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Old May 20th 16, 11:28 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Vaughn Simon[_2_]
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Posts: 67
Default Powerflarm transmit antenna defect

On 5/20/2016 3:52 PM, wrote:
Also for the PF designers if they are reading, would be good to

sense this case as is done on the Becker Transponder and issue an
error. I imagine there a number of ways to do it, like a self test
during boot.

Unfortunately an automated antenna self-test would not be as simple as
simply checking the antenna for a DC short, because some antennas are
purposely designed to incorporate a DC short. It's possible to check a
transmit antenna by sensing the reflected power using a bridge
arrangement, but that requires extra components and (therefore) extra
expense. Building a circuit to automatically check a receive antenna
would be even more difficult.