• If You Are Having Trouble Logging In with Your Old Username and Password, Please use this Forgot Your Password link to get re-established.
  • Hey! Be sure to login or register!

Antennas

S2D

MEMBER
Montana
I need to try a new antenna for my icom A210 since I'm only reaching a couple miles.
Looking at AC Spruce's Comant CI-121
Any suggestions??
 
I found one already. Might wait til the storms over to go rescue it.

Thanks

You're not still using an old escort 110 are you



KIMG0885.jpeg

Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk
 

Attachments

  • KIMG0885.jpeg
    KIMG0885.jpeg
    23.6 KB · Views: 182
Well, if you're going to stay with that '210, you cant make fun of that Escort.

When you pull that antenna, be sure to get the star washer looking deal located between the skin and the lower ceramic bushing. You'll need to solder it to the coax braid in the new installation.

Speaking of which, what condition is the coax for the '210?

Web
 
It was new two years ago. We looked everything over and all looks good. As far as I'm reaching seems like the cable is all I have for an antenna. Friend put an identical one in at the same time and his works great. Not sure mine was ever great but it got farther than that.


You're talking about a grounding washer aren't you ??


Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk
 
It was new two years ago. We looked everything over and all looks good. As far as I'm reaching seems like the cable is all I have for an antenna. Friend put an identical one in at the same time and his works great. Not sure mine was ever great but it got farther than that.


You're talking about a grounding washer aren't you ??


Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk

Yes, it's a grounding washer. It looks like a giant star washer with a solder tab on one side.

What antenna is presently installed and how is it mounted? Cable connected? Metal to metal contact between the bottom of the antenna and the skin of the aircraft? Metal to metal is important here. No gasket and no paint at the hardware holes.

Web
 
It's cable mounted. I'll have to double check the grounding. Could be the problem. I know the bottom of antenna is probably just touching paint. Not sure about the hardware.

It has RAMI on the side. Not sure if it came with the radio or I had to order it separate.

Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk
 
Dumb question here, but is the model of antenna correct for VHF com? It didn't come with the radio, as RAMI is a different manufacturer.

Web
 
Last edited:
I hope so. When I ordered everything it was supposed to be. I'll see if my friends says Rami on it too
.

Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk
 
We had one like that. Previous installer used RG-59. I think the best stuff is RG-400 now, with crimped-on ends and maybe 31" long. That is all from memory, and I expect corrections - but that is the way we learn.

All of my radio installations have worked well with the coat hangar antenna, although we converted to the Comant a couple years ago.

Also - and here I am widely ignored - beware of parasitics! Stick that antenna on top of the wing, and well away from any other antennae. Forget about internal dipoles or hanging an antenna between the gear legs.
 
Yep. RG-400w/crimped connectors. On new installs I recommend new coax but especially if it's black and not tan (bonus if you get the Irish reference).

Com antennas always go on top unless there are specific reasons not to. And I haven't seen those reasons on small aircraft. Internal antennas only work with wood or composite aircraft and they don't work as well if covered with dope with metallic content, such as silver, UV dope.

And those old school coat hangers work surprisingly well!

Web
 
Only antenna I got. And I put it at the rear of the fairing by the rear spar so it would be lower on the ground. Maybe I need to go back to the front corner of the tank cover like my old ones used to be.

Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk
 
Ugh. Don't put it on the tank cover. Think about what attracts lightning.

Wing root fairings aren't idea but not much else on a Cub to use without some 'modification'.

Web
 
We use the root fairings. Doesn't seem to make any difference where, as long as not behind the rear spar. That gives a decent ground plane.

Tell us what coax you have. The 59 looks like the 58, but the impedance is way different = energy reflected back into the radio.
 
Tell us what coax you have. The 59 looks like the 58, but the impedance is way different = energy reflected back into the radio.

I used to have a roll of 58 that I made up cables with, but I'm pretty sure this is whatever came with the Radio. Will check it all out again when it warms up or I can get it in a warmer hangar.
 
didn't read whole thread, but as web was pointing out, if you can receive WELL but cannot TRANSMIT WELL, then you have a poor ground plane/connection to ground plane, for your signal to radiate from...

not my specialty like his, but that my take on it.... an antenna itself is only 1/3? the culprit... installation, corrosion is the other 2/3's of it functioning correctly....
 
Web, should you try to make the coax length in tune with a wavelength fraction?

I calculated 5.37 feet as the wavelength in RG-400, but I’m not sure if that’s right or how important cable length is.
 
I don't think it is critical - just if you have space, and do not have to coil it up. From memory, multiples of 31" for our frequency range.
 
I used to have an Icom A200, great radio.
I've heard that they are a plug-n-play swap in the same tray,
but figured it might be an old wives tale based on the fact that the radio faces kinda look alike.
I'd be interested in hearing whether or not the King will in fact slide in and work.
 
Length of cable is not a factor with com radios. As per the manuals there is a max length for standard cable such as RG400. If the cable needs to be longer, then other types of cables need to be used. But that length is usually in the 20 to 30 foot range. The last time it became an issue for me, I was working on a DC-4, lol.

Web
 
One caveat on the Icom/KY97A is if the Icom was installed with the optional backplate. That one uses a d-sub type connector instead of the edge connector like the KY97A uses.

Web
 
Back
Top