Do carry a portable radio for backup?

[yvesg]

Does anyone know if there is any available handheld that would cover both the vhf aviation band AND the ham 2 meters band? I have not used my ham radio license for years however this could be an opportunity.

Yves

[201er]

Does anyone know if there is any available handheld that would cover both the vhf aviation band AND the ham 2 meters band? I have not used my ham radio license for years however this could be an opportunity.

Yves

Yes, my Vertex does that. I got it with the same line of thinking as you mention here and then never used it for Ham, figures. I'd say don't bother, just get something simple and make sure it can take AA batteries. After all, it's only a backup.

 

Also don't worry about nav capability on the handheld. We all carry like 5 backup handheld GPSes of all sorts anyway so unless the entire GPS infrastructure and all your batteries decide to die at the same time as your electrical system, I think you'll be just fine!

[danb35]

The previous model Vertex covers/ed the 2m band as well as aviation VHF, however they've removed that capability from the current 710 model.  Of course, many 2m ham handhelds can be modified to receive (at least) and transmit (in some cases) on aviation VHF, not that it would be legal to do so...

[201er]

The previous model Vertex covers/ed the 2m band as well as aviation VHF, however they've removed that capability from the current 710 model.  Of course, many 2m ham handhelds can be modified to receive (at least) and transmit (in some cases) on aviation VHF, not that it would be legal to do so...

But aren't most ham handhelds FM while the aviation stuff is AM?

[Seth]

The previous model Vertex covers/ed the 2m band as well as aviation VHF, however they've removed that capability from the current 710 model.  Of course, many 2m ham handhelds can be modified to receive (at least) and transmit (in some cases) on aviation VHF, not that it would be legal to do so...

You can also find older handhelds on ebay/craigslist.  I have almost purchased a second non nav radio for my car.  That way I keep the real backup in the airplane and when I'm at C or B operation airports for checking atis, getting clearence before starting (long taxi to runway usually at those locations).  The com radio only in the car is nice for simply tuning into DCA and listening to the planes on the River approach or arriving at my own airport for ATIS (even though I usually just call the number on the way). 

 

Twice I have had my older brother take pictures of me during takeoff and landing.  I would give him my backup radio and we'd talk on 123.45 as to if it would be a go-around, where the best angle was, etc . . . for most of the flight, he just would monitor the frequency of the field itself.  If I lost both my radios or electrics on those flights, I would just land as it was a non-towered airport.  However, I admit, it was disconcerting to not have my safety blanket on board for those flights.

 

I picked up an Icom A24 at Oshkosh in 2009. 

 

The Icom A23, Sportys, JD100, JD200 and SP200 you can sometimes pickup for less than $100 on ebay.

 

-Seth

[AndyFromCB]

I've got two batteries, two alternators, two radios, two transponders. If all of that goes down, I don't think the portable radio is what I'll be reaching for. A flask and a cigarette might be more useful.

[Seth]

I did lose a raido once - about 10 hours into training on my former M20F.  KX-155 just went TU and a bit of visible smoke appeared (like when a candle goes out).  I was waiting for takeoff clearance on the ground after a few trips around the pattern at a class D airport.  I shut off avionics as soon as I saw the smoke.  The small whisp of smoke went away, so the instructor and I, seeing that we were on the ground, powered back on the avionics, Comm 1 was dead, but there was no more smoke smell.  We turned off comm one and pulled the breaker, switched to comm two and called the tower, we did a few more patterns and then headed to home base.  I had the dead comm pulled and sent away for repair (the capacitors died, once replaced it was fine).  I flew on Comm 2 for about two weeks with a hole in the panel where comm 1 was.  That's when I first started thinking about getting a backup radio (which I got a year later).

 

So, I've never had to use one in flight, but I do believe it should be part of the equipment list, espeically when operating in and around the Washington DC SFRA - F-16s are cool, but not when they are sent after you.  Obviously, there are enough airports to land at that are non-towered should you lose your radios, but I still like the idea of having a portable nav/com as a backup.

 

Practicing with it in the air is another thing - that should be a good poll topic.

 

-Seth

[Ned Gravel]

I have an Icom A6.  Charger plugged in on my credenza at home.  In my second year of ownership, I took out the marker beacon receiver and antenna and replaced it with a Commant bent whip (Clarence calls it an "eye poker") under the belly and ran the coax to above my panel.  In the event it is needed, my handheld can use that external antenna to extend its range considerably.  The headphone connector is always plugged into the handheld.

 

When my batteries started showing an inability to retain their charge, I bought the BP211 Li-ion batteries and the charger that goes with it.  I also have two packs that use 6 AA batteries. These last are a real pain, but they will each last about an hour with good batteries in them.  My flight bag has the radio and the two battery packs in it.

 

Why all the redundancy?  I lost all electrics twice within one year of buying the aircraft and although I now have the Plane Power conversion and the Zeftronics ACU, I remember the feeling of it all going dark and no radios.  So, never again.

[yvesg]

But aren't most ham handhelds FM while the aviation stuff is AM?

I believe you are right. If I recall right, you could ear on an FM radio AM signals but they sound very weak (You need to crank the volume) due to the amplitude limiters.

 

My brother also has a VE2 license and this is why I would like to have a unit that can do both so I could chat with him legally when he is on the ground. Unless things have changed that I do not know about, amateur radio gear does not need any specific certification except for the fact that they need to have the equivalent stability of a piezo-electric reference.

 

Yves

[201er]

I've got two batteries, two alternators, two radios, two transponders. If all of that goes down, I don't think the portable radio is what I'll be reaching for. A flask and a cigarette might be more useful.

Good point, but isn't all that tied to just a single electric bus/master?

[rainman]

Sporty's, and it worked fine when I had to shut off the panel electronics because of smoke in the cockpit. I do have a cable that plugs into the panel which allows it to use the plane's external antenna. Range is poor without the external antenna plug-in. AA batteries make it convenient. Ray