> Should I
> attach the antenna to skin prior to closing the tail?  If so, how many
BIDs
> should be used.  Should the antenna be installed in such a way as to be
> able to expand/contract independently of the tail skin?
> Could use some suggestions,
> Mark

Hello Mark,

I installed an internal antenna in the V stab of our 320. I bonded it to the
right side skin interrior and put a wide 2 bid over it, then built up the
ribs and spars. I put extra wide reinforcing bids between the spars/ribs and
the skin where it went over the antenna to be sure that the load would be
transferred to the skin and not the antenna. I then built cap strips on the
ribs and spars and bonded on the left skin. I didn't put any mechanism for
expansion of the antenna independent of the skin. It's been working great
for 300 hours now. I also have a Bob Archer antenna (#2 com) mounted on the
fuselage side in the baggage compartment. It too works great. Our vhf nav
antenna is similarly mounted in the H Stab (VOR reception 120 nm + at
10,000), our transponder antenna in on the aft fuselage side, TCAD antennas
on the fuselage sides just behind the rudder pedals, marker beacon on the
baggage compt floor (it works too good, you get a marker signal for a couple
of miles either side of the marker)  FM antenna on the nosegear well side,
GPS is on a bracket just behind the canopy rollover, Strike finder on a
bracket hanging from the ceiling behind the bag bulkhead and ELT vertically
behind the baggage bulkhead. No external antennas...no complaints.

Let me know if you need any further info.

Bill
harrelson@erols.com
N5ZQ  LNC2  O-320  VA42