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Antenna for Icom backup radio?

Paul Tuttle

Paul Tuttle

Well Known Member
My SL-40 went black for a few minutes last evening. I think I have that problem sorted out, but it got me thinking about carrying my Icom -A6 as a backup.
I don't think the little rubber antenna that comes with it has great range, so I'm looking for suggestions on a better antenna arrangement.

I have a Rami AV-17 antenna for the SL-40 and I'm wondering if I should install a second antenna or if I can split off the one that's there now?

Thanks.
 
Just my opinion. Don't worry about the antenna. I once talked to an Iditarod support cabin 160 miles away with 1 watt and a rubber duck antenna. (from the cockpit)
The important things with HT radios are a headset and mike adapter cable... so you can hear who you are talking to. The other is AA alkaline batteries or at least ENELOOP NIMH rechargeable cells.... with low self discharge rates.
One other interesting development in the field of portables... I saw on Sporty's. The usual HT with flip flop freq... and memory channels. BUT, right there on the front is an LCD screen with glideslope and localizer. Now that is interesting.
 
You cannot split off the existing one with a splitter or a T without badly screwing up things. What you can do is to cut the coax at some easily reachable place, then splice it back together with a pair of male/female BNCs. Keep a short length of coax with the right connectors on your handheld and, if needed, disconnect the panel radio and connect the handheld. A bit of work in flight. It only makes sense if the connectors really are easy to reach.
 
I used one of these on the Pazmany for our icom 23 and 6 handhelds. Worked great and is a simple addition. No need to unhook ends of coax, just plug in patch cord and it bypasses the panel radio and hooks your A6 to the external com antenna.
http://m.skygeek.com/icom-icant-sb-antenna-switch-box.html

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Here's a related thread about it.
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=118992
 
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Paul, for that emergency situation, the radio's existing antenna will get you what you need. I had to use my HT to get out of a class C airport once. The headset adapter was important.

While it was not ideal, the HT did what it needed to do and got me clear of all the controlled airspace and was enough to announce back at my home field.

Like the old American Express ad, "don't leave home without it".
 
Thanks folks,

I have the headset adapter. I'll try it out next time I go and see how it works.
A friend has an older handset and the range is not that great.
 
I wired one of these into my panel on the plane I am building.I am a believer in the handhelds, they have saved my bacon as well.
The rubber antenna does work quite well, but I wanted the extended range of the aircraft antenna this affords.

pazmanyflyer said:
I used one of these on the Pazmany for our icom 23 and 6 handhelds. Worked great and is a simple addition. No need to unhook ends of coax, just plug in patch cord and it bypasses the panel radio and hooks your A6 to the external com antenna.
http://m.skygeek.com/icom-icant-sb-antenna-switch-box.html

Photo1
1.jpg


Photo2
3.jpg


Here's a relayed thread about it.
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=118992
Click to expand...
 
Where are you mounting your switch box?

Don and Carlos.....are you mounting on the panel, underside lip of the bottom edge of the panel, or where?

Jim
 
jimbo said:
Don and Carlos.....are you mounting on the panel, underside lip of the bottom edge of the panel, or where?

Jim
Click to expand...

In the Pazmany I had it mounted to the panel on the right of the Icom 200. All you saw was two screws and the plug hole. In the 7 I'll mount it the same but place it to the far right side of the panel. If ever needed in the event of a dead comm I don't want to have to hunt around for the 1/8" plug hole. It'll be seen day or night (by panel lighting).
 
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I put mine on the panel, not much shows but you can see the handheld antenna wire plugged into it here:
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jimbo said:
Don and Carlos.....are you mounting on the panel, underside lip of the bottom edge of the panel, or where?

Jim
Click to expand...
 
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