Correct Antenna Position

[Moffrestorer]

Great news from Keith Vinning regarding progress on the new Bridge.

Any chance optimum antenna positions can be indicated for the test aircraft (photos?), as guidance to the rest of us please?

Hopefully Bridges will be available soon and we'll all be able to see and be seen!

Well done team.

[Admin]

Great topic to raise, and in a perfectly timely manner.
We have been out today testing different antenna types and positions.
Too early to report anything specific, other than to say, radio waves really
Do like a clear line of sight - no surprises there right

So avoid ...
People
Engines
Metal shields

There is a reason why that transponder antenna is placed where it is !
We are experimenting with monopole, dipole, and soon to be horn antenna.

More info to follow

Thx
Lee

[Andy Fell]

Great topic to raise, and in a perfectly timely manner.
We have been out today testing different antenna types and positions.
Too early to report anything specific, other than to say, radio waves really
Do like a clear line of sight - no surprises there right

So avoid ...
People
Engines
Metal shields

There is a reason why that transponder antenna is placed where it is !
We are experimenting with monopole, dipole, and soon to be horn antenna.

More info to follow

Thx
Lee

No bragging about the size of your horn :-)

A yagi may be more cost effective at 869MHz?  Select length to suit beam width requirements (assuming you're thinking of ground stations).

Cheers
Andy

[bryannortje]

Here is a photo of my installation in my Europa. Some of the best results achieved in flight testing to date

[Andy Fell]

Looks like an airlock on the ISS!

[Moffrestorer]

Yogi and Horn antennae are directional and not appropriate for mounting on an airframe unless you can spin them around a vertical axis. Too complicated with possible weight and reliability considerations.

[Admin]

Yes, a Yagi, will not be any use because it is directional

By Horn antenna, I am referring to this type of Antenna (as in a Bulls Horn) centre fed dipole
http://www.air-store.eu/1000027

Not the type of Horn as in a megaphone, which is as you say directional.

Thx
Lee

[exfirepro]

I finally removed my PowerFlegm Core from my plane at the weekend. After 9 months trying and a recent trip back to Germany, it's still not working properly so this time it's going back permanently! I have been using the PF ADSB antenna (same as in Lee's link - just a different length) for my PAW ADSB and it's working great. The only minor issue is that PF use a 'reverse polarity' SMA socket for their UK/EU ADSB connection, but I got an adaptor lead from eBay:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RP-SMA-Female-bulkhead-straight-to-MCX-male-pigtail-RF-cable-RG316-for-Wireless-/301786295505?hash=item4643dd6cd1:g:ucMAAOSwo0JWNyKG

...which works a treat!

I intend to keep the FLARM version too as I reckoned it should work OK for P3i. It uses a standard polarity SMA connector. Admittedly, these antennas are a bit expensive but in the radio world, the antenna will always be the most important part to achieve consistent results. These are great in a non-metal bodied aircraft as dipoles don't need a ground plane and the maximum strength signal is radiated horizontally. They are very small so can be easily fitted inside any cockpit canopy as long as the 'live' half is out in the clear (by which I mean not obstructed by metal bodywork). Well worth a thought!

Peter