On Mar 24, 12:05*pm, John Cochrane
wrote:
On Mar 24, 12:37*am, bumper wrote:

On Mar 23, 9:06*am, wrote:

No. I was using the antennas mounted to the rear of the portable unit.. It is not easy to find a spot a couple of feet away from the panel which will not have some kind of carbon fiber blockage of the antenna.

Don

I simply ran the wire for mine off to the left side of the glare
shield, then back along the canopy frame and mounted the antenna on
the Plexiglas just aft of the sliding window (ASH-26E) using a bit of
Velcro. Should work reasonably well there I'd think, especially
towards the front.

bumper

My understanding is that the second antenna is designed for
installation in the tow hook or landing gear area -- areas that do not
have carbon -- to allow flarm to see below the glider. Conventional
flarm can't see down, because there is a big carbon fiber fuselage
blocking downward signals. This is obviously not going to happen in
rental units. The purpose was not as a range booster.

John Cochrane

John,

I was told different by the folks manning the PF booth at the SSA
convention. I specifically asked them how the flat antenna should be
installed (its orientation, as this isn't discussed in the manual) and
it's purpose. After they explained the reason for the antenna, and
that was to improve Flarm receive range, I then asked how badly range
would suffer without it. The answer to the last question was somewhat
vague and iffy - - but my recollection was they said it would work
okay without it, and still have a range of at least a couple of miles,
and better with it. I did leave the booth thinking that the flat
antenna was optional, as it states in the manual, and that range would
at least adequate if I chose not to install it.

From the other posters and my own limited experience, I'm not
confident the range is adequate, or at least not so without the flat
antenna.

The manual states the flat antenna should be located a minimum of 1.2
meters or 4 feet from the PF. The included coax isn't much longer than
that, and will only reach to the back of the canopy in my ship.
Nowhere near long enough to reach the wheel well without an extension.
The wheel well wouldn't be a good location on my 26E anyway, as the
fuselage is CF and there is no practical way to mount it vertically
there with any hope of a clear view RF-wise.

bumper