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Splitter Info


Lew

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My VOR's do not seem to operate unless 3 miles from the station. My avionics rack shows a splitter, but I am unable to determine the part number/availability. This is a 1977 M201J. Can someone please assist?
Thanks.
1157691984_M201JAntennaSplitter.thumb.jpg.7b9dccf9e2a41126b5b7c9b7dc2247d7.jpg


There are several suppliers of these splitters. Here is a Comant version.


https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/coupler502.php?clickkey=1983828

You also are showing the plane has the original RG-58 cables. It is a pain to replace them, but I pulled all new RG-400 cable for the entire COM and NAV antenna.


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Functionally, just about any VHF/cable splitter should work.    If you want one with BNC connectors (as opposed to an inexpensive one with RF/cable connectors and then buy some RF-BNC adapters), you can get this one from Aircraft Spruce for ~$79.  It's Garmin-compatible!  ;)    Edmo (avionics gizmos supplier) sells the same one, but you have to call to get a price.

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/garminsplitter11-13045.php

Or direct from minicircuits for ~$55 (the one with the bracket and BNC connectors is ZFSC-2-1B+.

https://www.minicircuits.com/WebStore/dashboard.html?model=ZFSC-2-1%2B

 

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You need to figure out if you need a splitter or diplexer. 
 

does that box look corroded to you? To me it does but that could just be the picture.  Maybe battery acid got spilled on one of the outputs? 
 

What’s your current setup? Two vors?  One VOr/LOC/GS one VOR? Two VOR/LOC/GS?  You may have additional splitters or diplexers hiding.  Do you have a separate glide slope receiver?
 

I bought a mini circuits splitter which goes to nav1 and nav2.  My Nav 2 has an internal diplexer but my nav 1 needs another external diplexer.   Please forgive me if this is under your level of understanding but I was confused about splitters vs diplexers. In a sentence splitters split the entire signal with equal loss between the two outputs. A diplexer divides the signal by band pass or notch filters into LOC/VOR and glide slope.  

most bang for your buck / effort is 1) ensuring good antenna ground without corrosion 3) replacing RG-58 with RG-400 2) addressing and minimizing splits to only those required to minimize signal loss 
 

 

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11 hours ago, bradp said:

You need to figure out if you need a splitter or diplexer. 
 

does that box look corroded to you? To me it does but that could just be the picture.  Maybe battery acid got spilled on one of the outputs? 
 

What’s your current setup? Two vors?  One VOr/LOC/GS one VOR? Two VOR/LOC/GS?  You may have additional splitters or diplexers hiding.  Do you have a separate glide slope receiver?
 

I bought a mini circuits splitter which goes to nav1 and nav2.  My Nav 2 has an internal diplexer but my nav 1 needs another external diplexer.   Please forgive me if this is under your level of understanding but I was confused about splitters vs diplexers. In a sentence splitters split the entire signal with equal loss between the two outputs. A diplexer divides the signal by band pass or notch filters into LOC/VOR and glide slope.  

most bang for your buck / effort is 1) ensuring good antenna ground without corrosion 3) replacing RG-58 with RG-400 2) addressing and minimizing splits to only those required to minimize signal loss 
 

 

My IA and I checked the splitter connections, and determined that they were clean. When I get back to the plane, I will replace the 1977 splitter with a new COMAC just as a precaution. I am somewhat pissed that the shop didn't consider informing me that the cables to the VOR/CDI+GS and VOR/CDI and GNS530W from the splitter had the original RG58 cables. Since they replaced the ELT, they should have given me the option to replace the old cables with the new RG400 cables from the splitter to the panel. The antenna to splitter will be completed at the annual. I was informed that there was a splitter just behind the GNS530W under the glareshield.

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My IA and I checked the splitter connections, and determined that they were clean. When I get back to the plane, I will replace the 1977 splitter with a new COMAC just as a precaution. I am somewhat pissed that the shop didn't consider informing me that the cables to the VOR/CDI+GS and VOR/CDI and GNS530W from the splitter had the original RG58 cables. Since they replaced the ELT, they should have given me the option to replace the old cables with the new RG400 cables from the splitter to the panel. The antenna to splitter will be completed at the annual. I was informed that there was a splitter just behind the GNS530W under the glareshield.
I had two separate shops install new Com radios and both didn't even mention the old cables. When I started having com issues, that is when I discovered that most shops will re-use existing cables. I understand why they do it. Because it is a royal pain and a lot of hours are involved in removing the panels to get to the cables. I ran all new cables myself and then flew the plane over to the avionics shop to have them remove the old RG-58 and make the new connectors for the RG-400. I found a fair amount of damage to the existing RG-58. Everything from compressed cables to portions of the cable's sheathing that was cut or otherwise compromised.

