GPS Antenna Location

[accuratemac]

Have RV-7A slider, anyone have a location or dimensions to locate my
GNS430 GPS antenna just rear of a silder canopy. I need it far enough back that the sliding canopy won't hit the antenna when exiting the aircraft.

___________________
Bill Souza
RV-7A QB
Lancaster, Ca.

 

[pierre smith]

Dash?

Hi Bill,
Have you considered the top of the instrument panel? A secondary option is to have a piece of aluminum protrude forward from the firewall and have the antenna under the top cowl but close to it. That would also be a much easier wiring run.Seems to work fine unless you paint will metallic paint.

Regards,
Pierre

 

[Pilottonny]

Metallic paint?? No problem here!

Metallic paint?

I tried my AvMap EKP IV in my car (Lexus with metallic paint!) on the German Autobahn. It did not lose the signal when the antenna was just laying on the floor of the car (metal roof over the top!)

Then I actually tried to lose the signal by ?hiding ? the antenna under my seat (metal seat frame, foam and leather upholstery, many electric motors, me sitting on top, metal roof and metallic paint over the top), but could not lose the signal!. It did lose some of the satellites though and due to that it would not do vertical navigation at that stage, but still new where it was! Maybe it is just a great receiver, I am not worrying about putting it under the cowling (even with metallic paint).

[font=Calibri','sans-serif]Regards, PilotTonny[/font]

 

[RV7Guy]

Under the hood

I made a little shelf on the firewall and mounted the 430 and 496 antennas on there. Great reception.

You won't get an official endorsement from Garmin to put it there but they said it is a far better place than exposed to the elements. Moisture being the biggest killer.

Don't worry about the metallic paints. Most metallics are using non-metallic materials to get the effect. Also, if it was a true metallic there just isn't enough to cause an issue.

I've attached a picture of mine. The small antenna has been removed and replaced with the 496 antenna.