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Garmin 530W radio receiving noise intermittently


Will.iam

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My com 1 via garmin 530 is usually crystal clear but on 2 different trips now i will be flying along and go to transmit and i sound garbled but ATC says I’m loud and clear. I think something like maybe the grounding wire might be loose if i had to guess. On the last flight i took the radio worked flawlessly so i hate to take it in to get fixed if the problem is intermittent as my luck it will work great when they test it and my wallet will cry. 
Someone mentioned just taking the 530 out and putting it back in can sometimes solve the problem. Is this only an A/P function or are we allowed to disconnect and reconnect a radio?  

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Level of complexity... Kind of like pulling a stereo out of a benzi box... 1980s car stereo memory...

It is on the edge of what pilots are allowed to do...

Realistically, GPSi used for IFR flight... some required removing the GPS to access the memory card to update every 28days...

Stabilant-22 seems to be the cleaner of choice...

 

It helps to know how the screw works... what locks things in place... over tightening can break things...

 

How is that for not answering the question?

PP thoughts only not a mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-

 

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If ATC says you are loud and clear and you sound garbled to yourself, that means there is a problem with your sidetone. Your broadcast to ATC and what you hear in your headset can be thought of as two different broadcasts, I believe the sidetone is produced, or at least it is regulated, in your intercomm. I don't know the solution, but I think its the sidetone you need to trace down.

You can pull out and reinstall a radio, it is a simply twist of a screw accessible with a small screw driver from the front. But I always have my A&P do it anyway, because the reinstall involves pushing the radio back on all the connectors at the rear before you retighten the screw, just exactly right, and getting the radio seated. It is a "feel" thing and since I only have a reason to do this once every blue moon, I don't have the feel and they do. The first time I did it everything seemed right and all worked until the radio (430) came sliding out.

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35 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

Start by taking some Scotch Brite to your headset plugs.

If they are brass, definitely. If chrome sure, but I doubt it’s going to help, maybe chrome just clean with alcohol or whatever.

‘I can’t quote chapt and verse, but it’s my understanding a pilot can remove a radio, but can’t reinstall. As they are pretty much identical operations I don’t understand that.

On installation I let the screw get started and screw it in until the radio begins to move, then pressing both sides evenly I seat the radio by hand. I do this in the hope by doing it by hand I’ll feel if it catches where the screw would continue to apply pressure until maybe something broke. but anyway turn the screw until it takes up the slack, then push the radio fully seated, take up slack, seat by hand again, it often takes twice, then tighten the screw until snug, not real tight, your not trying to hold it tight, just to keep the radio from loosening, but I have never seen one busted.

‘I’ve never had one catch on anything either, but with what radios cost, I hand seat just in case

‘Look at the holding device, prior to installation ensure it’s turned in reverse, then install and screw it in a little, pull gently on the radio, it shouldn’t come out of course,it is possible to have it not right, and then it won’t hold the radio in.

Once in a blue moon removing a radio and using a pencil eraser to clean the contacts helps, but you really can’t clean the ones in the rack, maybe with contact cleaner.

‘Oh, and all I have ever seen were internal wrenching, takes an allen wrench not a screwdriver, and I haven’t  seen one that took a metric wrench, but I bet that’s coming

Edited by A64Pilot
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8 minutes ago, ArtVandelay said:


What about replacing the headset jacks or cleaning those as well.

Not a bad idea, Unless you have good soldering skills, I would get an avionics shop do it. 

If you just put the plugs in and out a bunch of times and spin them around a bit, it will usually get most of the tarnish and corrosion off.

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I have "heard" that a Q-Tip sprayed with contact cleaner inserted into the jack can clean them.  I have also "heard" that you should let them thoroughly dry before use. 

 

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4 hours ago, A64Pilot said:

‘I can’t quote chapt and verse, but it’s my understanding a pilot can remove a radio, but can’t reinstall. As they are pretty much identical operations I don’t understand that.

FAR 43 Appendix A (c)(31) is the relevant rule on Preventive Maintenance allowing front panel avionic swap outs.   The first two words are, "Removing and replacing..."

Installation is allowed.

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Thanks for all the suggestions, I’ll try the headphone jacks cleaning first but have little faith in that as my wife was on the other headphone jack and gave me a worried look when I garbled like did you understand that? And how are you going to fix it? I tuned in the old faithful BK 165 and i as well as ATC was loud and clear. Also intercomm as always been clear, So i would think that rules out headphone connectors as well as the audio switching panel and the PTT switch. Had not thought about until just now if turning off the 530 and back on if it would in essence reboot the com 1 and if that would do any good.

i think the sidetone is definitely the issue now that you brought that up just not sure how to fix it until it does the garbling on a repeatable basis. Almost seems like a loose connection as a rough landing or turbulence seems to trigger it or make it go away. 

i have contact cleaner spray but will check out Deoxlt never heard of it before thanks. 

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4 hours ago, EricJ said:

FAR 43 Appendix A (c)(31) is the relevant rule on Preventive Maintenance allowing front panel avionic swap outs.   The first two words are, "Removing and replacing..."

Installation is allowed.

The local expert on the field told me that, as I was an A&P prior to being a civilian pilot I’ve not really worried about what a pilot is or isn’t allowed to do

Just looked it up. funny how Xponders and DME are disallowed? But you can R&R an ILS receiver, but not DME?

Wonder why? AFCS I can see the justification there.

Edited by A64Pilot
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