bradp Posted August 28, 2019 Report Posted August 28, 2019 Hi guys, I recently replaced a dead KX-170B (wafer gear) with another unit. It was working great for a while. Now this KX-170B seems to have bit the dust. Nav works fine. Com is getting power. I checked my pinouts against my 8000 BTi and they’re intact. No rx, no test mode, no carrier when I key mic listening on another radio / handheld. Seems like a power board / micro switch issue with the com side. Spoke with the local avionics guy down the road. Haven’t had any work done with him, but had a good conversation. He advised replacing it with a GNC 255. He’s probably right - it’s either that or an SL-30. The price delta between the two units is $600-1k depending on the market, install is the same, I’ve got a GI-106A in my closet, would get warranty and support of a current product with the 255 ... I’d want the nav function to be able to shoot an ILS if my primary dies; he convinced me that I don’t want or need a GNC -355 with another mouth to feed (database) / form factor etc. KX-155 doesn’t make any sense at this point. Only thing is he’s booked until December... :-(. I may ask him if it’s ok if I build the harnesses and do interconnects / installation with him in his shop if it speeds the process along. I’d have to can the glide slope receiver in the empennage ... and then I’m probably looking at a new run or two RG-400 anyway Anyone have any ideas in the mean time? Just bide my time with com1 and a hand held for the fall or continue throwing a few hundred bucks on run out Kx-170b whenever they decide to go TU (I’m rather frustrated with the latter strategy). But hey I might get to 1010lbs useful load - so I’ve got that going for me, which is nice. It’s like that Johnny Cash song about his car... Quote
MIm20c Posted August 28, 2019 Report Posted August 28, 2019 At this point I’d go with the 255 or a 355. The 355 will be about 2k more but if you have a fs210 (can’t remember if you do) you could sell that and bring the delta down to $1,200 ish. Feels like a big increase in capability for the extra outlay. I’d stop doing the 430 updates as you could still gps direct and shoot an ILS if the 355 went down. With the install expertise you have you’ll be able to knock out the install in no time. Quote
carusoam Posted August 29, 2019 Report Posted August 29, 2019 See what grimmy has on the shelf... Best regards, -a- Quote
EricJ Posted August 29, 2019 Report Posted August 29, 2019 45 minutes ago, carusoam said: See what grimmy has on the shelf... Best regards, -a- Used KX-170Bs or TKM MX-170s will all slide into the rack with no changes and can be done by the owner. I replaced a KX-170B with a slide-in used TKM and it's been awesome and a nice upgrade. 2 Quote
bradp Posted August 29, 2019 Author Report Posted August 29, 2019 10 hours ago, EricJ said: Used KX-170Bs or TKM MX-170s will all slide into the rack with no changes and can be done by the owner. I replaced a KX-170B with a slide-in used TKM and it's been awesome and a nice upgrade. TKM looks like an option - however I’m hoping to not have to keep throwing money and time into the great abyss of eBay finds/duds. New TKM is somehow just about as expensive as the Garmin kit on spruce. Built a bench rig this morning to confirm what I thought in the plane - com side dead as a door nail. It may be the micro switch. It’s mechanical and easily testable. Quote
bradp Posted August 29, 2019 Author Report Posted August 29, 2019 15 hours ago, MIm20c said: At this point I’d go with the 255 or a 355. The 355 will be about 2k more but if you have a fs210 (can’t remember if you do) you could sell that and bring the delta down to $1,200 ish. Feels like a big increase in capability for the extra outlay. I’d stop doing the 430 updates as you could still gps direct and shoot an ILS if the 355 went down. With the install expertise you have you’ll be able to knock out the install in no time. That’s something to consider. Does the 355 crossfill to the 430W without flight stream? I guess were at a crossroads. Used to be the typical Ga IFR setup was two nav/coms. Then it was two nav/coms with a GPS. Now does it become two GPSs with a Single Nav? Not sure... Quote
MIm20c Posted August 29, 2019 Report Posted August 29, 2019 3 hours ago, bradp said: That’s something to consider. Does the 355 crossfill to the 430W without flight stream? I guess were at a crossroads. Used to be the typical Ga IFR setup was two nav/coms. Then it was two nav/coms with a GPS. Now does it become two GPSs with a Single Nav? Not sure... Not sure if it crossfills with the gtn yet. The gtn will crossfill with the gns waas units. With the g3x’s built in gps I’d consider using a 225 com only for backing up a gns/gtn. Quote
BKlott Posted August 30, 2019 Report Posted August 30, 2019 I am at the “crossroads” too. Have two TKM MX-300 NAV/COMs, one seventeen years old and the other eighteen. Also two Cessna ARC CDI indicators, a remote glideslope receiver, ARC ADF and separate 3LMB. All forty five+ year old technology matched with a Lynx 9000 NGT transponder. I’ve ordered a Garmin 342 Audio Panel, GTN 650 WAAS GPS/NAV/COM and GI-106B Indicator with a tentative install date of mid-September. This will provide me with state-of-the-art gear, all the available instrument approaches, an intercom which my current Cessna switch panel doesn’t have and, hopefully, improved avionics reliability. I am retaining one TKM, the better CDI and the remote glideslope receiver for an interim backup. It just didn’t make sense to me to keep spending money on 45+ year old technology that adds no value to my airplane and actually hurts it’s future marketability. With three year old paint, leather interior and UV glass, I should be in pretty good shape in that regard. I am also laying the foundation for future upgrades whether I do them or the next caretaker does them. The other line of reasoning behind this is that if I ever do decide to upgrade to a Cirrus or Corvalis, I need to start becoming familiar with these modern GPS systems, RNAV approaches and IFR direct routing. This will give me a head start in that direction. Quote
carusoam Posted August 30, 2019 Report Posted August 30, 2019 2 hours ago, BKlott said: if I ever do decide to upgrade to a Cirrus or Corvalis... BK, You still have friends here... Friends don’t let their friends do that. When the time comes... Go O! Best regards, -a- Quote
BKlott Posted August 30, 2019 Report Posted August 30, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, carusoam said: BK, You still have friends here... Friends don’t let their friends do that. When the time comes... Go O! Best regards, -a- I will make a confession. Earlier this year there was a 1964 C model for sale in Trade-a-plane that was unmodified and had a vintage paint scheme somewhat reminiscent of my Dad’s 1964 C model. I did call the owner and had a nice, lengthy discussion with him. Even had the Wife’s blessing. Came very close but took a good long hard look at the $$,$$$ it was going to need and decided not to pull the trigger. This was the first call I have made on an airplane ad since 2001. One thought that did cross my mind was that next summer will be the 50th anniversary of the family cross country flying trip that my Dad took us on...in his 1964 C model. Torrance to Philadelphia and back again. Would be kind of special to re-fly that trip again. Torrance to Winslow to Tucumcari to Tulsa...day 1. Torrance to Rolla to Lawrenceville-Vincennes...day 2. LV to Dayton...day 3. Dayton to Philadelphia International...day 4. (Weather issues days 2 - 4) There is still a lot of affection for Mooney’s inside of me. It was a difficult decision to not pursue the purchase. If I do buy a Mooney, it will be an unmodified 1964 C model. That is the ONE that really tugs at my heart. Edited August 30, 2019 by BKlott 1 Quote
Yetti Posted August 30, 2019 Report Posted August 30, 2019 I have a 170 that the com works, but NAV maybe not so much if you are interested. Quote
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