VansAirForceForums  
Home > VansAirForceForums

- POSTING RULES
- Donate yearly (please).
- Advertise in here!

- Today's Posts | Insert Pics


Go Back   VAF Forums > Model Specific > RV-7/7A
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-05-2008, 06:26 PM
RogerM RogerM is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Wildwood, MO
Posts: 23
Default Bob Archer VOR Ant. in an RV-7 wing tip

My RV-7 has Van's system 6 landing, taxi, strobe. and position lights in the forward edge of the W715-1 wing tip. The installation calls for an aluminum foil reflector secured with Pliobond in the perimeter of the tip.

I'm interested in using a Bob Archer VOR wing tip antenna, but in talking to Mr. Archer on the phone he said he has had no experience with this installation and was not sure if the aluminum foil would degrade the signal or not.

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has flow their RV with this configuration. Basically, does the antenna work and how well?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 12-05-2008, 07:58 PM
Turbowind's Avatar
Turbowind Turbowind is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Windsor Colorado
Posts: 33
Default

I believe you will be pleased with the performance of this antenna. When checking the VOR accurracy the local radio shop commented on its sensitivity. It works far better than I had expected !

Les
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-06-2008, 01:35 AM
sprucemoose's Avatar
sprucemoose sprucemoose is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: MKE
Posts: 1,519
Default

I don't have exactly your setup, but something very close:



The Archer antenna is in the right tip (the pic is of the left.) The installation works great. However, it is absolutely vital that you pay close attention to the installation instructions, particularly as they pertain to how to route wires along the antenna.

I don't have any tin foil in the antenna (used it all up making my hat...) but I would suggest trying it without the foil first. You can easily add it later if it is needed.
__________________
Jeff Point
RV-6, RLU-1 built & flying
Tech Counselor, Flight Advisor & President, EAA Chapter 18
Milwaukee
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-06-2008, 03:34 AM
carguy614's Avatar
carguy614 carguy614 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Shallotte NC
Posts: 594
Default Archer VOR

Very good performance from the Archer VOR in the bottom of the right wingtip. I can actually pick up my closest VOR, at 27NM, on the ground about half of the time, and that amazes me. It is connected to a Val INS 422. I have not tried an approach on the ILS with it yet, as I am still in phase 1, but I suspect it will be OK. I bought mine, but a friend found some plans on the web to build your own. It is a very simple antenna. No foil in the wingtip on my 9A. Make sure your light and strobe wiring clear the radiating element in the front of the tip, and that you have adequate ground to the base leg of the antenna where it connects to the wing skin. The Bid Deal is making sure that you have no wiring of any kind passing over the radiating element at right angles after it is mounted in the tip. I found that it is best to slide it aft as far as you can and bond it down with some cloth and resin. That will give you plenty of room up front to route your lamp and strobe wiring. Building another 9, and the decision has been made to use Archer antennas again.

Hope this helps,
Chris
__________________
Chris Schmitt
Shallotte, NC
RV9A 90970 N614RV
Sold to nice folks in Texas and badly missed.
RV9 in progress
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-06-2008, 06:18 AM
dhall_polo's Avatar
dhall_polo dhall_polo is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Cumming, GA
Posts: 610
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by sprucemoose View Post
I don't have exactly your setup, but something very close:
OOC, What's that door for? I only have strobe+pos in the tip, and haven't installed the Archer antenna yet. So for this discussion, is the concern over foil in the cutout part of the tip, that it might create some reception hole?

Seems like the VOR signals would always be coming from below so the cutout shouldn't get in the way.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12-06-2008, 08:23 AM
RV7Guy's Avatar
RV7Guy RV7Guy is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 2,904
Default Hat

Quote:
Originally Posted by dhall_polo View Post
OOC, What's that door for?
It's where he keeps his foil hat.
__________________
Darwin N. Barrie
Chandler AZ
www.JDair.com
RV-7 N717EE-Flying (Sold)
RV-7 N717AZ Flying, in paint
EMS Bell 407,
Eurocopter 350 A-Star Driver
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12-06-2008, 08:43 AM
alcladrv alcladrv is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Southeast
Posts: 569
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by RogerM View Post
My RV-7 has Van's system 6 landing, taxi, strobe. and position lights in the forward edge of the W715-1 wing tip. The installation calls for an aluminum foil reflector secured with Pliobond in the perimeter of the tip.

