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Transponder antennas

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harley(at)AgelessWings.co
Guest

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 6:15 am Post subject: Transponder antennas

Now that I'm finally finished with construction, and in the process     of getting the instruments and engine installed, I decided yesterday     to collect all the little bags of pieces and parts that I've     acquired over the years to see what I have, and what I may need. 

     

     In the process, I found that I have two transponder antennas.      Apparently, one I got from RST when I bought the antenna set for my     Long EZ from him, and the other came with the Microair transponder.      They are slightly different, and is there any reason to believe that     one is better than the other? 

     

     Jim Weir's (at least I THINK RST supplied it. It's been too many     years ago! <G>) is simply a straight aluminum rod, threaded on     one end.  It comes with tab type connectors and grommets (to isolate     it from the ground plane) that mount between the nuts for the wires     to attach. 

     

     The other one was made by TED Manufacturing of Kansas for Microair,     looks more "professional" and already terminates in a BNC     connector.  The other end has a ball tip, and although not magnetic     appears too hard and shiny to made of aluminum. I believe it is     stainless steel.  The antenna is solidly mounted through the center     of the BNC connector, isolated from the outside by a plastic sleeve.     

     

     The Microair unit did not come with a ground plane (I guess they     assume I have a metal aircraft), but the RST unit did.  So, I'll be     using the RST ground plane plate (it's a 5-1/2 inch diameter     octagon) with either one. 

     

     They are both EXACTLY the same length (tip to connector), So, the     questions... 

     

     In identical location installations, which one might prove to be     better as a transpoder antenna in a Long EZ?  Does the ball tip do     anything other than not poking out an eye? Is the stainless a worse     application for the antenna than the aluminum one?  Is the     "professionally" manufactured unit with the antenna mounted directly     to, but isolated from, the BNC connector a more robust mounting.  

     

     Or doesn't it make any difference (since many of you simply use a     bolt)?

     

     Harley Dixon

     Long EZ N28EZ

     www.agelesswings.com

     

      [quote][b]

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nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
Guest

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 9:38 am Post subject: Transponder antennas

Now that I'm finally finished with construction, and in the process of getting the instruments and engine installed, I decided yesterday to collect all the little bags of pieces and parts that I've acquired over the years to see what I have, and what I may need. 



 In the process, I found that I have two transponder antennas.  Apparently, one I got from RST when I bought the antenna set for my Long EZ from him, and the other came with the Microair transponder.  They are slightly different, and is there any reason to believe that one is better than the other?



     Depends on what you call "better". From a performance perspective,

     there is probably no observable difference.  



 Jim Weir's (at least I THINK RST supplied it. It's been too many years ago! <G>) is simply a straight aluminum rod, threaded on one end.  It comes with tab type connectors and grommets (to isolate it from the ground plane) that mount between the nuts for the wires to attach. 



 The other one was made by TED Manufacturing of Kansas for Microair, looks more "professional" and already terminates in a BNC connector.  The other end has a ball tip, and although not magnetic appears too hard and shiny to made of aluminum. I believe it is stainless steel.  The antenna is solidly mounted through the center of the BNC connector, isolated from the outside by a plastic sleeve. 



 The Microair unit did not come with a ground plane (I guess they assume I have a metal aircraft), but the RST unit did.  So, I'll be using the RST ground plane plate (it's a 5-1/2 inch diameter octagon) with either one. 



 They are both EXACTLY the same length (tip to connector), So, the questions... 



 In identical location installations, which one might prove to be better as a transpoder antenna in a Long EZ?  Does the ball tip do anything other than not poking out an eye? Is the stainless a worse application for the antenna than the aluminum one?  Is the "professionally" manufactured unit with the antenna mounted directly to, but isolated from, the BNC connector a more robust mounting.  



 Or doesn't it make any difference (since many of you simply use a bolt)?



     Your plastic airplane drives a requirement for

     adding a ground plane under the antenna. Whether

     you fabricate one or use the RST part makes no

     difference. The TED product is probably more robust

     and makes a cleaner interface with the feed line.

     So a plan to pick the best of parts from two

     antennas in search of the most elegant solution

     is sound.



     Could you photograph the RST product and post

     the picture to the list?



     I searched the 'net for a picture and/or references

     to the RST transponder antenna and stumbled across this

     entry by Jim Wier:



 I'm starting my Oshkosh forum writing and I need to know if anybody has a spare

 commercial transponder antenna -- the kind with a BNC connector on one end and a

 little chrome BB on the other end, mounts in a single hole.  I had three or four

 of them and have given them away over the years to folks that needed one.



 Beg, borrow, steal, or buy.  Your choice.  Happy to reciprocate some day when

 YOU need something.  I'll be happy to send a SASbox if that is your preference.



 Jim 



    It does give one pause to wonder why he wasn't installing

    one of his own antennas . . . or it may well be that

    the antenna you have didn't come from RST. In any

    case, I'd like to see it . . . or if you have no

    plans to use it, might I have it?



 

   Bob . . .    [quote][b]

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harley(at)AgelessWings.co
Guest

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 10:42 am Post subject: Transponder antennas

Since there is functionally no difference between the two antennas,     sure, you can have the "RST" unit, Bob...I'll use the TED antenna     (it looks more professional!)...and fabricate a new ground plane     plate for it. 

     

     Now you've got me wondering.  If it was not from RST, then I have no     idea where else I would have got that aluminum antenna from...it was     on a shelf at my hangar with the parts that I did get from RST that     I didn't use (nav antenna and some BNC connectors and cable)...and     the octagon ground plane was with it.  BTW...now that I've had it in     my hand, the grommet is fiber, not rubber.

