same place on the other side. The dead headset I cut this off of had an angle plug on it. You can route it ether way or just let it dangle.

I suppose one could work out the dimensions for a 1/4 wave at the middle of the FM band, but what I have is certainly shorter than that and seems to work well enough for me.

The blue tack is just a small ball of the stuff crushed around the wire and stuck to the case, I'd have to look but I have 3, I think, of them spaced along the wire. Easy enough to remove and reposition as necessary. I did clean the wire with a quick swipe of alcohol, although I am not sure that was strictly necessary.

Also, I was careful to make sure the cut was clean, nothing shorted together in the process. Might be smart to put a dab of super glue on the end of that to keep it from fraying and shorting though. Or perhaps even a blob of hot glue, just so whatever you use isn't conductive (probably not likely, but one never knows ...

HTH

Love the idea of a telescoping antenna...I was thinking the other day that one of the things that makes the tablets "feel fun" is that "tinny AM radio sound" from the speakers. I was a kid when everyone had a pocket FM radio, especially during the MLB playoff season...it is sorta nostalgic and also makes me remember one does not need 'perfect' sound. Some of my fondest most relaxing memories have one of those radio's in the background. You know, fishing, camping, picinic's, BBQ's, a day on the beach...whatever...on of my most vidid memories from childhood is "the perfact nap" laying on a blanket near a lake with a bit of sun and a cool breeze and a Dodger game on the radio in the backgound.

So, I happen to be one of those who LIKES that part of the tablet. I only wish it had been an AM tuner instead...

We had an old 3.5mm to cassette adapter for the car that didn't really work anymore. I use that as my antenna sometimes--it still has the cassette attached, but who cares! I keep it by/under my bed and just plug it in in the morning or at night when i want to listen through the speakers. It's kinda nice to get some use out of something that would otherwise be junk.

Not 'supposed to do'? Sure it is.
The only very slight limitation was the lack of a built in antenna, which was most likely just a space issue.
Otherwise it is totally and completely 'supposed to do' exactly that. Hardware FM tuner built in with an on screen widget allowing auto station downloads from all over the world and yes a 'speaker' button which effectively switches from headphone to external. The N800 rules! lol

Headphones are great, but they're not the end all for people who work in environments where they need to stay sharp and aware, or in my case where I have the liberty to just enjoy the speakers pumping music from chest pocket, in a place that is solitary.

This is a great idea! Thanks for various ideas everyone. I like the soft wire notion, like Bokubob's ear buds. Will try it.

better link : http://www.unitraq.com/product_in.as..._id=JC00000035

does not look like they sell them one by one

There is a seller on eBay that manufactured a small number of aerials for the N95. Check out the following item number - 270215692514

the ebay item listed does not telescope. i think i am going to hack some Frankenstein type sh1t together from radio shack. seems like the only option to get what i want.

Before I found this thread, I thought I had invented this. I tried making one about 18 inches long and I also added a headphone jack so I can have the antenna pointed one way and still use headphones to listen. I just connected one of the wires, I'm not sure which one it was, but 2 out of the 3 wires worked as an antenna. The problem I found was that it was too heavy to stay up. I might make a shorter version.

great way to destroy the headphone jack with a long lever

If you do an internet search for
rubber fm antenna 3.5mm
you find all sorts of interesting things


http://www.aliexpress.com/product-fm...olesalers.html