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Icom 210 antenna suggestion

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Geoff Heap

Joined: 12 Jan 2006
Posts: 266
Location: Lindenwold, New Jersey

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 1:12 pm Post subject: Icom 210 antenna suggestion

Can I get any suggestions from satisfied customers for an antenna for a Icom A210....Thanks Geoff

Sam

Joined: 18 May 2008
Posts: 135

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 3:06 pm Post subject: Icom 210 antenna suggestion

You need to specify the aircraft.  P-51 Mustang?  Ultralight?  Quickie?  Aluminium?



Sam

 	  Quote: 	
		  	




On Sun, Nov 29, 2009 at 4:12 PM, Geoff Heap <stol10(at)comcast.net (stol10(at)comcast.net)> wrote:

 [quote]--> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Geoff Heap" <stol10(at)comcast.net (stol10(at)comcast.net)>

  

 Can I get any suggestions from satisfied customers for an antenna for a Icom A210....Thanks Geoff

 

 

 

 

 Read this topic online here:

 

 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=275342#275342

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Geoff Heap

Joined: 12 Jan 2006
Posts: 266
Location: Lindenwold, New Jersey

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 3:19 pm Post subject: Re: Icom 210 antenna suggestion

OK its for a Zenith ch701. All aluminum

n8zg(at)mchsi.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 3:52 pm Post subject: Icom 210 antenna suggestion

A quarter-wave ground plane mounted on the belly.  

Something like the Comant CI-122.  

A fine example listed here:



http://steinair.com/avionics.htm 



neal



====




OK its for a Zenith ch701. All aluminum

n801bh(at)NetZero.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 5:03 pm Post subject: Icom 210 antenna suggestion

I used one just like that on my Zenith 801... Works great. I did mount mine on the belly behind the trap door. Since 98% of the time you are broadcasting and receiving from the air why put it on the top of the plane? The other end of that transmission is below you. <G> 

do not archive

Ben Haas

N801BH

www.haaspowerair.com



--------

nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 5:36 pm Post subject: Icom 210 antenna suggestion

At 03:12 PM 11/29/2009, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  



Can I get any suggestions from satisfied customers for an antenna 

for a Icom A210....Thanks Geoff


	


    What's your budget for an antenna purchase? What

    kind of airplane are you installing it on? Are you

    willing to place the antenna for optimum performance

    as opposed to least ugly appearance?



    The well designed transceiver will function adequately

    on about anything from a wet-string to a $2000 shark-fin

    with a turbocharged flame job painted on the side of it.

    ICom is about as capable as they come for building a radio

    that works well. So the suite of antennas available

    to you is pretty large. The least expensive antennas

    tend to be not very robust mechanically while all

    the $high$ products are very rugged but would not

    perform so much better that you would notice a difference.



    The going rate for a run-of-the-mill, 5-hole mount

    vhf comm antenna is about $150. You can build an

    antenna for about $15 in materials and a couple hours

    fiddling in the shop. Are you installing on a metal

    or plastic airplane?



        Bob . . .



         ---------------------------------------

        ( It's MATRONICS FUND RAISER MONTH!    )

        ( Do your part to keep this marvelous  )

        ( tool sharp and available to all our  )

        ( brothers in the OBAM aviation        )

        ( community.                           )

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nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 5:36 pm Post subject: Icom 210 antenna suggestion

At 05:19 PM 11/29/2009, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  



OK its for a Zenith ch701. All aluminum


	


   Mounting on belly or on top behind the

   canopy?



        Bob . . .



         ---------------------------------------

        ( It's MATRONICS FUND RAISER MONTH!    )

        ( Do your part to keep this marvelous  )

        ( tool sharp and available to all our  )

        ( brothers in the OBAM aviation        )

        ( community.                           )

         ---------------------------------------

chris Sinfield

Joined: 28 Nov 2006
Posts: 270
Location: Sydney Australia

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 6:25 pm Post subject: Re: Icom 210 antenna suggestion

Hey where can I get designs for a simple wire VHF ant? 

never thought of making mine..

