Interesting mystery!

[PTK]

Flying home today and while crossing over the Delaware bay into NJ, ATC called out multiple targets in the vicinity. As standard practice I turned on landing light. Surprise! All radios went blank! Recycled radio master and master switch with no luck. Was speaking with Dover at the time and pulled out my handheld to reestablish communication. Worked well, better than I expected. Landed home without further incident.

Checked under the panel with a flashlight determined to see if anything was disconnected and voila! The master ground had mysteriously worked its way loose! I secured it between panel and master switch tab passing mounting screw through the loop. All is well and working like a charm.

I suspect it had not been connected properly from God only knows when!

Lessons: keep fresh batteries for the handheld at all times! Mr. Murphy was an optimist!

[Marauder]

Glad to hear it you found the problem and more importantly that you weren't in the soup when it happened!

[Jamie]

I can start a separate thread for this, if this is inappropriate... but this is relevant to my interests.

 

What's a good hand held transceiver? recommendations?

[Danb]

Amen plus gps

[N601RX]

I can start a separate thread for this, if this is inappropriate... but this is relevant to my interests.

 

What's a good hand held transceiver? recommendations?

I just purchased a yaesu handheld a few weeks ago. They had a good sale about a month ago as well as a rebate. I have not recieved it yet, as they sold so many it is on backorder.

[Robert C.]

I just bought a used Sporty's SP-200 from a club mate who upgraded to the new SP-400. He was happy with his and so far I'm happy with it as well

[Jamie]

Hey.. dumb question. How do you connect a headset to a handheld transceiver?

[Jamie]

I just purchased a yaesu handheld a few weeks ago. They had a good sale about a month ago as well as a rebate. I have not recieved it yet, as they sold so many it is on backorder.

 

Do you remember the model number? Amazon has a couple, one with VOR and one without.

[Rwsavory]

Hey.. dumb question. How do you connect a headset to a handheld transceiver?

Adaptor cable. Sportys and Aviation Spruce, and others, carry them.

[Jamie]

I just bought a used Sporty's SP-200 from a club mate who upgraded to the new SP-400. He was happy with his and so far I'm happy with it as well

 

huh. I almost skipped looking at it, figuring it was just a rebranded something else. But that looks pretty cool. A bit pricey, but I like the "simple interface" part. I have an Icom handheld scanner I can never remember how to use (I'm not old... the interface sucks wet farts from dead pidgeons).

[Marauder]

I just purchased a yaesu handheld a few weeks ago. They had a good sale about a month ago as well as a rebate. I have not recieved it yet, as they sold so many it is on backorder. Do you remember the model number? Amazon has a couple, one with VOR and one without.

Jamie -- I have the VXA-710 which has the VOR. To be honest, never needed to use the VOR portion since I have portable GPS recievers in both my Nexus 7 and a XPS150 for my iPad. I have been really happy with it. It is submersible, which means I can wear it in the rain and not worry about it. If you go down the Yaesu direction, I found that you can pick up the spare lithium battery packs on eBay from a Chinese company for a fraction of what you would pay at any of the aviation online stores. I have 3 of them. The battery packs last a long while also.

[Jamie]

Jamie -- I have the VXA-710 which has the VOR. To be honest, never needed to use the VOR portion since I have portable GPS recievers in both my Nexus 7 and a XPS150 for my iPad. I have been really happy with it. It is submersible, which means I can wear it in the rain and not worry about it. If you go down the Yaesu direction, I found that you can pick up the spare lithium battery packs on eBay from a Chinese company for a fraction of what you would pay at any of the aviation online stores. I have 3 of them. The battery packs last a long while also.

That may change my mind. I hate -expensive- proprietary battery packs, but if you can get spares for cheap, then I don't care. I'd also rather swap a pack (like dropping a mag) than fiddle with half a dozen AAs in flight.

[Marauder]

Here is the link for the batteries. I think most places in the States are selling them for around $60 each. I used the Hong Kong company called digital_home88. Shipped from China free and they are the exactly the same as the one that came with the unit. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.XFNB-80LI&_nkw=FNB-80LI&_sacat=0&_from=R40

 

I paid $22.99 each including shipping.

[Ned Gravel]

I bought an ICOM A6 three months into ownership in 2005 when the electrical system burped out the first time.  Two years later, two generators, two batteries, two generator control units, one plane power alternator conversion and one rewiring of the subpanel bus, I probably don't need it.  But I am prepared and it can be connected to my headset with the special connectors provided whenever I may need it.

[PTK]

I have my trusty Icom IC-A21 that I bought when I started flying some 20 years ago. I keep it on the charger at home and also carry in the bag a battery pack made for it with fresh AA's. I also use the headset adapter.

It's been a trusted backup. The only thing it needs is a new battery every few years obviously.

[N601RX]

Do you remember the model number? Amazon has a couple, one with VOR and one without.

I got the 720.  The cheapest price I could find was at Chief, during their labor day sale.  It comes with the headset adapter.   I think the rebate is good through the end of this month.

 

http://yaesu.com/airband/

[N601RX]

After being on backorder for a few weeks I finally got the Yaesu 720 handheld last week.  It seem to be very well built with the case being metal and not plastic.  It is also very compact and the headset adapter screws in so it can't fall out.  Seems to work very well.

[yvesg]

Is there any handheld out there that would cover the aviation band (AM modulation) and the amateur radio 2 meters band (FM modulation) . I am licensed for both and could use both.

Yves

[N601RX]

Off the shelf, probably not,  but I know their are some of Hacks that can be performed on some of the older Yaesu and other amature handhelds to open up the bands they will operate on. Sometimes its as simple as adding or removing a jumper or resistor.

 

The Aviation unit I purchased above will demodulate both AM and FM, but will only trasmitt on the AM Air Band.

[yvesg]

Off the shelf, probably not,  but I know their are some of Hacks that can be performed on some of the older Yaesu and other amature handhelds to open up the bands they will operate on. Sometimes its as simple as adding or removing a jumper or resistor.

 

The Aviation unit I purchased above will demodulate both AM and FM, but will only trasmitt on the AM Air Band.

The requirements are: Modulating and demodulating AM and FM and ham operation requires a configurable tx/rx offset for repeater use. (normally 600 KHz)

If such a thing would exist, that would be my wish for a Christmas present :-)

Yves