Radio replacement

[tillmanr]

Hi fellow wing nuts, I am looking to replace my aircraft radio with a modern small non-TSO'd unit with priority selection.

 

I would appreciate feedback on your experiences with the radios available as well as a tech to install one in Victoria.

 

Thanks

 

 

[Downunder]

I have an Xcom which gets a bit hot (needs ventilation) but works fine and has not failed me.

 

Horsham Aviation Services have provided me with excellent service and very reasonable pricing. 

 

 

[Blueadventures]

Get one that has duel watch capability so you can monitor two channels at a time.  I have 'Trig' gear and recommend them as worth the cost. 

 

 

[eightyknots]

Perhaps ask Mark Kyle*? He is a radio tech and I am sure he has a recommendation (or two).

 

* Kyle Communications on this forum

 

 

[skippydiesel]

I am happy with my XCom

 

 

[spacesailor]

Hold off as long as possible !.

 

Europe has an 8k band width, Australia should follow . But are asking for a Transmitter Time Limiter. ( should have both )

 

Mark Kyle will know about it.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

I was asked recently the same question...Xcom are not produced any more. Trig have always been a good radio but they are expensive. I was looking around and the MGL V10 was looking good but now MGL have a V16. The V16 they have actually designed themselves where the V6 and the V10 were actually designed by another company and produced for MGL. I did some research into it and the V16 is a very different beast to the current design radio. The FCC test sheets look quite good on it and the design certainly is a little left field from all my radio stuff but it certainly seems pretty good. The issue is that it is designed to intergrate into the MGL panels but they have designed a remote head for it incase you dont have a MGL panel so it can suit anything as with this head it is a stand alone unit.

 

I only know of the one as Gary has purchased one from the local guys here but they have been dragging their feet on the wiring harness so cant give you any update on it yet. I did find a guy on Youtube who had a complaint about noise in the radio but it is the only one I found with a issue so far. This though could be his install so its not conclusive but it was also over 12 months ago so I would imagine if there was any issue MGL are usually on top of these sort of things and would have  done a update.

 

Looking around for the avionics for my S21 arriving later this year I am pretty sold on a MGL 8.4 inch Discovery Lite and I will get the V16 with the separate head as well. So the panel and the head will control it. I hopefully withing the next couple of months have the setup I am going with arrive here so can do some testing with it. The radio is certainly much cheaper than a Trig. The Trig is about 2.5K now with the US$ and even here through the local MGL the V16 is about 1k and the remote head..the Razor is about $450 so $1450 aussie is a very cheap radio and it is also 8.33 ch spacing. it also has higher power out as well

 

Icom is super expensive now as they only have the TSO version of the A220..there are other radios of course but I wouldnt be considering any of them...

 

Mark

 

 

[FlyBoy1960]

When I am lucky enough to be taken for a flight the aircraft I go in has a Garmin GTR 200. It has a built-in intercom which is superb, you can listen to music as well, it has 10 W output and seems to be crystal clear. I just had a look online to see what the output was to put in my answer and I notice they have just brought out a new one which has built-in Bluetooth. The new one is $1395 and the old one is now reduced to $1100. That seems to be very good value for what seems to be in my limited exposure a very good product.  It is also easy to read for failing eyes because the digits are about (I am guessing) 14 mm high so it is easy to see what frequency the radio is on and it also has that dual function to listen to 2 frequencies at the same time.

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

I hadnt considered the Garmin as usually anything Garmin is way over priced...its still over 2K at Mendlesons. The other thing is it means a big hole in the panel it just doesnt drop into any of the std round holes

 

Garmin is usually good gear But in the aviation stuff its expensive. I was looking at the Garmin stuff when at Rans Open day the Garmin rep was there....I priced it all up and it was over 13k US$...just cant justify that sort of money. Thats almost half the price of the aircraft kit itself

 

 

[FlyBoy1960]

Just checked on aircrafts spruce and they are $1099 for the standard model without Bluetooth and $1199 without Bluetooth. On the golf coast avionics website the standard model is $999

 

 

[kgwilson]

No-one seems to like the Australian Microair M760 but I've never had a problem with mine & it has good features like built in intercom, 99 programmable memories, priority selection, memory channel sort by name, 2 channel monitoring & is small & light & fits in a 2 1/2 inch hole. Ian sells them.

