jrwilson Posted September 7 Report Posted September 7 Anyone need a good condition KX-165 nav/com 14V? Working well when removed for KX-200 . all the numbers work well and are clear. Photo taken on 9-7-25.
jrwilson Posted September 7 Author Report Posted September 7 6 minutes ago, Brian2034 said: How much $$$ 1500 plus shipping
IvanP Posted September 7 Report Posted September 7 How do you like the Kx-200? Was it a true slide-in replacement as advertised? I am thinking about ditching my KX 165.
jrwilson Posted September 7 Author Report Posted September 7 I just opened the box today and am putting the 14V adapter on. Haven't used it yet. Looks fancy though :) Took 9 months to get shipped through spruce.
MikeOH Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 @jrwilson and @IvanP Curious what is motivation to replace a perfectly good KX-165 with a KX-200? A cursory exam of the KX-200 data sheet doesn't show much practical difference (okay, it stores 50 freqs). What am I missing? 1
redbaron1982 Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 Can it be integrated with Garmin avionics to control it? I have an old avionics stack and I'm considering cost effective path to upgrade while keeping two coms/nav radios. I don't want go full gps.
ad5ut Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 Is it the 720 channel or 760 channel version? The 720-channel -165 in the M20K I’m trying to get flying has seen some better days, so I’m looking for a 760-channel replacement.
IvanP Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 46 minutes ago, MikeOH said: @jrwilson and @IvanP Curious what is motivation to replace a perfectly good KX-165 with a KX-200? A cursory exam of the KX-200 data sheet doesn't show much practical difference (okay, it stores 50 freqs). What am I missing? My KX 165 is not in a good shape. Options are to either refurbish the existing unit, replace it with a used unit that is in better shape, replace it with new KX200 or replace it with something else which would involve major surgery on the panel. KX 200 seems to offer the path of least inconvenience in my case if it is, indeed, a slide in replacement. 1
jrwilson Posted September 8 Author Report Posted September 8 4 hours ago, ad5ut said: Is it the 720 channel or 760 channel version? The 720-channel -165 in the M20K I’m trying to get flying has seen some better days, so I’m looking for a 760-channel replacement. Not sure. I googled the difference and I haven't ever used any channels past 136 but I can check.
Scott Ashton Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 My KX165 is with Ed at kx155.com right now. I will give a pirep when it gets back to me this week. i went through all of these iterations (KX200 vs new Garmin navcom, etc) on what to do with my number two radio, and in the end this simple radio went 40 years trouble free so I figured for less than $3K for a refurb, it was worth a shot. 1
Slick Nick Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 3 hours ago, Scott Ashton said: My KX165 is with Ed at kx155.com right now. I will give a pirep when it gets back to me this week. i went through all of these iterations (KX200 vs new Garmin navcom, etc) on what to do with my number two radio, and in the end this simple radio went 40 years trouble free so I figured for less than $3K for a refurb, it was worth a shot. I'm in the same camp as you. I still have my original KX155's from 1991. They are bulletproof, and cheap to repair or replace if needed. 1
PeterRus Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 11 hours ago, redbaron1982 said: Can it be integrated with Garmin avionics to control it? I have an old avionics stack and I'm considering cost effective path to upgrade while keeping two coms/nav radios. I don't want go full gps. No. For the price, getting a Garmin radio makes much more sense.
IvanP Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 I would love get a Garmin product that would just slide in without having to redo the panel. Unfortunately, that does not seem to be an option at this time.
PeterRus Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 48 minutes ago, IvanP said: I would love get a Garmin product that would just slide in without having to redo the panel. Unfortunately, that does not seem to be an option at this time. Spend $5K on a KX-200 or spend $5K + install cost on Garmin.
MikeOH Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 5 hours ago, Scott Ashton said: My KX165 is with Ed at kx155.com right now. I will give a pirep when it gets back to me this week. i went through all of these iterations (KX200 vs new Garmin navcom, etc) on what to do with my number two radio, and in the end this simple radio went 40 years trouble free so I figured for less than $3K for a refurb, it was worth a shot. @Scott Ashton Looking forward to your PIREP! I, too, have a KX-155 and it's starting to show signs...thing is, Ed recently (last couple of years?) raised his price to $2500 plus return shipping vs, I believe, his old price of $1500 plus shipping. The buying new option is still more, $4500 for the KX-200, but starts to weigh in as a viable choice. However, I think his new price includes replacing the display (which is one of the issues mine is starting to have). If so, then his price starts to make sense.
redbaron1982 Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 25 minutes ago, PeterRus said: Spend $5K on a KX-200 or spend $5K + install cost on Garmin. Am I wrong or Garmin's GNC 215 does not have glideslope? Shouldn't be a BNC GS connector on the back?
