My radio stopped working!

[Guest Lee Schaumberg]

G'day

 

This happens to some pilots and they get a new one and it doesn't work either. After taking the new radio back they put in some thing different and now they have a radio that works.

 

The original radio may be just fine but they don't know that. Many things can stop working (pumps , gauges , radios , etc ) and it's replaced to make it work. The manufactures just love this because they sell more product and make more money.

 

The proper thing to do is test for the problem and fix it. Your number one tool is now needed. The meter you got in the past.

 

Check the resistance (or continuty) of each wire and your meter too. To test each terminal look at it and pull it. The terminal should be capable of a 4 kilogram pulll. Just take an old plastic milk bottle and put 4 kg of water in it. I use sand because the ambient temp can get lower than 0 deg C.

 

Can you imagine the electrical noise that can be made wth a making and breaking connection.

 

 

 

[Yenn]

Oh Lee. It is so nice to have such a knowledgable person as you on this forum.

 

Where can I get a 4Kg milk bottle is my problem.

 

 

[Guest Lee Schaumberg]

4KG Milk Bottle

 

HowdyIan

 

Some of us dummies still count by 16ths and 32nds but we do have 10 toes and 10 fingers. We are still learning.

 

 

 

[jetboy]

Microair PTT

 

I probably should have started a new thread but this problem may fix itself anyway...

 

After running Xcoms until they ran out we've changed to a Microair in an Avid Flyer last week. Just a minor pin reassignment on the connector and new radio all go. All functions tested fine.

 

Preflight today and the TX red light comes on then flashes. Fiddled with PTT switch (only one in this A/C so should be simple) but that didnt do much, TX still operating. Powered off the radio and back on, problem gone.

 

During flight TX stuck on after a transmission twice. Back on ground, all OK.

 

Now we didnt have a 4KG milk bottle handy but has anyone found a difference with the Microair that makes it susceptible to leakage on the PTT line (or if not, inside the radio?) I may well find a fault in the switch but we didnt have that issue with the other radio(s)

 

Ralph

 

 

[Tracktop]

I probably should have started a new thread but this problem may fix itself anyway...After running Xcoms until they ran out we've changed to a Microair in an Avid Flyer last week. Just a minor pin reassignment on the connector and new radio all go. All functions tested fine.

 

Preflight today and the TX red light comes on then flashes. Fiddled with PTT switch (only one in this A/C so should be simple) but that didnt do much, TX still operating. Powered off the radio and back on, problem gone.

 

During flight TX stuck on after a transmission twice. Back on ground, all OK.

 

Now we didnt have a 4KG milk bottle handy but has anyone found a difference with the Microair that makes it susceptible to leakage on the PTT line (or if not, inside the radio?) I may well find a fault in the switch but we didnt have that issue with the other radio(s)

 

Ralph

Hi Ralph

 

How old is the radio? If its newish try talking to Microair or your supplier.

 

I am led to believe there may have been a problem with one batch of radios that caused similar problems to your description.

 

To my knowledge the TX light stays on sometimes, when radio is first turned on. The TX stays on for a while ( flashes to say its been on extended period) but usually once it goes off it then works fine until the next time ( days - weeks?) it decides to play up. Power cycling doesn't usually stop the problem. unplugging PTT also doesn't make the TX light go out. Duration that the TX stays on unprompted varies between occurrences. I believe the radio is NOT actually transmitting during the faulty period.

 

As it is an intermittent problem, I would guess the fault symptoms could vary between radios.

 

 

[jetboy]

The radio was brand new a week ago.

 

What you describe seems exactly whats happening. It didnt appear to be transmitting and the PTT switch still seems to click in the headsets when pressed while the red light is lit or flashing.

 

This morning it was behaving properly. Was going to replace the switch but will hold on that for now. Thanks for the info.

 

Ralph