Chris

N20DG

Joined: 02 Jan 2008
Posts: 61
Location: lancaster, texas

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 8:42 pm Post subject: Icom 210 antenna suggestion

Your local Ham operator - the older the better

 Dick

  

  In a message dated 11/29/2009 8:30:13 P.M. Central Standard Time,  chris_sinfield(at)yahoo.com.au writes:

  	  Quote: 	
		  -->    AeroElectric-List message posted by: "chris Sinfield"    <chris_sinfield(at)yahoo.com.au>



Hey where can I get designs for a    simple wire VHF ant? 

never thought of making    mine..

Chris





Read this topic online    here:



http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=275376#275376===============================================

_nbsp;             (And Get Some AWESOME FREE     to find   Gifts  tric  re  b  k you for  p;                        -Matt Dralle,    List  ========================  = Use   utilities  Day  ================================================               - MATRONICS WEB FORUMS  ==================================================



	


  [quote][b]

Geoff Heap

Joined: 12 Jan 2006
Posts: 266
Location: Lindenwold, New Jersey

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 4:55 am Post subject: Re: Icom 210 antenna suggestion

Bob.

CH701 all metal airplane. I guess I'd rather build my own and save the money. Where can I get plans for that? As for location, I hadn't given that too much thought either yet. Just about all locations are available so far.

At some point I will be installing one other antenna for my transponder.

One on top and one on bottom sound OK? Transponder on the bottom?

......Geoff

Fergus Kyle

Joined: 03 Jun 2007
Posts: 291
Location: Burlington ON Canada

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 7:22 am Post subject: ICOM 210 antenna suggestion

<![if !supportLists]>(1)    <![endif]>See any aged member of your local Amateur Radio club for the formula and shape of a ¼-wave vertical,   

<![if !supportLists]>(2)    <![endif]>Invite him to see your project and he might just make you one, and  

<![if !supportLists]>(3)    <![endif]>Stick it on top for better coverage of Ground Control at some airports.  

   

Ferg  

       [quote][b]

BobsV35B(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 7:52 am Post subject: Icom 210 antenna suggestion

Good Morning Geoff,

  

 Just to complicate things a bit, let's think about drag. 

  

 Most speed gurus will tell us that the airflow around the majority of  our airframes meets its peak speed while traveling over the top of the  fuselage. That being said, it is nice to impede that airflow as little as  possible. We are also told that the further aft any obstacle is placed, the less  drag it will develop. Once again, the bottom of most of our airplanes has the  most disturbed air so an additional disturbance will have a lower increase in  drag down there than it would when mounted on top.  A round object has a  lot more drag than one that is streamlined. That is why the more expensive  antennas are streamlined.

  

 Back in my glider flying days, we often used antennas that we stuck through  a hole in the bottom of the sailplanes when we wanted to use the radio. Sort of  a retractable antenna thing. We also tended to leave the radio turned off when  not in use so as to save the battery power. Obviously, we used those wound style  fiberglass antennas that did not require a ground plane. Couldn't have been  very efficient, but they did serve our purpose.

  

 A bottom mounted antenna works great when airborne, but suffers in range  when on the ground. It is not unusual to be able to raise a nearby RCO with a  top mounted antenna when a bottom mounted one will not work. There are also  problems that occur when you are parked or taxiing over steel bar re-enforced  concrete surfaces.

  

 As to the transponder antenna. I have never seen one mounted anywhere but  on the belly, but I don't know why. I do know that I have personally broken  several of the small wire types when cleaning the belly. Because of that, I have  bitten the bullet and now install only those horribly expensive little shark fin  antennas for the transponder and DME.

  

 Adding to all those difficulties is the separation distance that all radio  antenna manufacturers tell us we need. If we space them as far apart and as far  from vertical components of the aircraft as are suggested by the antenna  manufacturers, we would need a homebuilt the size of a 747.

