We must be comparing apple and oranges here Ryan, The wire antenna I was referring to were for com only, they were utilized for radios to transmit in the 200-420 KC range or used as an alternate receiver to a loop antenna---this is back when there was one frequency for all towers---278KC--most definitely a Low Frequency. Of course this was in the 40s and 50s.
As far as VHF nav antenna--well, those little whisker doohickeys or blade antenna on the tail handle that on most light aircraft and the HF wire antenna you're talking about are of a different sort.
He didn't say what kind of wire antenna he was talking about. So if we can think of an antenna that went on an aircraft that used a wire we can assume he's talking about that one.
Only two I've seen are the HF and the NAV that our 172s had. On the 172 it was a wire from the top of the fuselage above the rear seats to the top of the tail. Similiar to how an HF antenna is mounted.
The type you're talking about is a bit before my time.
"Before your time?" You better believe it!
And people were flying airplanes a bit before my time too!
Look Ryan, what I have been trying to tell you is that the wire antenna on small aircraft was for the ADF which operates in the LF band (max 1650, top of the broadcast band) it is not and was never intended for use in the VHF band--NEVER, NEVER!---It is impossible to use the before mentioned wire antenna (cabin roof to tail) to receive a signal from a VOR (get the word IMPOSSIBLE?)
Yes, there are a few (DAMN FEW) HF installations that use a similar wire antenna instead of the trailing wire but to even consider that there's going to be a 172 running around the hamburger circuit with an HF installation is so absurd as to be a near impossibility.
The LF wire antenna is still used for ADF radios which most but not all pilots are replacing with GPS units and by the way, I can still shoot an NDB approach, but the last one I can remember in IMC was about 1982--On the rare occasion I get into an airplane with an ADF, I'll demonstrate them but usually only for the fun of showing someone how things used to be.
The aircraft that I fly at work have all had the ADF units and related antenna removed, because we would have to integrate them into our Part 135 operations and demonstrate them during the checkrides if not removed.
Yes, I've been around awhile and have utilized LF Ranges and LF com---but not for 45 plus years. (An LF range by the way broadcasts in four quadrants, 2 with a dit-da and 2 with a da-dit, when you were on course the Morse codes would overlap to a solid tone so there would be 4 airways to follow to or from the station) The last "A-N" range at Oakland was decommissioned about 1961 with the advent of VOR.
The main point I was trying to get you to see was the VHF radios such as a VOR cannot be used with the aforementioned wire antenna, period, might as well hook your VOR nav radio to a piece of tinfoil on the friggin glare shield
Don't feel I'm jumping your ass, I simply want you to understand.