Garmin GPS Ground Plane Compliance

CharlieWaffles

Well Known Member

• Dec 30, 2012

• #1

I am wondering how many people are ensuring there is the recommended ground plane around the Garmin GPS antenna? On the -10 the antennas are typically installed on the canopy top which is fiberglass. Are people adding foil tape or other ground plane as recommended by Gamin?

 

vic syracuse

Well Known Member

Advertiser

Mentor

• Dec 30, 2012

• #2

Location

I installed mine on the aluminum tailcone aft of the fiberglass turtle deck. Works great.

 

Brantel

Well Known Member

• Dec 30, 2012

• #3

I can tell you this...originally I installed mine under the cowl with little to no ground plane. It worked....

Later I installed a bigger ground plane and the signal levels definately increased.

 

CharlieWaffles

Well Known Member

• Dec 30, 2012

• #4

Interesting, Garmin recommends that you can use this 3M #438 aluminum foil tape to create the ground plane. I wonder how you coat this though? I would be worried a fiberglass layer over the top would just pull off of the tape once the tape delaminates.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009OUWQ36/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=AS0K3MKEU5H24

 

Brantel

Well Known Member

• Dec 30, 2012

• #5

I think the glass plane builders use some kind of metal mesh?

 

CharlieWaffles

Well Known Member

• Dec 30, 2012

• #6

I wonder if I can just install a think metal plane on the backside of the canopy on the inside of my overhead console that fits the groundplane requirements - or close to it, it's just separated by a inch or so of foam and fiberglass. Not sure if the ground plane needs to be right at the base of the antenna.

 

CharlieWaffles

Well Known Member

• Dec 30, 2012

• #7

I thought this topic had come up before, and sure enough I even responded to it, so this doesn't need to be beaten up unless someone has something new to add.

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=88457