  

 So I guess what I am really saying is: Give it a shot and see what happens.  If you don't like the result, try something else.

  

 Happy Skies,

  

 Old Bob

 AKA

 Bob Siegfried

 Downers Grove, Illinois

 Stearman N3977A

  In a message dated 11/30/2009 6:59:51 A.M. Central Standard Time,  stol10(at)comcast.net writes:

  	  Quote: 	
		  -->    AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Geoff Heap"    <stol10(at)comcast.net>



Bob.

CH701 all metal airplane. I guess    I'd rather build my own and save the money. Where can I get plans for that? As    for location, I hadn't given that too much thought either yet. Just about all    locations are available so far.

At some point I will be installing one    other antenna for my transponder.

One on top and one on bottom sound OK?    Transponder on the bottom?

......Geoff





Read this topic    online    here:



http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=275471#275471===============================================

_nbsp;             (And Get Some AWESOME FREE     to find   Gifts  tric  re  b  k you for  p;                        -Matt Dralle,    List  ========================  = Use   utilities  Day  ================================================               - MATRONICS WEB FORUMS  ==================================================



	


  [quote][b]

gmcjetpilot

Joined: 04 Nov 2006
Posts: 170

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 9:33 am Post subject: Re: Icom 210 antenna suggestion

 	  Geoff Heap wrote: 	
		  Can I get any suggestions from satisfied customers for an antenna for a Icom A210....Thanks Geoff 	




Your radio has nothing to do with it, it is a VHF com.



I did not read all the responses, but in general you have two choices, Fiberglass and stainless steel. From there you can go with a straight (but angled back) or a bent whip, 90 or 45  or 30 degrees are typical.



The length of ALL VHF com antennas for GA use are in the 20" ballpark total running length, regardless if it is bent or straight. The exception is high speed jet aircraft, which use blade type antennas; forget that, unless you are doing plus 250 kts. You can expect BETTER performance the more perpendicular the antenna is to the ground plane the better SWR and gain. A 90 degree whip works, but long story short VHF is vertically polarized so you will lose performance.



Than the last factor is mounting. There really is only one mount with three or four bolt (screw) pattern, which has a BNC jack to attach your feed-line (coaxial). So far so good. There is an el-cheep-o version which was standard in the 50's, you can still buy new today; they are cheaper and mount with a single hole & bushing mount. It is terminated with two spade lugs and screws, nuts and washers. OK. Some people swear by them.... 



If I was you, I'd spend the $100-$150 and get a good whip with a base (3 bolt or 4) and BNC connector. I did get two nice whips from eBay a few years ago for cheap... but I lucked out. There are only two brands that come to mind, just check Spruce for pictures and ideas. DON'T GO CHEAP HERE.... get good coaxial. You may want some one to make you some RG400 cable with BNC connectors. 



Personally for me RG58 A/U or LMR195 is fine, especially for the short runs in GA aircraft. LMR195 is a modern RG58 with slightly better specs. RG400 is the king of small coaxial but needs the right kind of BNC connector and crimp tool (not cheap) because of a smaller OD. I'm all set up to make RG58 A/U or LMR195 cables, I have a roll of it, connectors and a very expensive AMP tool die to make cables for myself. You DO WANT stranded center conductor NOT solid. The "A" in RG58 A/U means stranded. The coaxial and antenna is 90% of the radio.



Good Luck

Last edited by gmcjetpilot on Mon Nov 30, 2009 1:16 pm; edited 1 time in total

nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
Guest

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 12:00 pm Post subject: ICOM 210 antenna suggestion

At 09:15 AM 11/30/2009, you wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		  (1)    See any aged member of your local Amateur Radio club for the formula and shape of a ¼-wave vertical, 

 (2)    Invite him to see your project and he might just make you one, and

 (3)    Stick it on top for better coverage of Ground Control at some airports.

