Garmin 430 Reception

Jon Kraus writes:

Our "new" '79 M20J came with a 2 year old Garmin 430 GPS and Garmin 340
audio panel. The backup radio is an ancient King 170B. I must say that
the reception on the Garmin sucks compared to the 170B. Am I doing
something wrong or is this just something I have to live with? To me for
10 grand the Garmin should run circles around the 170B . Thoughts?
Don't flame me too bad I have only flown this plane a couple of
times... Thanks!!

Can you swap the antennas around? There is no receiver made that
does not need a good antenna.


--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

I agree Jim.... Thanks for the great advise!!! JK

Jim Weir wrote:
Painting the antenna with anything other than a metallic-based paint (very rare)
will have no measurable effect on the antenna. Stop changing out parts and
start measuring. Any avionics shop worth a damn will have either a Bird b-d
wattmeter or a VSWR meter. I prefer the Bird, but anything is better than
guessing.

Jim




Jon Kraus
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

-Good idea.... For some reason in '98 when they painted the aircraft
-they thought painting the antenna's was a brilliant idea too.... Maybe
-that has something to do with it and the 170B handles it better.. JK


Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

Aaron Coolidge wrote in news:cm4ceq$d31
:

I just flew a '77 Arrow with a 430 and a KX170B. The reception on the
170B was FAR superior to that on the 430. I think that the old-timers
that designed the 170/175 radios really had a handle on how to take care
of low signal strength inputs, while the 430 designers copied the TI
databook for a "118 to 135 MHz aircraft transmitter/receiver".

Beyond that, the antennas can make a big difference in how a receiver
performs.

Very true, but still the difference is real. My '77 Arrow has a KX170B and
a GX-60 (now also Garmin). The KX170B is good for another hundred miles
over the GX-60. In my case it's definitely not the antenna, but the
squelch. Many times ATC will not come in, or will come in very broken.
Pull the squelch and they are loud and clear. Switch to the KX-170B and it
works beautifully.

I questioned UPSAT if the GX-60 squelch could be adjusted and was told a
blunt "NO, it's fixed. Go away."

jmk

I put a 430 in about 4 years ago, and kept a 170B as the 2nd radio. Can't
say I've noticed any difference between them in reception. Both are
"fine" to my ears.

hi

James M. Knox wrote:
Aaron Coolidge wrote in news:cm4ceq$d31
:


I just flew a '77 Arrow with a 430 and a KX170B. The reception on the
170B was FAR superior to that on the 430. I think that the old-timers
that designed the 170/175 radios really had a handle on how to take care
of low signal strength inputs, while the 430 designers copied the TI
databook for a "118 to 135 MHz aircraft transmitter/receiver".

Beyond that, the antennas can make a big difference in how a receiver
performs.


Very true, but still the difference is real. My '77 Arrow has a KX170B and
a GX-60 (now also Garmin). The KX170B is good for another hundred miles
over the GX-60. In my case it's definitely not the antenna, but the
squelch. Many times ATC will not come in, or will come in very broken.
Pull the squelch and they are loud and clear. Switch to the KX-170B and it
works beautifully.

I questioned UPSAT if the GX-60 squelch could be adjusted and was told a
blunt "NO, it's fixed. Go away."

My experience with the UPSAT guys is diefferent. They were very responsive.

In the installation manual of the GX-60 you will find a way to adjust
the squelch.

Send me a mail if you don't have it.

Maik

Maik wrote in :

I questioned UPSAT if the GX-60 squelch could be adjusted and was
told a blunt "NO, it's fixed. Go away."

My experience with the UPSAT guys is diefferent. They were very
responsive.

In the installation manual of the GX-60 you will find a way to adjust
the squelch.

Send me a mail if you don't have it.

I have the manual, and it is NOT in there. I wonder if it is a capability
that they added in the newer units.

What version of the GX-60 is yours? [Mine is something like 2.4]

jmk

I checked my 430 against my KX125 today on the ATIS and the 430 picked
up the ATIS 60 miles out, about 10 miles before the KX125. My
installer strongly recommended new cables and antenna when the 430 was
installed, and it's always been excellent.