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Vans Canopy Comm Antenna

Andy Hill

Andy Hill

Well Known Member
Vans used to sell (for $7) a "low drag" windscreen antenna 'AV ANTENNA, W'SCREEN'

This has since disappeared from the catalogue. I've been given a recommendation using this antenna in a gear leg fairing, but know nothing of the design or source of whatever Vans sold.

Any info on where one might get one / make one / what it looks like would be much appreciated... I'll eMail Vans as well.
 
There was an article on this in the RVator some years back. Short story is that it is a length of copper tape, cut to the appropriate length, with a BNC connector wired to it. If there was anything else to it, it's not obvious from the picture.
 
Several years back Van's offered a nav antenna to be mounted in a wingtip. It was nothing more than a piece of copper tape, a BNC connector and instructions. Works great with my SL30 for VOR, LOC and GS functions. I would not expect any antenna to work well in a gear leg fairing due to being right beside the gear leg.
 
Thanks & keep the replies coming. Report was using the Vans part to the rearmost part of the stiffner (fairing) result was "with great success".
 
It would work fairly well for nav frequencies but not for comm - polarization is wrong for the comm, those need to be a vertical antenna. Nav antennae are horizontal.
 
Andy Hill said:
Vans used to sell (for $7) a "low drag" windscreen antenna 'AV ANTENNA, W'SCREEN'

This has since disappeared from the catalogue. I've been given a recommendation using this antenna in a gear leg fairing, but know nothing of the design or source of whatever Vans sold.

Any info on where one might get one / make one / what it looks like would be much appreciated... I'll eMail Vans as well.
Click to expand...

It's a discontinued item, but it does work well in an area with enough vertical polarization, such as in the windshield/canopy (comm version). You could probably make your own out of some self adhesive copper tape as described above. Don't forget about ground plane considerations if installing it in you gear leg fairings.
 
Foil Antenna

i have a foil antenna you can have, it is complete with foil, fitting and papers. Contact me at Hossb918 at Gmail.com.

Mike Bauer RV6 N918MB
 
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Thanks for the replies... I've been offered one here in the UK so many thanks Mike, but the local one will be easier all round.

I accept the performance will be below that of a professional antenna, but willing to give it a go - it's hardly a large cost outlay! Ground Plane will be the fuselage which again, is there, but not 100% as you'd design it.
 
Andy Hill said:
I've been given a recommendation using this antenna in a gear leg fairing
Click to expand...

Although I'm sure somebody has done it and likes it, antennae in the gear leg fairings should work quite poorly. They will be very directional due to the reflecting nature of the close parallel leg. The leg is also in the middle of the length range that is terrible for aviation frequencies.

My dad (EE and long time HAM operator) and I looked at this during my build and quickly decided it was a bad idea.

**On a personal note, his HAM hobby and "First Phone" license is what got us flying when the local avionics shop needed a license to operate. They used his and traded for PPL lessons.**
 
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