Transponder Problem

Dan Luke wrote:

Still, having used a button xponder, I would never want to go back to the
knob type.

I know the feeling. I replaced my transponder two years ago. My new one has
knobs; the old one had THUMBWHEEL SWITCHES. I'd never go back!

Aaron Coolidge writes:

Jay Honeck wrote:
: The third digit on my formerly bullet-proof Narco AT-50 transponder has
: suddenly started displaying incorrectly for ATC. Specifically, it seems to
: be showing as a "4" on their screens, regardless of what we dial it to in
: the plane. Thus, instead of squawking "1200" when we're VFR, we're
: squawking "1240"...

: What could cause this? Any recommendations on repair versus replacement?

Jay, as others have said you've probably got a problem with the wafer switch
that the knob actually turns. A decent avionics shop will be able to take
a wafer switch out of a junk AT50 (oxymoron?) and replace yours.

If Jay owned an experimental airplane, I'd suggest he got some contact
cleaner at Radio Shack, take the xpndr out of the plane, open it, and
spray some cleaner onto the suspect switch, and then go fly test it.

But I can't, since he owns a certificated airplane (which makes him
certifiable).

-jav

If Jay owned an experimental airplane, I'd suggest he got some contact
cleaner at Radio Shack, take the xpndr out of the plane, open it, and
spray some cleaner onto the suspect switch, and then go fly test it.

But I can't, since he owns a certificated airplane (which makes him
certifiable).

Well, assuming that I install this transponder in my future RV-6 (after
having it professionally repaired this time, of course) and it starts acting
up again, what can I expect to find inside the box?

And is removing it any different than removing one of my NAV/COMs? Is it in
a tray, with slide-in connectors, or do I have to deal with some wiring?

Just curious, for use way in the future. This time it's going to NARCO.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:MaO5b.356629$uu5.69298@sccrnsc04...
\
Just curious, for use way in the future. This time it's going to NARCO.
\
Why on earth woiuld you spend the aggravation sending it to NARCO service.
Take it to whatever avionics shop you like. There ain't anything magic about
the old AT50's. It is most likely a trivial fix. I've had the same thing happen
in planes in the past (spent some time with COS dialing up various numbers
and having them read back what they saw to see what bits were stuck on).

Ron Natalie wrote:

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:MaO5b.356629$uu5.69298@sccrnsc04...
\

Just curious, for use way in the future. This time it's going to NARCO.

\
Why on earth woiuld you spend the aggravation sending it to NARCO service.
Take it to whatever avionics shop you like. There ain't anything magic about
the old AT50's. It is most likely a trivial fix. I've had the same thing happen
in planes in the past (spent some time with COS dialing up various numbers
and having them read back what they saw to see what bits were stuck on).


I've also had very good luck with Narco service.
But, for the price you would pay for a repair, you could probably find a
replacement with a guaranty.
You can find cheap 50's and 50a's for sale all day long!
Just my $0.02


Dave

Ouch, I didn't know that. It's been a few years since I last went to ORH. I also
have had good experiences with Conrad at The Radio Shop with my Narco stuff as
long as it didn't require a part that he didn't have. I was reluctant to
advertise that he did though, as I didn't want to get him in trouble with Narco.
ORH didn't have any landing fee when I was there last. What's with the $48 fee?
It's not like there is that much commercial traffic in and out of there. Is AOPA
on it? They went head to head with Massport over Boston Logan about 10 years ago
over fees.

Aaron Coolidge wrote:

I know that Conrad at the Radio Shop, in Worcester, MA can fix Narco in-house.
You'll have to look up his number on airnav, as I can't remember it right
now. Conrad repaired my AT150 after it smoked in flight, no problems since.
He had something like a 2-day turnaround. He will accept items UPS to fix
them (it's more convienient even for me, living 16 miles away, because
Massport has KORH locked down quite tightly, and gets a $48 landing fee!).

--

--
--Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950
email
http://www.andraka.com

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin, 1759

It's a slide in with a hex drive, same as the comms as I recall. Unfortunately,
the owner maintenance specifically excludes removing and reinstalling the
transponder. However, if it just happened to slide out.... Perhaps if you
tried a "a laying on of hands" (especially if one of those hands had a
screwdriver and then a can of contact cleaner in it) while it was out.... never
mind, book doesn't allow it. Actually, I think the regs don't stop you from
taking it out or even taking it apart. Its the putting it back in without
supervision that will get your wrists slapped.

Jay Honeck wrote:

If Jay owned an experimental airplane, I'd suggest he got some contact
cleaner at Radio Shack, take the xpndr out of the plane, open it, and
spray some cleaner onto the suspect switch, and then go fly test it.

But I can't, since he owns a certificated airplane (which makes him
certifiable).

Well, assuming that I install this transponder in my future RV-6 (after
having it professionally repaired this time, of course) and it starts acting
up again, what can I expect to find inside the box?

And is removing it any different than removing one of my NAV/COMs? Is it in
a tray, with slide-in connectors, or do I have to deal with some wiring?

Just curious, for use way in the future. This time it's going to NARCO.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

--
--Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950
email
http://www.andraka.com

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin, 1759

"Jay Honeck" writes:

If Jay owned an experimental airplane, I'd suggest he got some contact
cleaner at Radio Shack, take the xpndr out of the plane, open it, and
spray some cleaner onto the suspect switch, and then go fly test it.

But I can't, since he owns a certificated airplane (which makes him
certifiable).

Well, assuming that I install this transponder in my future RV-6 (after
having it professionally repaired this time, of course) and it starts acting
up again, what can I expect to find inside the box?

Little black boxes with smoke inside. DO NOT LET THE SMOKE OUT.

And is removing it any different than removing one of my NAV/COMs? Is it in
a tray, with slide-in connectors, or do I have to deal with some wiring?

Same deal, same hex key.

Just curious, for use way in the future. This time it's going to NARCO.

Er, OK.

-jav

I tried to hint at that, but you won't get me to admit that I had done it. Make sure
the contact cleaner you use doesn't have oil in it. Some of the readily available
consumer brands have oil and a perfume in them.

Newps wrote:

You guys worry like old women. Take the damn thing out, spray whatever
you want in there and put it back in. Repeat until fixed.

Ray Andraka wrote:
It's a slide in with a hex drive, same as the comms as I recall. Unfortunately,
the owner maintenance specifically excludes removing and reinstalling the
transponder. However, if it just happened to slide out.... Perhaps if you
tried a "a laying on of hands" (especially if one of those hands had a
screwdriver and then a can of contact cleaner in it) while it was out.... never
mind, book doesn't allow it. Actually, I think the regs don't stop you from
taking it out or even taking it apart. Its the putting it back in without
supervision that will get your wrists slapped.


--
--Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950
email
http://www.andraka.com

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin, 1759

Ray Andraka wrote:
I tried to hint at that, but you won't get me to admit that I had done it. Make sure
the contact cleaner you use doesn't have oil in it. Some of the readily available
consumer brands have oil and a perfume in them.

I do it all the time. Sometimes I'll do it with my mechanic, sometimes
he will tell me the procedure over the phone. Whatever. Can't believe
anybody would worry about sliding a radio in and out.