Estes EAC Firecat #0821, Build, Part 6, The Raceway Antenna Slot

The toothpick Antenna is optional. Before drilling a hole, consider this: 

The balsa is 3/32" thick and the hole is tricky to drill. It's something an ejected parachute could get caught on. Decide if you want to tackle the detail.

Use the Raceway pattern to get an idea of the antenna angle. 

Set the template next to the balsa raceway and pencil mark where the antenna hole will be.

I used a small rat tail file to get the hole started.

The file was spun, the angle checked.

The hole was widened using the tapered end of a (un-sanded) rough toothpick. Spin the toothpick, then use the file.

It's easy to crack or swell out the sides of the soft balsa raceway. Go slow - 

The toothpick is smoothed out.

The end that will be glued into the raceway is also smoothed and tapered a bit so sides of the raceway won't bulge out.

Here's the antenna in place. The angle match is good.

Look close at the side of the antenna wall. The side collapsed a bit and that dip will be filled.

I'm not going to glue the antenna into the hole. The antenna will be slid into place for display and removed for flight. 

TIP: This is like the antenna spike on the Mercury Redstone tower. The old Centuri instructions recommend not gluing it in place. Press in place for display and remove for flight.