Nebraskan22 Posted December 27, 2016 Report Posted December 27, 2016 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 Posted December 27, 2016 Report Posted December 27, 2016 Welcome aboard, Nebraskan. Stand by for someone with some antenna knowledge. Best regards, -a-
Guest Posted December 27, 2016 Report Posted December 27, 2016 Assuming that you have nav radios? If so you must have an antenna somewhere, in the wing tips? Clarence
cliffy Posted December 27, 2016 Report Posted December 27, 2016 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 Posted December 27, 2016 Author Report Posted December 27, 2016 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 Posted December 27, 2016 Report Posted December 27, 2016 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 Posted December 27, 2016 Report Posted December 27, 2016 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 Posted December 27, 2016 Report Posted December 27, 2016 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 Posted January 25, 2019 Report Posted January 25, 2019 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 Posted January 25, 2019 Report Posted January 25, 2019 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
vorlon1 Posted January 25, 2019 Report Posted January 25, 2019 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 Posted January 25, 2019 Report Posted January 25, 2019 Don't discount simple marketing...swept back looks faster, but in this case it doesn't really matter.Sent from my LG-US996 using Tapatalk
vorlon1 Posted January 25, 2019 Report Posted January 25, 2019 Ok. I'll give you that. Can I reverse mine?
Hector Posted January 26, 2019 Report Posted January 26, 2019 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. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
EricJ Posted January 26, 2019 Report Posted January 26, 2019 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 Posted January 26, 2019 Report Posted January 26, 2019 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 Posted January 26, 2019 Report Posted January 26, 2019 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 1
vorlon1 Posted January 26, 2019 Report Posted January 26, 2019 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 Posted January 26, 2019 Report Posted January 26, 2019 Going to the hangar today, can post a pic tonight.
Prior owner Posted January 27, 2019 Report Posted January 27, 2019 Thought I’d drop this old article about diagnosing nav antenna problems into this thread. Diagnosing nav antenna problems
Marauder Posted January 27, 2019 Report Posted January 27, 2019 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. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
Prior owner Posted January 27, 2019 Report Posted January 27, 2019 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! 1
vorlon1 Posted February 2, 2019 Report Posted February 2, 2019 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. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 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 Posted February 3, 2019 Report Posted February 3, 2019 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.
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