Help A Cheap Bast$&d Out...

[Bob_Belville]

Chris, still a little bumpy today but I was able to calibrate the AOA. I may want to refine it the lower end reference point. (I got down to 60 kts but did not set off stall horn and I hit button at first nose bob. I was alone so no pics of landing. I'm thinking it will be a good thing.

[Marauder]

Chris, still a little bumpy today but I was able to calibrate the AOA. I may want to refine it the lower end reference point. (I got down to 60 kts but did not set off stall horn and I hit button at first nose bob. I was alone so no pics of landing. I'm thinking it will be a good thing.

I have been flying around with mine not calibrated and ironically it seems to be working close to the numbers I would expect once calibrated. I did an IPC last weekend and part of it involved an unusual attitude recovery.

My friend, aka the Bast$&d CFII likes to challenge me. I was in the hold for an approach and he put it in a nose high unusual attitude. He likes to make it even tougher by trimming the plane for slow flight before he goes unusual and then hands it over to me.

When he handed it back over to me, the first thing that caught my attention (other than buffeting) was the AOA blinking red in my face. Can't wait to get it setup correctly.

It will be interesting to see how yours functions relative to mine. Your mast is on the right wing, mine is on the left.

[Bob_Belville]

I have been flying around with mine not calibrated and ironically it seems to be working close to the numbers I would expect once calibrated. I did an IPC last weekend and part of it involved an unusual attitude recovery.

My friend, aka the Bast$&d CFII likes to challenge me. I was in the hold for an approach and he put it in a nose high unusual attitude. He likes to make it even tougher by trimming the plane for slow flight before he goes unusual and then hands it over to me.

When he handed it back over to me, the first thing that caught my attention (other than buffeting) was the AOA blinking red in my face. Can't wait to get it setup correctly.

It will be interesting to see how yours functions relative to mine. Your mast is on the right wing, mine is on the left.

Have you posted pics of your installation? 

[Marauder]

Have you posted pics of your installation?

Nope. The indicator is still temporarily mounted. I was going to mount it like your indicator. Mine is velcroed at the point.

[Bob_Belville]

Mounting the display was pretty quick and easy. We taped the back side of the panel with a piece of duct tape, loose at the top making a pocket for chips. We drilled the line of holes with a vacuum right against the bit, the same with a Dremel cut off wheel. Chips on the back get caught by the tape.

 

Hate to mess my pretty panel. 

 

It's going to be wicked winter for about a week so I won't get a chance to check it out furtherfor a while.

[Marauder]

Alright, I'm back to square 1. My Garmin GTN 650 is still giving me open squelch issues and the Narco is not reliable. I wish I had my GoPro with audio hooked up but the failure is really not a nice deal. It just goes quiet after a very subtle pop sound. Hear one second, quiet the next.

 

What's a Cheap Bast$%d to do? I will get the Garmin 650 back online, even if I need to drag Peter Garmin personally to Olathe Kansas. But the Narco is a different beast to contend with. I'm leaning towards a Garmin GNC 255 but I learned that the motor behind it is the 650's engine. Not good. Avidyne? Bendix King? Any thoughts?

[carusoam]

Are you thinking the Narco is so noisy, it gives the GTN a hard time?

See if the KNS770 software has been updated, from its klugey state..?

Has BK sold one yet?

Best regards,

-a-

[Marauder]

Are you thinking the Narco is so noisy, it gives the GTN a hard time?

See if the KNS770 software has been updated, from its klugey state..?

Has BK sold one yet?

Best regards,

-a-

The Narco has become the victim of demonic possession and no matter which priest I have brought to the hangar to perform an exorcism, I keep hearing it say "And your GTN is in here with us".

The Narco has a troubling problem. It just goes offline periodically. The display lights stay on but the unit isn't receiving. I haven't able to confirm if the transmitter has quit as well.

As for the BK, based on what you and I saw at the avionics shop, they would have needed to made some major enhancements to make me like that GUI.

The Avidyne has a potential, but the price point is pretty high.

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[N231BN]

Do you have a GS receiver for the Narco? If so, the non-GS KX155s can be had fairly cheap.

Of course the ultimate CB would ditch that fancy digital radio for a KX170B...mine is still working great and I have two spares on the shelf.

[Marauder]

Do you have a GS receiver for the Narco? If so, the non-GS KX155s can be had fairly cheap.

Of course the ultimate CB would ditch that fancy digital radio for a KX170B...mine is still working great and I have two spares on the shelf.

I do have a GS for the Narco and it is wired to the Aspens. Funny you mention the KX-170B. The Narco replaced a problematic KX-170B 22 years ago. I still have 2 KX-170Bs with chewed up plastic tuners.

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[N231BN]

I do have a GS for the Narco and it is wired to the Aspens. Funny you mention the KX-170B. The Narco replaced a problematic KX-170B 22 years ago. I still have 2 KX-170Bs with chewed up plastic tuners.

