GTR 205 or GTN 215

[Mister_Bevilaqua]

I am looking to replace an old secondary radio Narco Com 120, but I am torn between paying twice as much for a NavCom like the GTN215 or sticking with a secondary radio like the GTR205. Thoughts? 

[Aerodon]

36 minutes ago, Mister_Bevilaqua said:

I am looking to replace an old secondary radio Narco Com 120, but I am torn between paying twice as much for a NavCom like the GTN215 or sticking with a secondary radio like the GTR205. Thoughts? 

What else have you got in the stack?

 

[Mister_Bevilaqua]

16 minutes ago, Aerodon said:

What else have you got in the stack?

 

GMA 340, GTX330, 430W. Engine management is totally run on EI MVP 50. My plan in the next 1-2 years is to replace the 430 with a 650 or 750 and add two G5's or 275's. 

 

Edited July 30 by Mister_Bevilaqua

[rklems]

What kind of flying do you do? Your current panel only has the single nav source, if you do much IFR, I'd personally like to have some sort of panel based back up navigation source. If you had the vertical space a GNC355 might be a good option, I know it's not in your list, but I'd posit that a screen failure or power failure to the GNS is more likely than both a GPS outage and a total failure of the GNS unit and the 355 offers a lot more utility than just the VHF nav the 215 does in the case of a GNS failure. If budget doesn't allow that, the 215 is a fine choice, and if you don't do any IFR, just having the backup COM should be plenty good enough.

[Mister_Bevilaqua]

I am working on an instrument rating at the moment, albeit in another aircraft. I'd like to fly IFR in the Mooney, but to what degree and frequency, I don't know just yet. I'll take a look at the 355. I am trying to balance the funds spent this year versus the desired panel upgrades. I know I will be replacing the 430 soon enough, but I wasn't quite ready for a $10-30K upgrade in avionics this year. 

[McMooney]

i Have a gnc355a, installing a gnc215 to replace my kx170b next month.   while it'll be nice to have a modern nav/com the reality is, i haven't used the  nav in years.  I sometimes tune the ils while i shoot an rnav approach just to make sure the ils equip still works

[Ragsf15e]

2 hours ago, Mister_Bevilaqua said:

I am working on an instrument rating at the moment, albeit in another aircraft. I'd like to fly IFR in the Mooney, but to what degree and frequency, I don't know just yet. I'll take a look at the 355. I am trying to balance the funds spent this year versus the desired panel upgrades. I know I will be replacing the 430 soon enough, but I wasn't quite ready for a $10-30K upgrade in avionics this year. 

Potentially keep the 430 as backup nav/com when you put in the 650 if there’s space?

Otherwise, I would also want some sort of nav com as #2 for ifr.

[Aerodon]

3 hours ago, Mister_Bevilaqua said:

GMA 340, GTX330, 430W. Engine management is totally run on EI MVP 50. My plan in the next 1-2 years is to replace the 430 with a 650 or 750 and add two G5's or 275's. 

 

How about a picture of your panel?  This one brick at a time does not work really well with avionics upgrades, and I do not like the idea of all your Nav capability in the GNS430.  An SL30 with MD200 is probably the most cost effective, and it has the sought after serial output for future electronic display (although a GI-275 will take an extra analog anyway).  Same could be achieved with a GNC215.  

My decision making would be influenced by vertical height available in the panel, what fits now and in the future.

Aerodon

 

[CCAS]

I elected to install a GTR 205 as my #2 radio and am happy with the choice…and the recent software upgrade offered by Garmin gives it some additional features.  Price was a factor in my decision but I also didn’t think I needed another Nav source (I’ve got two panel GPS WAAS options and one land-based Nav option which I though gave me plenty of backup capability). 

[Aerodon]

While an Apollo SL40 Com looks the same as an SL30 Navcom, it was possible to slide an SL40 into a SL30 tray, but not vice versa.

If a GNC215 will fit into a GTR205 tray, then it's possible to do a Com now and trade up to a GNC215 later.  Anyone seen both side by side, or have the install manuals?

 

Aerodon

 

 

[rklems]

1 hour ago, Aerodon said:

While an Apollo SL40 Com looks the same as an SL30 Navcom, it was possible to slide an SL40 into a SL30 tray, but not vice versa.

If a GNC255 will fit into a GTR205 tray, then it's possible to do a Com now and trade up to a GNC215 later.  Anyone seen both side by side, or have the install manuals?

 

Aerodon

 

 

I presume you mean a GNC215 in to a GTR205 tray, as a GNC255 will _definitely_ not fit without a bandsaw. They use the same tray and d-sub connectors, the GNC tray has the additional nav antenna connector. They also use the same wiring for the com and intercom pins, so other than having to add the pins for nav functions and the connector for the nav antenna, they are interchangeable in the tray.

[jetdriven]

13 hours ago, CCAS said:

I elected to install a GTR 205 as my #2 radio and am happy with the choice…and the recent software upgrade offered by Garmin gives it some additional features.  Price was a factor in my decision but I also didn’t think I needed another Nav source (I’ve got two panel GPS WAAS options and one land-based Nav option which I though gave me plenty of backup capability). 

