REFLECTOR:Stormscope antennae
Paul Calhoun
reflector@tvbf.org
Tue, 10 Jun 2003 11:10:24 -0700
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Thanks for the feedback, Wayne. Enlarging the chase is so easy - as you
say 15 minutes work - that I can't imagine why anyone would want to go
to the time and expense of splicing the cable and why the other option
wasn't given in the VV article. I found that sharpening the tube without
filing in teeth was sufficient for a smooth cutting operation.
Paul
-----Original Message-----
From: reflector-admin@tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-admin@tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of Wayne Lanza
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2003 5:04 PM
To: reflector@tvbf.org
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR:Stormscope antennae
Hi Paul,
Regarding the storm scope antennas, I have installed all (7) of the
WX500 systems at the factory.
The connector at the wing/strake junction is accomplished with a metal
connector (Amp) and is a
bit pricey due to the cost of the connector and the labor involved. In
addition to preparing the SS
cable, you will need to add a braided metal shield over the strobe wires
in the same wing.
After discussions with BF Goodrich and several installations here are
the proven procedures for
the WX500. First of all the thing in the wing is NOT an antenna, it is
technically a DVDT probe that
senses energy spikes. The cable is shielded but is not an RF assembly,
the wires are for a simple
data link (about 12Khz). The shielding is to protect data integrity from
outside influences like the
strobe wires... Understanding this should assure you that the connector
will have little effect. We
are convinced that the best place to mount the receiver is under the
pilot side wing about 3 feet
out from the wing/strake junction. In the belly won't work! The cable
can be in the chase along
with the wing lighting and coax wires.
There are two ways to run the cable - one is to have the connector and
the other is to bore a hole
in the wing from the root to the base plate for the receiver (sensor,
antenna...). To bore the hole is
not too bad a job, I took a long piece of 1.5" aluminum tubing and cut
teeth on the end with a saw.
Then I alternately bent the teeth to the inside and outside about 1/16"
to enlarge the cut kerf in the
foam. The builder eyeballed my aim with the tube and I started twisting
the tube. We hit the mark
dead on and it only took about 15 minutes to do.
The biggest problem as far as we're concerned is the application of the
required ground plane.
It has to be at least 10 square feet! It can be a fine mesh or thin
metal and it is not necessary that
the receiver be centered on the gnd plane. One thing that must be
observed is that the receiver's
backing plate must be in intimate contact with the gnd plane. The ground
plane must NOT be in
between the foam and wing glass - don't even consider it! Laminate the
plane to the bottom of the
wing and fine bid over it after it has been securely glued down.
As with all aircraft (from Velocities to King Air's) you will probably
see a lot of strikes off the wing tips
even in clear weather. Not to worry, it ain't judgement day, just your
strobes faking out the storm scope.
The best and only way to fix this problem is to - you guessed it - shut
off the strobes. Goodrich has been
really good to deal with, their field service guys are most helpful and
willing to work with us.
Hope this helps -
Wayne Lanza
(Velocity contractor & electrical weenie)
Composite Design, Inc.
visit our web site at: http://www.CompositeDesignInc.com
________________________________________________________________________
_________
On Monday, June 9, 2003, at 06:33 PM, Paul Calhoun wrote:
The last issue of Velocity Views had an article from Scot Baker about
Stormscope antennae installation on the underside of the pilot side
wing. It was suggested that the antennae cable would have to be cut and
spliced if one wanted removable wings. Because there is two separate
layers of shielding in the cable, only a pro can do the job. The factory
will splice it for $300 if one sends in the cut cable after going to the
trouble to disconnect it from the control unit. Will a spliced cable
ever work as well?
I wondered if there weren't a better way. Here is another option. Simply
enlarge the wire channel 31" into the wing from the inboard end of the
wing so that the cable can be passed in and out of the wing to the
antennae . After getting a blessing from the factory, I employed the
following process:
1. Open the hole for the antennae into the channel as instructed in
the Views. (I was relieved that the channel was where it was supposed to
be 31" from the inboard edge and 4" toward the TE from the center spar.
To double check this location I noted that the drill point was right on
a straight line from the entrance of the channel on the inboard side to
the outlet of the channel at the strobe light on the other end.)
2. Fish out the strobe light, nav and com wires through the newly
cut hole so they won't be in the way. the later step of trying to cut
through the foam around the wires doesn't work. Don't ask how I know.
3.Enlarge the inboard fiberglass opening of the channel to 1.75 "
4. Sharpen the end of a 1.75 OD X 40" aluminum tube and pass it up
the foam surrounding the channel. It helped to re-sharpen the tube every
10" of foam cutting since the aluminum doesn't hold an edge.
5. Pass the com/strobe wires back out the channel.
6. One could leave the tube in place for ease of passage of the
cable. I am trying it without the tube first.
Paul Calhoun
Medical Ambassadors International
Transforming nations through the seamless combination of disease
prevention, evangelism, and community development.
