Buried antenna problems?

C

crumast

New member
Prior to recovering my 14-19, I installed a pair of Advanced Aircraft Electronics antennas. These look like a plastic belt, about 1" by 40", with a ferrite connector at the center.
I can receive fine. Transmitting is very weak. The radio is an old Terra 960.
My question is, do these antennas have a problem in our planes? Obviously, I hadn't heard of any issues prior to installing them. However, today someone told me that a buddy of his had problems with these antennas in his Viking. Now I find out!
Anyone else with an insight?
 
I put a couple of these antennas in a Sea Ray. I used a Garmin 250 and they worked fine. I believe that your problem is the Terra and that is a problem in itself. If you could rig a regular antenna on the unit I think you will find that the Terra is the problem. Gulf Coast Avionics is the only firm I know that can fix these bad boys. Lynn N9818B :x
 
Thanks for the reply. I hope you're right. The radio is sixteen years old, and has been to the shop twice in it's life.
I'm concerned that if these antennas are the problem, it's going to be a bear to put another pair of different antennas into, or onto the fuselage. The current location is aft of the baggage compartment, right against the sides of the fuselage. Tom
 
How far away did you locate the antennae from the baggage compartment? I have mine well-aft strung in an "X" from the top stringer to a bottom diagonal tube. They recommend AT LEAST 12 inches away from any sheet metal. Mine are 16 inches away at the top and about 36 inches away from the bottom of the baggage.
I'm running an old KX-170B that was working great in 1995. Planning on replacing it with an Apollo 60 GPS/COM eventually :)
 
The upper end is just aft, about an inch, from the baggage compartment wood fairing. The upper end is attached to the upper longeron. The lower end is attached to the lower longeron on the same side. The antenna is at about 35 or 40 degrees from vertical. Would have liked to have the comm antennas perfectly vertical, but that's tough to do with a 40 inch antenna on this fuselage. I wanted a location that put it closest to the skin, in order to eliminate the effect of the baggage compartment. As I mentioned, I can receive fine. I have more troubleshooting to do. Tom
 
Can I mount a stainless steel whip ant. inside the fuselage or a wing? Do they need an aluminum ground plane? must they be oriented a certain direction? thanks Ken
 
I tried to have my antennas behind the baggage compartment. If you drew a straight line between the receiving tower and my antenna and the engine was between them the radio would not work. I would recieve but not send. I moved them to the bottom of the plane. :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
A standard whip antenna is a monopole, that requires a ground plane. These from Advanced Aircraft are dipole, which don't require a ground plane. In fact, the instructions say don't use one.
My reason for not using the method of a diagonal mounting, described in the instructions, is that put it directly behind the sheetmetal baggage compartment. My hope is that I can achieve more exposure with it next to the side of the fuselage.
I've discovered that the local tower has a blindspot at the south end of the field( a controlled field- go figure). I'm not the only one who has had problems at that location.
I think I'll stick with the antennas and their current location. I'll probably replace the 16 year old Terra in the near future. Tom
 
My cruisemaster has buried antenna and it works well at all airports except my home field. Tower cant hear me in certain spots but I hear them and other airplanes hear me. They have a dead spot as well, but wont admit it. Funny how many airplanes have radio problems in exactly the same area...
 
Since I moved my antenna to the bottom of the plane I have never Had a reception problem except with Houston center and that is only with the transponder because I am below 3000 ft in the middle of nowhere coming from McCallen Texas to Dallas We average about 175 hrs a year and never drive to a vacation spot. If we can't fly there we don't go. Thursday evening we are leaving for Deluth Mn for a 3 day stay. :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Randy,
Are you using the same antennas that I have? I park at Grand Prairie(KGPM). If you ever get in there, you may wish to get all your transmissions and clearances before venturing into the blackhole at the south end of the field. At least some of us have a little problem there. Tom
 
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