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Transponder antenna - blade vs stub monopole



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 13th 08, 04:29 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
5Z
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Posts: 405
Default Transponder antenna - blade vs stub monopole

Any aerodynamic thoughts on the two available choices?

My ASH-26E came with the stub mounted just behind the wheel. Every
now and then it catches on the trailer, so I just straighten it, no
big deal.

An ASW-24B in our club is about to get a transponder and the factory
recommends the installation to be part way up around the fuselage
above the rear gear door hinge - looks like just behind the oxygen
bottle.

The blade looks cool, but is it really any better aerodynamically than
a $20 (http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/
ted_transponder.php) stub?

-Tom
  #2  
Old June 13th 08, 06:50 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Paul Remde
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Posts: 1,691
Default Transponder antenna - blade vs stub monopole

Hi Tom,

I prefer the "shark fin" blade, and not just because I sell them and they
are more expensive.

I'm not an expert, but I do remember my Fluid Dynamics classes at Purdue
University in which they stated that 2 of the worst shapes in regard to drag
are the sphere and the round rod - which is exactly what the rod style
antennas are. However, the shark fin antenna has a lot more surface area -
so it is not clear that the shark fine is dramatically better - but it is
probably a little better.

I also think the shark fin antennas look cool (as you mentioned below).

I imagine the shark fin antennas are more robust and would handle trailer
bangs better, but I wonder whether they would chip or be damaged by a hit to
the trailer.

I'm amazed by the low price you found below from Aircraft Spruce on the rod
style antenna. I wonder why the Comant brand I buy is so much more
expensive? The Comant antennas are very nice but they have gone up in price
dramatically over the last year or so - much more than the drop in the US
dollar would account for. I wonder if the low cost units that "meet the
same specifications" are approved for use in certificated aircraft. If they
are then I should sell them. So far, I've been very hesitant to sell what I
would consider "low cost copies" of aircraft parts. I would never want a
customer to come back to me and tell me I'm selling items that should not be
used in certificated aircraft.

Good Soaring,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.
http://www.cumulus-soaring.com


"5Z" wrote in message
...
Any aerodynamic thoughts on the two available choices?

My ASH-26E came with the stub mounted just behind the wheel. Every
now and then it catches on the trailer, so I just straighten it, no
big deal.

An ASW-24B in our club is about to get a transponder and the factory
recommends the installation to be part way up around the fuselage
above the rear gear door hinge - looks like just behind the oxygen
bottle.

The blade looks cool, but is it really any better aerodynamically than
a $20 (http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...ransponder.php)
stub?

-Tom



  #3  
Old June 13th 08, 07:58 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Rory Oconor
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Posts: 4
Default Transponder antenna - blade vs stub monopole

At 17:50 13 June 2008, Paul Remde wrote:
I prefer the "shark fin" blade,
"5Z" wrote in message
My ASH-26E came with the stub mounted just behind the wheel. Every


What about the "transflex" antenna?

http://www.lxavionics.co.uk/transponders.htm

This seems to have the least drag.

Rory
  #4  
Old June 13th 08, 08:06 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
brianDG303
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Posts: 44
Default Transponder antenna - blade vs stub monopole

Is there a downside to mounting on a ground plane inside the fuselage
of a non-carbon glass glider?
  #5  
Old June 13th 08, 09:08 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Paul Remde
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Posts: 1,691
Default Transponder antenna - blade vs stub monopole

Hi,

I was thinking the same thing. I believe that a ground plane would be
useless inside a carbon fiber glider. However, the same is true for any
other type of transponder antenna. They all should have a good ground
plane.

Paul Remde

"brianDG303" wrote in message
...
Is there a downside to mounting on a ground plane inside the fuselage
of a non-carbon glass glider?



