Nav antenna

[Nebraskan22]

Looking for a source for the correct nav antenna. Kind of hard to see in the bottom picture but I have the plate with the slots but no antenna. I assume the top picture is what I'm looking for. Any help/ideas?

[carusoam]

Welcome aboard, Nebraskan.

Stand by for someone with some antenna knowledge.

Best regards,

-a-

[Guest]

Assuming that you have nav radios?  If so you must have an antenna somewhere, in the wing tips? 

Clarence

[cliffy]

Yes, If you have a VOR radio in the airplane you have an antenna somewhere- belly mounted, wing tip as mentioned? On the belly It'll look the same- 2 wires going opposite directions out the sides. If you don't and you do need one make sure you get the "balun" with tit. That is usually a length of coaxial antenna doubled over and connected to the antenna connection in the middle of the loop. With out the balun the antenna won't work.  

[Nebraskan22]

I do have two nav radios. The only way either of my vor's will move is if I'm flying directly over a vor station. I'm trying to find a replacement antenna for the tail. 

[Piloto]

Check with Aircraft Spruce. I think this is what you are looking for:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/av532.php?clickkey=15410

José

[Hector]

Got a question here. I've seen several Mooneys here with the vertical stab VOR antenna whiskers pointing forward like in the first picture above. In mine the point back. Is there a correct way? Mine work just fine but would like to know if there is a difference.

[Hank]

Or was it a towel bar? I findfind it quite handy when going over the plane with Wash n Wax. Not sure what it is (no ADF installed), but it's several layers of aluminum riveted around, above and below the antenna. 

[vorlon1]

On 12/26/2016 at 11:03 PM, Hector said:

Got a question here. I've seen several Mooneys here with the vertical stab VOR antenna whiskers pointing forward like in the first picture above. In mine the point back. Is there a correct way? Mine work just fine but would like to know if there is a difference.

In researching my question,  I found this old thread where the question wasn't answered.  I have the forward pointing ILS antennas,  but wondered why, when most others are backwards pointing.  Is there a reason?

[KSMooniac]

My 77 J has the cat whiskers pointing forward, which was the factory configuration. I suspect they perform a little better this way since there is less of a chance of the horizontal stab shielding them, especially on an ILS.

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[vorlon1]

4 minutes ago, KSMooniac said:

My 77 J has the cat whiskers pointing forward, which was the factory configuration. I suspect they perform a little better this way since there is less of a chance of the horizontal stab shielding them, especially on an ILS.

Sent from my LG-US996 using Tapatalk
 

The Cirrus SR20 I just looked at was backwards facing (I could be persuaded that this is because of the non-metal surface), but I also looked at a Bonanza with backwards facing ones as well. Assuming there is a good reason, just looking for it...

[KSMooniac]

Don't discount simple marketing...swept back looks faster, but in this case it doesn't really matter.

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[vorlon1]

Ok. I'll give you that. Can I reverse mine?

[Hector]

Ok. I'll give you that. Can I reverse mine?

I can only tell you that I have never had any issues with reception with my aft swept antennas. I really don’t know that it makes a difference. I see other airplanes and lots of Mooney’s just like mine and no one is complaining about ILS reception.


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[EricJ]

I always thought they were swept forward so that the drag would straighten them out a bit and make them closer to an actual dipole antenna, or to get them in front of the rudder metal.   If they're swept back the air is just going to make them swept back more or more affected by the rudder.

 

[carusoam]

Expect whatever the logic is...

the antennae are looking for a ground based broadcast...

Their placement has taken into consideration every possible way the plane approaches the ILS... high, low, straight, banked, slipping... that kind of thing...

Maybe not slipping in IMC....  

Best regards,

-a-

[Prior owner]

The antenna I installed to replace the original forward facing "Cat whisker" VOR antenna is the one that fits a Piper mount. It was a perfect bolt-in fit, mounted with the BNC connector on top. But I had to to run a new cable with a BNC connector, as the original antenna had a separate Balun and used screw connectors. The reviews on the antenna complain that the Piper owners had clearance issues with the BNC connector, but on my '64 Mooney there was no issue with clearance- I think I had more than 4 inches of clearance.

 

VOR/GS Antenna

 

 

 

[vorlon1]

6 hours ago, PilotCoyote said:

The antenna I installed to replace the original forward facing "Cat whisker" VOR antenna is the one that fits a Piper mount. It was a perfect bolt-in fit, mounted with the BNC connector on top. But I had to to run a new cable with a BNC connector, as the original antenna had a separate Balun and used screw connectors. The reviews on the antenna complain that the Piper owners had clearance issues with the BNC connector, but on my '64 Mooney there was no issue with clearance- I think I had more than 4 inches of clearance.

 

VOR/GS Antenna

 

 

 

Got a pic of your replacement?

[Prior owner]

Going to the hangar today, can post a pic tonight.

[Prior owner]

Here it is installed. 

[Prior owner]

Thought I’d drop this old article about diagnosing nav antenna problems into this thread. 

Diagnosing nav antenna problems

[Marauder]

Here it is installed. 

 

How’d you get it in there? The rivets all look untouched.

 

NEVER MIND, I SEE YOU HAVE SCREWS THERE! Mine has rivets.

 

 

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[Prior owner]

54 minutes ago, Marauder said:

NEVER MIND, I SEE YOU HAVE SCREWS THERE! Mine has rivets.

Factory? I hope they're flush rivets for extra speed!

[vorlon1]

On 1/25/2019 at 8:51 PM, Hector said:

I can only tell you that I have never had any issues with reception with my aft swept antennas. I really don’t know that it makes a difference. I see other airplanes and lots of Mooney’s just like mine and no one is complaining about ILS reception.


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Has anyone ever actually reversed the forward swept antenna? Personally I think it looks better, and I'm sure I'll get a couple more knots in cruise... ;-)

[PT20J]

My 78 J had V antenna facing forward. It probably doesn’t matter as Piper and Cessna mount them the other way around. But still, there may be some reason, so if you change it you’d be the test pilot and it might invalidate IFR certification. I’d check with a knowledgeable radio shop or LASAR. I wouldn’t expect any drag reduction as it will still be two rods sticking in the slipstream. Round cross sections are draggy and it doesn’t matter if they face forward or back. If you want a better look and lower drag, get the “blade” style antenna.