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It is funny because it seems the 170s will outlast their replacement. There are tons of them around that were #2 radios and didn't get much use. I occasionally fly a friend's '67 Exec with the digital Narco and on cold mornings it takes 10-15 minutes for the display to start working.

 

It is a tough decision though to stick money into a second NAV/COM when the NAV portion is barely used on the primary radio. Of course, the aliens could destroy our satellites one day...

[Resanborn]

Any idea what that would run?

I just sold a nice serviceable KX 165 on EBay for 1550 close in price to the 155 but I really liked the radial feature on the 165.

[Marauder]

I just sold a nice serviceable KX 165 on EBay for 1550 close in price to the 155 but I really liked the radial feature on the 165.

Thanks, I've given up on the used radio search. I am finding that most of them are 15 years or older and still commanding a good dollar. I'm headed towards a new GNC 255B

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[carusoam]

Chris,

The guys at PS engineering were thinking of you when they wrote their Ad...

http://www.ps-engineering.com/PAR200.shtml

AOPA wrote a story about combining it with a used 430W.

It is pretty compact if nothing else.

Take a look at it to see if it passes the CB sniff test.

Best regards,

-a-

[Andy95W]

Thanks, I've given up on the used radio search. I am finding that most of them are 15 years or older and still commanding a good dollar. I'm headed towards a new GNC 255B

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This may move you out of the Cheap B@$tard club and into the Peter Garmin fan club, however.

[Marauder]

This may move you out of the Cheap B@$tard club and into the Peter Garmin fan club, however.

Yes, indeed it may kick me out of the CB Club. But I never ever will be a member of the PG fan club.

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[Hank]

What about those of us who are happy with our PS audio panel, but want to replace the Nav 2 radio? My pictures are somewhat blurry, but it appears to be a KN 53, and is paired with a KY 197 as Com 2.

There are nice options combining these radios with transponders (my GTX 327 is fine), and with GPS for ADS-B position source (my G430W is still doing fine, thanks). And I'm not sure I want a white-backlit LCD display in my cockpit, I don't like white screens during the day and certainly don't want to have to look at one at night, then out the window again.

All I want is a radio. Don't want a radio with intercom, or a radio with GPS, or a radio with a searchable database. Just a radio . . .

[Marauder]

Chris,

The guys at PS engineering were thinking of you when they wrote their Ad...

http://www.ps-engineering.com/PAR200.shtml

AOPA wrote a story about combining it with a used 430W.

It is pretty compact if nothing else.

Take a look at it to see if it passes the CB sniff test.

Best regards,

-a-

Interesting approach and may be fine for a backup. Without a Nav function, you still something as a backup to your primary. I wouldn't trust my iPad to manage this.

$3k list for a 6W transmitter.

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[ArtVandelay]

Thanks, I've given up on the used radio search. I am finding that most of them are 15 years or older and still commanding a good dollar. I'm headed towards a new GNC 255B

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I have the 10 watt version and really like it and haven't had any problems where I think I needed the extra 6 watts. I don't use all the features but I like the nearest ATC function for picking up flight following.

[Jerry 5TJ]

I just sold a nice serviceable KX 165 on EBay for 1550 close in price to the 155 but I really liked the radial feature on the 165.

 

When I did the full-gut renovation of the avionics in my "C" model in 2013 I installed a new Icom 210 as the second com radio.   It cost about $1000.   

[Andy95W]

All I want is a radio. Don't want a radio with intercom, or a radio with GPS, or a radio with a searchable database. Just a radio . . .

Hank- I was in the same boat. I ended up installing the ICOM A210 in my airplane and the TKM com only radio in a friend's C150. Both easy installations. Most FSDOs considers the swap of a radio a minor alteration. I mailed off 337's but really didn't need to.

The ICOM display would go nicely with your GNS 430, the TKM would look nice with the King NAV. Both radios work very well, but I have been unhappy with the nighttime dimmer function of the ICOM, and the people I've talked to on the phone were not very well informed. I almost never fly at night and I can still dim it manually so I left it.

Overall, I'd say I'm happier with the ICOM operation in general, but would rather have the TKM if I flew at night. Both are about the same price.

[Marauder]

CALLING PETER GARMIN! PETER GARMIN ARE YOU THERE?

From now on, I am Marauder Garmin and you are no longer Peter Garmin. You just don't own enough Garmin stuff to qualify anymore...

BTW -- spend the extra $800 on the 16W version. There is no doubt who is calling...

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[Bob_Belville]

Can't hide money...

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[Marauder]

Can't hide money...

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Pretty impressed with this GNC 255B, like the features. Also liked the fact that it fed a pretty solid ILS signal over to the Aspen. Never had an air VOR check that was 0 degrees error.

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[carusoam]

Let the gambling begin...

Which of the two Garmin brothers will be first to be sporting the G watch...

P. Garmin or M. Garmin?