Question About MR3020 External Antenna Mod

I'd like to install an extended antenna on my MR3020 and am going to attempt this guide on doing it with an edge RP-SMA connector. I've only done a little bit of PCB hacking and have limited tools, so want to confirm things before accidentally wrecking my MR3020.

The guide says to cut/file the edge of the PCB and then solder the edge-mount RP-SMA center pin to the left pad and the right pin to the right pad. (See the pictures below for reference.) However, I don't have any tools to cut/file the PCB.

Here's my question:
Can I just scratch out the PCB traces for the antenna with a knife instead of cutting through the board? (See my example image below about which areas to scratch out.) Or do the traces go below the board's surface, requiring cutting through the PCB?

Thanks

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Pictures from the guide:

Before and after cutting PCB


After soldering RP-SMA edge connector

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Can I just do this?:
(scratch out the antenna traces with a knife, then solder the connector?)




Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2015 11:42PM by pixel.

Hi,
Sorry, I have no experiences in this topic. I recommend you, that you ask in the openwrt forum where more hardware hackers are around.

best regards Matthias

Matthias Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi,
> Sorry, I have no experiences in this topic. I
> recommend you, that you ask in the openwrt forum
> where more hardware hackers are around.
>
> best regards Matthias


Okay. Could you move this thread to that forum then? Or should I make a new thread there?

Thanks

Sorry, my answer was misleading. I meant this one forum.openwrt.org

regards Matthias

Matthias Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sorry, my answer was misleading. I meant this one
> forum.openwrt.org
>
> regards Matthias


Okay! Thanks