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Special GPS/COAX connectors

63robskin

Member
GPS/Coax connector extension

The cabin top on the 10 is rather thick. When I mount the GPS antenna, will I need special or longer than normal coax connectors? If where can I get them?
 
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Note that when I asked, Van's does NOT recommend mounting any antennas on the fiberglass cabin for structural reasons. So I have mounted my antennas on the aluminum skin behind the fiberglass cabin top.

I have mounted 2 GPS antennas, 1 Comm antenna, and the ELT antenna in the space aft of the fiberglass cabin top while meeting the recommended spacing between antennas. I then have a second Comm antenna mounted on the belly aft of the baggage bulkhead, the VOR/ILS whiskers at the top of the vertical stabilizer, and Xpndr antenna mounted under the front seats near the tunnel.

Of course, as an experimental aircraft, you can mount the antennas on the fiberglass top if you wish, even if Van's doesn't recommend it.
 
Patch antennas, such as GPS antennas, benefit greatly from being on a ground plane, like the top of the tail cone. It has the benefit also of being 25 to 32 mils thick, and in no need of a fancy connector. I've never seen an easy to get extended connector (BNC or TNC, depending on your antenna)
 
Gps Antennas

I mounted my garmin and dynon GPS antennas side by side on the cabin top about 6 inches forward of the seam with tail cone.

Didn?t think to ask if it was a bad idea.

Found out after it as done that it was not reccomended and that they were to close together besides.

4 1/2 years later everything works fine and I did not need any special connectors because of the fiber glass thickness.
 
I mounted my GTN-650 GPS antenna on the cabin cover when I built my RV-10. I put it just aft of the joggle in the thin section of the cabin cover. I installed a foil ground plane for the antenna on the inside of the CC that was eventually finished over with my headliner. My center roof console covered the antenna 90* TNC connection. It worked great. You just have to plan ahead for antenna ground plane requirements when working with composite structures. There are many ways to work in the antenna GP requirements.
 
I placed my two GPS antennae near the centerline, one between the doors and the other about halfway back, to maintain the spacing recommended by Garmin. I routed out the opening for the antenna connection and a 90 degree exit for the cables, then glassed the raw foam between the layers of glass. I won't know until it's flying if there's a problem but I'll keep an eye on it.

However, someone had a potentially good idea of putting their antennae in the space between an overhead console cover and the cabin top. The GPS in my -6A has been under the fiberglass wingtip without problems for the past 10 years and I think that the extra thickness of the foam and fiberglass in the cabin top should not prove to be a problem. I didn't run into any carbon fiber where I mounted my antennae, so I think the top centerline should be clear of obstruction to GPS signals. Just a guess, though, I don't have any practical testing to back it up.
 
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