Garry,
It seems like major move, are you sure such an antenna configuration is
necessary. I used the standard copper tape antenna in the fin post. The
radio is an Apollo SL30 and after adjustment using a VSWR meter the
performance of the equipment is excellent. Generally, RX/TX well in excess
of 40 nm.
regards,
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: "STOUT, GARRY V, CSFF2" <garrys@att.com>
Subject: Europa-List: RE: Com Radio Antenna Problem
<garrys@att.com>
>
> Hi guys,
>
> I'm hoping some of our very talented team of builders can give me some
> advice on a unique Com radio antenna setup I am planning. I've been
> flying my trigear now for 4 years and have never been happy with the
> transmit and receive distances I'm getting from my radio......a Garmin
> 250 XL GPS/Com unit. Initially I installed the Bob Archer antenna, but
> after a year or so I wasn't happy with the performance and switched to a
> Comat "general aviation" type antenna. I built an aluminum ground plane
> about 8" wide and 20" long which I installed inside the fuselage behind
> the bulkhead. The Comat antenna was mated to that ground plane. I got
> better performance than with the Bob Archer, but still I think I should
> be doing better than a 15 mile maximum range. I had the radio bench
> checked, and the coax cable checked by an avionics shop, and they
> pronounced everything in good working order. Their suggestion was to
> glass in a copper wire mesh ground plane to the bottom inside of the
> fuselage, and then to mount the antenna EXTERNALLY under the belly of
> the plane. A couple of questions arise. Has anyone else ever tried
> this? What were the results? and more importantly, what should the
> dimensions be for the copper wire mesh (screen)? I was thinking that
> the larger the better, but there may be some technical calculation that
> I'm unaware of that would dictate a particular size. Any and all
> comments and advice will be appreciated. Thanks!
>
> Regards,
>
> Garry V. Stout
> N4220S Tri A060
>
>
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