2 1/4" panel mount radio

[Kyle Communications]

nah you get it in from USA 🙂

Not rocket Rod

 

[Kyle Communications]

No wiring harness included Jack...but normal..think its a DB15 on the back like most

 

I had to get a new volume pot for the repaired one..came from the USA took a while but still can get parts which is good

 

 

[derekliston]

26 minutes ago, jackc said:

Flightline 760A looks like a choice for me, I will leave the mounted hand held in and then I have 2 radios, but need 2 antennas.

I guess it may be handy IF one radio goes down, I can use the second one.  The 760A is now about $1495 on Sky Shop, not sure IF that includes wiring harness?

 

https://www.skyshop.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=2391

 

I have 2 antennae but not being a radio man I wonder if it is possible to use a Y splitter like you can put on a television antenna?

[Kyle Communications]

NO !!!!!!!  separate antennas spaced as far apart as possible

 

[derekliston]

As I said, I just wondered!

[jackc]

42 minutes ago, Kyle Communications said:

NO !!!!!!!  separate antennas spaced as far apart as possible

 

I have an antenna on the turtle deck, but will fit my second one on the bottom side of the fuselage.

[danny_galaga]

On 14/03/2021 at 12:28 PM, Jim McDowall said:

Have a look at the classifieds at www.seglflug.de. As Europe has abandoned 25kHz spacing there are many good radios coming out of gliders. I have installed 2 Becker 4201 at a cost of $3-400 each. They fit in a 21/4 hole.

Well I bIt the bullet. I went for the older AR3201 . doesn't have the two frequency 'toggle' feature like the 4201 but has 4 positions to store frequencies. That'll do me. Cheap as chips 🙂

 

Thanks again for the heads up!

[skippydiesel]

Danny mate - being able to listen out on a second channel  (with flip/flop) is one of the best safety and communication efficiency  investments I have ever made.

[ev17ifly2]

2 hours ago, skippydiesel said:

Danny mate - being able to listen out on a second channel  (with flip/flop) is one of the best safety and communication efficiency  investments I have ever made.

Couldn’t agree more

[Blueadventures]

6 hours ago, danny_galaga said:

Well I bIt the bullet. I went for the older AR3201 . doesn't have the two frequency 'toggle' feature like the 4201 but has 4 positions to store frequencies. That'll do me. Cheap as chips 🙂

 

Thanks again for the heads up!

Sounds good. You can always upgrade later. Make sure you fit a good ground plane don’t rely on frame and best quality coax and antenna.

[RFguy]

separate antennas TOP and BOTTOM. 

 

those antennas are TOO CLOSE.

 

likely to blow up a radio with that close spacing

 

-glen

 

[danny_galaga]

On 04/04/2021 at 4:12 PM, Blueadventures said:

Sounds good. You can always upgrade later. Make sure you fit a good ground plane don’t rely on frame and best quality coax and antenna.

Yeah, I figured that since it has four spots to save frequencies once I am used to setting and saving them it won't be much different to the more modern type of radio. Position A is current frequency and then that can be saved into one of the four. I figure people have been flying successfully that way for decades, in way heavier airspace than I will be flying in! Right now I haven't even done any Navs so if this plane ever gets finished soon I aint goin anywhere far anyway 🤣

 

 

Edited April 5, 2021 by danny_galaga

[danny_galaga]

Forgot to add this pic before the 2 minute edit window expired 😅

 

 

[skippydiesel]

Hate to be a "wet blanket" however in this case I feel communication technology has, not only moved on, it has actually delivered a big step up in safety and efficiency, that should transcend acquisition price.

 

The ability to listen in on one channel and communicate on another, gives the pilot the ability to hear/monitor the big picture, while communicating with the "target"  Pre select frequencies, then flip/flop when desired and if desirable store them for future quick access's. 

 

I fly from the Sydney Basin, in an airspace being used by three training airfields  - At different stages of the flight, I find it very useful to be able to able to monitor the "target" circuit, while on Area frequency and visa versa.

 

When returning from a Nav I can obtain AWIS/ATIS on standby  and listen in without going off Area.

 

In turbulence, I can make mistakes on selecting the next frequency but if I do this on the standby channel, I do not compromise listening out on the existing frequency.

 

All of this makes for greatly enhanced safety, reduced work load and increased efficiency.

 

I suggest you rethink your communication strategy

[RFguy]

I will have one of my own new radios in my plane soon. It has 32 rx channels simultaneously. Putting that aside- the problem is....

the problem is , how to EFFECTIVELY deal with multi channels in 2.25" ?

I am interested in suggestions. There isnt much room.

