My club made a habit of converting Larks to scrap aluminum (3/5 of the way to black ace), so we got to see a number of different radio installations. IIRC, all of them used a pretty crude antenna installation similar to what you describe.
FWIW, have you considered a fiberglass encased 1/4 wave antennal like what you see on many metal GA aircraft? Comant is a major manufacturer.
http://www.cobham.com/about-cobham/a.../vhf-comm.aspx
On Sunday, April 8, 2012 9:12:16 AM UTC-4, Markus Graeber wrote:
Happy Easter everyone! We have a IS-28B2 Twin Lark which we use quite a bit for instruction, it is good for spinning and intro into flying complex gliders (flaps & retractable gear). It is due for a complete overhaul which will include a new radio with a repeater control unit in the back for the instructor.
Since weŽll then be re-working the whole radio install anyway I have been considering doing something about the dragmaster factory radio antenna that looks more like a car antenna installed ontop of the fuselage tail boom.. For you experts out there what would be your recommendation for an interior radio antenna install (or a low drag exterior install) in an all metal glider like the Twin Lark?
Many thanks in advance,
Markus Graeber
Aeroclub de Colombia