If you have two separate GPS receivers, you’re probably right, but if you’re planning on having the ILS and the GPS as part of your navigator number one, and that thing goes dark, it takes both of those out, but I guess if you have a separate GPS That can drive your HSI then you probably are covered as far as backups go..  But there are a lot of folks flying around with a single IFR navigator and a com radio and they think an iPad is gonna get them to the ground and that is not very Robust of a backup plan. 

[CCAS]

34 minutes ago, jetdriven said:

there are a lot of folks flying around with a single IFR navigator and a com radio and they think an iPad is gonna get them to the ground and that is not very Robust of a backup plan

Totally agree.  I’d worry if my GTN 650Xi and GNX 375 both fail on a given flight but I consider that outcome unlikely unless dealing with total power failure.  

[Mister_Bevilaqua]

There's a lot to consider here. I know I want to rid the plane of the old Narco unit at a minimum, I am just not sure that I am ready to make the financial commitment of a 355 and a 650/750 at the moment, with 275's or G5's to follow soon after. I still have a few weeks to make a decision and get the parts moving before it hits the shop. 

 

1. Option 1: Pick up a clean, used SL30 NavCom and another Garmin 106. $4K + harness
2. Option 2: Garmin GTR 205 for a secondary radio and forgo the IFR improvements for another year or two. $2500 + harness
3. Option 3: Garmin GNC 215 NavCom and another Garmin 106. $5600 + harness
4. Option 4: Garmin GNC 355 GPS/NavCom and another Garmin 106. $8,000 + harness

[rklems]

Re: Option 1 .... While I think the SL30 is a fine unit, Garmin is ending all support for it this year (https://atlaske-content.garmin.com/filestorage//email/outbound/attachments/25013A_Time1743445910149.pdf), so I'd hate to see you pick one up and have the display or something crap out on it a year from now and have wasted all that money.

[Mister_Bevilaqua]

7 minutes ago, rklems said:

Re: Option 1 .... While I think the SL30 is a fine unit, Garmin is ending all support for it this year (https://atlaske-content.garmin.com/filestorage//email/outbound/attachments/25013A_Time1743445910149.pdf), so I'd hate to see you pick one up and have the display or something crap out on it a year from now and have wasted all that money.

Good point, exactly why I refuse to put anything more into the 430W. 

[Ragsf15e]

If you’re putting g-5 or gi275s in, why do you want a separate gi106?  You can wire two digital nav sources to both of those.  
 

If it’s because that’s not happening quite yet, just install the radio without the gi106.  It’s still a nav “backup” as most of those display an obs type indicator.  You would eventually want a real display for it, but that could be your g5/275.

[Mister_Bevilaqua]

24 minutes ago, Ragsf15e said:

If you’re putting g-5 or gi275s in, why do you want a separate gi106?  You can wire two digital nav sources to both of those.  
 

If it’s because that’s not happening quite yet, just install the radio without the gi106.  It’s still a nav “backup” as most of those display an obs type indicator.  You would eventually want a real display for it, but that could be your g5/275.

I don't plan to install G5's or 275's for a few more years. I am trying to make the most budget-friendly decision for right now. As much as I'd love to do the rest of the panel all at once, it's just not feasible at the moment. 

[Mister_Bevilaqua]

4 hours ago, Ragsf15e said:

If you’re putting g-5 or gi275s in, why do you want a separate gi106?  You can wire two digital nav sources to both of those.  
 

If it’s because that’s not happening quite yet, just install the radio without the gi106.  It’s still a nav “backup” as most of those display an obs type indicator.  You would eventually want a real display for it, but that could be your g5/275.

 

I guess I could install the HNC 215 and use the CDI in the display as my secondary until I install a new GPS and G5's or 275's in a few years?! This would give me a new second radio and NavCom now, without having to invest in a second standalone CDI/106 that will eventually be replaced anyway. 

[Mister_Bevilaqua]

After talking to my Avionics guy, I am leaning towards installing the 355. I'll run it as a standalone second comm and GPS Nav for now, and then I'll install DG/AI G5's or 275's next year. I am hoping the 430W will continue to limp along for another 2-3 years until I can justify replacing it with a 650 or 750. 

[Mister_Bevilaqua]

Thoughts on going with the GNX 375 GPS-Nav and ADS-B IN/OUT transponder instead of the 355? This will allow me to ditch the 327 transponder/tail beacon ADSB/Sentry setup I currently have, and it will then give me weather and traffic on both the GPS and my iPad/Foreflight/Garmin Pilot. Then I can install the GTR 205 for a secondary Comm. I'll still run the 430W to the CDI, and then next year I'll add dual G5's or 275's, which will give the 375 a needle on the HSI, and then in year three I can finally replace the 430 with a 650 or 750.

[rklems]

The GNX375 is a great unit, you won't be disappointed. I've installed a number of them and I love the unit. I put one in my 172 along with the 255 and 215 (the older version of the 215/205). I hadn't suggested it since you were looking for a COM or COM/NAV, but it really is a great all-in-one kinda unit.

[Mister_Bevilaqua]

7 hours ago, rklems said:

The GNX375 is a great unit, you won't be disappointed. I've installed a number of them and I love the unit. I put one in my 172 along with the 255 and 215 (the older version of the 215/205). I hadn't suggested it since you were looking for a COM or COM/NAV, but it really is a great all-in-one kinda unit.

The more I think about it, the more I think that I prefer two GPS/Nav units over a Nav/Comm.