MikeOH Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 24 minutes ago, PeterRus said: Spend $5K on a KX-200 or spend $5K + install cost on Garmin. "install cost on Garmin"...that's likely $2K to $3K, so, $7.5K installed for the Garmin option. KX-200 is $5K KX-155 repair is $2.5K For COM2, I just don't need the fancy features, or memory storage, of the first two (in fact, since I don't have fancy Garmin panel I wouldn't be able to even use those features). For me, it comes down to do I want a shiny new radio with warranty, or go with repair of the best radio ever designed and built And, I save $2.5K. YMMV 1
MikeOH Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 28 minutes ago, redbaron1982 said: Am I wrong or Garmin's GNC 215 does not have glideslope? Shouldn't be a BNC GS connector on the back? @redbaron1982 FWIW, I found this on Garmin's website (you'd think they'd make it more obvious): According to AI, you no longer need a separate GS antenna (no extra connector on the back):
PeterRus Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 29 minutes ago, MikeOH said: For me, it comes down to do I want a shiny new radio with warranty, or go with repair of the best radio ever designed and built And, I save $2.5K. YMMV Absolutely. My point was... I don't see very much economical sense for the KX-200 upgrade: either fix the old radio (including the display) or go for a Garmin radio with installation cost.
MikeOH Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 Just now, PeterRus said: Absolutely. My point was... I don't see very much economical sense for the KX-200 upgrade: either fix the old radio (including the display) or go for a Garmin radio with installation cost. Well, there is a $2.5K difference in price points between the three options. The KX-200 is a slide-in replacement for the KX-155/165. For those of us without a Garmin panel why would we spend an additional $2.5K to tear up our panel and install the Garmin with features we cannot even use?
Slick Nick Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 1 hour ago, MikeOH said: Well, there is a $2.5K difference in price points between the three options. The KX-200 is a slide-in replacement for the KX-155/165. For those of us without a Garmin panel why would we spend an additional $2.5K to tear up our panel and install the Garmin with features we cannot even use? Agreed. Not to mention Garmin doesn't exactly have the best track record with reliability and stability these days. Meanwhile I don't think I've ever seen a Bendix radio fail in my 25 years of flying.
MikeOH Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 1 minute ago, Slick Nick said: Agreed. Not to mention Garmin doesn't exactly have the best track record with reliability and stability these days. Meanwhile I don't think I've ever seen a Bendix radio fail in my 25 years of flying. Yuup! When ATC has trouble hearing me on the COM in my GNS430W, I just switch to the KX-155 and, problem solved 2
PeterRus Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 20 minutes ago, MikeOH said: Yuup! When ATC has trouble hearing me on the COM in my GNS430W, I just switch to the KX-155 and, problem solved Ok, when would you upgrade to KX-200?
MikeOH Posted September 8 Report Posted September 8 2 hours ago, PeterRus said: Ok, when would you upgrade to KX-200? Yeah, that's the excellent question, isn't it? Thankfully, my KX-155 is still soldiering on (I have one segment in one of the seven-segment displays out) but at some point I'll be faced with this decision. The KX-155 has gone well beyond being a proven design...it's pretty much the gold standard in a great, reliable radio. So, having it repaired and upgrading the display is pretty compelling. OTOH, there's not much of a guarantee of how much additional life I'm going to get for my $2.5K. Thus, the KX-200, at $5K becomes a possibility. It's new and shiny and has a warranty. Thing is, it has NOT been field proven by any stretch of the imagination (think beta tester when you buy), and it is $2.5K more money out of my pocket. Keep in mind that the Bendix-King that designed the venerable KX-155 is most definitely NOT the same company that has designed the KX-200. I'm not convinced they're now a better company than they once were. So, at the moment, it is pretty obvious I'd go with the repair/refurb option. But who knows when mine dies enough time may have elapsed that the KX-200 has become well established, and Ed may no longer be fixing KX-155s! I'll wait and see.
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