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#1
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TKM 170 as a replacement radio
All,
I am looking to upgrade the avionics in my '78 Mooney 201. I am going to swap out the KY196 and KNS 80 for a Garmin 430 which will drive the KCS-55A HSI, which leaves me with a KX175B driving a KI-204 as a backup ILS/NAV/COM. It would be nice to have a "flip-flop" option over there, and someone suggested putting in a Mitchel TKM 170, as it is a "plug and play" replacement. Anyone have any experience with this? Will it connect to the glideslope as well as the VOR? Thoughts? Ian |
#2
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Ian Taylor wrote:
: All, : I am looking to upgrade the avionics in my '78 Mooney 201. I am going to : swap out the KY196 and KNS 80 for a Garmin 430 which will drive the KCS-55A : HSI, which leaves me with a KX175B driving a KI-204 as a backup ILS/NAV/COM. : It would be nice to have a "flip-flop" option over there, and someone : suggested putting in a Mitchel TKM 170, as it is a "plug and play" : replacement. : Anyone have any experience with this? Will it connect to the glideslope as : well as the VOR? : Thoughts? It should be a drop-in replacement and all things should function. I will say this, though: I had a friend who bought a couple of Michel radios. They are built out of commodity parts with commodity construction. Un-strain-reliefed computer-grade ribbon cables, regular DIP connections on the PCB, etc. If you're electronically inclined that's probably a good thing since parts are off-the shelf. Look inside a King unit, however, and stuff is built more to mil-spec (out of more expensive and exotic connectors, wires, etc). Also, he sent back a radio to the "factory" to have a minor display brightness, Rx volume adjustment repaired. "A common problem," according to the tech support. After a number of weeks, lots of phone calls, slipping dates, and up-ratcheted repair quotes, the final result was that he could repair it for the same cost as a refurb unit. It was $1500 IIRC... he got the radio on ebay for $700 or something. When he said, "no thanks," they wouldn't return the old radio unless he paid large fraction of it for the cost of troubleshooting it... more than he paid for the radio IIRC. Anyway, this may or may not be indicative of SOP, but he got screwed out of the radio. -Cory -- ************************************************** *********************** * Cory Papenfuss * * Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student * * Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University * ************************************************** *********************** |
#3
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After a lot of research, I bit the bullet and upgraded my KX170B to an
MX170c. It was a direct slide in replacement, my KI-214 worked immediately. The same evening I replaced it I tested the glideslope and it was right on the money. The only thing I noted is the squelch preset and night dimming preset were not adjusted to my liking. But both were easily adjusted with front screw adjustments and a jewelers screwdriver. This Friday I'm heading over to the avionics shop to check the calibration of my two vor's to make sure their in spec for IFR. Got to say I love the flip-flops and it sure beat the alternatives from a cost/installation stand-point. Good luck, tom "Ian Taylor" wrote in message ... All, I am looking to upgrade the avionics in my '78 Mooney 201. I am going to swap out the KY196 and KNS 80 for a Garmin 430 which will drive the KCS-55A HSI, which leaves me with a KX175B driving a KI-204 as a backup ILS/NAV/COM. It would be nice to have a "flip-flop" option over there, and someone suggested putting in a Mitchel TKM 170, as it is a "plug and play" replacement. Anyone have any experience with this? Will it connect to the glideslope as well as the VOR? Thoughts? Ian |
#4
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Thanks for that Tom. What paperwork needs to be completed for the change
out, do you know? Is it legal for an owner to do it, or must it be signed off by a mechanic (or avionics technition?) Ian "Tom Nery" wrote in message ... After a lot of research, I bit the bullet and upgraded my KX170B to an MX170c. It was a direct slide in replacement, my KI-214 worked immediately. The same evening I replaced it I tested the glideslope and it was right on the money. The only thing I noted is the squelch preset and night dimming preset were not adjusted to my liking. But both were easily adjusted with front screw adjustments and a jewelers screwdriver. This Friday I'm heading over to the avionics shop to check the calibration of my two vor's to make sure their in spec for IFR. Got to say I love the flip-flops and it sure beat the alternatives from a cost/installation stand-point. Good luck, tom "Ian Taylor" wrote in message ... All, I am looking to upgrade the avionics in my '78 Mooney 201. I am going to swap out the KY196 and KNS 80 for a Garmin 430 which will drive the KCS-55A HSI, which leaves me with a KX175B driving a KI-204 as a backup ILS/NAV/COM. It would be nice to have a "flip-flop" option over there, and someone suggested putting in a Mitchel TKM 170, as it is a "plug and play" replacement. Anyone have any experience with this? Will it connect to the glideslope as well as the VOR? Thoughts? Ian |
#5
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Is it legal for an owner to do it, or must it be signed off by a mechanic
(or avionics technition?) I installed a TKM KX-170B in my old Warrior. Bought it at OSH, slid the old King beast out, slid the new Michel beast in, flipped on the avionics switch, verified that everything worked, made a logbook entry, and went on my merry way. It was far easier than changing a landing light. I loved that radio, BTW. Wish I had it in my Pathfinder. -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" |
#6
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I'm flying a pair of TKM, slide in replacements in Fat Albert for 4
years now, one a 170 and the other a 300... Great radios, simply great... denny |
#7
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"I dunno. It was there when we bought the plane."
{;-) Jim "Ian Taylor" wrote in message . .. Thanks for that Tom. What paperwork needs to be completed for the change out, do you know? Is it legal for an owner to do it, or must it be signed off by a mechanic (or avionics technition?) |
#8
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Anyway, this may or may not be indicative of SOP, but he got screwed
out of the radio. ************************************************** **************************** My suspician is that there is more to this story than what he told you... denny |
#9
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Denny wrote:
: Anyway, this may or may not be indicative of SOP, but he got screwed : out of : the radio. : ************************************************** **************************** : My suspician is that there is more to this story than what he told : you... Possible, but I pretty much heard a blow-by-blow as it happened. I just don't remember completely through my foggy memory. I *DO* remember looking at the guts of the radio. Not bad, but definately of more comodity-grade than the likes of Bendix/King. -Cory -- ************************************************** *********************** * Cory Papenfuss * * Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student * * Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University * ************************************************** *********************** |
#10
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A good alternative that a lot of people like is a King KX125. These
are often available used and mine has been totally reliable. It has a built-in CDI, flip-flop, and a direct radial readout which is sometime handy to have. |
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