Looking for Transciever suggestions

Lockrdg,

Yaesu/Vertex and Icom are the main contenders, I would say. Rather than
getting a VOR-NAV function built-in, I'd og for a separate handheld GPS

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

Thomas Borchert wrote:
Lockrdg,

Yaesu/Vertex and Icom are the main contenders, I would say. Rather than
getting a VOR-NAV function built-in, I'd og for a separate handheld GPS

Except that here in the USA, it is sometimes necessary to talk to FSS on
a comm frequency and listen on the VOR frequency. This is referred to
as working splits. The ICOM has this capability included using the
function button to select it. The receiver is tuned to the VOR frequency
to listen and when you depress the PTT, it switches to the COMM
frequency to transmit. Release the PTT and it switches back to the VOR
frequency.

When was the last time you did this for real?

Jim


Jay Smith
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:


-Except that here in the USA, it is sometimes necessary to talk to FSS on
- a comm frequency and listen on the VOR frequency.



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

Jay,

Except that here in the USA, it is sometimes necessary to talk to FSS on
a comm frequency and listen on the VOR frequency.


Well, yeah, I guess that stuff is still around in some places. Would you
use it in an emergency?

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

Yaesu/Vertex and Icom

I agree with Jim re whether one can ever contact a ground station anymore using
the split frequency...nobody at home??

With respect to the handhelds, you have received some good information, the
external antenna being by far the best. When using an external antenna, it
seems the radio was never told that it should shun horizontally oriented
signals and works just fine on both com and nav. The distances it will receive
and send are amazing.

Jim just had a string about the little box or antenna bypass.

Ask again about the nav function on the Yaesu/Vertex. A friend purchased a
unit 3? months ago and all works well, great features, nice lighting, but the
nav has yet to work. The unit has been more in the shop at the main
Yaesu/Vertex plant in LA than in his hands.

A couple nights ago, after he got it back the third? time, we did a comparison
against an Icom 21 and a Narco 830 (no Narco is recommended for anything...I
have the 830) and both of them performed better than the Yaesu/Vertex.

He has had to chase the radio, with no feedback by Yaesu/Vertex and they must
be goaded for each transaction/followup. That was not always true,and one
wonders if it is because of the Vertex change.

External antenna, however it is done

Plug-in for 12 V power so as to not deplete the battery. (What Icom never
tells you...some of their portables WILL NOT work when plugged into 12V, just
the opposite of what one wants in time of need..ask the question and test each
one that way)

The headset adapter which includes provisons for a pust to talk switch or a
switch itself.

Good luck and come back and tell us what you decide. It helps others.

Neal

Hmmm...

Took off at night on a heading going directly over the ocean. When I hit the
gear up switch, I lost all power to the panel. I circled back, switched off all
electrical except the master and got a flicker of power in the panel but not
enough to work the radio's. I was hoping the generator ('62 Comanche) would
charge up the battery, but when I looked at the amp-meter, the needle was at
zero. Switched the transponder to 7700 (in case I got enought of a charge) and
occasionally tried the radio (and clicked SOS with the PTT), but it when it
became evident that the generator was gone, I lowered the gear manually, swung
by the tower, thought I got a light and came back around to land. Held it off
the runway for as long as I could, but guess the gear hadn't locked and down I
went. 600' later (according to the airport police) I came to a stop, my
passenger and I hopped out, and that, gentlemen, was that.

This happened last Friday night, so there is still no information as to what
went on with the electrical, but given the amp-meter reading 0 with no draw,
it's a pretty good guess that the genny went out. As far as the gear not
locking, with everything going on, it's possible that I hadn't slowed down
enough before releasing the gear and therefore they couldn't lock, though it
would have been nice if they had once I got down to approch speed :-)

Thanks for ALL your suggestions - particularly the portable power supply - that
would have saved the day.

All the best - Fly safe...

"Lockrdg" wrote in message
...
Hmmm...

I lost all power to the panel.

when it
became evident that the generator was gone, I lowered the gear manually,
swung
by the tower, thought I got a light and came back around to land. Held it
off
the runway for as long as I could, but guess the gear hadn't locked and
down I
went. 600' later (according to the airport police) I came to a stop, my
passenger and I hopped out, and that, gentlemen, was that.

****************************
Sorry to hear about the gear up, but good to hear you made a great landing.
You do get to use the equipment again, right? g\

Most importantly, no one got hurt.

How bad is the plane?
--
Jim in NC


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
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Icom have an awesome reputation, and because of the current competition
their Navcom (A23) is only $50.00 more than their Com (A5)
so although the Comm isn't worth the original upcharge, it's cerainly
worth the extra $50.00.
BUT - go to a third party vendor and buy the AA battery back. Icom only
comes with a rechargeable battery pack - not much use if you are sitting
halfway up a mountain waiting to be rescued - but if you have the pack,
plus a decent supply of AA batteries, you now have yourself a good
emergency radio - in addition to it's everyday uses.

Tony

--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Almost Instrument
Cessna 172H C-GICE



In article ,
(Lockrdg) wrote:

Having experienced and successfully survived my first complete electrical
failure, hence no radios (at night mind you), I am looking for suggestions as
to which hand-held transcievers I might looking into buying.

All suggestions are welcome...

Thanks in advance.

You do get to use the equipment again, right? g\

Most importantly, no one got hurt.

How bad is the plane?

Yes - when it is fixed (I'm a partner)

True - I had a passenger who is very happy to be on the ground.

Not too bad. The expected bent prop and potential engine/gear work, and of
course, the much thinner belly of the plane. What everyone remarked (fire and
police) was how little debris there was off the plane. I would like to believe
that it was my skill, though more likely luck, but I set the sucker down
straight as an arrow and nestled it down directly on the middle of the
fuselage. The bottom beacon was untouched.

Will be quite a while before it flies again though. Guess I should just
concentrate on building my multi time g.

On 03 Jul 2004 20:37:33 GMT, (COUGARNFW) wrote:

The headset adapter which includes provisons for a pust to talk switch or a
switch itself.

I found the Yaseu essentially unusable until I got a PTT, from
Sporty's. It velcro's onto the top of the control stick, just like
Captain Midnight!

Might be a bear, though, setting this up while you have an electrical
emergency tothink about. Me, I do it on the ground before getting into
the plane, since the radio is my only comm.

I use the rubber ducky antenna. These are rental planes, and neither
has an outside antenna. I seldom use delta airspace, however. And I
always behave as if I were NORDO. I am reasonably sure however that I
am always heard in the pattern, not so sure that I am heard five or
even three miles out. As for hearing, I can hear Wiscasset in the
north and Marshfield on the south, a radius of 50 NM, from 2900 feet.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

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