Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

I'm curious who here in the Mooney Space uses a back up hand help radio.  There was an incident near where I fly often and I recently learned that the pilot had a hand held in the plane but was not familiar with it.  As a pilot that likes to mitigate risks as much as practical, a hand held seems like an easy addition to my flight bag.  So, here are the questions for the community. 

What hand held do you use?

Are you able to clearly hear others?

Can they hear you well?

Do you utilize an external or non-standard antenna with your radio? If so, which one and how did it improve your comms ability?

 

I may think of more questions later but these should get the conversation started.  Thanks for all your thoughts and ideas.  Fly safe. 

Brian

Posted

I own the Icom A25C.  No reason for me to have the model with the Nav features (the A25N), as I have enough redundancy in the cockpit already.  No physical connection to the aircraft...I mainly carry it with me for picking up clearances on the ground and listening when I’m working in the hangar.

https://www.sportys.com/pilotshop/icom-a25c-portable-com-radio.html

Steve

  • Like 1
Posted

I have/use a Yaesu FTA-550 which has the Nav feature (haven't use it) that I keep in my flight bag.  I have the headset connector attached so I can just plug in my headset. I have used it mostly for ground ops as well and the reception with the small whip antenna has been good while in the plane.

-Steve

  • Like 1
Posted

I, too, have the Yaesu FTA-550 but don't use the nav.  The nav feature on my phone & ipad (ForeFlight) works much better.  I have had the backup radio for a couple of years but got real use out of it late this summer.  I had a belt-driven alternator fail at OSH this year and on my way to DMax's to get it fixed my clutch gear failed on my engine-drive one, too.  I realized just after takeoff and powered everything down (pulled the battery breaker) and continued the flight into severe VFR weather.  I plugged my headset into the Yaesu (via the headset connectors) and was able to monitor local traffic.  Upon arriving at GGG (longview), just before entering the TRSA, I powered everything back up in the plane and got my clearance to land at their Tower'd field.

I am glad to have it as a backup but don't want to use it much longer than I have to.

-Bryan

Posted

I have a Sporty's SP-400 with good reviews and lots of features but have had little opportunity to use it in the air. Works fine listening to traffic from the ramp. 

Posted

My old Sportys radio [200? Had horizontal Nav] died, now I have a little black one with no Nav. I keep a headset adapter plugged in for easy swap-out. Haven't needed to use it in the air yet; the one time I needed the old Sportys unit on a local flight, it was in the hangar because I only carried it for trips. My procedures have since changed . . . .

Posted (edited)

I have a Yaesu FT-550 that I keep in my flight bag, and change the batteries about every six months or when it says it needs new ones.   In the airplane there is a KX-99 antenna coupler that will switch the #2 comm antenna to the interior jack if I need to use the handheld.

About a month ago the field wire broke on the alternator (although I didn't know the failure mode at the time).    My AV-17 voice annunciator let me know of the voltage drop right when it happened which was while I was doing a scenic orbit of Sedona after having just shot the GPS approach there to test the autopilot coupling.    By the time I made a precautionary landing at Sedona (just a few minutes later) I was losing avionics.    This was on a Sunday and I made a couple calls to local A&Ps, none of whom were available and all of which indicated they didn't have any relevant parts, anyway.   One suggested I just fly gear down back to Deer Valley if it would start, which it did, with the panel dark and just turn a radio on when I got there.

I called Ops at Deer Valley and let them know I would be coming in potentially with just my handheld, so hopefully they'd be able to hear me but I'd likely be able to hear them.  I called in from 10nm out with the handheld (which happened to have fresh batteries) connected to the external antenna.   They replied that they could hear somebody calling in but it wasn't discernible and said, "If this is N201TS, key the mic twice," which I did.   They just cleared my way at that point and I was acknowledging with two clicks.   Worked great.

It seems like transmit range is very limited with the handhelds, even connected to an external antenna.   10nm was pushing it, and they may have been able to hear me closer in, but the two-click acknowledgements were working so well I just stuck with that all the way to parking with ground control.  ;)

BTW, my airplane doesn't climb worth crap with the gear down.   Sedona is 4830 ft and I needed to get over about 6500 to clear terrain on the way home.   It took a lot longer than I anticipated to get up there.

But I like the Yaesu.   Bang-for-the-buck wise it's a good radio.   I think transmit power is comparable to other handhelds, but don't expect much from any of them.

Edited by EricJ
Posted

The vintage King KX99 antenna coupler is not the zenith of RF design.   In fact, it’s very poor.   

I have a third VHF comm antenna with coaxial cable to a BNC connector that mates with my Handheld.   

I find it has airborne range comparable to the #1 comm which  has a similar antenna.  Both are on the belly.   

My #1 comm claims 10 watts RF output and the handheld 3 watts.   Not many dB apart. 

