The Wizzard
Well Known Member
I have an RV-8 with a Garmin 650 in the panel. The antenna is mounted to the engine motor mount (under the cowling) just above the oil cooler and near the PMAG and Magneto wires. Keep reading! (I was guessing that since this was a certified unit with a powered antenna and WAAS capable it might be a bad idea!)
It was installed that way because thats what everybody says to do with these antennas on an RV-8! (Canopy gets in the way) There is also an antenna for another GPS and XM radio beside it. I have never lost the signal on that antenna however have lost the signal on the 650 many times. It's very random, sometimes after liftoff, sometimes during flight. It may take a 1/2 hour for it to come back or it may come back immediately. The green bars move up and down continuously sometimes and other times they are steady as a rock, or I get the "grey acquiring bars". When compared to the other 2 GPS's on board the 650 seems as though it has a problems acquiring satellites and keeping them.
I have since moved the antenna to the back of the pilots seat, all TNC connections have been verified and there is 4.7 volts on the center pin. I flew the plane yesterday with the new install and so far so good but I'm holding my breath! The "under the cowling installation" seemed to work great with moments of not so great, very infrequent, very unpredictable and almost impossible to reproduce. In other words same runway, same direction of flight and give an airplane ride to one person and it worked great and another person 20 min. later and it did not work.
My warranty is running out, 6 weeks to go and I really want to put this one to bed. Any other suggestions?
Dave
It was installed that way because thats what everybody says to do with these antennas on an RV-8! (Canopy gets in the way) There is also an antenna for another GPS and XM radio beside it. I have never lost the signal on that antenna however have lost the signal on the 650 many times. It's very random, sometimes after liftoff, sometimes during flight. It may take a 1/2 hour for it to come back or it may come back immediately. The green bars move up and down continuously sometimes and other times they are steady as a rock, or I get the "grey acquiring bars". When compared to the other 2 GPS's on board the 650 seems as though it has a problems acquiring satellites and keeping them.
I have since moved the antenna to the back of the pilots seat, all TNC connections have been verified and there is 4.7 volts on the center pin. I flew the plane yesterday with the new install and so far so good but I'm holding my breath! The "under the cowling installation" seemed to work great with moments of not so great, very infrequent, very unpredictable and almost impossible to reproduce. In other words same runway, same direction of flight and give an airplane ride to one person and it worked great and another person 20 min. later and it did not work.
My warranty is running out, 6 weeks to go and I really want to put this one to bed. Any other suggestions?
Dave
