Today's Message Index:
----------------------
1. 06:37 AM - Weak and Static on Transmission ()
2. 07:18 AM - Re: Inexpensive Runway lighting (Robert L. Nuckolls, III)
3. 07:21 AM - Re: Wire Bundle Wrapping Tape? (Robert L. Nuckolls, III)
4. 07:29 AM - Re: Wire Bundle Wrapping Tape? (Robert L. Nuckolls, III)
5. 08:08 AM - Re: Weak and Static on Transmission (Robert L. Nuckolls, III)
6. 08:40 AM - Account hacked (earl_schroeder@juno.com)
7. 01:00 PM - Re: Wire Bundle Wrapping Tape? (James Kilford)
8. 04:46 PM - Re: Wire Bundle Wrapping Tape? (Robert L. Nuckolls, III)
9. 06:37 PM - Crimping to component leads? (Jon McLin)
10. 07:23 PM - Re: Crimping to component leads? (Robert L. Nuckolls, III)
Message 1
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| Subject: | Weak and Static on Transmission |
1/17/2012
Hello Bill Bradburry, You wrote:
1) "Although I didn't need that much length to reach the antenna, I made the
coax the recommended 13 feet or so length."
It may not have a direct bearing on your "weak and lots of static but
usable" problem, but it sounds like you are a bit confused about the antenna
requirements of the GNS 430W.
The specific coax length that you referred to in your posting refers to the
GPS antenna for the 430W. High quality coax such as RG400 is required.
Here is what AAE says about the cable length for one of their VHF comm
antennas:
"Q. What cable length is recommended for the antenna ?
A. Any length can be used. This antenna is impedance matched to 50 ohms to
allow you to use any length required."
2) "Any ideas as to where I should begin my investigation on the source of
this
static?"
You could narrow down the source of the problem a bit if you could borrow a
GNS 430W from a fellow builder or shop and install it temporarily for
testing. If the problem goes away the problem is inside your 430W box and
not the aircraft installation.
'OC' Baker Says: "The best investment we can make is the time and effort to
gather and understand knowledge."
PS: Pull out and reseat your 430W box before going to the bother of
borrowing another unit -- the problem may just be a reseating or mis aligned
pin condition.
============================================================
Time: 06:10:00 AM PST US
From: "Bill Bradburry" <bbradburry@bellsouth.net>
Subject: AeroElectric-List: Weak and Static on Transmission
I have a GNS430W radio and Advanced Aircraft Electronics high gain antenna
model 5T in my Lancair Legacy (fiberglass fuselage). The antenna is mounted
vertically behind the rear bulkhead on the right side of the fuselage.
Although I didn't need that much length to reach the antenna, I made the
coax the recommended 13 feet or so length. (right now I cant remember the
exact length recommended). This antenna is designed to be mounted inside
plastic airplanes and doesn't require a ground plane.
I get a "weak and lots of static but usable" reports from radio checks and
on occasion, while airborne, static gets so great that I can not hear
approach at all. I have had to make two NORDO landings at a Class C airport
that is located under an overhanging Class B airspace due to the receiving
static. The controllers are beginning to take exception to this and I need
to get this fixed! :>)
I have checked the SWR on the antenna and it was around 1.5 which I
understand to be fine.
Any ideas as to where I should begin my investigation on the source of this
static?
Bill B
Message 2
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| Subject: | Re: Inexpensive Runway lighting |
As far as the runway lights, I guess it depends on how much you trust
your runway lights. If you're willing to trust your work on your
OBAM aircraft, I wouldn't think there would be a problem trusting
your OBAM runway lights.
Raymond Julian
Kettle River, MN
Excellent point! I've been wrestling semantics with
some lawyers who would like for the public to believe
that "experimental" aircraft are labeled such because
they are fraught with heretofore unproven and potentially
dangerous features of design and fabrication.
I offered the notion that "experimental" is synonymous
with "exploration" and "discovery". For students in
the chemistry lab, the treatment of certain substances
is indeed an "experiment". For the teacher, it's a recipe
for a successful teaching moment. The outcome of the
experiment is known to the teacher . . . just as the outcome
of a kit airplane built to instructions and common sense.
When the kit is completed and flying, that builder can
now be a teacher in that they've "been there, done that".
It is the job of a teacher to make sure that deviations
from instructions are well thought out, perhaps "explored
or discovered", and proven to be useful, non-hazardous
changes whereupon the changes are no longer experimental.
Experimentation is a process by which a useful design goal
is achieved.
When one sets out to fabricate DIY runway lights, it's
almost a certainty that individuals who choose to experiment
in public will sort through the ideas and potential
pitfalls in places like this List-Server. Even then,
I would expect the developer to use the system many times
under ever-increasing levels of degradation due to environmental
effects . . . and report back as to the limits he/she
personally places on the utility of that system.