     

     I'll send the ground plane along with it...where do you want me to     send them? 

     

     Here's two pictures of the front and back of it that I just took a     few minutes ago (I assembled it...the small parts all came in a     small plastic bag...the ground plane was separate): 

     

     [img]cid:part1.09010702.04080703(at)agelesswings.com[/img][img]cid:part2.05080503.04060901(at)agelesswings.com[/img]

     

     What do you plan to do with it?

     

     Harley

     

     On 10/25/2011 1:34 PM, Robert L. Nuckolls, III wrote:      	  Quote: 	
		         Now that I'm finally finished with         construction,         and in the process of getting the instruments and engine         installed, I         decided yesterday to collect all the little bags of pieces and         parts that         I've acquired over the years to see what I have, and what I may         need.         

         

         In the process, I found that I have two transponder antennas.          Apparently, one I got from RST when I bought the antenna set for         my Long         EZ from him, and the other came with the Microair transponder.          They         are slightly different, and is there any reason to believe that         one is         better than the other?

         

             Depends on what you call "better". From a         performance perspective,

             there is probably no observable difference.          

         

         Jim Weir's (at least I THINK RST supplied it. It's been too many         years         ago! <G>) is simply a straight aluminum rod, threaded on         one         end.  It comes with tab type connectors and grommets (to isolate         it         from the ground plane) that mount between the nuts for the wires         to         attach. 

         

         The other one was made by TED Manufacturing of Kansas for         Microair, looks         more "professional" and already terminates in a BNC         connector.  The other end has a ball tip, and although not         magnetic         appears too hard and shiny to made of aluminum. I believe it is         stainless         steel.  The antenna is solidly mounted through the center of the         BNC         connector, isolated from the outside by a plastic sleeve. 

         

         The Microair unit did not come with a ground plane (I guess they         assume I         have a metal aircraft), but the RST unit did.  So, I'll be using         the         RST ground plane plate (it's a 5-1/2 inch diameter octagon) with         either         one. 

         

         They are both EXACTLY the same length (tip to connector), So,         the         questions... 

         

         In identical location installations, which one might prove to be         better         as a transpoder antenna in a Long EZ?  Does the ball tip do         anything         other than not poking out an eye? Is the stainless a worse         application         for the antenna than the aluminum one?  Is the         "professionally" manufactured unit with the antenna mounted         directly to, but isolated from, the BNC connector a more robust         mounting.  

         

         Or doesn't it make any difference (since many of you simply use         a         bolt)?

         

             Your plastic airplane drives a requirement for

             adding a ground plane under the antenna. Whether

             you fabricate one or use the RST part makes no

             difference. The TED product is probably more         robust

             and makes a cleaner interface with the feed line.

             So a plan to pick the best of parts from two

             antennas in search of the most elegant solution

             is sound.

         

             Could you photograph the RST product and post

             the picture to the list?

         

             I searched the 'net for a picture and/or         references

             to the RST transponder antenna and stumbled across         this

             entry by Jim Wier:

         

       I'm starting my Oshkosh forum writing and I need to know         if         anybody has a spare

         commercial transponder antenna -- the kind with a BNC connector         on one         end and a

         little chrome BB on the other end, mounts in a single hole.  I         had         three or four

         of them and have given them away over the years to folks that         needed         one.

         

         Beg, borrow, steal, or buy.  Your choice.  Happy to reciprocate         some day when

         YOU need something.  I'll be happy to send a SASbox if that is         your         preference.

         

         Jim 

         

          It does give one pause to wonder         why he wasn't installing

            one of his own antennas . . . or it may well be that

            the antenna you have didn't come from RST. In any

            case, I'd like to see it . . . or if you have no

            plans to use it, might I have it?

         

                

             Bob . . .               	  Quote:

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nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
Guest

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 6:21 am Post subject: Transponder antennas

At 01:37 PM 10/25/2011, you wrote:

 Since there is functionally no difference between the two antennas, sure, you can have the "RST" unit, Bob...I'll use the TED antenna (it looks more professional!)...and fabricate a new ground plane plate for it. 



   Actually, the pictures will suffice.



 Now you've got me wondering.  If it was not from RST, then I have no idea where else I would have got that aluminum antenna from...it was on a shelf at my hangar with the parts that I did get from RST that I didn't use (nav antenna and some BNC connectors and cable)...and the octagon ground plane was with it.  BTW...now that I've had it in my hand, the grommet is fiber, not rubber.



    Yeah, that makes sense. It needs to be mechanically

    rigid. 



 

 I'll send the ground plane along with it...where do you want me to send them? 



 Here's two pictures of the front and back of it that I just took a few minutes ago (I assembled it...the small parts all came in a small plastic bag...the ground plane was separate): 



   I published a similar configuration in the 'Connection way

   back when. It would be interesting to know who made it.

   In any case, the pictures are great. I'll probably add them

   to the photo album on the website.



 What do you plan to do with it?



    I would have photographed it and then put it into the collection

    of curiosities . . . but I have plenty of those laying around!



 

    Bob . . .    [quote][b]

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harley(at)AgelessWings.co
Guest

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 7:00 am Post subject: Transponder antennas

 	  Quote: 	
		           Since there is functionally no difference between the two         antennas, sure,         you can have the "RST" unit, Bob...I'll use the TED antenna (it         looks more professional!)...and fabricate a new ground plane         plate for         it. 

         

           Actually, the pictures will suffice. 	
     Well, then...if anyone else here wants it, just drop me a line. Just     pay for the postage...I am talking about the one in the pictures,     not the TED unit, which I will be using. 

     

     Harley

      [quote][b]

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