X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Fri, 09 May 2014 07:59:09 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: <2thman1@gmail.com> Received: from mail-pa0-f44.google.com ([209.85.220.44] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 6.0.9e) with ESMTPS id 6863835 for lml@lancaironline.net; Thu, 08 May 2014 09:51:01 -0400 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=209.85.220.44; envelope-from=2thman1@gmail.com Received: by mail-pa0-f44.google.com with SMTP id ld10so2881872pab.17 for ; Thu, 08 May 2014 06:50:26 -0700 (PDT) X-Received: by 10.66.148.197 with SMTP id tu5mr8019763pab.108.1399557025773; Thu, 08 May 2014 06:50:25 -0700 (PDT) X-Original-Return-Path: <2thman1@gmail.com> Received: from [192.168.1.134] (c-208-53-115-208.customer.broadstripe.net. [208.53.115.208]) by mx.google.com with ESMTPSA id ec2sm2187106pbc.63.2014.05.08.06.50.24 for (version=TLSv1 cipher=ECDHE-RSA-RC4-SHA bits=128/128); Thu, 08 May 2014 06:50:24 -0700 (PDT) References: In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 (1.0) Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=Apple-Mail-A1C8CF61-18AC-4654-AC32-843ECB9B56A1 X-Original-Message-Id: <03010165-741E-4BB7-AC52-6E60426E7C5F@gmail.com> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: iPad Mail (11D201) From: John Barrett <2thman1@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [LML] Re: Antennas for 406 MHz ELTs X-Original-Date: Thu, 8 May 2014 06:50:24 -0700 X-Original-To: Lancair Mailing List --Apple-Mail-A1C8CF61-18AC-4654-AC32-843ECB9B56A1 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Same antenna as the 121.5 ELT. Carbon airframe IVPs generally run them horiz= ontally in the top of the tail section (fiberglass here) - at least I did - a= nd therefore if you are replacing the old ELT simply connect the 406 unit t= o the old antenna. If new build, just follow suggestions of MFG to get the s= ame result. Correct me if I'm wrong.......l Cheers, John Barrett=20 Sent from my iPad > On May 8, 2014, at 6:35 AM, Colyn Case wrote: >=20 > so for a carbon air frame, seems like your options are to either put it i= n the tail or stick it out the top of the fuselage? >=20 > On May 7, 2014, at 6:53 AM, John Cooper wrote: >=20 > Ron and Tom-- >=20 > But don't the "whip" antennas supplied with the 406 MHz ELTS require a gro= und plane? The antenna that comes with the ACK E-04 is clearly dedigned for e= xternal mounting on a metal skin. See: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pages/a= v/elts_zack/whipantennaE04.php What I am looking for is either a quarter-w= ave "rubber duck" antenna that mounts directly to the ELT, or preferably a c= opper foil half-wave dipole that I can bond to the inner surface of my aircr= aft. >=20 > Being a Ham Radio operator in a former life, I know that a quarter wave wh= ip antenna is cut for one specific frequency and performance is degraded at a= ll other frequencies unless some kind of "trap" or impedance-matching device= is installed. Theoretically, a quarter-wave antenna for 406 MHz should be s= omewhere around 7" long. For 121.5 MHz it should be around 23" long. Clearl= y the whip antennas that come with the ELT units are cut for some intermedia= te frequency which is a compromise that works "OK" at both 406 and 121.5. >=20 > And what about polarization? The 121.5 and 243MHz signals should be vertic= ally polarized like your COMM antenna(s), but technically the 406 MHz should= be circularly polarized which would either require a helical antenna or two= crossed dipoles. Of course the polarization would depend upon whether your a= ircraft was upright or not :-( >=20 >>=20 >> Subject: Re: [LML] Re: Antennas for 406 MHz ELTs >> From: Ron Galbraith >> Date: 5/6/2014 7:40 AM >> I just installed an ME406 ELT. The antenna is around 12-14"long thin whi= p and is for 121.5/243.0/406mhz. Installs easily inside a glass airframe.=20= >>=20 >> Ron >=20 >=20 --Apple-Mail-A1C8CF61-18AC-4654-AC32-843ECB9B56A1 Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Same antenna as the 121.5 ELT. Carbon a= irframe IVPs generally run them horizontally in the top of the tail section (= fiberglass here) - at least I did - and therefore if you are replacing the o= ld ELT simply connect the  406 unit to the old antenna. If new build, j= ust follow suggestions of MFG to get the same result.

Correct me if I'm wrong.......l

Cheers,
John Barrett 

Sent from my iPad


O= n May 8, 2014, at 6:35 AM, Colyn Case <colyncase@earthlink.net> wrote:

so for a carbon air frame,  seems like your options are= to either put it in the tail or stick it out the top of the fuselage?
<= br>
On May 7, 2014, at 6:53 AM, John Cooper wrote:

=20 =20
Ron and Tom--

But don't the "whip" antennas supplied with the 406 MHz ELTS require a ground plane? The antenna that comes with the ACK E-04 is clearly dedigned for external mounting on a metal skin. See: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/page= s/av/elts_zack/whipantennaE04.php   What I am looking for is either a quarter-wave "rubber duck" antenna that mounts directly to the ELT, or preferably a copper foil half-wave dipole that I can bond to the inner surface of my aircraft.

Being a Ham Radio operator in a former life, I know that a quarter wave whip antenna is cut for one specific frequency and performance is degraded at all other frequencies unless some kind of "trap" or impedance-matching device is installed. Theoretically, a quarter-wave antenna for 406 MHz should be somewhere around 7" long. For 121.5 MHz it should be around  23" long. Clearly the whip antennas that come with the ELT units are cut for some intermediate frequency which is a compromise that works "OK" at both 406 and 121.5.

And what about polarization? The 121.5 and 243MHz signals should be vertically polarized like your COMM antenna(s), but technically the 406 MHz should be circularly polarized which would either require a helical antenna or two crossed dipoles. Of course the polarization would depend upon whether your aircraft was upright or not :-(

Sub= ject:
Re: [LML] Re: Antennas for 406 MHz ELTs
From:=
Ron Galbraith <cfi@instructor.net>
Dat= e:
5/6/2014 7:40 AM

I just installed an ME406 ELT.  The antenna is around=
 12-14"long thin whip and is for 121.5/243.0/406mhz.  Installs easily inside=
 a glass airframe.=20

Ron


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