Replace (Fix) ADF?

"Tom Nery" wrote in message
news:bfElb.540$9E1.5435@attbi_s52...
My '66 Cherokee 180C currently has a T12C ADF. Even though it has analog
tuning, the previous owner installed a Davitron digital frequency
read out so it's not as bad to tune as you'd think.

Anyway, it now longer points to the NDB (actually the needle never moves)
but can successfully tune am radio stations. So my choices a 1 Fix it,
2 Replace it, 3 Remove it.

My plane is currently certified for instrument operation (and I plan
on starting my IFR training shortly). I also have a Garmin 196 (primary)
and a Garmin 195 (backup - came with the plane).

Given the fact that ADF is (someday) being phased up (maybe), what is
the collective wisdom of the group? Which of the three choices
should I pursue?


Those GPS receivers won't count for much in your IFR training, but, for the
ADF, I'd dump it.

ADF approaches and transmitters are being decommissioned around the country
wholesale, and replaced by GPS approaches which are more accurate than ADF
anyway.

I noticed the price of a new Garmin 155XL IFR-certified GPS is now down to
just over $2,000.

As soon as I can I plan to get rid of both my ADF and my DME now that GPS
can substitute legally for DME. They're just taking up useful load.

If you need a solution to the loss of capability to listen to AM radio, I
just read an interesting article on AvWeb about satellite radio, which
eliminates the need to keep tuning new stations on the ADF when you fly out
of range of the stations. You have to pay $10/month for the service, but
that's pretty cheap for an elegant solution to the problem, and cheaper than
most anything else in aviation, that's for sure.

"CriticalMass"
Those GPS receivers won't count for much in your IFR training, but, for
the
ADF, I'd dump it.

ADF approaches and transmitters are being decommissioned around the
country
wholesale, and replaced by GPS approaches which are more accurate than ADF
anyway.

That's a little contradictory isn't it? If you are going to fly GPS
approaches at small airports why wouldn't it count for much in your IFR
training?

I think I know where you are coming from but that position may be a bit of a
problem. Outside of learning to do ILSs, everything else is button pushing.
Rather than practice NDB approaches with an ADF, you do the overlay with a
GPS. Same with VOR overlays. The made for GPS approaches themselves are
pretty easy but there is still button pushing and it is not self-evident -
especialy on misses and units like.....

I noticed the price of a new Garmin 155XL IFR-certified GPS is now down to
just over $2,000

Or at least the 300XL which I'm familiar with.

I agree with totally with your recommendation - but get it before you train.

In article ,
"Maule Driver" wrote:

"CriticalMass"
Those GPS receivers won't count for much in your IFR training, but, for
the
ADF, I'd dump it.

ADF approaches and transmitters are being decommissioned around the
country
wholesale, and replaced by GPS approaches which are more accurate than ADF
anyway.

That's a little contradictory isn't it? If you are going to fly GPS
approaches at small airports why wouldn't it count for much in your IFR
training?


I believe the GPS units in question were VFR units.

"Maule Driver" wrote in message
m...
"CriticalMass"
Those GPS receivers won't count for much in your IFR training, but, for
the
ADF, I'd dump it.

ADF approaches and transmitters are being decommissioned around the
country
wholesale, and replaced by GPS approaches which are more accurate than
ADF
anyway.

That's a little contradictory isn't it? If you are going to fly GPS
approaches at small airports why wouldn't it count for much in your IFR
training?

Because they're not IFR-certified. Not much more needs to be said, assuming
the proper attitude toward flying IFR in accordance with the rules has any
bearing on the matter.

CriticalMass wrote:
: Those GPS receivers won't count for much in your IFR training, but, for the
: ADF, I'd dump it.

: ADF approaches and transmitters are being decommissioned around the country
: wholesale, and replaced by GPS approaches which are more accurate than ADF
: anyway.

True enough, although getting IFR GPS's installed can be a somewhat pricey
endeavor. I went over this idea when I was putting together the panel in my Cherokee
for my IFR training. With WAAS GPS's about the depreciate all non-precision GPS's, it
seemed silly to pay big bucks to get one installed. I did my training with VOR's, a DME
(thanks to the wonderful KNS-80 bought and installed for a song), and ILS components. A
VFR GPS can be used for situational awareness, and could be used in a pinch (read:
emergency) as an ADF/DME/VOR if really necessary.

I wouldn't pay to have the ADF redone. The usual sentiment is if it's
installed, works, and you don't need more panel space, leave it in. Anything missing
from that equation and it makes more sense to ditch it.

-Cory


--
************************************************** ***********************
* The prime directive of Linux: *
* - learn what you don't know, *
* - teach what you do. *
* (Just my 20 USm$) *
************************************************** ***********************

wrote in message
...
CriticalMass wrote:
: Those GPS receivers won't count for much in your IFR training, but, for
the
: ADF, I'd dump it.

: ADF approaches and transmitters are being decommissioned around the
country
: wholesale, and replaced by GPS approaches which are more accurate than
ADF
: anyway.

The usual sentiment is if it's installed, works, and you don't need more
panel space, leave it in. Anything missing
from that equation and it makes more sense to ditch it.

I think that's what I said, isn't it?

On Fri, 24 Oct 2003 08:23:50 -0500, "CriticalMass"
wrote:


I noticed the price of a new Garmin 155XL IFR-certified GPS is now down to
just over $2,000.


not even close......

http://www.pacific-coast-avionics.co...il.asp?id=4456

Bob wrote:

On Fri, 24 Oct 2003 08:23:50 -0500, "CriticalMass"
wrote:

I noticed the price of a new Garmin 155XL IFR-certified GPS is now down to
just over $2,000.

not even close......

http://www.pacific-coast-avionics.co...il.asp?id=4456

That's the installed price of a new unit and is typical. A search in Yahoo turns
up prices of about $3,000 for a new unit uninstalled (yes, Garmin's policy is
to only sell installed units). Several outfits are also selling reconditioned
units for $2,000 to $2,300.

Perhaps CriticalMass saw one of those ads.

George Patterson
You can dress a hog in a tuxedo, but he still wants to roll in the mud.

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
...


Bob wrote:

On Fri, 24 Oct 2003 08:23:50 -0500, "CriticalMass"
wrote:

I noticed the price of a new Garmin 155XL IFR-certified GPS is now down
to
just over $2,000.

not even close......

http://www.pacific-coast-avionics.co...il.asp?id=4456

That's the installed price of a new unit and is typical. A search in Yahoo
turns
up prices of about $3,000 for a new unit uninstalled (yes, Garmin's policy
is
to only sell installed units). Several outfits are also selling
reconditioned
units for $2,000 to $2,300.

Perhaps CriticalMass saw one of those ads.

That's the explanation, George. I saw that ad somewhere recently and missed
the "factory reconditioned" fine print.

Thanks.

Is RDS on FM not available out there? Here in the UK,
if you're listenning to one of the national FM stations and
have an RDS radio (virtually all car radios have RDS)it will
tune to the next transmitter as its signal exceeds that of the
previous one you were tuned to.

http://www.rds.org.uk/rds98/whatisrds.htm

DAB (digital audio broadcasting) will also do that, though
the receivers aren't that common at the moment.

http://www.drdb.org/

Paul

"CriticalMass" wrote in message
...
If you need a solution to the loss of capability to listen to AM radio, I
just read an interesting article on AvWeb about satellite radio, which
eliminates the need to keep tuning new stations on the ADF when you fly
out
of range of the stations.