GPS 2020 Installation Orientation

eflisher

I love flying!
Joined
Nov 29, 2013
Messages
1
When mounting the GPS 2020 on the top of a RV-9A fuselage aft of the sliding canopy, does the orientation of the receiver matter? Does the restriction to stay 3 feet from any transmitting antenna apply to an ELT antenna?
 

GregC

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Sep 3, 2019
Messages
14
Location
Lexington, Kentucky, USA
Just thinking here... GPS "receivers" typically have an internal "patch" antenna. It would make sense to me that the antenna was in the top of the receiver package, to better "see" the satellites above. If the receiver is mounted inverted, the internal circuit board would be between the patch antenna and the sky. I would think that would adversely affect the signal strength picked up from the satellites. You can try it for yourself, right side up, and up side down, by monitoring the satellite signal strength using the instructions on pages 8-13 through 8-15 of the SkyView System Installation Guide - Revision AE.
 

Dynon

Dynon Staff
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Jan 14, 2013
Messages
14,217
Location
Woodinville, WA
Orientation does matter. You want the GPS facing up. Rotationally it doesn't matter (there is no forward or backward).

Your ELT antenna is dormant until it broadcasts, so from a normal operating perspective, it won't interfere. However, if it's blasting away in an emergency, it could conceivably interfere.
 
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