Geico266
Well Known Member
Now this might not be the most exciting thread, but it is something that I "discovered" about antennas and I thought I would pass it along, and start a thread about antenna also.
I installed a new XCOM radio in my old -3. The reception was great, I could pick up transmissions 100's of miles away, but I could not transmit to them. I could only "get out" about 50 miles and even that was "grainy".
I was just about to replace the antenna & coax. When I took a close look at the old antenna. I noticed it was pretty gunked up being near the exhaust. Bugs, oil, dirt, corrosion, etc., your basic neglected antenna.
I decided to take a Scotch brite pad and WD40 and polish it up. I really cleaned it up good and went flying (my favorite part
) It was bright & shiney as new. The 1st transmission was to a guy in the pattern 165 miles away, and I was 1,500' AGL! ![Eek! :eek: :eek:](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
My next project is to find a avionics guru with an VSWR meter and calibrate the antenna & coax, but with the transmission range I'm getting now it should be good?
Keep your antenna clean shiny clean!
Any other tips on keeping your radio & antenna healthy?
I installed a new XCOM radio in my old -3. The reception was great, I could pick up transmissions 100's of miles away, but I could not transmit to them. I could only "get out" about 50 miles and even that was "grainy".
I was just about to replace the antenna & coax. When I took a close look at the old antenna. I noticed it was pretty gunked up being near the exhaust. Bugs, oil, dirt, corrosion, etc., your basic neglected antenna.
I decided to take a Scotch brite pad and WD40 and polish it up. I really cleaned it up good and went flying (my favorite part
My next project is to find a avionics guru with an VSWR meter and calibrate the antenna & coax, but with the transmission range I'm getting now it should be good?
Keep your antenna clean shiny clean!
Any other tips on keeping your radio & antenna healthy?
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