In article ,
W P Dixon wrote:
Jim,
Is it practical, possible and legal to build a radio for your own homebuilt
airplane? I can't see paying 1000 bucks for a panel mount unit for a
volksplane.


Is it "possible"? Yes.

Is it 'legal'? Depends on how you do it. The only people that can just
go off and build a transmitter/transceiver are licensed
"amateur radio service" operators, and then *only* for
equipment that operates in the 'ham' bands. *Everything*
else requires FCC approval, in one form or another -- unless
it is _very_ low power, operating in specified frequency
ranges.

Is is "practical"? Not if the objective is to save money. It would have
to be 'accepted' by the FCC. Either "type accepted",
which would let you do production-line work, and sell
on the open market, Or _individually_ approved, for
that specific radio only,

*either*way*, you're looking at costs that are well
into 5 figures. And probably around two years of
paperwork.