TC aviation has processes and procedures for advancing
the state of the art and reducing risk. TC aviation is famous
for what I call the $1000 meeting where useful advances
are slow and cumbersome.
OBAM aviation has a process too. It's different but no less effective . . .
and a whole lot more satisfying. We who sit at our keyboards
with a cup of coffee collaborate and advance an idea further
and faster to the benefit of hundreds who read now and
that many more who read the archives later. This is the
process by which WE choose to reduce risk.
Keep it up folks! We're doing good work here.
Bob . . .
Message 3
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| Subject: | Re: Wire Bundle Wrapping Tape? |
At 08:48 AM 1/16/2012, you wrote:
>This sounds a lot like rib-lacing cord. Is that an acceptable substitute?
Not sure which direction the substitution is taking
place. Are you asking if you can use the recommended
rib lacing cord to tie wire bundles? The answer would
be certainly. Use the flat-lace described to tie
fabric to ribs? Don't know. I'd be inclined to
stick with the legacy, 'been there, done that' materials.
Bob . . .
Message 4
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| Subject: | Wire Bundle Wrapping Tape? |
At 06:38 PM 1/16/2012, you wrote:
Thanks Bob; I knew you would have the right link to a certified product.
Let's not be too quick to call it 'certified' . . . it's
certainly a material built to known quality and performance
standards and suited to the task on certified airplanes.
But no part or accessory gets holy-watered by the FAA with
any sort of certification, only complete airframes get
type certificates. Once ANY part or material shows up
on the bill of materials for a TC aircraft, it is
'qualified' for such service irrespective of its pedigree.
There are many products built to rigorous specifications
that may or may no be suited to task aboard an airplane.
So just because it's 'mil-spec' doesn't make it holy. In
this case, the flat lace cited has a long and successful
history in TC aircraft and elsewhere.
Bob . . .
Message 5
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| Subject: | Re: Weak and Static on Transmission |
At 08:07 AM 1/16/2012, you wrote:
. . . I get a "weak and lots of static but usable" reports from
radio checks and on occasion, while airborne, static gets so great
that I can not hear approach at all. I have had to make two NORDO
landings at a Class C airport that is located under an overhanging
Class B airspace due to the receiving static. The controllers are
beginning to take exception to this and I need to get this fixed! :>)
Bob's points are well taken. I can expand by suggesting
that you are committed to the classic "divide and conquer"
ploy . . . you need to separate the potential for an antenna
system problems from the radio's potential problems.
It's difficult to sift the sands of potential problems
without hearing the nature of the "static". If you were
getting a signal report from a grey-bearded ham radio
operator he would qualify the report with "weak to the point
of inducing pop-corn noise", or succumbing to atmospheric
noises like lightning crashes, or scratching noise reminiscent
of a loose connection. Further, such noises heard by
experienced ears could probably tell if it was in the
RF or audio chain of your transmission system.
But alas, I've never heard a cogent signal report from
a tower operator and seldom from other pilots in their own
airplanes.
I'd recommend a series of experiments. Plug a
hand held into the antenna system and get signal reports
from other pilots. You can start on the ground but
they should probably be airborne so that they can fly
outbound and get some sense of signal strength along
with judgement of audio quality. If it doesn't repeat
on the ground, then you go flying too. If the other
guy reports noises, do YOU hear any noises? Open the
radio's squelch control and tune in stations some
distance away. Does the complaining controller repeat
the complaint while the hand-held is being used?
If the antenna system seems okay, this leaves the
radio. "Weak and static" suggests one or more issues
combining to reduce power output and introduction
of noises reminiscent of loose connections. Probably
nothing you can do about it personally except to
confirm poor performance by getting a measurement
of output power during an SWR check. This takes a
unique kind of instrument not often found in the
OBAM aviation toolbox.
Emacs!
Also, check with someone else in another airplane or
even on the ground who overhears both sides of your
conversation with the controllers. Does that third party
agree with the controller's assessment? Can they refine the
description of "static"? I assisted in a similar
exercise many years ago where the builder left a
tape recorder running with the mic in front of
the Unicom receiver in his hangar. One could hear
both sides of the conversation. In this case, both
sides of the conversation were clear. We then did a
frequency check on the airplane radio and found that
it was at the high end of the spec . . . enough off
center to be at the edge of the government's receiver
bandwidth but still inside the bandwidth of the
lower cost receiver in the hangar. Replacing one
of the transmitter's crystals fixed the problem.
In your modern, frequency synthesized radio, this
is an exceedingly remote possibility.
