Quote:
Originally Posted by azflyer21
I can sure use a little guidance on installing the Archer antenna in the wingtip.
-How did you mount the antenna?
-How is it connected to the coax?
-Once the wing is installed is it difficult to route the coax thru the fuselage?
Thanks!
|
Identify the "radiating leg" (diagonal piece, which then turns and runs back); the "ground leg" (straight piece parallel the the backwards running radiating leg); and the "feeder/matching network leg" (short diagonal piece, with a parallel capacitor built into it.
The ground leg needs to be mounted, physically and electrically, as close as possible to the end rib. Method (1): Before mounting nut plates to the wingtip (or remove them if already done), place the ground leg between the wing tip and the nut plates; match drill wingtip and antenna ground leg at all places. Rivet wingtip - ground leg- nut plate. Remove all paint from the wing under the attaching screws, so there is a good ground leg to wing metal to end rib electrical connection, at many places along the ground leg. Method (2): Rivet an "L" shaped piece of aluminum to the end rib, as long as the ground leg of the antenna. Rivet the ground leg to the L shaped aluminum, at numerous points along the leg. I oriented this stuff to put the leading edge of the antenna behind the landing and nav/strobe lights, and aft of the aluminum foil heat shielding - maybe 8" or so back from the front. All of the lighting wires ran well forward of the antenna. With method (1) the antenna comes of with the wingtip - I left enough slack in the coax so I flip the wingtip over onto the top of the wing. With method (2) the wingtip will stay on the wing when you remove the tip - probably a bit better.
Connecting coax: follow Archer instructions. Center conductor goes to the parallel plate capacitor (electrically dc isolated from everything); braid/shield goes further inboard on the matching leg, to the piece that is electrically connected to the ground leg.
I have a -10 so cannot comment on cable routing, but had no problem with the -10.