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Wingtip antenna options?

G

gfb

Well Known Member
Thinking ahead to antenna mounting and wondering what the options/experience is for wingtip COM antennas. Are there any good ones? Aircraft Spruce lists a few options.
 
Verticle orientation

The first one must be mounted vertically for com. I have no experience with the second.

Gary
 
I think most have found that the Archer wingtip comm ant. don't do very well.
The Archer nav. does a very nice job.
 
For com only the vertical component counts. In a -10 tip I get fair, not great, range. About 2/3 that of the external whip. The other RV tips are not as thick and range will be less.
 
I have 2 advanced aircraft antennas in the wingtips.

1 for VOR and 1 for my #2 comm.

My #1 comm is a bend whip mounted under the fuselage.

When I mounted the 2 Advanced antenna I mounted them on a slant with them running slightly up thr wingtip.

They are made for non-metal aircraft so I figured to not get blanked out by the fuselage I should get creative :D

They both work great, but I would only give my #2 comm range about 10 miles 5X5 and once out to 20-30 miles it is "ok" but really 30 is stretching it.

VOR reception seems much better, dont know why, must have something to do with wave lenght, sun stops amd what I ate for breakfast :confused:
 
SmilingJack said:
I have 2 advanced aircraft antennas in the wingtips.

1 for VOR and 1 for my #2 comm.

My #1 comm is a bend whip mounted under the fuselage.

When I mounted the 2 Advanced antenna I mounted them on a slant with them running slightly up thr wingtip.

They are made for non-metal aircraft so I figured to not get blanked out by the fuselage I should get creative :D

They both work great, but I would only give my #2 comm range about 10 miles 5X5 and once out to 20-30 miles it is "ok" but really 30 is stretching it.

VOR reception seems much better, dont know why, must have something to do with wave lenght, sun stops amd what I ate for breakfast :confused:
Click to expand...
VOR works fine because it is horizontally polarized. Proper antenna layout is horizontal, like laying in a wing tip.
Com is vertically polarized. Ideally the antenna should be vertical. Lacking this, make the highest current part -where the coax attaches - as vertical as possible. Let the rest of the antenna be horizontal. Look at a "bent whip" as an example. You would be better off that way than running the whole thing up gradually. (this is a common installation error, and why people say they are horrible)
 
BobTurner said:
VOR works fine because it is horizontally polarized. Proper antenna layout is horizontal, like laying in a wing tip.
Com is vertically polarized. Ideally the antenna should be vertical. Lacking this, make the highest current part -where the coax attaches - as vertical as possible. Let the rest of the antenna be horizontal. Look at a "bent whip" as an example. You would be better off that way than running the whole thing up gradually. (this is a common installation error, and why people say they are horrible)
Click to expand...

Ha! I new there was a reason why the VOR works so good.

Yup, I tried to mount the Comm as vertical as possible. It works good. Would I do it again? Probably not. I would just go with 2 whips under the belly.
 
A Comant CI-122 is very easy to mount on the belly, accessible under your seat floor pan. While your down there, mount one under each seat? 90% have done it this way with excellent results. fwiw
 
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