Fairing Finishing/UAT Antenna Install

Haven't posted lately but have been busy. Since I had the vertical stab off it seemed like a good time to install the transponder/ADS-B antenna on the bottom of the aft fuselage. Most antennas get a doubler under the antenna base to reinforce the normally thin .025 skins. If the antenna flutters or vibrates it can crack the skin over time. The aft lower skin in the RV-14 is pretty beefy at .040" thick. Van's doesn't show a doubler installed here but many guys put one in. AC43-13 didn't offer much guidance. I discussed it with my RV-14 building buddy Craig. He's an A&P and IA with prior RV experience. I also asked Don at Delta Pop Antennas. Their consensus was the thick .040" skin coupled with the very short antenna and thus small moment arm meant a doubler in this location wasn't needed. Don added that I could add a couple of large washers to spread the load if I was concerned so I did that. I frequently watch EAA Hints of Homebuilders videos on the EAA website. There's a wealth of info there. One video dealt with an alternative sealant to the standard RTV that is frequently used in a location like this. White or clear acrylic latex caulk can be used. It's cheap, fairly solvent resistant, water cleanup, not as unsightly as red or black RTV, and its paintable. The video claimed it could be used on engine baffles forward of the firewall and was heat resistant. Doubt I'll use it firewall forward. But for sealing a small antenna against moisture in an environment isolated from gasoline? I was comfortable with that so used it and it worked fine. My new Perma Grit abrasive countersinking tools arrived from the UK. They were worth the wait and the money. I was able to quickly and cleanly countersink all 27 fairing screw holes. The bits make a nice clean, symmetrical countersink and are easily controllable. Much better than a normal cutting type countersink bit. I also final trimmed all the fairing edges. Last task is using flox to fill in gaps where the fairing and underlying skin don't touch.