Posted
1 hour ago, Steve_B said:

I have/use a Yaesu FTA-550 which has the Nav feature (haven't use it) that I keep in my flight bag.  I have the headset connector attached so I can just plug in my headset. I have used it mostly for ground ops as well and the reception with the small whip antenna has been good while in the plane.

-Steve

Yeah, the FTA-750L was my close second choice...excellent products.  My dad has been a Ham operator for 60+ years and loves the Yaesu products.

Posted
36 minutes ago, StevenL757 said:

My dad has been a Ham operator for 60+ years and loves the Yaesu products.

Yup, I have the Yaesu FT-8900R that I'm currently using as a base station but it will be going into my truck in the spring.  I love that radio which is why I went with the Yaesu for the plane.

Posted
48 minutes ago, Jerry 5TJ said:

The vintage King KX99 antenna coupler is not the zenith of RF design.   In fact, it’s very poor.   

I have a third VHF comm antenna with coaxial cable to a BNC connector that mates with my Handheld.   

I find it has airborne range comparable to the #1 comm which  has a similar antenna.  Both are on the belly.   

My #1 comm claims 10 watts RF output and the handheld 3 watts.   Not many dB apart. 

The KX-99 coupler is basically a switch activated by insertion of the jack.   There's not much to it.

10log(10/3) = 5.3 dB.   You'll notice that.   The FTA-550 is rated at 5W, still 3dB down from the 10W panel radio.    Regardless, the handhelds will be expected to have reduced Tx range compared to the ship's radio, especially if there's an antenna compromise as well.

Posted

Best part of having a portable radio... all the communication you want before starting the engine...  

  • weather/ATIS
  • Clearances
  • Or just listening to what’s going on

So many radios to choose from... I think sporty’s has a chart of all the radios and the attributes they have...

My favorite attribute is the batteries they use...  I have a bag of regular batteries for a few devices, easy to change out when dead...

If buying a new one... I would consider the VOR/ILS/GPS.... Com...

Like any device, if you never use it in action... how do you expect to use it when the chips are down?  Having all the equipment to fly in IMC doesn’t make you an IR pilot... that takes training and practice...to go along with all the fancy gear.

I ran out of battery power once.... when the generator in My M20C failed... shutting everything down preserved enough power to finish the flight...  having a portable on board would have been a little nicer. Carrying a spare battery became part of the usual Xcountry plan.... a Costco kind...

Now I just fly with two batteries mounted in the tail...

PP thoughts only, not a CFI...

Best regards,

-a-

 

Posted

Thanks all for your thoughts and feedback.  @EricJ thanks for sharing your experience.  Scenarios like yours and hearing how you were able to overcome the adversity are very helpful.  @carusoam I like your idea of limiting the various battery sizes needed in your cockpit. 

 

It sounds like the main benefit folks get from their hand held is ground based and not a ton of in-flight use / experience.  I'm glad there haven't been loads of experiences that required the use of a hand held.  @Bryan it sounds like yours came in quite handy returning from  OSH.  Thanks for sharing.

 

Blue skies and tail winds.

Brian

  • Like 1
Posted

I have the latest Sporty’s with the ILS/LOC feature. I’ve had other handhelds over the years, but I like the Sporty’s because it has a very simple interface, and very few features. Basically the face is big buttons, you punch in your frequency, and go. No fiddling around with function keys, and the numbers are big. Also, it uses regular AA batteries, and has a spare pack that can slap on quickly. The ILS/LOC feature is automatic - tune in the ILS and it does the right thing, no need to put it in some mode to enable it. Haven’t tried to shoot an approach with it.

Why would I like such a radio that has perhaps the fewest features on the market? Because when I need a backup radio in flight, I’m probably already elbow deep in a problem I didn’t need. Having a radio that is dirt simple to operate, with big buttons that even accommodate gloves, is less likely to add to whatever stress I’m already dealing with. Even if the batteries are weak, the action to swap the battery pack is dirt simple. 

I’m also a ham radio operator (N6CAP) and have used Yaesu and ICom handhelds. They are all nice, but both the Yaesu and ICom handhelds have smaller buttons, function keys, etc. I decided that when I need a backup, I don’t want to spend one second thinking about how to turn it on or punch in a frequency. I just want it to work, right now.

I usually listen to ATIS on it while preflighting, mostly just to make sure it works and the batteries are fresh. It stays close by during flight, and thankfully, I haven’t had to use it in a situation. I have lost an alternator (multiple times), but haven’t reached the point where I was left with only the handheld. But nice to know it’s there.

-chuck

  • Like 3
Posted
On 11/28/2018 at 2:46 PM, StevenL757 said:

I own the Icom A25C.  No reason for me to have the model with the Nav features (the A25N), as I have enough redundancy in the cockpit already.  No physical connection to the aircraft...I mainly carry it with me for picking up clearances on the ground and listening when I’m working in the hangar.

https://www.sportys.com/pilotshop/icom-a25c-portable-com-radio.html

Steve

+1 I have the same radio. Works well.

  • Like 1

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.