 

966587859990905fe4b98bec306002a2.jpgf229c31d4f3dda07be35b9a4d91ed97b.jpg

 

New RG-400 in place:

 

7d3eea1dbf047229e833d4429e5180c6.jpg

Edited by Marauder
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18 minutes ago, Marauder said:

I had two separate shops install new Com radios and both didn't even mention the old cables. When I started having com issues, that is when I discovered that most shops will re-use existing cables. I understand why they do it. Because it is a royal pain and a lot of hours are involved in removing the panels to get to the cables. I ran all new cables myself and then flew the plane over to the avionics shop to have them remove the old RG-58 and make the new connectors for the RG-400. I found a fair amount of damage to the existing RG-58. Everything from compressed cables to portions of the cable's sheathing that was cut or otherwise compromised.

 

966587859990905fe4b98bec306002a2.jpgf229c31d4f3dda07be35b9a4d91ed97b.jpg

 

New RG-400 in place:

 

7d3eea1dbf047229e833d4429e5180c6.jpg

Are the cables mounted to the cabin floor but accessible if the belly panels are removed?

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Are the cables mounted to the cabin floor but accessible if the belly panels are removed?


My plane is a 75 F model. All of the VOR and Com cables run down the left side of the plane to the panel. You won’t be able to access the Com or VOR cables from the belly, you will need to remove the left side panels and if you are doing the top forward mounted com antenna, the overhead panel.

I will see if I have any other photos. For the front mounted com antenna, I did run that cable to the right side and under the door to the panel. With all of my Aspen cables, it was getting pretty congested on the left side. And since I had the interior out already for a new interior, it made sense to run it that way.


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This is where I think most of the avionics wiring is run.

 

2bd3e3b9b8ca3ecd67bf71f71269d765.jpg

 

This is the area above the plenum. On my F, the antenna for the front antenna is mounted here. The cable went down the left side. I moved it to the right side (second picture, cable not run yet)

 

cefd5dfdc529fc39be65a627ced78eb4.jpg

 

e4b1186be9b117d7eff90b9bc86883e1.jpg

 

 

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1 hour ago, tmo said:

Out of curiosity, do sufficiently skilled hangar fairies sometimes engage in cable cleanup?

Mine did, and with the blessing of his IA made his own RG-400 cables to replace all the old Com cables when he was installing the new transponder for ADS-B compliance (logbook entry and 337 signed by IA after inspection of the installation). 

Additional wiring to be cleaned up behind the lh side of the panel when he installs the AV-30's after they are certified. (Again will be done with his IA's blessing). 

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Out of curiosity, do sufficiently skilled hangar fairies sometimes engage in cable cleanup?


I have never had an issue getting stuff signed off by an IA after I did the work. As long as what you did can be inspected and is properly documented, it should not be an issue.

Where issues arise is when hangar fairies start doing work and there is inspection and no documentation.


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1 hour ago, carusoam said:

Have hangar fairy make good friends with local mechanic...

This way the mechanic is familiar with the HF’s skill level... no surprises...

Best regards,

-a-

You can not overstate the benefits of building a strong relationship with your local AP/IA. I have saved myself quite a bit of money by talking with mine and saying "Are you okay if I....?" His response is usually, "Sure, that's in your wheelhouse, let me know when you're done and I'll come look at it."

Of course there are other things where I would rather pay him than do it myself. That often ends with him saying something like "That was a pain, no wonder you wanted me to do it."

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My hangar elf is getting a PhD in avionics work. He just finished about 100 hrs worth of detangling, removing, reinstalling and installing with the IA in the loop and signed off.  
 

My suggestion having done this a few times is find an IA with whom you can develop a good working relationship, prove you’re competent with small projects and then move into whatever he or she is comfortable with signing off. 

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If only I had a local A&P/IA :-) The one I work with is a 1.5h flight (in a Mooney) away.  But perhaps in this day and age there are ways to make good things happen.  I'll start small and see where it gets me.

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