Antenna (wing mounting)

[DBeaulieu]

Planning on comm antenna to be mounted on top of wing. Suggestions for location and doubler? I was originally thinking of mounting to fairing of wing root to fuselage, but doesn't seem as good a ground plane as the wing itself. Appreciate any discussion and suggestions.

Dave (from Maine)

[500AGL]

Dave, use the same thickness as the skin. So another .025” and any place that is nice and accessible in that first bay.

[DBeaulieu]

500AGL Kinda what I was thinking...

[DBeaulieu]

500AGL When you say "first bay", does that mean the space between the fuselage and fuel tank, or the first bay outboard of the fuel tank bay?

[jaredyates]

On our first plane, I used the area outboard of the fuel tank. On oir current plane, the antennas are inboard of the fuel tank. Check the skin thickness, generally the structure is more critical inboard of the tank and the skin may bs thicker there.

[gregc]

Mine is on the wing root fairing with a doubler and it works fine. There may be some small asymmetry in the radiation pattern but no one will ever notice it.

[DBeaulieu]

gregc Good to know! I am planning on putting the GPS puck on the wing root fairing

[DBeaulieu]

Speaking of antennas... Transponder and ADSB antennas on the lower boot cowl somewhere, forward as much as possible?? Shark fin or monopole type? Let's discuss...

[jaredyates]

I put the ads-b and transponder antennas about in the middle of the boot cowl as far as fore-afr, in the bent section so that they angle outward a little. This places the connector in an area where there is plenty of room between the outer skin and floorboard for the coax and right angle connector. I would avoid the tunnel piece. One antenna is on each side of the plane, and I used the little ball and stick versions. The shark fin might be a little less drag but are much more expensive.

[rodsmith]

I installed one comm antenna on the wing inboard of the tank. The skin there is .032 so used an .032 doubler. The other comm antenna is on the belly behind the main wheels. I used 1" copper tape radials for the ground plane as shown in the Aeroelectric Connection. My range with that comm/antenna is very limited, so I need to do something different.

[AZBearhawk272]

If at all financially possible go shark fin.
I broke 3 ball stick types before switching to shark fin.
all failures were due to clumsy humans.
The drag is the pain of replacement……

Kevin D
N272DG

KCHD

[alaskabearhawk]

I put mine on top of the wing, first bay in. Transmit and reception is excellent:

http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_log.php?user=yeeeha&project=527&category=13897&log=283206&row=23

I mounted both puck antennas between the top aft stringers and reception is excellent:

http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_log.php?user=yeeeha&project=527&category=13897&log=291392&row=18

Shark fin for sure! The lollipop antenna is very susceptible to getting broken as Pat has experienced.

http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_log.php?user=yeeeha&project=527&category=13897&log=303452&row=11

[DBeaulieu]

Appreciate the discussion guys! alaskabearhawk appreciate the links! Shark fins it is!! Now, on to making some doublers (jeesh, thought I was done with the wings back on the table they go! )