Fixing the Transponder with Duct Tape and Aluminum Foil

Charlie England wrote:

Try your local Home Depot 'A/C supply'.

Go to the insulation section & look for 'aluminized mylar' radiant barrier
insulation. It comes in various forms. Best for you would be the mylar sheet
with an aluminum foil bonded to the mylar. Other types may look like either
bubble wrap or foam wrap sheets for protecting delicate stuff for shipment,
but will still have the aluminum foil coating. More durable than just foil;
you can make a 'boot' by stitching a sheet into a cone shape.

Ron Wanttaja replied:

Neat idea, thanks, Charlie. Don't have a Home Depot A/C Supply real close,
but Lowe's Aerospace is right across the road from the airport. :-)

It probably isn't an issue in Ron's case, but having recently seen the Nova
program on the investigation into the causes of the crash of SwissAir #111 I
feel compelled to point out that some aluminized Mylar insulation is
flammable.

Russell Kent

On Mon, 08 Mar 2004 14:06:44 -0600, Russell Kent wrote:

It probably isn't an issue in Ron's case, but having recently seen the Nova
program on the investigation into the causes of the crash of SwissAir #111 I
feel compelled to point out that some aluminized Mylar insulation is
flammable.

Considering that there's a manly pilot leg running on the left side of the
avionics box, and another manly pilot leg on the RIGHT side of the box,
it's something I should keep in mind.

But I actually came up with the perfect solution this afternoon...assuming
the technology cooperates. I was mulling over how I'd cut the sheet, wrap
it around the radio and the wiring harness, and realized that what I needed
was a aluminized mylar funnel.

Something very much like the bottom of a shiny aluminum toy balloon....

So I'm going to pick up a couple of (uninflated) balloons and turn my
multimeter loose on them. Maybe I'll find a left-over Valentine's Day
balloon on sale..

I'm really hoping they'll work out. The idea of buying an aircraft part at
a store called "Party Universe" is almost irresistible. :-)

Ron Wanttaja

Ron Wanttaja wrote:


I'm really hoping they'll work out. The idea of buying an aircraft part at
a store called "Party Universe" is almost irresistible. :-)

Ron Wanttaja


This is just too cool for school, Ron!



Richard

On Tue, 09 Mar 2004 03:02:57 GMT, Richard Lamb
wrote:

Ron Wanttaja wrote:


I'm really hoping they'll work out. The idea of buying an aircraft part at
a store called "Party Universe" is almost irresistible. :-)

This is just too cool for school, Ron!

After fifteen minutes fiddling with my multimeter, my guess is that the
aluminum layer is too thin to count on. Touching the probes on the shiny
exterior, the DVM readout never *did* stabilize...down to 40 ohms, back to
infinity, down to 100K, back to infinity, etc. The LCD screen spent more
time blanked than displaying any value.

I did a less-scientific test...I sliced open a balloon and inserted a cell
phone inside. The signal-strength readout did drop from full to just one
bar.

I may try it anyway, just because installation is fairly easy. But I
suspect the points of contact will rub away rapidly, losing the ground
connection and causing the noise level to rise again.

By now, I've collected material for several approaches, like the 1/2"
copper tape the RST winged-but-definitely-heterosexual-mythical-creature
left me and the aluminum window screening I shelled out $5 for last
weekend. I even got some of that "holy grail" copper tape I mentioned on
an earlier posting...it's 16" wide and 4 feet long, with a peel-off
adhesive backing. So I certainly don't lack options....

Ron Wanttaja

There are those fancy condoms that they sell in the mens' room at the truck
stops... {;-)


Jim


Ron Wanttaja
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

-So I'm going to pick up a couple of (uninflated) balloons and turn my
-multimeter loose on them. Maybe I'll find a left-over Valentine's Day
-balloon on sale..

Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

I have noticed the clicking and chased the problem, mine comes from the
encoder..... if i turn the encoder off it coes away. Running a Microair
T2000 and ATK350

Thanks Michael

Jim Weir wrote:
There are those fancy condoms that they sell in the mens' room at the truck
stops... {;-)


Jim


Ron Wanttaja
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

-So I'm going to pick up a couple of (uninflated) balloons and turn my
-multimeter loose on them. Maybe I'll find a left-over Valentine's Day
-balloon on sale..

Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

Why can't you just continue to use what worked? Namely the aluminum foil.

Signed,
Not Understanding, Captain of the least resistance


"Ron Wanttaja" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 08 Mar 2004 14:06:44 -0600, Russell Kent wrote:

It probably isn't an issue in Ron's case, but having recently seen the
Nova
program on the investigation into the causes of the crash of SwissAir
#111 I
feel compelled to point out that some aluminized Mylar insulation is
flammable.

Considering that there's a manly pilot leg running on the left side of the
avionics box, and another manly pilot leg on the RIGHT side of the box,
it's something I should keep in mind.

But I actually came up with the perfect solution this afternoon...assuming
the technology cooperates. I was mulling over how I'd cut the sheet, wrap
it around the radio and the wiring harness, and realized that what I
needed
was a aluminized mylar funnel.

Something very much like the bottom of a shiny aluminum toy balloon....

So I'm going to pick up a couple of (uninflated) balloons and turn my
multimeter loose on them. Maybe I'll find a left-over Valentine's Day
balloon on sale..

I'm really hoping they'll work out. The idea of buying an aircraft part
at
a store called "Party Universe" is almost irresistible. :-)

Ron Wanttaja

On Tue, 9 Mar 2004 19:52:22 -0600, "Joe" wrote:

Why can't you just continue to use what worked? Namely the aluminum foil.

Durability and maintainability are the main issues. This isn't tucked
behind an instrument panel... the radios are mounted in an open-ended box
on the floorboards, and the area is brushed by my right foot when I get
into and out of the airplane. So it has to be something that doesn't tear
easily.

The current foil is basically just crumpled-on and duct-taped in place. If
I have to remove it, it'll just come apart and I'll have to start from
scratch. Plus, I think it was already starting to loosen, etc during the
single flight...interference seemed to be coming back by the end of the
test ride.

I'd rather have something a bit more durable held on with tie-wraps and/or
clamps. My thought is to bend up a hose clamp so it'll snug the new
shielding tight around the square cross-section of the back of the radio,
and tie-wrap it around the existing shielding on the wiring harness. Then,
to remove the radio, all I'll have to do is loosen the clamp and slide back
the shielding to get at the connectors, and slide it back into place and
tighten the clamp when I'm done. If it were aluminum foil, I'd probably
have to completely take it away and fit a new piece, every time.

Finally... since I didn't build this airplane, I have to have an A&P do the
annual inspection every year. He's eventually, essentially, going to have
to sign off my installation as part of the annual. I'd just as soon
present him with a professional-looking job.

But you're right, I'm weird. :-)

Ron "Pay no attention to Marvel Mystery Oil in the Crankcase" Wanttaja