[airguy]

As many of you know, I'm building my 9A with additional fuel tanks (I converted the outboard leading edges to full-length aux fuel tanks), and I'm planning an IO-360 install. Several people have asked me why, and the basic reason is because I have always wanted to be able to do an around-the-world flight with the ability to make long water legs, or avoid unfriendly countries, and this aircraft will give me the range to be able to to do that once I finish it.

With that in mind, certain items in the cockpit are needed for this type of trip, including an HF radio for transoceanic legs, that may need modifications to the airplane that are most easily accomplished while still building the fuselage. I am currently very close (a week or two) to rolling the canoe, so this seems an appropriate time to ask for information on HF radio antennas and requirements for them, how people have installed them, dimensions, power requirements, all that kind of good stuff that might come into play here. Please keep in mind that the end goal is to have a transoceanic-worthy aircraft, so while I'm asking specifically at this time about HF radios, I'm open to ANY and ALL equipment suggestions - including water survival gear recommendations.

And no - I don't want to hear that I need to add 3 turbofan engines and a 24" radar dish before it's considered water-worthy - let's keep it real, please....

 

[Mel]

Greg,
A friend and EAA Chapter member here in Dallas flew his Marquart Charger bi-plane across the pond on an intended round-the-world flight. He used a reel type, trailing wire, HF antenna that was both simple and light weight. You might get some ideas from him.
BTW, the reason he didn't complete the trip was a timing issue. He arrived at Russia just about the time the Soviet Union fell and felt that it might not be an opportune time to be flying a small bi-plane across that territory.
His contact information is Dave Davidson, 972-530-4067

 

[craigvince]

Call my office and ask to speak with Richard (my boss). We have a couple of HF radios that we use for ferry flights and occasionally rent out. He was recently talking about selling one of them. If nothing else, he might be able to offer you some insight on what you need and/or don't need.

Tell him I sent ya....

 

[Daver]

hf radio

I have a small hf radio I've traveled with all over the Carribean and "worked" the world with a small wire antenna thrown up into a palm tree near the beach and a 5 AH gel cell.

I don't think they're made anymore but can be found on the used market -
SG-2020 with audio DSP. They were made to fit an aircraft panel.

They also made (still do I think) an automatic antenna tuner.

Will a long wire at altitude it should work pretty good (sun spots permitting).

The power is 0-20W PEP. My Dad and I once talked on 20M (Albuquerque - NE Washington state) using this radio. We kept turning to power down until we were at the 1W level. Copy was fine at 1W each but 5W was a little better.

If I was going to put hf on my plane this is the radio I would choose.

Dave KM5XE
-9A finish kit

 

[noelf]

When the Walter Mitty...

... in me strikes, I find myself contemplating the same long distance over- water treks. The engineer in me worked on what to do with the long wire antenna. My "solution" to get the antenna wire out of the aircraft was to modify the passenger-side step (RV-6A) to allow the antenna wire to pass from the inside of the aircraft baggage area, out through the insulated inside of the external step weldment (insulated, proper pulleys, etc) and exit at the bottom of the weldment.

This would keep the long wire away from the belly of the aircraft, and away from the rudder. The wire would be wound up on an insulated spool in the baggage area.

Of course, I have done nothing to pursue the operational implementation of this idea, but neither did Walter.