 

 

[tillmanr]

When I am lucky enough to be taken for a flight the aircraft I go in has a Garmin GTR 200. It has a built-in intercom which is superb, you can listen to music as well, it has 10 W output and seems to be crystal clear. I just had a look online to see what the output was to put in my answer and I notice they have just brought out a new one which has built-in Bluetooth. The new one is $1395 and the old one is now reduced to $1100. That seems to be very good value for what seems to be in my limited exposure a very good product.  It is also easy to read for failing eyes because the digits are about (I am guessing) 14 mm high so it is easy to see what frequency the radio is on and it also has that dual function to listen to 2 frequencies at the same time.

Hi, these prices are in USD aren’t they? about $AU 2000 at a guess

 

 

[Downunder]

All Aircraftspruce transeivers.

 

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/categories/avionics_instruments/av/menus/av/comm.html

 

The Trig TY91 looks good to me. I like the compact and simple "round" head. It looks more moden to me than the rectangular radios.

 

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/ty91vhfradio.php

 

$1500 usd will be about $2000 aud (Don't forget shipping, insurance, 10% gst on purchase and shipping, and gst recovery fee)

 

So $1500 usd may end up closer to $2500 aud delivered I think....

 

 

[kasper]

No-one seems to like the Australian Microair M760 but I've never had a problem with mine & it has good features like built in intercom, 99 programmable memories, priority selection, memory channel sort by name, 2 channel monitoring & is small & light & fits in a 2 1/2 inch hole. Ian sells them.

I’ll give the M760 pass grade.

 

Ive had two in two aircraft.  Both wired in by me on a harness I built up and in both cases they worked as advertised.  Good clear  send and receive and on the trike where I had a transponder - electronic flight display and a gps screen plus all switched within cm of each other no interference.  

 

However - and this downgraded them to a pass - the service support when they go wrong is - politely - appalling.  It took an age to get one back and the number of calls and excuses was unacceptable. 

 

I still have 1 and it’s going fine.  But if/when it dies or we move to 8.33 spacing I will gladly fork out for any other make. 

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

No-one seems to like the Australian Microair M760 but I've never had a problem with mine & it has good features like built in intercom, 99 programmable memories, priority selection, memory channel sort by name, 2 channel monitoring & is small & light & fits in a 2 1/2 inch hole. Ian sells them.

Your one of the few lucky ones...most never know they are duds POS..they like to transmit up just above the ham band then they come back to the airband for a while then go walkies again...unless you ask for a radio check you will never know unless you cut someone off. I have played with enough of them here to not have one... got several duds here lying around. Xcom have had a couple of issues too but nothing like the M760. I know guys who have had 5 radios replaced in 3 years..and it was a fight to get them repaired/replaced

 

Downunder is about right with all the charges..the govt fella doesnt miss you nowdays..and they are very sus at lowered invoices...they KNOW how much the item is.

 

The Garmin is certainly worth a look as its a fair bit cheaper than the Trig but the shape is a pain for me...I dont like the wide style

 

 

[tillmanr]

I have the option of a panel mount or circular so I am open minded at the moment. 

 

Also, thanks for your responses and keep them coming. 

 

 

[cscotthendry]

I have the non TSO garmin in my Legend. It works ... Reliably and it has stereo capability. I have Lightspeed Zulu headsets and I wired the system for stereo. I can hook in some music into the intercom if I want (but never have) and listen to it in stereo. Also, on dual watch, the active frequency reception moves towards the left ear and the standby towards the right ear. Also, the pax voice comes mostly in my right ear so it sounds more like you're not actually wearing headsets. As a final plus, the Garmin has remote frequency and toggling inputs so I can cycle through my frequency memory and swap active and standby with a switch on my yoke.

