Hidden VOR antenna

[Clarence]

Can anyone with hidden VOR antennas comment on the installation and the VOR performance?

 

Thanks,

Clarence

[Jerry 5TJ]

Clarence, VORs here in the USA are not hidden; their locations are marked on charts.

Seriously, folks...I did put the split type VOR antennas, one inside each fiberglass wing tip, on my old "E" model some years ago.  The big problem was getting the coax cable routed out to each wing tip, seemingly simple but a long and maddening task. When I was done I could not tell any difference in VOR or ILS reception range but I did not do any extensive before-after testing -- I just wanted the old wire clothes-hanger antenna off the tail. 

 

 

[Steve65E-NC]

What is the deal with paint and VOR signals?  How might paint affect performance of a wingtip mounted antenna?  I had my Aircraft painted with a good two part paint (Vestal White P/N570-545).  The painter painted the top VOR blade antenna.  Signal disappeared.  I purchase a used antenna and painted it myself with the same paint. No signal.  I found a second used antenna and did not paint it. Problem solved.  This led me to suspect that this particular paint was absorbing or attenuating the VOR signal.  My after market wing tips have the same paint and this inhibits me from trying a wing tip mount.

[Bob]

I have only had my 231 for 1.5 years now.  I did notice that the VOR antenna was pained very nicely and someone then sanded the paint off the top of the antenna in the past.  I looked at it and thought it was done due to reception.  Your story tells me that may be right.