Jan 12, 2022     Defective ACK ELT Antenna (E04.8) - (2 hours)       Category: Avionics

I am a bit dismayed as to the quality of the ACK ELT antenna (E-04.8) that comes with the E-04 ELT. It broke. The problem is I have NO idea how it happened. I had it installed inside the tube fuselage using the installation manual for guidance. The antenna cracked all the way through. It's in a spot that doesn't get bumped. From what I have read I'm not the only one that had this happen. I emailed ACK with pictures and didn't heap a peep from them. SO much for customer service.

I think I found what may be a point of failure on the plastic portion of the ELT antenna. The plastic molded around the bottom of the antenna is very hard (brittle?) and stands just proud of the metal hex portion. When tightened it would keep the plastic portion under a constant bit of stress. Any bump or vibration would most certainly set up failure somewhere around the perimeter. I'm going to take a fine file to the replacement antenna and make the plastic base even with the metal hex portion, maybe even a slight chamfer around the perimeter.

Anyway, $110 later from Aircraft Spruce, I have installed a new antenna. Hopefully this one will make it to my first flight.

  Jan 22, 2021     Garrmin GA56 GPS Antenna Mount - (3.00 hours)       Category: Avionics

I made the GPS mount out of .032 IAW the instructions found in the Garmin G3X installation manual. I mounted it just ahead of the stringer standoffs and under the fabric. This is one less penetration to worry about and Superflite System 7 doesn't use any silver coating that could potentially degrade the GPS signal. It's mounted above the ELT so I can run the cabling forward together with the ELT wiring.

  Jul 03, 2020     Comm Antenna Mount Part 5 - Final - (2.00 hours)       Category: Avionics

Jim riveted the antenna doublers in place using heat-treated rivets. I wanted to make sure the top skin was smooth and he has an oven to soften up the rivets. They drive very easy and don't distort the skin. After a few days they regain their hardness.

  May 23, 2020     Comm Antenna Mount Part 4 - (1.00 hour)       Category: Avionics

Since I have never alodined anything before I thought I would practice some more on the doublers. It was late and the wife was in bed, so I did it in the kitchen. Turned out great!

  May 22, 2020     Comm Antenna Mount Part 3 - (3.00 hours)       Category: Avionics

The antenna manufacturer recommends the antenna be mounted with metal to metal contact for a good ground plane. Since that area will be outside and prone to corrosion I decided to alodine the spots where the antennas will mount. I taped the backside of the holes so the alodine fluids wouldn't run into the wing. After a real good scrubbing with a red scotchbrite pad I put on the acid, rinsed, then the alodine. Turned out really nice. Now to dimple and rivet the doubles…then it's job done.

  May 19, 2020     Comm Antenna Mount Part 2 - (2.00 hours)       Category: Avionics

I picked a spot in the center of the bay just inboard of the wing root. There is no real good place to measure to make sure both antennas are in alignment, so I picked the same spot at the wing tips. I stretched a cord between the two pints and used that as a fore/aft reference. Once that was done, time to drill some holes. I used the doubles as drill templates.

  May 17, 2020     Comm Antenna Mount Part 1 - (2.00 hours)       Category: Avionics

I have two radios, so I have two antennas. I'm mounting them in the first bay inboard of the wing root. I need to make doublers for the mounts, so here we go. FIrst is to make a tempate for the rivet spacing. That wasn't too bad. Drill and deburr lots of holes and now time to decide where to drill the holes in the wings.