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01-18-2018, 06:12 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 115
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Wingtip NAV antenna
Can anyone recommend a good wingtip NAV antenna (VOR/LOC/GS)? Or tell me if there's no such thing? The one I have installed in my RV-7 is marginal and not getting it done. It's a strip antenna with balun loop. VOR is only reliable within 10-20 miles. I can barely capture a LOC at ~8 miles and get no GS except a frequent false GS when I'm almost overhead the airport.
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01-18-2018, 06:15 PM
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Join Date: May 2016
Location: St Albert, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 515
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Search for Bob Archer antennas and you will get a plethora of hits.
__________________
______________________
Randy P.
1st time builder
RV10 - QB wings and fuse. Working on cabin top
St. Albert, Alberta, Canada
Reserved:C-GRPY
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01-18-2018, 06:32 PM
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Pocahontas MS
Posts: 3,884
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Might be worth checking the installation. The interwebs are littered with accounts of under-performing wingtip antennas, that are later found to be installed improperly. Grounding (poor, or wrong element grounded), coax polarity, coax routing, *other* wire routing, other stuff 'in the neighborhood', etc etc.
The coax and its connectors can have issues, also, of course.
Just a couple of thoughts...
Charlie
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01-18-2018, 08:01 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Greenfield, IN
Posts: 341
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I had installed a Bob Archer in my 7A wing tip worked great 30 mile.
Dave
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01-18-2018, 09:10 PM
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been here awhile
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: North Alabama
Posts: 4,301
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jacksel
Can anyone recommend a good wingtip NAV antenna (VOR/LOC/GS)? Or tell me if there's no such thing? The one I have installed in my RV-7 is marginal and not getting it done. It's a strip antenna with balun loop. VOR is only reliable within 10-20 miles. I can barely capture a LOC at ~8 miles and get no GS except a frequent false GS when I'm almost overhead the airport.
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http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...clickkey=29765
Notes from when I installed the Archer antenna in my RV-6 many years ago. It still works great.
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01-22-2018, 12:05 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Schaumburg, IL
Posts: 5,298
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I agree that installation issues are a big part of the disappointment with the archer antenna. I pick up many nav stations at 100 nm.
Larry
__________________
N64LR - RV-6A / IO-320, Flying as of 8/2015
N11LR - RV-10, Flying as of 12/2019
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01-22-2018, 12:08 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: 57AZ - NW Tucson area
Posts: 10,011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lr172
I agree that installation issues are a big part of the disappointment with the archer antenna. I pick up many nav stations at 100 nm.
Larry
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But it sounds like the OP doesn't have an "Archer-like" antenna from his description.
A simple wire type embedded in the wingtip would be expected to work poorly.
__________________
Gil Alexander
EAA Technical Counselor, Airframe Mechanic
Half completed RV-10 QB purchased
RV-6A N61GX - finally flying
Grumman Tiger N12GA - flying
La Cholla Airpark (57AZ) Tucson AZ
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01-25-2018, 06:02 AM
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Cape Town
Posts: 15
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I installed a commercial whip antenna on the last wing rib. Bent slightly backwards to fit in under the fibreglass wingtip. Trimmed whip to length using antenna anlyzer and achieved great match. Will be used for secondary comm, no in flight results to report back on yet.
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01-25-2018, 10:50 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Livermore, CA
Posts: 6,797
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ppakotze
I installed a commercial whip antenna on the last wing rib. Bent slightly backwards to fit in under the fibreglass wingtip. Trimmed whip to length using antenna anlyzer and achieved great match. Will be used for secondary comm, no in flight results to report back on yet.
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Since com transmissions (unlike VOR) use vertical polarization, you also should have mounted it as high (or low) on the rib as possible; and then bent it (close to the rib) down (or up) as much as possible.
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01-26-2018, 10:35 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Seattle/Tucson
Posts: 56
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Finally changed antenna
I had a low power radio and wingtip antenna in an RV4. Tried every possible positioning in the wingtip, and as vertical as possible with no good results. Reception seemed OK, but transmission range and angles limited. Went to a bent whip on the bottom under the pax seat, and a Garmin 200 radio. Now all is happiness, flight following radio com excellent, and the only limitation is not to park just underneath the tower. Ugly antenna now almost out of my sight under the aircraft, no measurable extra drag and the top of acft behind the pax seat is used for my adsb-out gps antenna. (It is actually under the canopy and works fine.)
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