 

1) you need if multiple channels are in your headset  from one radio : let's call it three channels

- Indication of which channel is active (or channels are are active). That is easy , an indicator next to FREQ

- ideally a friendly name stored next to it. there isnt much room for that. 

 

2) also, there should be priority volume ducking so that say if you have 3 channels active, u can select a channel that pushes down the volume other channels if simultaneously active, with a hang time . preferably with a single button press next to the frequency indicator.  system would return to non ducking after some period.

 

3) There needs to be a fourth frequency display that holds the variable- next  one, so that when the dial is turned, that is the one that changes and you make active in either 1,2 or 3 by pushing the button next to the indicator

 

4) Variable sensitivity per channel -  You dont always want maximum sensitivity.  I dont want to hear people taking off and all scratchy at Cootamundra when I am getting airborne in cowra ... the ability to attenuate (limit range) of a selected channel with a push button (auto timeout) . 

 

5) noise rejection/ spark plug ignition elimination- that's an easy one for a modern radio. 

 

6) interference indicator- so you can know your sensitivity is affected (USB charger ?!)

 

7) antenna system tester and alignment indicator. easy for a modern radio.  no need for the rf tech in most cases.

 

any other ideas ?

 

again, problem is 2.25" is HARD. I have a microair sitting my by desk next to me for size. there really isnt much that can be done AND accomodate big fingers. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

Glenn have you done something with a SDR

On a existing form? or a new design?

[RFguy]

SDR is what I do for a living.. will msg u direct. 

[RFguy]

and of course the usual record/replay functions. and also a automatic tone notcher so you dont get your ears blown off and also a volume normalizer, again so you dont get your ears blown off

and an external audio input so you can play music which gets ducked by any transmissions that are received. 

 

and squelch open hold, so when the squelch opens, the radio freezes time for 0.5 a second  ( silence) so that you brain can get focussed on the radio and you stop talking to your passenger. . after 0.5 second of delay, which is actually letting the traffic bank up, the incoming transmission is played, and  the 0.5 sec gets caught up by removing gaps in the speech gradually over a few seconds. how many of us have missed the first second because we were yabbering about something on the ground. 

 

 

[RFguy]

the 64$ question is the 2.25" panel. and how to display :

 

4  frequencies  (3 active, 1 variable) 

for each channel line in the display  - 

- can go inverse over the frequency for activity

- symbol  on display for interference 

- symbol to indicate which one is priority on the ducking .

 

needs a  4 position rotary switch (not continuous rotation)  for selecting 1,2,3 or the forth (so it can be set by 'feel' just counting clicks )

the selected channel is always the PTT target.

 

needs VFO dial for spinning a frequency up. the dial always spins the variable freq

 

needs a button for move the variable freq into selected active.

hold same button down for a few seconds to UNDO last change. 

 

button for make selected channel the duck priority 

 

needs volume ctl(volume controls  active selected channel or if pulled out unclicked all ch)

needs clock option through a function  for when you forget your watch.  replaces one channel of the display.

 

indicator for which PTT is active.

indicator for antenna problem/ self test error, 

On transmit , Modulation and power are displayed . signal displays on recv for active channel. 

 

need large display format, so the active selected channel is displays LARGE  (and channels that are busy display in big blobs) so that the display goes from a  small character  4 line display to a large character two line display.

 

the microair with its 2 line display is the minimum I would regard as size visible. 

[danny_galaga]

I concede I don't have much experience with navs but I figure I can go a long way with four frequencies preset. I kinda like that it is numbered 1-4. If I take off for cross country then I start with the local frequency on the A position. My plane can cover about 400 or so nautical miles. It's RA so no control zones. And it could be a long time before I even get to travel that far. 

[RFguy]

yeah hence 3 freqs plus the line you have which is the variable one that gets loaded into the active. 

 

OTCA that for me is CTAF, CENTRE, next AWIS

 

would be nice to monitor the gliders, also. 

Edited April 8, 2021 by RFguy

[RFguy]

HOW BIG can I make the front on a 2.25" hole radio ? - that answer depends on how far apart do people drill their 2.25" mtg holes ? 

do people have them 2.25" center to center  (packed) ? 3" , 4 " ?

 

since the guts are elsewhere, there isnt a radio behind so it fits flush and just mounts on the screws. 

[kgwilson]

Why not just have a separate  surface mounted LCD display above (or to the side or below) the switches & dials, then you could have say 4 lines & also with more characters per line.

[jackc]

8 hours ago, RFguy said:

SDR is what I do for a living.. will msg u direct. 

Build it......and they will come 🙂

[danny_galaga]

Here's the procedure. I don't think it should be too much hassle...

 

http://www.ddsc.org.au/documents/manuals/Ventus B/Becker AR 3201 Radio Guide.pdf