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Kellym
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1705
Location: Sun Lakes AZ
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 Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 6:32 am Post subject: Overhead Console Final Installation & TCAS Antenna Installa |
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Garmin actually does call for a ground plane for their WAAS GPS antennas.
On 12/30/2012 7:01 AM, bill.peyton wrote:
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Ground planes are not required for GPS antennas to function, I am not sure about TCAS. I believe Sean (strasnuts) has the same system you are inquiring about.
Bill
--------
Bill
WA0SYV
Aviation Partners, LLC
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=391224#391224
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Kelly McMullen
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Kellym
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1705
Location: Sun Lakes AZ
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| Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 6:55 pm Post subject: Overhead Console Final Installation & TCAS Antenna Installa |
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Once again, the Garmin GA-35 antenna recommends a ground plane. See
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=94658
Grounding the fasteners does not equal a ground plane.
On 12/30/2012 10:30 AM, billz wrote:
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I've just completed antenna installations on my cabin top. After lengthy discussions with Folks who have installed the GTS800 as well as others, concerning the various GPS antennas, this is what I decided to do.
1. The GPS antennas do not need an additional ground plane. The base of the antenna provides an adequate ground plane. However, I did run some #10 wire between the antenna mounting fasteners and to my common ground point (on the firewall), to provide lightning protection.
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| | - The Matronics RV10-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
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Kelly McMullen
A&P/IA, EAA Tech Counselor # 5286
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bill.peyton
Joined: 19 Sep 2010
Posts: 198
Location: St. Louis, MO
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| Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 7:20 am Post subject: Re: Overhead Console Final Installation & TCAS Antenna |
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The Garmin GNS 430W and the G3X install manuals do not specify a bonding nor a ground plane for the GPS antenna. I suspect that this may have been revised for the GTN manuals to add the requirement. I have not seen any issues with my installation, which does not have a ground plane on either GPS antenna.
I found an old GPS antenna and decided to sacrifice it. Below is a photo of the inside of this certified GPS antenna. The actual antenna element is etched on the top surface of a copper clad ceramic wafer which has a copper surface covering the entire underside (not visible in photo). The combination of the thickness of the ceramic and the size of the element determines the electrical properties of the antenna. This type of design is called a "patch antenna". Under the patch antenna resides the low noise amplifier. You can see that the antenna itself is mounted approximately 1/2" above what might be considered the base. Any additional ground plane that may be added by mounting this antenna to the metallic skin of the aircraft would "appear" to this patch antenna to reside 1/2" above the actual patch antenna ground plane.
This antenna is an old design, and is probably not representative of the new low noise semi-conductor technology nor GPS antenna design. The noise figure and gain of the newer antennas is so far improved over the some of the original designs that it is hardly a fair comparison. But I couldn't resist taking it apart!
Bill
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Bill
WA0SYV
Aviation Partners, LLC |
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Kellym
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1705
Location: Sun Lakes AZ
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| Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 7:32 am Post subject: Overhead Console Final Installation & TCAS Antenna Installa |
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The ground plane recommendation is in the install instructions for the
GA35 antenna, which was released with the 430W upgrade. Whether the
instructions were changed later to add the ground plane recommendation,
I don't know, as I obtained my antenna this fall.
One poster on VAF mentioned that he put his antenna forward of the
firewall with minimal ground plane, then added bigger ground plane later
and saw noticeable performance improvement. So yes, it works without
one, but apparently works better with one.
On 12/31/2012 8:20 AM, bill.peyton wrote:
| Quote: |
The Garmin GNS 430W and the G3X install manuals do not specify a bonding nor a ground plane for the GPS antenna. I suspect that this may have been revised for the GTN manuals to add the requirement. I have not seen any issues with my installation, which does not have a ground plane on either GPS antenna.
|
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No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
| | - The Matronics RV10-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV10-List |
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_________________
Kelly McMullen
A&P/IA, EAA Tech Counselor # 5286
KCHD |
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