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Re: Europa-List: ELT Questions

Subject: Re: Europa-List: ELT Questions
From: Tim Ward <ward.t@xtra.co.nz>
Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 20:15:03

Mike,
I have just been to see Bob Archer from Torrance City to buy a COM/VHF
aerial and Transponder aerial from him for a fellow Europa builder. I asked
him about the ELT aerial. He confirmed what I had done was the best for a
composite aircraft. I made a dipole out of copper tape across the inner
surface of the fuselage behind the baggage bulkhead and on the upper half
of the fuselage. Therefore you do not need a ground plane. The copper tape
is held by BID on the surface. It will give far better transmission for over
flying aircraft and satellites due to it's area and exposure. To clarify it
with him he would be happy to answer questions.
His email address is  bobsantennas@earthlink.com
Ex NASA.
If you use the aerial supplied by the  Amer-King AK-450 ELT then mount it
vertically on a piece of 'U' aluminum secured to the floor, on its side, of
the aircraft and for the ground plane run some aluminum/copper tape through
the mounting of the aerial on the 'U' aluminum and out to a length either
direction equal to the length of the aerial. Make it 2 pieces of tape at
approx 90 degrees. If you are using an Archer COM 006a aerial then it will
not like the vertically polarized ELT aerial. Horizontal is OK however
dipole is better.
For what it is worth.
Cheers,
Tim
Tim Ward
12 Waiwetu Street,
Fendalton,
Christchurch, 8005
New Zealand.
Ph 0064 3 3515166
ward.t@xtra.co.nz
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <DuaneFamly@aol.com>
Subject: Europa-List: ELT Questions


>
> Good day All,
>
> I am presently looking to mount my Amer-King AK-450 ELT under the port
side
> baggage bay as I have seen others do. One person's website photos showed
the
> ELT antennae mounted horizontally across the baggage bay beneath the "D"
window.
> But upon reading the instructions that came with my ELT, it says that the
> antennae must be mounted within 20 degrees of vertical when the aircraft
is in a
> normal flight attitude. Has something changed? Also they want a minimum 36
> inch diameter ground plane around the base of the antennae. What have
others done
> to fulfill this specification?
>
>
> Mike Duane A207
> Redding, California
> XS Conventional Gear
> CM & rudder pedals with cables installed. Working on tailwheel and baggage
> bay. Conventional Landing gear might be the next thing to be installed.
>
>




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