REFLECTOR: Poor Comm Performance

[Kirk Aragon]

Andy,

I should have applied the KISS principle before asking. I'll dig around in the airplane and find all of the antenna cables and identify which go where. Then I'll test performance on all of the cables. I believe N360TV was built with the COM antennas in the winglets and the NAV antennas in the wing root (next to the fuel tank).

The rudder well looks tight. That is a great possibility though. I fly out of Sanford, NC (KTTA: a few miles southwest of Raleigh). And its just now getting cool enough to go flying....  

Kirk


From: amillin at sbcglobal.net
To: reflector at tvbf.org
Date: Tue, 4 Sep 2007 13:18:02 -0400
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Poor Comm Performance
















Kirk,

 

Are you sure the antennas were connected correctly?  The plans
call for nav and com antennas in the wings.  More than one builder has
lost track of which is which.  You might have the antennas crossed. 
A com radio might not do too well with a nav antenna.

 

I believe the original plans called for the antenna to be placed
in the rudder well of the winglet.  If you have checked antennas (SWR),
cables, connections and radios and have isolated the problem to the antenna,
then I would think of installing one in the rudder well.  This is not a
difficult job and could be done in  weekend.  Where are you located?

 

Andy

 

 

 





From:
reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On Behalf Of Kirk
Aragon

Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 12:17 PM

To: reflector at tvbf.org

Subject: REFLECTOR: Poor Comm Performance





 



Hi all,



Since I purchased my Velocity, I've noticed very poor COM performance on both
COMs. Range is not much more than 3 miles with COM1 and COM2 appears not to
work at all. Because of this, I will not fly into Class A, B, C, or D airspace.
This limits my travel options quite a bit and I was looking for advice on new
antenna placement. 



Since I'm assuming that my radio cable has disconnected from COM2 and I'm
already using an external antenna for COM1, I've looked at several internal and
external antenna options, but consistently note that ground plane is needed for
the correct functioning of the external antenna. I can't find a single flat
place that is 42" or greater and attribute the poor performance of COM1 to
this fact. I also don't like the idea of an external antenna from an aesthetic
point of view and would like the aircraft to be as "clean" as
possible.



Recently, I came across Advance Aircraft Electronics
(http://www.advancedaircraft.com/index.htm) and their linear antennas. It seems
like these would work great in the winglets. However, since I did not build my
aircraft and the winglets are already "glassed," would this be a good
candidate area for installation? If so, can anyone estimate the amount of work
this might entail (no repairman certificate = lots of $$$)? Is there a better
location for installation?



I haven't used my Terra stack in IMC, but intend to get my instrument rating in
the next year. The poor COM performance has me worried that my antenna
installations will not be up to the task. I would definitely appreciate
guidance.



Thank you



Kirk Aragon

N360TV (SE/RG) 














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