I'm interested in using a Bob Archer VOR wing tip antenna, but in talking to Mr. Archer on the phone he said he has had no experience with this installation and was not sure if the aluminum foil would degrade the signal or not.

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has flow their RV with this configuration. Basically, does the antenna work and how well?
I highly recommend the Archer VOR wing tip antenna. In cruise flight at 8 to 9000', I get solid reception 80 to 100 nm out from the VOR. I installed them per the instructions in fastening it to the bottom of the wingtip.

My wingtips are the older-style W715 wingtips with the Whelen A650 position/strobe combo light along with some homebrew 3" "driving lights" for landing/taxi lights. I've flown this configuration for 3 years.

The front of the antenna is far enough back from the cutout that it seems like the angle with the VOR station on the ground wouldn't create reception problems. It doesn't for me.

Mike
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 12-06-2008, 09:25 AM
RogerM RogerM is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Wildwood, MO
Posts: 23
Default rogerM

dhall_polo defines my concern. Will the Aluminum foil reflective material in the forward wing tip, as specified by Van's, degrad the Archer antenna reception?

Bob Archer reaised the question with me, but said he doesn't know the answer. I'm hoping someone with the Series 6 system in the newer W715-1 tip installed per Van's recommendations has installed and flown the Archer VOR wimg tip antenna. I know we're experimental, but I don't want to be an alpha test.
Thanks for everyones comments.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 03-27-2011, 11:36 AM
ILikePike ILikePike is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Eatonton, GA
Posts: 215
Default

I just started a new thread with this same question. Van's wing tip landing lights, stobe and nav lights undecided, Archer NAV antenna right tip model. The foil in the Vans kit is a heat shield. Any suggestions on how to deal with the foil?
__________________
Jeff Green
2016 RV-8 #82985
1968 E33C Aerobatic Bonanza
Pleased to donate Dec 2019
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 06-07-2011, 08:52 PM
gmcjetpilot's Avatar
gmcjetpilot gmcjetpilot is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,285
Default

I am not big on ANY of the wing tip antennas.... "IT WORKS" is not a ringing endorsement. For gosh sakes if you are going to rely on your COM radio and your NAV radio (especially IFR) and you want to meet MOCAS and so on, don't screw around with internal antennas, you are just handicapping (attenuation) your RF transmitter and receivers.

Yes a VOR antenna l going to cost you 0.5 mph in cruise (wild guess may be less or more). Big deal. When I raced my RV-4 I took the VOR/LOC Antenna off.

I had the cat whiskers (V-dipole) on the belly way back under the horizontal. It was well protected, did not take away for the looks and I suspect drag was minimal.

To take mine off was about 2 minutes, two screws. I put a small thread on the coaxial and BNC connector and just pushed back into the fuselage, then taped over the hole and "lanyard" with some speed tape. When it was time to reinstall, pull tape and pull coaxial out, connect BNC and screw VOR dipole back on. I came in 2nd in my class in the Spruce cross country race with 150 HP. So what ever I did worked.

The other classic place is on the vertical. I don't like that for taildraggers because it will poke you in the eye.
__________________
George
Raleigh, NC Area
RV-4, RV-7, ATP, CFII, MEI, 737/757/767

2020 Dues Paid

Last edited by gmcjetpilot : 06-07-2011 at 08:54 PM.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:07 AM.


The VAFForums come to you courtesy Delta Romeo, LLC. By viewing and participating in them you agree to build your plane using standardized methods and practices and to fly it safely and in accordance with the laws governing the country you are located in.