  #6  
Old June 13th 08, 09:48 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
jcarlyle
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Posts: 522
Default Transponder antenna - blade vs stub monopole

Not all transponder antennas need a ground plane, only monopoles do. I
use the L-2 dipole antenna on this page: http://www.advancedaircraft.com/
inside my fiberglass ASW-19 tail cone. It works great with my Becker
ATC 4401-175 and was very easy to install.

-John

Paul Remde wrote:
Hi,

I was thinking the same thing. I believe that a ground plane would be
useless inside a carbon fiber glider. However, the same is true for any
other type of transponder antenna. They all should have a good ground
plane.

Paul Remde

"brianDG303" wrote in message
...
Is there a downside to mounting on a ground plane inside the fuselage
of a non-carbon glass glider?

  #7  
Old June 13th 08, 10:08 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Darryl Ramm
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Posts: 2,403
Default Transponder antenna - blade vs stub monopole

On Jun 13, 1:08*pm, "Paul Remde" wrote:
Hi,

I was thinking the same thing. *I believe that a ground plane would be
useless inside a carbon fiber glider. *However, the same is true for any
other type of transponder antenna. *They all should have a good ground
plane.

Paul Remde

"brianDG303" wrote in message

...

Is there a downside to mounting on a ground plane inside the fuselage
of a non-carbon glass glider?


Antenna vendors or glider manufactuers will often want you to back the
carbon fiber fuselage where the antenna is mounted with an adhesive
aluminum foil or thin plate - mostly for purposes of good contact with
the outer (ground) parts of the antenna. Follow the glider
manufacturer and antenna vendors instructions. Schleicher certainly
show such a plate used on the ASH-26E. They also specify a rod
transponder antenna. No idea why. Maybe easier to physically mount (no
concerns about surface curvature, etc.). Personally I'll eat my hat if
anybody could ever measure the drag difference between a rod and
streamlined antenna.

Darryl

Darryl


Darryl
  #8  
Old June 14th 08, 06:35 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Alan[_6_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 163
Default Transponder antenna - blade vs stub monopole

In article brianDG303 writes:
Is there a downside to mounting on a ground plane inside the fuselage
of a non-carbon glass glider?


Since the ground plane should extend at least 23 inches in each
direction around the antenna, it is probably hard to get that inside
the glider.

One that extends front and back but is more limited to the sides
(perhaps wrapping around inside) probably would work, but would be
a bit reduced from a full ground plane.

Alan
  #9  
Old June 14th 08, 07:18 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Marc Ramsey[_2_]
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Posts: 211
Default Transponder antenna - blade vs stub monopole

Alan wrote:
In article brianDG303 writes:
Is there a downside to mounting on a ground plane inside the fuselage
of a non-carbon glass glider?


Since the ground plane should extend at least 23 inches in each
direction around the antenna, it is probably hard to get that inside
the glider.


23 inch radius for a quarter-wave antenna? Most installations I've seen
use no more than a 3 inch radius ground plane...
  #10  
Old June 14th 08, 02:46 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Tim Mara
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Posts: 375
Default Transponder antenna - blade vs stub monopole

wrong! A ground plane should have a radius of at least 1/4 wavelength of the
antenna's operating frequency, a 23" antenna ground plane then would be
about right for a VHF airband communication antenna (118-136 mhz) and in
gliders this is seldom possible so use what you can get..
Transponder antenna ground planes are typically recommended to be 6"
diameter.
These are ideal....but not always possible so use what you can, too large
isn't a problem but performance can degrade from the ideal as it becomes
smaller.
tim
Please visit the Wings & Wheels website at www.wingsandwheels.com

"Alan" wrote in message
...
In article

brianDG303 writes:
Is there a downside to mounting on a ground plane inside the fuselage
of a non-carbon glass glider?


Since the ground plane should extend at least 23 inches in each
direction around the antenna, it is probably hard to get that inside
the glider.

One that extends front and back but is more limited to the sides
(perhaps wrapping around inside) probably would work, but would be
a bit reduced from a full ground plane.

Alan



 




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