Home Brew APRS Antenna

[Greg Arehart]

Steve,

Very very nice! I want one!

greg

[newtech]

Thanks for all of the input. I was pretty satisfied with the first time out. I will be taking my laptop over to the airport today to update the setup configuration and if todays snow holds off long enough I may get another test flight in today.

Yesterdays flight was pretty cool; Vince Frazer, a.k.a. FlyBoy Accessories, joined up on my right wing, in his F1 Rocket, during the outbound leg. Wish I had a camera; better yet wish we had a camera plane

[newtech]

Just got back from todays flight and all appears well. My GPS lost lock a couple of times but all in all I think the configuration is pretty close. Thanks to all the experts that helped. My tracks can now be followed by my tail number N14SE rather than my call sign W9BOJ.

[Sam Buchanan]

Originally Posted by newtech

Just got back from todays flight and all appears well. My GPS lost lock a couple of times but all in all I think the configuration is pretty close. Thanks to all the experts that helped. My tracks can now be followed by my tail number N14SE rather than my call sign W9BOJ.

That's more like it, Steve. Not sure why some of the beacons don't have full info, however.....

Happy Trackin'!

[newtech]

Originally Posted by Sam Buchanan

That's more like it, Steve. Not sure why some of the beacons don't have full info, however.....

Happy Trackin'!

I think the problem is with the GPS wiring to the MT-RTG. I noticed the green led flashing for several minutes a few times. My installation is pseudo Rube Goldberg with both the GPS and RTG being powered through Cigarette Lighter adapters. With us leaving in a few days for Hollywood Beach I really didn't want to touch any wiring behind the panel. Thanks to you and your web site and Bob Mills for the help in tweaking the setup configuration.

With a little bit of luck with the weather we will be dropping bread crumbs all the way from Evansville, IN (3EV) to Hollywood, FL (KHWO) Friday

[Sam Buchanan]

Originally Posted by newtech

I think the problem is with the GPS wiring to the MT-RTG. I noticed the green led flashing for several minutes a few times. My installation is pseudo Rube Goldberg with both the GPS and RTG being powered through Cigarette Lighter adapters. With us leaving in a few days for Hollywood Beach I really didn't want to touch any wiring behind the panel. Thanks to you and your web site and Bob Mills for the help in tweaking the setup configuration.

With a little bit of luck with the weather we will be dropping bread crumbs all the way from Evansville, IN (3EV) to Hollywood, FL (KHWO) Friday

Drop a couple on top of DCU as you fly over. Have a great trip!

[Smilin' Jack]

Steve,
I admire you craftsmanship. I am just shy of starting or buying an RV something 7 or 8 I hope and my amateur radio stuff basically has been all
HF... so with the APRS system operates on 2 meters I guess. and can be viewed I saw from your post from almost any computer or 2 meter rig with that capability.

Two questions.
How did you bury the antenna in the balsa wood. cut a groove and lay the wire in.

What do you mean when you state cut the cloth on the bias... I am no expert when it comes to fiberglassing but guess with all the work on the RV you could get pretty good at it.

Thanks
Smilin' Jack Hunt
WB4JKY
EAA/AOPA
Corporate Pilot
CL601-3A/ H800XP

[rvmills]

Originally Posted by newtech

I think the problem is with the GPS wiring to the MT-RTG. I noticed the green led flashing for several minutes a few times. My installation is pseudo Rube Goldberg with both the GPS and RTG being powered through Cigarette Lighter adapters. With us leaving in a few days for Hollywood Beach I really didn't want to touch any wiring behind the panel. Thanks to you and your web site and Bob Mills for the help in tweaking the setup configuration.

With a little bit of luck with the weather we will be dropping bread crumbs all the way from Evansville, IN (3EV) to Hollywood, FL (KHWO) Friday

Steve,

Do you have the tracker connected to your airplane's GPS? What kind is it? Just wondering...and certainly understand not wanting to dive behind the panel just before a big X-C...just asking for trouble (AMHIK! )

And OBTW, just passing what Pete and Sam have taught me! They even monitored test flights live (like we did yours), and Pete texted me while I tested it with feedback! I did similar with Pat Hatch, via phone and his Zulu! Us BB droppers gotta stick together!!

Say hi to Vince when you see him again, and have a great trip.

My spare Comant 122 may be looking at a balsa/glass overcoat soon, when I do some minor winter glass repairs and mods! Thanks for the idea!!

Here's a mostly unrelated APRS track, just for fun...what 20 minutes or so of dogfighting an RV-8 then coming back into the break looks like!



Cheers,
Bob

[Ron Lee]

Originally Posted by Smilin' Jack

What do you mean when you state cut the cloth on the bias...

Typical Rutan BID (bidrectional) fiberglass has fibers running parallel to the edge and perpendicular to the edge. If you cut it at 45 degrees to the edge the fiberglass rounds curves mo better.

[Sam Buchanan]

Originally Posted by Smilin' Jack

Steve,
I admire you craftsmanship. I am just shy of starting or buying an RV something 7 or 8 I hope and my amateur radio stuff basically has been all
HF... so with the APRS system operates on 2 meters I guess. and can be viewed I saw from your post from almost any computer or 2 meter rig with that capability.

Jack,

Be sure you read the stickies at the top of the APRS forum:

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...play.php?f=104

This is cool stuff for a ham.