 

PPS! The Garmin has a nice BIG bright display that is easy to read in a bright cockpit, unlike some of the gear with the little LCD screens.

 

 

[jetboy]

I've often suggested a look at the Flightline 760 (ACS) as it seems to have similar features to Microair or Xcom at a lower price point. There are few of them about so quality is unknown - the first one I've seen was in an aircraft last week and they had no issues with it. Trig has a good record here.

 

Ralph

 

 

[Thruster88]

I just purchased a trig ty96a for my musketeer. If I wasn't required to have a  TSO radio I probably would have gone Garmin gtr200. It will be interesting to see if numbered aircraft are allowed in CTA with non TSO radios in the future, or is there some other reason why VH recreational aircraft need TSO radio ?  

 

 

[skippydiesel]

.................................................. It will be interesting to see if numbered aircraft are allowed in CTA with non TSO radios in the future.  

Cant see why not. There are so many non TSO radios doing great service (crisp/clear comms). The aim is to have good reliable comms - being TSO'd does not seem to enhance this objective but obliviously is a requirement for certified aircraft.

 

 

[tillmanr]

Interestingly to fly into Avalon airshow RAA aircraft have to have TSO’d instruments but not TSOd radios. 

 

 

[eightyknots]

I have the non TSO garmin in my Legend. It works ... Reliably and it has stereo capability. I have Lightspeed Zulu headsets and I wired the system for stereo. I can hook in some music into the intercom if I want (but never have) and listen to it in stereo. Also, on dual watch, the active frequency reception moves towards the left ear and the standby towards the right ear. Also, the pax voice comes mostly in my right ear so it sounds more like you're not actually wearing headsets. As a final plus, the Garmin has remote frequency and toggling inputs so I can cycle through my frequency memory and swap active and standby with a switch on my yoke.PPS! The Garmin has a nice BIG bright display that is easy to read in a bright cockpit, unlike some of the gear with the little LCD screens.

I like the idea of the stereo separation as you have described!

 

What model Garmin radio is that?

 

 

[Jaba-who]

I’ll give the M760 pass grade.

Ive had two in two aircraft.  Both wired in by me on a harness I built up and in both cases they worked as advertised.  Good clear  send and receive and on the trike where I had a transponder - electronic flight display and a gps screen plus all switched within cm of each other no interference.  

 

However - and this downgraded them to a pass - the service support when they go wrong is - politely - appalling.  It took an age to get one back and the number of calls and excuses was unacceptable. 

 

I still have 1 and it’s going fine.  But if/when it dies or we move to 8.33 spacing I will gladly fork out for any other make. 

I have had three and my hangar mate has had one in about 10 years. Mine have been in as dual comms and one died and was replaced. 

 

In  that time I have had plenty of people tell me the signal out was clean, crisp and very readable. 

 

 Unfortunately the receive side has been completely different. I’ve been plagued with engine noise, transponder noise, strobe light noise and even flap motor noise. Done plenty of things to fix it but nothing individual worked more than a minor amount. After lots of small increments i got it to an acceptable level but never good enough for me to recommend them to anyone. 

 

I agree with Kyle that the service was also a major problem. We sent some back multiple times for repair and the problem was not able to found or fixed. Or it was found and “fixed” only to be present just the same when it came back. 

 

 

[derekliston]

I've often suggested a look at the Flightline 760 (ACS) as it seems to have similar features to Microair or Xcom at a lower price point. There are few of them about so quality is unknown - the first one I've seen was in an aircraft last week and they had no issues with it. Trig has a good record here.

Ralph

I have two Flightline 760s in my CH701 and without wishing to jinx myself, I am happy with them. I bought them second hand on-line from Jabiru.

 

 

[Jaba-who]

I have two Flightline 760s in my CH701 and without wishing to jinx myself, I am happy with them. I bought them second hand on-line from Jabiru.

Are Fliteline 760 knock-off Microair 760s?