  	


   All of which is dead-on accurate. I've constructed several

   DIY comm antennas with the idea of publishing a how-to article.

   Haven't produced a recipe-for-success that I'm ready to

   offer.



   The EASY part about building an antenna is cutting off a

   chunk of material the optimal length to become an efficient

   antenna. The not-so-easy part is mounting the antenna

   to the airplane such that it doesn't twist in the hole,

   maintains low resistance contact with coax center conductor,

   good connection with airframe as a grounding surface,

   is fabricated in a manner that will withstand years

   of inattention and hours of buffeting in hurricane force winds.



 [img]cid:.0[/img]



 

   Here's a snapshot from the 'Connection (Figure 13- that

   illustrates some of the $low$ antennas that were popular

   about the same time the Narco "coffegrinder" radio was

   a radio of choice in SE light aircraft.



   Threaded rods, ceramic feed-through insulators and

   ordinary PIDG terminals did the job for us then . . .

   sorta. Cessna used to install similar antennas in

   production. If you don't mind replacing the occasional

   broken rod, refurbishing corroded terminations, suffering

   leaks in the skin, etc. etc. This approach will perform

   ELECTRICALLY as well as anything you can buy today.



   If any of the List members have devised a means by which

   more robust antennas have been crafted, can you share it

   with us?  In the mean time, I'll see about cleaning up

   some ideas I've been exploring and getting them published.



 

        Bob . . .



         ---------------------------------------

        ( It's MATRONICS FUND RAISER MONTH!    )

        ( Do your part to keep this marvelous  )

        ( tool sharp and available to all our  )

        ( brothers in the OBAM aviation        )

        ( community.                           )

         ---------------------------------------

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nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
Guest

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 5:13 pm Post subject: ICOM 210 antenna suggestion

At 09:15 AM 11/30/2009, you wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		  (1)    See any aged member of your local Amateur Radio club for the formula and shape of a ¼-wave vertical, 

 (2)    Invite him to see your project and he might just make you one, and

 (3)    Stick it on top for better coverage of Ground Control at some airports.

  	


   All of which is dead-on accurate. I've constructed several

   DIY comm antennas with the idea of publishing a how-to article.

   Haven't produced a recipe-for-success that I'm ready to

   offer.



   The EASY part about building an antenna is cutting off a

   chunk of material the optimal length to become an efficient

   antenna. The not-so-easy part is mounting the antenna

   to the airplane such that it doesn't twist in the hole,

   maintains low resistance contact with coax center conductor,

   good connection with airframe as a grounding surface,

   is fabricated in a manner that will withstand years

   of inattention and hours of buffeting in hurricane force winds.



 [img]cid:7.1.0.9.0.20091130191005.01d9e1d8(at)aeroelectric.com.1[/img] 



 

   Here's a snapshot from the 'Connection (Figure 13- that

   illustrates some of the $low$ antennas that were popular

   about the same time the Narco "coffegrinder" radio was

   a radio of choice in SE light aircraft.



   Threaded rods, ceramic feed-through insulators and

   ordinary PIDG terminals did the job for us then . . .

   sorta. Cessna used to install similar antennas in

   production. If you don't mind replacing the occasional

   broken rod, refurbishing corroded terminations, suffering

   leaks in the skin, etc. etc. This approach will perform

   ELECTRICALLY as well as anything you can buy today.



   If any of the List members have devised a means by which

   more robust antennas have been crafted, can you share it

   with us?  In the mean time, I'll see about cleaning up

   some ideas I've been exploring and getting them published.



 

        Bob . . .



         ---------------------------------------

        ( It's MATRONICS FUND RAISER MONTH!    )

        ( Do your part to keep this marvelous  )

        ( tool sharp and available to all our  )

        ( brothers in the OBAM aviation        )

        ( community.                           )

         ---------------------------------------

1d26d5a8.jpg

Description:

Filesize:

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Viewed:

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