New vhf radios

[Kyle Communications]

Just checked the price of the 220..yep nearly double the price

 

 

[seb7701]

I had to replace an Icom and ended up with an MGL V10. Great piece of kit with some good filtering abilities also, not to mention the inbuilt intercom etc. Also had great assistance from both local distributor as well as the South Africa, as I think it was actually one of the designers who replied last I had a question. Just another good option if you need it...

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

I think the V10 is NLA due to parts issues..the V6 is the current one

 

Price is pretty reasonable as well on the local agents website...

 

 

[seb7701]

Yep, they mention limited availability. Either would be fine I'm sure, but so far I do really dig mine!

 

 

[cscotthendry]

If you're replacing the radio and have room for a 6" rack form factor, the Garmin GTR200 is a great radio. It's cheaper that the TSO (GTR200) version (if that's an option for you) and it has some really neat features like a stereo intercom and 3D audio. I wired up mine to stereo headset jacks and I have a pair of Zulu headsets that can do stereo. The 3D audio comes in when you have it on dual watch. The active frequency reception comes mostly into your left ear, while the standby comes into your right ear. Also, anything the pax says comes mostly in your right ear so it sounds like you're not wearing headphones. Also, if you're that way inclined, you can plumb in stereo audio from an auxiliary source such as an iPhone iPod etc and listen to stereo music. It will automatically mute the music when you get a received signal.

 

The radio has good power out, a great automatic squelch function, nice clear audio quality, a very bright readable display, the ability to have a remote memory select and active/standby toggle, and heaps of other nice feature in addition to the Garmin reputation for reliable gear.

 

 

[kaz3g]

Just checked the price of the 220..yep nearly double the price

They come in both TSO and non-TSO versions.

 

Kaz

 

 

[Jaba-who]

Follow up on the above.

 

Have been in contact with Rainier (CEO of MGL)

 

He tells me they have ceased making V6 transceivers.

 

Their current model is V16.

 

Can be connected together as dual comms fairly simply. Downside is they no longer have 4 place intercom in them. They have a two place intercom which can be deactivated and attach to an outside 4 place intercom.

 

Not quite what I had hoped after reading the V6 literature which did have an integrated 4 place.

 

But anyway they seem to be the direction to go in.

 

I’m away on vacation for 3 weeks and I’ll get some MGLs when I get back I think.

 

What are you going to do with old Microair Radio's ?

Probably sell them - if you are interested I can can back to you when I get the new ones and make sure they are working etc.

 

 

[tillmanr]

Follow up on the above.Have been in contact with Rainier (CEO of MGL)

 

He tells me they have ceased making V6 transceivers.

 

Their current model is V16.

 

Where are the V16s available?

[Jaba-who]

There is an Australian distributor who I haven’t contacted yet cos it’s all been happening over Xmas. I don’t have the link to the website with me here. I can post it later.

 

 

[tillmanr]

There is an Australian distributor who I haven’t contacted yet cos it’s all been happening over Xmas. I don’t have the link to the website with me here. I can post it later.

I have looked at the local distributor site but no mention of V16

 

 

[Jaba-who]

I have looked at the local distributor site but no mention of V16

it’s a new model so maybe they haven’t had time to upgrade their website. There was also no mention about it in the USA distributors website. If you have a look in the MGL parent company’s South African website there is a bit about it.

 

 

[Tasmag]

The V6 is still available from Aircraft Spruce and MGL USA, who I believe now manufacture it as they purchased the licence from South Africa.

 

 

[Jaba-who]

The V6 is still available from Aircraft Spruce and MGL USA, who I believe now manufacture it as they purchased the licence from South Africa.

That’s interesting.

 

I think I’ll send them an email then.

 

The fact they have an internal 4 place intercom will win it for me if they still are available.

 

I have found in the ten or so years I have been trying to idealise my set up is that every extra connection, every external wire or switch between devices is a potential source of some issue. External wires in such close proximity to everything else seem to act as antennae and suck in noise from everything.

