Mystery antenna

[chrixxer]

Any idea what the antenna is sticking up from the front cowling? COM? (Does it have to live there, on an E? I don't know this airframe yet, but on the Pipers I've been flying, there's ample room behind the windshield for everything...)

https://imgur.com/a/uYR8P

[thinwing]

It looks like a dumb (and lazy)place to put a comm ant!

[Bryan]

I had a M20F that had something that looked like that but it was not an antenna but a OAT guage.  Here is a picture of mine in some light rime ice

[MB65E]

Old comm antenna probably. Possibly still used. Easy place to put it as the radio is only inches away. Not the best looking place but if it works and no panel upgrades are in the near future I wouldn't worry about it.

Just tell people it's the newest wifi antenna. Or sat phone. 

-Matt

[takair]

Likely one of the comm antennas.  I'm pretty sure that was an original location. Mine has the hole there in the structure.  The problem with the location is that it causes lots of interference, including nav, when transmitting.  

[chrixxer]

This aircraft has the same antenna in the same spot: 

I'm going to be doing a ton of work on the panel / avionics sooner than later, that antenna's getting ripped out when that happens. 

 

 

[RLCarter]

My 65 E has a comm antenna in the same spot, looks like crap in my opinion but it works, I'll change it if I do a 201 windshield

[Jerry 5TJ]

My 64 E originally had an antenna in that center section between the radio hatches in front of the windscreen. 

It was a Com antenna about 22" long.  I used it as my #2 com antenna.  It did not work very well, probably due to poor ground counterpoise, but the feed line was short.  

 

 

 

 

 

[Yetti]

It's either a Loran Antenna which based on the length it looks like it is.  Or it is a VHF antenna which would be a bit shorter than the Loran Antenna.  Made by Comit

Pull a cover and trace the coax

[Yetti]

if it is a Loran, you can cut a bit off and make it into a VHF comm antenna

[carusoam]

65C had one centered between the radio access panels.  Mine looked like an ADF wire insulator. Probably what they used to plug the hole...

Plan on taking the ceiling panel down once, early in your ownership.  Just to mend a few things that have gotten old up there.

Like airflow controls, antennae, water drain, that kind of thing...

Best regards,

-a-

Edited May 4, 2017 by carusoam

[Jim Peace]

I had one,,,,It is a VHF comm antenna.......

 

 

 

 

[OR75]

On May 3, 2017 at 7:20 PM, Yetti said:

if it is a Loran, you can cut a bit off and make it into a VHF comm antenna

How much would you have to cut a Loran antenna to make it a vhf ? 

[orionflt]

That was the comm antenna on the older Mooneys. Most people have removed them and plugged the hole or replaced the center plate.

Brian

[Yetti]

12 inches plus a little bit is a VHF quarterwave.   What I can't figure out is if you include the part before the bend and after or just a bit more.   There are online calculators to figure out the correct dimensions.  The best would be to have one of their vhf antennas and measure it.

http://hangarswap.com/ci122sp-6-comant-loran-c-antenna

http://hangarswap.com/comant-vhf-ci122-antenna-with-bracket?search=comant vhf antenna

 

 

 

 

[thinwing]

6 hours ago, Yetti said:

12 inches plus a little bit is a VHF quarterwave.   What I can't figure out is if you include the part before the bend and after or just a bit more.   There are online calculators to figure out the correct dimensions.  The best would be to have one of their vhf antennas and measure it.

http://hangarswap.com/ci122sp-6-comant-loran-c-antenna

http://hangarswap.com/comant-vhf-ci122-antenna-with-bracket?search=comant vhf antenna

 

 

 

 

Electrically the bend makes no difference with regards to wavelength matching...just bent for some dubious aerodynamics...measure the entire length

[1964-M20E]

It is a com antenna my 64E had the same thing.  Works well there short coax cable to the radio.  It is a real simple antenna just the rod with a couple of insulators to keep it form making contact to the air frame.  Simple connection to the center conductor of the coax cable.

One day while tinkering with the plane the antenna rod came out of the base.  They are not that expensive.  I brought it home left it on the work bench for a couple of days and the rod was firmly attached back to the base.  No hangar fairies around since I was on the ramp at that time.

 

 

[thinwing]

On 5/11/2017 at 6:32 AM, 1964-M20E said:

It is a com antenna my 64E had the same thing.  Works well there short coax cable to the radio.  It is a real simple antenna just the rod with a couple of insulators to keep it form making contact to the air frame.  Simple connection to the center conductor of the coax cable.

One day while tinkering with the plane the antenna rod came out of the base.  They are not that expensive.  I brought it home left it on the work bench for a couple of days and the rod was firmly attached back to the base.  No hangar fairies around since I was on the ramp at that time.

 

 

I like it!..The Oral Roberts school of faith avionics repair!

[Raptor05121]

Its Com. Mines in the same place. Ugly as sin, but you barely notice it in flight

 

[RLCarter]

4 hours ago, Raptor05121 said:

Ugly as sin, but you barely notice it in flight

They are ugly, when I 1st looked I thought mine was disconnected, but wasn't so it's still there. 

[cleatus99]

They are ugly, when I 1st looked I thought mine was disconnected, but wasn't so it's still there. 

Glider pilot in me would be wanting to put a yaw string on that thing..