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ELT Antenna

jlisler

Well Known Member
What is your current opinion of where the ELT antenna should be installed on an RV-4? My ACK ELT is mounted on the upper shelf of the baggage compartment. I am leaning toward mounting the antenna on the topside of the turtle deck right behind the canopy. If you have a snappy location that is better concealed I would like to know. The airplane is finished and this is one of the small details I have left to complete.

To the airport, Sooooon!

Jerry Isler
RV-4 N455J
Cessna C140A N9641A
 
Hangin' in the breeze...

Hi Jerry,

I don't know about you, but I think antennas on airplanes detract from the looks of an otherwise sexy body. (like clothes on a girl:) They also produce drag my speed-concious brother.
Anyway, when I had an ACK elt I mounted my antenna vertically on a bracket next to the backseat rear support bulkhead low enough that the top of the antenna was below the canopy rail. The top of the antenna had a tie wrap holding it still. I turned it on for a test with a friend 20 miles away inflight and he heard it loud and clear. I have also seen it mounted next to the roll bar on the canopy rail and tie wrapped to the top of the Roll bar.
As far as all the others go, my GPS antenna is on the rear upper fuselage under the canopy and my comm antenna on the belly, swept aft. One of my to do's is to place my comm antenna in a gear leg fairing. This would place all antennas internal, but I have metal fairings right now. Oh well.

Your call....

Rob Ray
 
ELT

Hi Jerry
I mounted my ELT antenna under the aft fairing between the vertical and horizontal stabs. I believe if something happens the tail will be sticking up in the air with the ELT antenna held high :eek:
 
elt antenna.

I mounted mine on the cockpit side rail by the roll bar. I know the roll bar blocks it a bit but otherwise pretty easy setup.
 
Another subject..

Dayton,
Great idea on the ELT in the tail fairing, this site Rocks! BTW, did you get your P-mags back yet and get back in the air?

RR

ps: I have a Slick Mag and Rose EI spare you can borrow...
 
Antenna Mounting

I'm doing the ELT at the side of the passenger seat back, sticking up and curving around the upper seat back, Held by small nylon straps.
Comm antenna on the belly.
How about the Transponder antenna location?
I have read that it must be 24" from the Comm antenna.
Any advice???

Thanks,
 
Antenna.

The com antenna is mounted on the belly midway in the passenger section and the elt forward of the spar on the right side.

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thumb-img_1480.jpg
 
Smokyray (off topic)

Hey Rob
Yes I received my Mags back two days after sending them out. Brad at E-mag rocks! They replaced a board in my right mag and updated both of them to the latest rev. I have 6.68 hrs on them as of today. So far they are great. Thank for asking and for your generosity.
 
While we are on the subject of ACK ELT antennas, what does the large molded rubber base do on the ELT antenna? Is it a strain relief to keep the antenna from snapping off in the breeze at 200+ MPH? Does it cover something up like a coil or what ever? I want to be able to trim this off so I can mount it inside the cabin but I do not want to destroy the antenna by sawing off something important.

Jerry Isler
RV4 N455J
 
mine is mounted on the turtle deck inside the canopy. it comes up right behind the aft seat and goes up to almost the top of the canopy and is then bent back parallel to to canopy.

bob burns
N82RB
 
Before you cut...

The ACK antenna rubber base is actually attached so it can't be removed easily. I don't recommend mounting it outside simply because it adds drag and looks ugly. I have seen several of them mounted externally on RV4's and they work fine, bent back in the breeze inflight. However comma, why do that when you can be stealthy? I hid my Transponder antenna in my wingroot fairing, works fine. I would rather have put it in the wingtip, but why mess with success? Good Luck!

Rob Ray
 
Placement

Hi Jerry,

I don't know about you, but I think antennas on airplanes detract from the looks of an otherwise sexy body. (like clothes on a girl:) They also produce drag my speed-concious brother.
Anyway, when I had an ACK elt I mounted my antenna vertically on a bracket next to the backseat rear support bulkhead low enough that the top of the antenna was below the canopy rail. The top of the antenna had a tie wrap holding it still. I turned it on for a test with a friend 20 miles away inflight and he heard it loud and clear. I have also seen it mounted next to the roll bar on the canopy rail and tie wrapped to the top of the Roll bar.
As far as all the others go, my GPS antenna is on the rear upper fuselage under the canopy and my comm antenna on the belly, swept aft. One of my to do's is to place my comm antenna in a gear leg fairing. This would place all antennas internal, but I have metal fairings right now. Oh well.

Your call....

Rob Ray

smokeyray

Is this roughly how you placed your ELT antenna in your RV4?

image upload
 
Good spot

What is your current opinion of where the ELT antenna should be installed on an RV-4? My ACK ELT is mounted on the upper shelf of the baggage compartment. I am leaning toward mounting the antenna on the topside of the turtle deck right behind the canopy. If you have a snappy location that is better concealed I would like to know. The airplane is finished and this is one of the small details I have left to complete.

To the airport, Sooooon!

Jerry Isler
RV-4 N455J
Cessna C140A N9641A

Jerry,
That is where mine is located.

No issues.

Happy landings,
Daddyman
Dues paid gladly
 
Hi Jerry,

I don't know about you, but I think antennas on airplanes detract from the looks of an otherwise sexy body. (like clothes on a girl:) They also produce drag my speed-concious brother.
Anyway, when I had an ACK elt I mounted my antenna vertically on a bracket next to the backseat rear support bulkhead low enough that the top of the antenna was below the canopy rail. The top of the antenna had a tie wrap holding it still. I turned it on for a test with a friend 20 miles away inflight and he heard it loud and clear. I have also seen it mounted next to the roll bar on the canopy rail and tie wrapped to the top of the Roll bar.
As far as all the others go, my GPS antenna is on the rear upper fuselage under the canopy and my comm antenna on the belly, swept aft. One of my to do's is to place my comm antenna in a gear leg fairing. This would place all antennas internal, but I have metal fairings right now. Oh well.

Your call....

Rob Ray

If you put the comm antenna in a gear fairing what would you do for a ground plane? I have never heard of this being done - is it common?

thanks
 
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