Version 16.10 AF-6600 AF-5000 Series Install Manual 74
Antenna Ground Plane
When a conventional aircraft monopole antenna is used it relies on a ground plane for correct
behavior. For ideal performance the ground plane should be very large compared to the wavelength of
the transmission, which is approx. 7.5 feet. In a metal skinned aircraft this is usually easy to
accomplish, but is more difficult in a composite or fabric skinned aircraft. In these cases a metallic
ground plane should be fabricated and fitted under the antenna.
As the ground plane is made smaller, the actual dimensions of the ground plane become more critical,
and small multiples of the wavelength should be avoided, as should circles. Rectangles or squares are
much less likely to create a critical dimension that resonates with the transmissions. The thickness of
the material used to construct the ground plane is not critical, providing it is sufficiently conductive. A
variety of proprietary mesh and grid solutions are available. Heavyweight cooking foil meets the
technical requirements, but obviously needs to be properly supported.
Antenna Cable
When routing the cable, ensure that you:
• Route the cable away from sources of heat.
• Avoid routing antenna cables together.
• Route the cable away from potential interference sources such as ignition wiring, 400Hz
generators, fluorescent lighting and electric motors.
• Allow a minimum separation of 300 mm (12 inches) from an ADF antenna cable.
• Keep the cable run as short as possible.
• Avoid routing the cable around tight bends.
• Avoid kinking the cable even temporarily during installation.
• Secure the cable so that it cannot interfere with other systems.
See the EFIS Setup and Configuration section of this manual for EFIS radio configuration.
• SQUELCH LEVEL – Adjust squelch level so that the audio is heard during transmissions, and
muted when transmissions are not present.
• SIDETONE VOLUME – Adjust for your personal preference of how much microphone audio is
heard in the headset when transmitting.
• MIC GAIN – The default setting of 50 should work for most installations. If other people report
that your transmissions fade off at the end or can't be heard at all, you may need more mic
gain. If your transmissions are reported to sound "hollow", "robotic" or if they have a lot of
background noise, less mic gain is likely needed. Follow the instructions in this menu to find a
value that works for your installation. Also note these issues can only be heard on real
transmissions by third parties. The sidetone you hear in your own headset is completely
unaffected by Mic Gain.
• PRIMARY SN – The primary radio serial number needs to be set in the Com Radio Setup Page.
The serial number can be found by doing a scan in CAL→ ADVANCED SV-NETWORK
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