check my post, maybe it’ll help with your reception problems
As for the kickstand antenna idea - you would need certain length of monopole. Obviously best you could have would be plastic beacuse every metal would interfere and worsen the actual signal. This plastic shaped as stand should be hollow or anyhow incorporate said antenna inside.
Given that λ = c/f,, and we know c being speed of light and f is our 2.4Ghz, ideal length for fullwave antenna will be 12.5 cm. There are halfwave- and quarterwave-antennas but if possible you want to go full lenght.