---------------------------------------------------------- Europa-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Sun 07/31/05: 10 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 02:33 AM - outrigger cuffs/locating hidden holes (Graham Singleton) 2. 04:06 AM - Radio Reception (Bryan Allsop) 3. 05:24 AM - My turn, today (N55XS) 4. 08:53 AM - Re: Loose muffler heat shield clamps (Cliff Shaw) 5. 11:03 AM - The magic of aerials (Fergus Kyle) 6. 11:53 AM - Re: Radio Reception (R.C.Harrison) 7. 03:14 PM - Re: Buying Avionics off eBay (Duncan McFadyean) 8. 09:19 PM - Re: Radio Reception (Fred Fillinger) 9. 09:20 PM - Rotax 914 problem/question (Matthew Carpenter) 10. 09:59 PM - Re: Buying Avionics off eBay (Richard Iddon) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 02:33:11 AM PST US From: Graham Singleton Subject: Europa-List: outrigger cuffs/locating hidden holes --> Europa-List message posted by: Graham Singleton Using the top of the cuff as a reference, project the centreline of the ourigger arm down the cuff. Project a line perpendicular to this line to intersect the centre of the scribe marks. Measurement 1: Top of cuff to intersect line Measurement 2: Length of intersect line from centreline to scribe mark Thanks Tony Tony set up one of those laser pointers to hit the hole you need to locate, now fit the cuff and the laser will shine on the imaginary hole ;-) Knowing you I'm sure you have a laser pointer somewhere? Graham or have I misunderstood your question? ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 04:06:03 AM PST US From: "Bryan Allsop" Subject: Europa-List: Radio Reception --> Europa-List message posted by: "Bryan Allsop" Hi Bob. I have just re-read you mail from last week (cut-out below). I am interested in the squelch aspect coupled with antennas. Does dumping the squelch enable reception in these cases? I note also that you are suffering in the 119 to 122 MHz range. Do you have any further reference to the adjustment prescribed by Icom. Regards, Bryan ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 05:24:13 AM PST US From: N55XS Subject: Europa-List: My turn, today --> Europa-List message posted by: N55XS After a week of apprehension, I finally got to fly Baby Blue, today. My test pilot showed up to put on a little air show with her, then I took her up for several take offs and landings. 9 in all. Then did a mini cross country, just to get used to the way she handles. Man, am I grinnin'! All in all, put 4.0 hours on her, today. Total of 5.0. 35 more to go. More pics at the build site, for those interested... Back at it, tomorrow... -- Jeff - N55XS http://www.n55xs.com 5 down 35 to go... do not archive ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 08:53:21 AM PST US From: "Cliff Shaw" Subject: Re: Europa-List: Loose muffler heat shield clamps --> Europa-List message posted by: "Cliff Shaw" All I had the very same problem in about 12 hours. Cliff Shaw 1041 Euclid ave. Edmonds, WA 98020 425 776 5555 http://www.europaowners.org/WileE Back home from Oshkosh. Flew 3,400 sm with no issues what so ever. Loaded some what over weight with a whole lots of stuff, and While E Coyote still could clime 400 ft/min at 10000 feet. I love the Europa !!!!! ----- Original Message ----- From: "willie harrison" Subject: Europa-List: Loose muffler heat shield clamps > --> Europa-List message posted by: "willie harrison" > > > Beware! The new design of clamp for securing the muffler heat shield > (which uses screwed fasteners instead of a crimped fasteners) has no > thread locking and shakes itself loose due to engine vibration. In my > case one of the two clamps fell right off after 8 hours flying and the > other one was very loose - not nice if the remains of the clamp find > their way back to snag the rudder cables. Also not nice if the heat > shield falls off and the muffler cooks something which shouldn't be > cooked. I will try lock nuts next time. > > Happy landings! > > Willie Harrison G-BZNY > > > ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 11:03:22 AM PST US From: "Fergus Kyle" Subject: Europa-List: The magic of aerials --> Europa-List message posted by: "Fergus Kyle" Bryan and Bob H: I think there are lots of opinions out there about what these magic items do (or don't do) - and this is just another. Nor do I intend insulting the intelligence of those who already know more than I. What complicates the task as compared to building/testing and installing ground-based rigs is that first of all we restrict the area/volume in which we paste 'em. Then we surround them with metal things [and us] of various sorts and finally we take 'em away from Mother Earth and can't figure out why they aren't perfect........ Fred has it OK - he mentioned nearby objects. When an antenna (not a 'powered' one) does its job best is when it reverberates at the frequency in use. This is arranged by shaping and cutting it until it 'rings' where we want. At that point, most of what we send up the pipe is duplicated by the aerial and sent out over the ether. [Sort of like pushing the swing at the right moment]. Getting the correct shape/size is a wizard's work and outside our scope - however once we settle on a type, we must then test to see how it reacts to nearby earth, objects of various sorts and how well it matches the coaxial cable we attached it to. One common standard is the 50ohm figure of impedance (resistance to radio frequency). That's what most cable is designed to transfer to the aerial. That requires careful assembly of the fittings with which we attach them. It's also the figure most transceivers expect to see. If they don'tsee it, modern units measure the power coming back down the pipe and reduce the output power to save the transmitter burning out. If the fittings or aerial aren't 'tuned' to these two data, energy is wasted heating them with RF which doesn't get out to the ether, and/or reflects them back to the transmitter. see above. By the way, the coax fittings vary greatly in the qualities necessary for efficient transfer. Be sure you have the best of materiel to assure top value. Then there's the space. Often we have to compromise on the volumn in which the antenna sits and this may reduce output at particular freqs. Also the design sometimes is affected to achieve partial success. The bigger the antenna/aerial, the greater the 'capture' area of received signals - again space intervenes. Here come the nearby objects - fuel lines, electric power, signals for other uses, strobe flashers and structure. If a near item is 'tuned' to a freq in our range, it absorbs the signal and/or 'skews' the planned signal. Let us not forget the engine (a fair block) and the salt-treated water bags we call humans, who are able to absorb all sorts of energy. All of these things affect the total output, the azimuth distribution of incoming signals, the power output across the band of frequencies, and so forth - so it is not possible to achieve perfection entirely. We can only approach it by compromise. The beauty of it is, there are chaps who bounce VHF signals off the moon and get back one-millionth of the power in return - we need only the tiniest fraction of a watt to receive well and so do ground stations. One thing I haven't seen discussed is the signal-strength circle. One gets the aircraft in the clear and draws a circle around it of about 100 feet radius. Then having picked a rational aero frequency, we walk the circle measuring the signal strength at say 15-degree intervals - with respect to the aircraft nose. Plot that circle and you have an appreciation of any restriction to a full circle of radiated signals. The receive azimuth will be a repeat of this. In the earlier days of aviation*, we had to wait until we were well past the station site before passing a message because both aircraft and ground aerials didn't work vertically. By the way, signals are vertically polarised [don't ask] in aerofreqs and if you rotate one antenna to the horizontal you can expect to lose 20db - a lot. The 1/4wave monopole, the Europa vertical dipole and the groundplane 1/4wave are all hung vertically for this reason. Ham VHF is vertical, TV is horizontal - there are reasons. Aviation is only aviators aviating - not airliners being built or stewardesses at work, or half the magazines on the rack. Like our friend said recently, I have to close now, - I hear Matron coming down the hall. Cheers, Ferg ________________________________ Message 6 _____________________________________ Time: 11:53:36 AM PST US From: "R.C.Harrison" Subject: RE: Europa-List: Radio Reception --> Europa-List message posted by: "R.C.Harrison" Hi!Bryan Yes dumping the squelch obviously allows lots of noise through but the required signal can mostly be heard excepting my Home Base Wickenby on 122.45 but I believe that may be somewhat due to them using a hand held from in the club house, that's why other aircraft have started a "help you out back up" by relaying base field info. to me when I'm approaching. I haven't noticed them doing it for anyone else. Waddington 122.35 is "fives" both ways but they put out about 25 watts ! On Radio checks for departure I have to move to a holding point before I can hear them. They get my transmission "fives" where ever I am. I took the a/c to Wolverhampton(Half Penny Green) where there is an ICOM service facility they claimed all adjustments were in spec. But wouldn't fly with me to try some in flight adjustments. Mark Burton has suggested to try "tweeking" the squelch adjust screw under the tape in the back of the set but that has really not improved matters and I'm fearful that I'd probably cock up the settings and need to pay more out to isolate the fact that I have a known problem put simply that the AUTO SQUELCH is a load of crap. With the Europa recommended copper tape method and suitable balons etc. as per Bob Archer it was marginally worse than with my Airworld antenna pointing downwards. IMHO the problem is entirely due to the auto squelch system taking out the required message. As I explained, you name it I've done it to find a fix but I'm no radio ham. I just can't see the point of an auto squelch control the damn thing is not fit for purpose. Just read this and it's mostly duplication of the original posting from me, Sorry but now you have it twice! Regards Bob H G-PTAG Robt.C.Harrison -----Original Message----- From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Bryan Allsop Subject: Europa-List: Radio Reception --> Europa-List message posted by: "Bryan Allsop" Hi Bob. I have just re-read you mail from last week (cut-out below). I am interested in the squelch aspect coupled with antennas. Does dumping the squelch enable reception in these cases? I note also that you are suffering in the 119 to 122 MHz range. Do you have any further reference to the adjustment prescribed by Icom. Regards, Bryan ________________________________ Message 7 _____________________________________ Time: 03:14:31 PM PST US From: "Duncan McFadyean" Subject: Re: Europa-List: Buying Avionics off eBay --> Europa-List message posted by: "Duncan McFadyean" I had a similar experience with an Icom handheld sold on ebay, only I bid on the basis that it worked. It didn't, even though the 'transmit' flag came up. The radio could never have worked because the output rf transistor leads had been cut and the tarnished copper on the cut ends showed that this hadn't been recent. Got my money back after sufficiently threatening/embarrassing the vendor; but was lucky on that occasion. Duncan McF. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Fred Fillinger" Subject: Europa-List: Buying Avionics off eBay > --> Europa-List message posted by: "Fred Fillinger" > > It has occurred to me I now should describe the world of > eBay, so nobody gets burned. The Narco COM 120 I bought was > actually funny. Very good cosmetic condition; tested great > on the bench. The seller said "working when removed for > upgrade." They love that last word, because it implies no > other reason to replace. Well, it had a thermal fault. > Showed up after 45 minutes, like Old Faithful. So "upgrade" > can really mean just replacing a bad box.. He wasn't > fibbing; because it was removed "cold" and of > course...worked when removed! > > A crazy one was a nav receiver. According to several > repairs tags stuffed inside, in Spanish, it spent much of > its life in Mexico. Well, there's a licensed repair guy > down there named Pancho, who must rip stuff out of old > Emerson table radios for parts. Wrong value, but circuit > operation would be unaffected, and probably he knew that. > But an oversized part, requiring a horrid installation > method. > > So this radio winds up north over the border in Texas, > offered by a guy who eBay resells a lot of this stuff. You > can tell when such a guy knows avionics, by the wording in > his eBay offerings. Most everything is "AS IS," but when a > guy like this says "working when removed," it means the guy > who sold it to him said it did, like maybe even a Pancho. > This guy only occasionally says "unknown condition." If no > one told him OK when removed, well a guy who knows avionics > can check this box in minutes for basic function, so > "unknown condition" means...it doesn't work! It didn't; but > for $25 I gambled a circuit board I needed would be OK, and > was after repairing old Pancho's handiwork. > > Have four other eBay items that don't work; two that do. > Only takes enough other eBay bidders to be suspicious enough > I won on a very low bid. Only one seller described exactly > what was wrong with it. > > Reg, > Fred F. > > > ________________________________ Message 8 _____________________________________ Time: 09:19:40 PM PST US From: "Fred Fillinger" Subject: Re: Europa-List: Radio Reception --> Europa-List message posted by: "Fred Fillinger" > Yes dumping the