---------------------------------------------------------- AeroElectric-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Thu 02/08/07: 13 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 05:41 AM - Antenna Polarity?? (Bill Bradburry) 2. 07:04 AM - Re: Antenna Polarity?? (Dave N6030X) 3. 08:49 AM - Re: Re: Using D-Sub extract tool (Larry L. Tompkins, P.E.) 4. 09:47 AM - Sorry!! (lee.logan@gulfstream.com) 5. 10:21 AM - Substituting fastons for connectors? (Dr. Andrew Elliott) 6. 11:05 AM - Rotax 582 Start Current (Guy Buchanan) 7. 11:29 AM - Re: Rotax 582 Start Current (Bill Denton) 8. 11:34 AM - Re: Rotax 582 Start Current (Dave N6030X) 9. 12:26 PM - (no subject) (TSaccio@aol.com) 10. 01:04 PM - Antennas (TSaccio@aol.com) 11. 01:19 PM - Re: Rotax 582 Start Current (Gilles Thesee) 12. 01:48 PM - Re: (no subject) (Matt Prather) 13. 06:38 PM - ELT Antenna (Jerry Isler) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 05:41:45 AM PST US From: Bill Bradburry Subject: AeroElectric-List: Antenna Polarity?? OK, here is an update... This plane is a Lancair Legacy, so I got in touch with the Lancair avionics department. They were able to help me to the point where I was able to determine which on the two screws should be attached to the center conductor and which to the shield. So, initial polarization question/problem solved. However,... I noticed in their parts catalog that this antenna is designed (as Bob remarked) for install in a metal aircraft (Vans RV ??) However,... This antenna was glassed in by the Lancair factory when the wing parts were built, so it was provided by Lancair???? DUH! WHY?? The avionics guy I talked with assured me that the antenna works fine in the Legacy.... I assume that if I can figure out some way to get the SWR checked on the antenna and if the SWR is below 2.0, it will work ok?? Thanks for the assistance. Bill B Time: 04:28:27 PM PST US From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Antenna Polarity?? At 06:33 PM 2/6/2007 -0500, you wrote: > > > > > >Hmmm...I don't think that I made myself clear. This antenna is glassed in > >the end of the fiberglas wing. It is not connected to anything. From the > >antenna's perspective, it is floating in space. I am attempting to attach > >the coax to the antenna. All I have available are the two screws sticking > >up to attach the coax. Is there any way that I can determine which of the > >two screws should have the center conductor and which should have the shield? Hmmmm . . . that antenna was designed to work against metalic structure of a metal wing for "ground". Is there even a metal sheet over the tip closeout rib? If there's no metal used to provide the other "half" of the antenna, then you're going to realize only a small fraction of the antenna's already compromised performance by tucking it under a tip fairing? How did this particular antenna find its way onto the airplane? It was originally designed for RVs and could probably be adapted to other metal wing aircraft with plastic tip fairings. Bob . . . ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 07:04:53 AM PST US From: Dave N6030X Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Antenna Polarity?? I just read something by Bob Archer that said he sold more of his wingtip antennas to Lancair owners than to any other airplane. The document is undated (a horrible problem with most Internet documents) and is here: http://home.hiwaay.net/~sbuc/tvrvbg/Tip6a.doc Dave Morris At 07:43 AM 2/8/2007, you wrote: > > >OK, here is an update... >This plane is a Lancair Legacy, so I got in touch with the Lancair >avionics department. They were able to help me to the point where I >was able to determine which on the two screws should be attached to >the center conductor and which to the shield. So, initial >polarization question/problem solved. >However,... >I noticed in their parts catalog that this antenna is designed (as >Bob remarked) for install in a metal aircraft (Vans RV ??) >However,... >This antenna was glassed in by the Lancair factory when the wing >parts were built, so it was provided by Lancair???? DUH! WHY?? >The avionics guy I talked with assured me that the antenna works >fine in the Legacy.... >I assume that if I can figure out some way to get the SWR checked on >the antenna and if the SWR is below 2.0, it will work ok?? > >Thanks for the assistance. > >Bill B > > >Time: 04:28:27 PM PST US >From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" >Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Antenna Polarity?? > > >At 06:33 PM 2/6/2007 -0500, you wrote: > > > > > > > > > >Hmmm...I don't think that I made myself clear. This antenna is glassed in > > >the end of the fiberglas wing. It is not connected to anything. From the > > >antenna's perspective, it is floating in space. I am attempting to attach > > >the coax to the antenna. All I have available are the two screws sticking > > >up to attach the coax. Is there any way that I can determine which of the > > >two screws should have the center conductor and which should > have the shield? > > Hmmmm . . . that antenna was designed to work against > metalic structure of a metal wing for "ground". Is there > even a metal sheet over the tip closeout rib? If there's > no metal used to provide the other "half" of the antenna, > then you're going to realize only a small fraction of > the antenna's already compromised performance by tucking > it under a tip fairing? > > How did this particular antenna find its way onto the > airplane? It was originally designed for RVs and could > probably be adapted to other metal wing aircraft with > plastic tip fairings. > > > Bob . . . > > ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 08:49:37 AM PST US From: "Larry L. Tompkins, P.E." Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Re: Using D-Sub extract tool "Ignorance can be fixed, stupid is forever." I don't remember the author. Larry ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 09:47:16 AM PST US Subject: AeroElectric-List: Sorry!! From: lee.logan@gulfstream.com Sorry, I keep forgetting about no pix on the Matronics list. I'm on too many lists!! Email me offline and I'll send them to anyone who wants a look... Lee... Lee Logan Government Programs and Sales Support Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Savannah, Georgia This e-mail message, including all attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain legally privileged and confidential information. If you are not an intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have either received this message in error or through interception, and that any review, use, distribution, copying or disclosure of this message or its attachments is strictly prohibited and is subject to criminal and civil penalties. All personal messages express solely the sender's views and not those of Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation. If you received this message in error, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 10:21:30 AM PST US From: "Dr. Andrew Elliott" Subject: AeroElectric-List: Substituting fastons for connectors? Folks: I have an ARC 459 transponder which uses a backplane connector which is no apparently longer made, and for which sockets are only available through a few sources at high cost. It appears to me that the .110 x .020 size faston receptacles would fit quite nicely on the existing pins. I would like to wire a DB-25 connector to the transponder using such fastons to make wiring it into rest of the plane a snap. Anyone ever tried this before? If acceptable, the faston approach should also work nicely for the 359 and thereby open up a good source of inexpensive used transponders. (I previously had a response suggesting that I wire the d-subconnector directly to the transponder circuit board. This seems less desirable to me.) Thanks, Andy Elliott, Mesa, AZ N601GE (reserved) 601XL/TD/QB, Corvair, building... ________________________________ Message 6 _____________________________________ Time: 11:05:26 AM PST US From: Guy Buchanan Subject: AeroElectric-List: Rotax 582 Start Current The short question is: What is the approximate start current for a Rotax 582? Why do I ask? Because today I fried the shunt on my 30A ammeter. This shunt operates in line between the battery and starter. I've noticed lately that starting has been slower and I attributed it to lower battery capacity. Today I checked the voltage at 13.1V, then tried starting. I got three very slow turn-overs followed by a click, then nothing. It turns out the click was the shunt separating. I've got probably 100 starts on this system over the last year. I did a resistance check of the starter across the "big" wires and got only 0.3 ohms. Is it possible the starter is shorted? How can I tell if the starter is bad? Do I dare simply attach the battery to the starter directly to see if it works? I could also simply by-pass the shunt to see if it works, then I could use the start switch. I'm concerned, however, that if the starter is shorted I could blow the battery. Is that a possibility? Thanks, Guy Buchanan K-IV 1200 / 582-C / Warp / 100% done, thanks mostly to Bob Ducar. ________________________________ Message 7 _____________________________________ Time: 11:29:00 AM PST US From: "Bill Denton" Subject: RE: AeroElectric-List: Rotax 582 Start Current >From what I have read, you shouldn't run starter current through the shunt. If you want to measure current going into and out of the battery, the shunt should be installed between the battery and the alternator. -----Original Message----- From: owner-aeroelectric-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-aeroelectric-list-server@matronics.com]On Behalf Of Guy Buchanan Sent: Thursday, February 8, 2007 1:04 PM rotaxengines-list@matronics.com Subject: AeroElectric-List: Rotax 582 Start Current The short question is: What is the approximate start current for a Rotax 582? Why do I ask? Because today I fried the shunt on my 30A ammeter. This shunt operates in line between the battery and starter. I've noticed lately that starting has been slower and I attributed it to lower battery capacity. Today I checked the voltage at 13.1V, then tried starting. I got three very slow turn-overs followed by a click, then nothing. It turns out the click was the shunt separating. I've got probably 100 starts on this system over the last year. I did a resistance check of the starter across the "big" wires and got only 0.3 ohms. Is it possible the starter is shorted? How can I tell if the starter is bad? Do I dare simply attach the battery to the starter directly to see if it works? I could also simply by-pass the shunt to see if it works, then I could use the start switch. I'm concerned, however, that if the starter is shorted I could blow the battery. Is that a possibility? Thanks, Guy Buchanan K-IV 1200 / 582-C / Warp / 100% done, thanks mostly to Bob Ducar. ________________________________ Message 8 _____________________________________ Time: 11:34:13 AM PST US From: Dave N6030X Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Rotax 582 Start Current 1. The shunt shouldn't be between the battery and starter. That will fry the shunt for sure. You're talking hundreds of amps on the starter. I'm surprised the shunt lasted this long. Did your ammeter always get pegged when you cranked the starter? The shunt should be either between the battery and the bus if you want to monitor your loads in an alternator-out situation, or the alternator and bus if you want to monitor the loads during normal operation. 