PT20J Posted May 24, 2021 Report Share Posted May 24, 2021 In reviewing audio panels, I noticed that the PS Engineering PMA450B is available without a marker beacon receiver for $100 less. I haven’t flown an ILS except for practice for a long time as most places seem to have LPV approaches these days. But looking at random approach plates, I didn’t find one that still had an OM (KMRY still has a LOM, but it is grayed out — not part of the procedure). The FAA has eliminated MMs, and IMs are only required for CAT II. Given that the OM is only required to identify the FAF when flying a localizer approach, and that the FAA no longer requires marker beacon receiving capability if you have an alternate means of identifying the FAF (usually GPS), I see no reason not to dispense with it and remove the antenna hidden under the composite belly panel. Am I making a mistake? Skip 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertGary1 Posted May 24, 2021 Report Share Posted May 24, 2021 I'm sure you can remove it. I can't remember the last time I turned mine on. Not sure about Mexico/Canada though. It may be worth $100 if they still use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy95W Posted May 24, 2021 Report Share Posted May 24, 2021 I removed my marker beacon antenna a few years ago and gained 15 knots. (jk) I should probably label the MB lights inop or something. Maybe I’ll just cover them up with a piece of black tape like my VCR clock. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Lloyd Posted May 24, 2021 Report Share Posted May 24, 2021 2 hours ago, Andy95W said: I removed my marker beacon antenna a few years ago and gained 15 knots. (jk) I should probably label the MB lights inop or something. Maybe I’ll just cover them up with a piece of black tape like my VCR clock. Rats. Mine was inside the one piece belly pan. Until 15 years ago I flew a pretty good amount. It was rare event then the MBs that were working. What...what's that noise? Ditch it, you'll never miss it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warren.huisman Posted May 24, 2021 Report Share Posted May 24, 2021 I don’t have one in my panel…Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohdub Posted May 24, 2021 Report Share Posted May 24, 2021 1 hour ago, RobertGary1 said: I'm sure you can remove it. I can't remember the last time I turned mine on. Not sure about Mexico/Canada though. It may be worth $100 if they still use them. I'm not aware of any here in Canada. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradp Posted May 24, 2021 Report Share Posted May 24, 2021 You know what simultaneously surprises me and makes me jump? A MM or IM beacon I’m flying over. When I used to fly over JFK I would always get startled by the MM or IM marker. I live pretty much across the street from an OM - so I’m kind of fond of them. ;-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaMan Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 I don’t think I’ve ever used the marker beacon or flown a localizer-only approach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N201MKTurbo Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 Mine blinked once. It kind of scared me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PT20J Posted May 26, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 13 minutes ago, FloridaMan said: I don’t think I’ve ever used the marker beacon or flown a localizer-only approach. You haven’t lived until you’ve hand flown the KMFR LOC/DME BC-B IMC after retreating from icing over the Siskiyou Mountains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N201MKTurbo Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 Just now, PT20J said: You haven’t lived until you’ve hand flown the KMFR LOC/DME BC-B IMC after retreating from icing over the Siskiyou Mountains. Oh crap, that airport is in a hole. I’ve never landed there, but I flew an airline flight there once. It is a slam dunk into the bottom of a Dixie Cup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertGary1 Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 21 minutes ago, FloridaMan said: I don’t think I’ve ever used the marker beacon or flown a localizer-only approach. You must be young. In the 90's they were certainly standard and forgetting to select it on the audio panel could cost you your checkride. -Robert 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PT20J Posted May 26, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 3 minutes ago, RobertGary1 said: You must be young. In the 90's they were certainly standard and forgetting to select it on the audio panel could cost you your checkride. -Robert And don’t forget to set the sensitivity to LO or the examiner will have a fit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricJ Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 Are there no more airway beacons or fan markers? I thought I saw one on a map a few years ago, but not sure where... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDPetersen Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 No mb receiver??!! Is there no respect for tradition? Next they will do away with the true fade and fade 90 LF range orientations. I think I’ll go pull the whistle-stop tuning knob on my Super homer for old time sake. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtVandelay Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 Anyone know how much the MB antenna weighs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PT20J Posted May 26, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 0.6 lbs. according to Comant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylw314 Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 15 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said: Oh crap, that airport is in a hole. I’ve never landed there, but I flew an airline flight there once. It is a slam dunk into the bottom of a Dixie Cup. Yeah, I'm heading there this weekend, and my wife asked if we could leave after dark. I told her, "ummm, no..." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McMooney Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 I asked the DPE about the MB during my IR checkride, she just shrugged and kept it moving Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinwing Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 years ago when we flew over an om...my wife was startled by the blinking light and noise over the intercom...."whats that she says"..oh oh says I ..we are out of gas! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryb Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 I removed my marker beacon antenna because I wanted that location for an ADSB receiver antenna. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtVandelay Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 What about outside North America? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A64Pilot Posted May 27, 2021 Report Share Posted May 27, 2021 5 hours ago, larryb said: I removed my marker beacon antenna because I wanted that location for an ADSB receiver antenna. For some reason my GDL-39 needed an external antenna at higher altitudes in my Maule, but hasn’t yet in the Mooney, but I’ve not yet flown that high or as far yet. ‘I have what looks like two transponder antennas and as I’m sure I don’t have a diversity transponder one I’m assuming was for the DME that was removed. ‘Anyone know how I can tell which one is the transponder and which one the DME? As my external ADSB antenna is a transponder antenna replacing the DME would be the way to go in my case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PT20J Posted May 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2021 1 hour ago, A64Pilot said: For some reason my GDL-39 needed an external antenna at higher altitudes in my Maule, but hasn’t yet in the Mooney, but I’ve not yet flown that high or as far yet. ‘I have what looks like two transponder antennas and as I’m sure I don’t have a diversity transponder one I’m assuming was for the DME that was removed. ‘Anyone know how I can tell which one is the transponder and which one the DME? As my external ADSB antenna is a transponder antenna replacing the DME would be the way to go in my case. For diversity, one antenna would be on top and one on the bottom. I have two antennas on my 1994 from the factory: left is DME, right is transponder. I don't know if that was a Mooney standard or not. The transponder and DME are in the same frequency band, so they use the same antennas. The older cavity DME transmitters could withstand the VSWR with the antenna disconnected, but I'm told that the newer solid state ones are easily damaged without a load. The installer put a warning label on the cable near the antenna when I had the GTX 345 installed that says to pull the breaker before disconnecting the antenna. Skip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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