The point is that you need GOOD data that tests
a host of possibilities. "Weak and static" from
one observer is insufficient data.
Bob . . .
Message 6
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Please ignore any emails from my yahoo account.. I am NOT in England or anywhere
else and do NOT send money anywhere!!
We are working hard to correct this.
Thanks!
Message 7
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| Subject: | Re: Wire Bundle Wrapping Tape? |
I was wondering if there was anything special about the electrical type
that would preclude me from using the spare flat waxed rib cord I have --
it came on a reel with about 2 miles of cord, so there's quite a bit left
over from when I did the covering!
Thanks for the advice.
James
On 17 January 2012 15:18, Robert L. Nuckolls, III <
nuckolls.bob@aeroelectric.com> wrote:
> nuckolls.bob@aeroelectric.com**>
>
> At 08:48 AM 1/16/2012, you wrote:
>
>> This sounds a lot like rib-lacing cord. =C3=82 Is that an acceptable
>> substitute?=C3=82
>>
>
> Not sure which direction the substitution is taking
> place. Are you asking if you can use the recommended
> rib lacing cord to tie wire bundles? The answer would
> be certainly. Use the flat-lace described to tie
> fabric to ribs? Don't know. I'd be inclined to
> stick with the legacy, 'been there, done that' materials.
>
>
> Bob . . .
>
>
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/www.matronics.com/Navigator?AeroElectric-List>
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com/contribution>
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>
>
Message 8
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| Subject: | Re: Wire Bundle Wrapping Tape? |
At 02:54 PM 1/17/2012, you wrote:
I was wondering if there was anything special about the electrical
type that would preclude me from using the spare flat waxed rib cord
I have -- it came on a reel with about 2 miles of cord, so there's
quite a bit left over from when I did the covering!
Thanks for the advice.
I think that's a safe substitution. In fact, does your
spool of flat lace have any numbers on it . . . like
Mil-T-$#@%?
It may well be that the stuff we tie wires with is
exactly the same as that used to stitch ribs. In any
case, wire ties are not highly stress nor subject to
the effects of exposure to the environment. Using
it to tie wires is not a high-risk decision.
Bob . . .
Message 9
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| Subject: | Crimping to component leads? |
I recently ran across "crimp sleeves" or some such at a web site, associated with
a leaded electrical component. Although it wasn't explicit, I gathered that
this is simply a small metal tube which can be used to crimp a wire to the lead
of the component. This approach would be convenient in a couple of cases:
using resistors in lieu of fuses or circuit breakers for low-amperage circuit
(for example, with LED lighting or indicators, one could put the current limiting
resistor at the bus rather than the device, and no additional circuit protection
would be necessary); or diode functions could be implemented in the
wiring harness.
I've found no other reference or source to anything like this. Is my interpretation
correct? If so, where might one find "crimp sleeves", beyond that one site?
I assume this would be limited to lead-to-wire vs. lead-to-lead (as might
be used in cascading components) - is this the case? What components are suitable
for this approach? The sample was actually an axially-leaded thermostat,
but I'd hope/expect it would work with leaded resistors and beefy-bodied plastic-encapsulated
diodes. And that leaded reed switches would be a really poor
choice.
Thoughts?
Thx,
Jon
Message 10
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| Subject: | Re: Crimping to component leads? |
At 08:32 PM 1/17/2012, you wrote:
I recently ran across "crimp sleeves" or some such at a web site,
associated with a leaded electrical component. Although it wasn't
explicit, I gathered that this is simply a small metal tube which can
be used to crimp a wire to the lead of the component. This approach
would be convenient in a couple of cases: using resistors in lieu of
fuses or circuit breakers for low-amperage circuit (for example, with
LED lighting or indicators, one could put the current limiting
resistor at the bus rather than the device, and no additional circuit
protection would be necessary); or diode functions could be
implemented in the wiring harness.
There are a number of such products that I saw in common
usage at Beech. Installing in-line components was not
allowed but they WERE used to splice wires and COULD be
used to install components.
Here's my own favorite technique for 'homeless' components.
http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/Homeless/Homeless_Components.htm
The goal is (1) good electrical connection and (2) support
of vibration prone solid wires including the solid-by-solder
strands of the wires.
I've found no other reference or source to anything like this. Is my
interpretation correct? If so, where might one find "crimp sleeves",
beyond that one site? I assume this would be limited to lead-to-wire
vs. lead-to-lead (as might be used in cascading components) - is this
the case? What components are suitable for this approach? The
sample was actually an axially-leaded thermostat, but I'd hope/expect
it would work with leaded resistors and beefy-bodied
plastic-encapsulated diodes.
Yup.
And that leaded reed switches would be a really poor choice.
You got that right!
Bob . . .
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