2. The 0.3 ohms in the starter is probably correct or even high, because the starter draws a LOT of current. Amps = Voltage / Resistance. Dave Morris At 01:04 PM 2/8/2007, you wrote: > >The short question is: What is the approximate start current for a Rotax 582? > >Why do I ask? Because today I fried the shunt on my 30A ammeter. >This shunt operates in line between the battery and starter. > >I've noticed lately that starting has been slower and I attributed >it to lower battery capacity. Today I checked the voltage at 13.1V, >then tried starting. I got three very slow turn-overs followed by a >click, then nothing. It turns out the click was the shunt >separating. I've got probably 100 starts on this system over the >last year. I did a resistance check of the starter across the "big" >wires and got only 0.3 ohms. Is it possible the starter is shorted? >How can I tell if the starter is bad? Do I dare simply attach the >battery to the starter directly to see if it works? I could also >simply by-pass the shunt to see if it works, then I could use the >start switch. I'm concerned, however, that if the starter is shorted >I could blow the battery. Is that a possibility? > >Thanks, > > >Guy Buchanan >K-IV 1200 / 582-C / Warp / 100% done, thanks mostly to Bob Ducar. > > ________________________________ Message 9 _____________________________________ Time: 12:26:42 PM PST US From: TSaccio@aol.com Subject: AeroElectric-List: (no subject) My names Tom Saccio and I have a question about antennas. When my panel was built the Avionics shop ran RG 400 cable from the instrument panel. All of the antennas that I installed are RG 58. The leads coming from the panel are only about 3' long. My question is do I run the RG 58 to the panel and connect to the short RG 400 or can I add on to the RG 400 and connect them to the RG 58 in the rear of the plane as I would like to do. The RG 58 that I hooked up is long enough to reach the panel without additional connectors. Any responses to this question would be greatly appreciated. The plane that this is going in is a Seawind. Thank you, Tom Saccio _tsaccio@aol.com_ (mailto:tsaccio@aol.com) ________________________________ Message 10 ____________________________________ Time: 01:04:01 PM PST US From: TSaccio@aol.com Subject: AeroElectric-List: Antennas My names Tom Saccio and I have a question about antennas. When my panel was built the Avionics shop ran RG 400 cable from the instrument panel. All of the antennas that I installed are RG 58. The leads coming from the panel are only about 3' long. My question is do I run the RG 58 to the panel and connect to the short RG 400 or can I add on to the RG 400 and connect them to the RG 58 in the rear of the plane as I would like to do. The RG 58 that I hooked up is long enough to reach the panel without additional connectors. Any responses to this question would be greatly appreciated. The plane that this is going in is a Seawind. Thank you, Tom Saccio _tsaccio@aol.com_ (mailto:tsaccio@aol.com) ________________________________ Message 11 ____________________________________ Time: 01:19:33 PM PST US From: Gilles Thesee Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Rotax 582 Start Current Dave N6030X a crit : > 2. The 0.3 ohms in the starter is probably correct or even high, > because the starter draws a LOT of current. Amps = Voltage / Resistance. > FWIW, a buddy measured a 110 amp starting current, with a peak at 130 amps on his Rotax 912S. Best regards, Gilles http://contrails.free.fr ________________________________ Message 12 ____________________________________ Time: 01:48:05 PM PST US Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: (no subject) From: "Matt Prather" RG58 and RG400 can be used interchangeably in this application. RG400 is slightly lower loss (more efficient) at higher frequency, and has better thermal characteristics (only important when running it through the engine compartment). If you already have enough RG58 to reach the panel, use that. You can either remove the existing RG400 pieces or add couplings to connect the RG58 to the RG400. The workmanship used in installing the connectors is more important than having RG400 vs. RG58. Regards, Matt- > My names Tom Saccio and I have a question about antennas. When my panel > was > built the Avionics shop ran RG 400 cable from the instrument panel. All of > the > antennas that I installed are RG 58. The leads coming from the panel are > only about 3' long. My question is do I run the RG 58 to the panel and > connect > to the short RG 400 or can I add on to the RG 400 and connect them to > the RG > 58 in the rear of the plane as I would like to do. The RG 58 that I > hooked up > is long enough to reach the panel without additional connectors. Any > responses to this question would be greatly appreciated. The plane that > this is > going in is a Seawind. > > Thank you, > Tom Saccio > _tsaccio@aol.com_ (mailto:tsaccio@aol.com) > ________________________________ Message 13 ____________________________________ Time: 06:38:25 PM PST US From: "Jerry Isler" Subject: AeroElectric-List: ELT Antenna What is your current opinion of where the ELT antenna should be installed on an RV-4? My ACK ELT is mounted on the upper shelf of the baggage compartment. I am leaning toward mounting the antenna on the topside of the turtle deck right behind the canopy. If you have a snappy location that is better concealed I would like to know. The airplane is finished and this is one of the small details I have left to complete. Also, what does the large molded rubber base do on the ELT antenna? Is it a strain relief to keep the antenna from snapping off in the breeze at 200+ MPH? Does it cover something up like a coil or what ever? I want to be able to trim this rubber off so I can possibly mount the antenna inside the cabin. However I do not want to destroy the antenna by sawing off something important. Jerry Isler Donalsonville, GA RV4 N455J Cessna C140A N9641A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message aeroelectric-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/AeroElectric-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/aeroelectric-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/aeroelectric-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.