Tailcone questions

[Ralph Baker]

1- We mounted our ELT next to the elevator cable pulleys just aft of the rear fuselage floor. It is convienient to make a shelf with an edge break of about 3/4" to stiffen it. Then you can rivet on 3 sides into bulkheads at front and rear of pulleys and the top of the channel that mounts the pulleys. Don't forget a doubler on the fuselage top where the ELT antenna mounts. Also, if you use an ELT with remote test now is the time to consider wire routing to the panel.

2- We elected to mount the transponder antenna a little farther forward. In your Elite there is a double bulkhead at the front of the baggage compartment. Our transponder antenna is mounted left of center in the space about 8" wide just forward of the double bulkhead. It will have to be accessed through a removable plate in the inner floor (located after seat rail installation). The antenna cable will run in 3/4" ribbed plastic flex conduit forward in the "U" cutouts in the bulkheads and exit the corner wrap at the left front through a grommet and then around the carry through and up to the panel. That is designed to make the cable and/or the antenna replaceable easily. Spare plastic conduit was pulled in the other "U" cutouts and lead up and out the top of the space between the closely spaced bulkheads at the forward edge of the baggage area. These should allow fin beacon power wiring and com and marker beacon antenna wiring a route from aft of the cabin to the panel without
exposure to mechanical damage.

3- We will not be "floating" for a while but even on wheels a small (1/8") hole at low points in the tailcone seems like a good idea to drain any rain or condensation before it builds up or freezes. If I remember, Bob Patterson has expressed an opinion on this before.

Now my turn to ask a question. Anyone have a source of right angle BNC connectors for RG58 antenna cable? I specifically want one that has a soldered lead and screw together assembly with gland, not crimp type. It will have to be a "male" type 88.

Ralph Baker
Elite 624E (reserved)

PS- If you will also have a marker beacon antenna keep 24" minimum between that and transponder antenna and keep them both out of the direct exhaust flow as much as possible.