squelch obviously allows lots of noise through but the > required signal can mostly be heard excepting my Home Base Wickenby on > 122.45 but I believe that may be somewhat due to them using a hand held Bob, Everything you have been describing says there is not enough RF microvolts arriving at the back of the box -- by a wide margin. How far do you have to go to get within 80-100 miles of Heathrow or Manchester or similar? Be at a few thousand AGL, dump your squelch if necessary; listen to aircraft on tower/approach/departure. Keep the field off the nose, cause that's where your huge null is, caused by antenna interference. Maybe aggravated by poor coax or BNC connector. I suspect you'll hear nothing, but you should, with autosquelch even. An Archer will fix nothing, and autosquelch is not your issue, clearly because you're receiving such abysmally low signal levels. Consider giving the suggested flight a try. As to hearing handhelds, there's a 5-plane banner towing operation here where everybody uses a handheld, like ground crew. The boss uses one. The guys in the planes use them. Skip the reasons they must use them, but it's a necessary situation which by default puts them 5-6 miles out at 1,000 AGL. If they couldn't be heard, and they're typically 2W carrier, the company owner wouldn't buy everybody handhelds. I live adjacent to the field and can hear them also at home on my airband scanner. Reg, Fred F. ________________________________ Message 9 _____________________________________ Time: 09:20:37 PM PST US Subject: Europa-List: Rotax 914 problem/question From: Matthew Carpenter --> Europa-List message posted by: Matthew Carpenter A weird problem with our 914 showed up on the way home from Oshkosh last Wednesday. 1.5 hours from Oshkosh heading to Texas, the altitude was 6500 msl and the OAT was 44F. The engine begin to lose power, the sound changed. The EGT, normally at 1360 was at 1550 and going up. When the EGT hit 1600 the engine begin to sound ruff, like it was starting to miss, but not to the point of stopping. To us it seemed the the mixture was to lean.. might we be seeing some carb ice? Water in the gas? I turned on the secondary full pump, the EGT dropped down to 1550, and the engine did smooth out, but the power was still not there. The MP showed 31, RMP was at 5000, it all looked good.. except for the EGT. We landed and replaced the full filter.. maybe it was starting to clog up.. Ran fine for 1 more hour, 4500msl and 65F OAT, then the problem came back. I went down to 2000 msl, and the problem went away. We landed once more, and I checked all the hoses, and electrical wiring under the hood, everything looked fine. We ended up flying the rest of the way at 3500msl, and had no problems for 3 hours.. Any ideas?? Why would the EGT drop when I turn on both fuel pumps, and then return to 1600+ with only 1 pump on. (even toggled the two pumps). Hope someone had some ideas, I would like to fix it before the next long flight. Thanks, Matt Carpenter A138 N138WJ Amarillo Texas ________________________________ Message 10 ____________________________________ Time: 09:59:49 PM PST US From: "Richard Iddon" Subject: RE: Europa-List: Buying Avionics off eBay --> Europa-List message posted by: "Richard Iddon" You think you had problems! There is an old Vulcan bomber (yes, a real one) parked outside Blackpool air centre, where I keep G-RIXS. It is owned by the boss of the centre and he 'sold' it on Ebay to a guy who wanted to park it outside his pub as a visitor attraction. Having bid (I believe) 15,000 pounds for it, he discovered that he couldn't just put it on his car trailer to move it, (I think it weighs around 100 tons), so he tried to cancel the deal. The whole mess is now in the hands of solicitors. In the meantime, as part of the deal was that he should move it in a specific time as the land was wanted for other purposes, the buyer is being billed for 'parking' a 100 ton aircraft at Blackpool. I believe he has received parking charges so far for over 30,000 pounds. Caveat Emptor or what! Richard Iddon G-RIXS Do not archive Subject: Re: Europa-List: Buying Avionics off eBay --> Europa-List message posted by: "Duncan McFadyean" I had a similar experience with an Icom handheld sold on ebay, only I bid on the basis that it worked. It didn't, even though the 'transmit' flag came up. The radio could never have worked because the output rf transistor leads had been cut and the tarnished copper on the cut ends showed that this hadn't been recent. Got my money back after sufficiently threatening/embarrassing the vendor; but was lucky on that occasion. Duncan McF.