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<DIV><SPAN class=3D339110318-10062003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Thanks=20
for the feedback, Wayne. Enlarging the chase is so easy - as you say 15 =
minutes=20
work - that I can't imagine why anyone would want to go to the time and =
expense=20
of splicing the cable and why the other option wasn't given in the VV =
article. I=20
found that sharpening the tube without filing in teeth was sufficient =
for a=20
smooth cutting operation. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D339110318-10062003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D339110318-10062003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Paul</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr style=3D"MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader lang=3Den-us dir=3Dltr =
align=3Dleft><FONT=20
face=3DTahoma size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>=20
reflector-admin@tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-admin@tvbf.org] <B>On =
Behalf Of=20
</B>Wayne Lanza<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, June 09, 2003 5:04 =
PM<BR><B>To:</B>=20
reflector@tvbf.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: REFLECTOR:Stormscope=20
antennae<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>Hi Paul,<BR>Regarding the storm scope =
antennas, I=20
have installed all (7) of the WX500 systems at the factory.<BR>The =
connector=20
at the wing/strake junction is accomplished with a metal connector =
(Amp) and=20
is a<BR>bit pricey due to the cost of the connector and the labor =
involved. In=20
addition to preparing the SS<BR>cable, you will need to add a braided =
metal=20
shield over the strobe wires in the same wing.<BR><BR>After =
discussions with=20
BF Goodrich and several installations here are the proven procedures=20
for<BR>the WX500. First of all the thing in the wing is NOT an =
antenna, it is=20
technically a DVDT probe that<BR>senses energy spikes. The cable is =
shielded=20
but is not an RF assembly, the wires are for a simple<BR>data link =
(about=20
12Khz). The shielding is to protect data integrity from outside =
influences=20
like the<BR>strobe wires... Understanding this should assure you that =
the=20
connector will have little effect. We<BR>are convinced that the best =
place to=20
mount the receiver is under the pilot side wing about 3 feet<BR>out =
from the=20
wing/strake junction. In the belly won't work! The cable can be in the =
chase=20
along<BR>with the wing lighting and coax wires.<BR><BR>There are two =
ways to=20
run the cable - one is to have the connector and the other is to bore =
a=20
hole<BR>in the wing from the root to the base plate for the receiver =
(sensor,=20
antenna...). To bore the hole is<BR>not too bad a job, I took a long =
piece of=20
1.5" aluminum tubing and cut teeth on the end with a saw.<BR>Then I=20
alternately bent the teeth to the inside and outside about 1/16" to =
enlarge=20
the cut kerf in the<BR>foam. The builder eyeballed my aim with the =
tube and I=20
started twisting the tube. We hit the mark<BR>dead on and it only took =
about=20
15 minutes to do.<BR><BR>The biggest problem as far as we're concerned =
is the=20
application of the required ground plane.<BR>It has to be at least 10 =
square=20
feet! It can be a fine mesh or thin metal and it is not necessary =
that<BR>the=20
receiver be centered on the gnd plane. One thing that must be observed =
is that=20
the receiver's<BR>backing plate must be in intimate contact with the =
gnd=20
plane. The ground plane must NOT be in<BR>between the foam and wing =
glass -=20
don't even consider it! Laminate the plane to the bottom of =
the<BR>wing and=20
fine bid over it after it has been securely glued down.<BR><BR>As with =
all=20
aircraft (from Velocities to King Air's) you will probably see a lot =
of=20
strikes off the wing tips<BR>even in clear weather. Not to worry, it =
ain't=20
judgement day, just your strobes faking out the storm scope.<BR>The =
best and=20
only way to fix this problem is to - you guessed it - shut off the =
strobes.=20
Goodrich has been<BR>really good to deal with, their field service =
guys are=20
most helpful and willing to work with us.<BR><BR>Hope this helps =
-<BR>Wayne=20
Lanza<BR>(Velocity contractor & electrical weenie)<BR>Composite =
Design,=20
Inc.<BR><BR>visit our web site at:=20
=
http://www.CompositeDesignInc.com<BR>____________________________________=
_____________________________________________<BR><BR><BR>On=20
Monday, June 9, 2003, at 06:33 PM, Paul Calhoun wrote:<BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>The last issue of =
Velocity=20
Views had an article from Scot Baker about Stormscope antennae =
installation=20
on the underside of the pilot side wing. It was suggested that the =
antennae=20
cable would have to be cut and spliced if one wanted removable =
wings.=20
Because there is two separate layers of shielding in the cable, only =
a pro=20
can do the job. The factory will splice it for $300 if one =
sends in the=20
cut cable after going to the trouble to disconnect it from the =
control unit.=20
Will a spliced cable ever work as=20
well?<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?smaller>I=20
wondered if there weren't a better way. Here is another option. =
Simply=20
enlarge the wire channel 31" into the wing from the inboard end of =
the wing=20
so that the cable can be passed in and out of the wing to the =
antennae .=20
After getting a blessing from the factory, I employed the following =
process:<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?smaller> =20
1. Open the hole for the antennae into the channel as =
instructed in the Views. (I was relieved that the channel was where =
it was=20
supposed to be 31" from the inboard edge and 4" toward the TE from =
the=20
center spar. To double check this location I noted that the drill =
point was=20
right on a straight line from the entrance of the channel on =
the=20
inboard side to the outlet of the channel at the strobe light on the =
other=20
end.)<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?smaller> =20
2. Fish out the strobe light, nav and com wires through the newly =
cut hole=20
so they won't be in the way. the later step of trying to cut through =
the=20
foam around the wires doesn't work. Don't ask how I =
know.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?smaller> =20
3.Enlarge the inboard fiberglass opening of the channel to 1.75 =
"<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <?fontfamily><?para=
m Arial><?smaller>4.=20
Sharpen the end of a 1.75 OD X 40" aluminum tube and pass it up the =
foam=20
surrounding the channel. It helped to re-sharpen the tube every =
10" of=20
foam cutting since the aluminum doesn't hold an =
edge.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> =
<?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>5. Pass the com/strobe wires back =
out=20
the channel.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> =
<?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>6. One could leave the tube in =
place=20
for ease of passage of the cable. I am trying it without the tube =
first.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?smaller>Paul=20
Calhoun<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?smaller>Medical=20
Ambassadors =
International<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR><I><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?smaller>Transforming=20
nations through the seamless combination of disease prevention, =
evangelism,=20
and community=20
=
development.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily></I><BR> <BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BLO=
CKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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