Antenna diagnostics for wireless communication unit for communicating engine data

A method for performing diagnostics on an antenna in communication with a wireless communication unit located in a nacelle of an aerial vehicle engine comprising:

• receiving, by one or more computing devices, a voltage from a diagnostic circuit for the antenna;
• determining, by the one or more computing devices, a change in a magnitude of the voltage received from the diagnostic circuit;
• and
• determining, by the one or more computing devices, a condition of the antenna based, at least in part, on the change in the magnitude of the received voltage.

A diagnostic circuit for an antenna located in a nacelle of a gas turbine engine mounted to an aerial vehicle, the diagnostic circuit comprising:

• a load resistor electrically coupled to the antenna and a ground node of the diagnostic circuit, the load resistor having a known resistance;
• a first resistor electrically coupled to the load resistor at a first node of the diagnostic circuit;
• a second resistor electrically coupled to the first resistor at a second node of the diagnostic circuit;
• a third resistor electrically coupled to the second resistor at the second node of the diagnostic circuit;
• and
• a fourth resistor electrically coupled to the third resistor at a third node of the diagnostic circuit,
• wherein when a condition of the antenna changes, a magnitude of a voltage at the third node changes due, at least in part, to a change in a voltage across the load resistor.