 

I have to admit my research on it all seemed to point to the fact that jabiru engines seem to be particularly noisy ( electrically speaking) and micro air radios particularly susceptible to noise. The perfect wrong combination.

 

So going to another better noise rejecting radio may be all I need but might as well go the whole hog if I can.

 

 

[Tasmag]

Jaba,

 

Here is the link to Aircraft Spruce for the radio, they have increased in price since the move to the USA, I'm pretty sure they used to be $1095.

 

MGL V6 VHF AVIATION RADIO TRANSCEIVER from Aircraft Spruce

 

Mike

 

 

[bushcaddy105]

Picking up on this thread:- I'm considering replacing my faithful Icom A200 with a new radio with dual watch capability, seeing that Icom now list the A200 as no longer able to be serviced. I'm committed to the format of the Icom as my panel was originally designed around that profile without much room for change. The Icom A220 would obviously fit my needs, but there doesn't seem to be any reliable info as to whether it is Australian approved in a non-TSO'd version. These are available for less than half the cost of the TSO'd one, and I haven't been able to find out just what is the technical difference between them. The old A200 is non-TSO and has performed admirably for the last 12 years. Can anyone please enlighten me?

 

 

[Blueadventures]

Picking up on this thread:- I'm considering replacing my faithful Icom A200 with a new radio with dual watch capability, seeing that Icom now list the A200 as no longer able to be serviced. I'm committed to the format of the Icom as my panel was originally designed around that profile without much room for change. The Icom A220 would obviously fit my needs, but there doesn't seem to be any reliable info as to whether it is Australian approved in a non-TSO'd version. These are available for less than half the cost of the TSO'd one, and I haven't been able to find out just what is the technical difference between them. The old A200 is non-TSO and has performed admirably for the last 12 years. Can anyone please enlighten me?

The Trigs are able to be fitted as a full round or with the flat top and bottom. You just fit the rounding pieces to the panel head unit.

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

http://www.icom-australia.com/products/airband/ic-a220/Airband_IC-A220_A220E_InstructionManual.pdf

 

The TSO is the same operation its just "certified"...double the price for the same radio

 

Not sure if The non-TSO is available here after the klusterf**k of a couple of years ago with CASA changing the rules..AGAIN

 

Instantly most of the Icoms became person non grata over a stupid reason

 

 

[bushcaddy105]

Thanks Mark

 

There's still the question of whether the non-TSO version is actually approved for use in Australia. As you have said, the rules are rather muddy (if able to be found anywhere) and authorative interpretation of them is hidden in the mud!

 

 

[bushcaddy105]

Thanks Blueadventures for your reply

 

I don't have the room in my panel for a round or square radio as the Icoms are only about 35mm high. I also find that reading those tiny radios is difficult with my aging eyes - hence the appeal of the much larger readout of the Icom I'm used to using. If all else fails I'll just keep using old faithful until (or if) it dies.

 

 

[Genecockrell]

I have used a couple Becker AR 4201 com radios in two different planes over the years and these things are pretty sweet. They mount to a panel hole instead of in a tray and need about 7" behind the panel. Their sensitivity and transmit power seem to be a league better than any comparable COM I have ever tried. They have a monaural 2 place intercom ability if you choose to enable it and a voltmeter and OAT (with the optional sensor) capability as well. The downside is that they are a bit of a pain to program and to get the squelch set right and they are a little pricey however you can probably get by with one of these in lieu of using 2 COMs if you're not going IFR

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

I see only one comment regarding the Flightline 760A VHF (derekliston post #15) - they seem to be one of the smallest and certainly the least costly - anybody have any other comments about them?

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

I am led to believe its basically either a rebadged Microair or a copy

 

 

[derekliston]

I am led to believe its basically either a rebadged Microair or a copy

Don’t know their heritage, just know they work well!

 

 

[jetjr]

Microair are out of the radio business so likely a copy

 

Do they do dual channel watch?

 

 

[derekliston]

Microair are out of the radio business so likely a copyDo they do dual channel watch?

Don’t know, I’ll have to read the book. I have dual radios, so I do that anyway.