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MGL Avionics V10 VHF COMM radio

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 2:26 pm
by rainier
Hi guys,
many of you are waiting patiently for MGL to get their act together and start dishing out the V10 radio.
The good news, after a long 7 years of development it is done and we have the first manufactured batch waiting to go (^^) .

We are waiting for lab tests and certification (FCC) and hopefully this is not far away so we can start shipping these things.

For those not in the know, the V10 is a very comprehensive VHF transceiver/intercom designed with the open cockpit aircraft in mind or for those that need to fly occasionaly with gloves on. It is also exceptionaly compact and light yet with a generous panel and display. It is also able to work over a large voltage range and produces very good RF power (6-7W typical). The radio is a complete break with traditional VHF radio design and introduces a long list of new and innovative circuitry and is nearly completely digital. There is currently no competing VHF transceiver that can match the V10's sound quality for receive and transmit - this one rocks ! (during test flights we regulary get "6 out of 5").

There is a lot to write about this thing, much more than I want to write here - so go and download the user and installation manual from our website. You can also download a fully functional simulator that gives you a good idea how this radio works.

www.MGLAvionics.co.za/VHF10.htm

The V10 is our entry into the aviation RF world. This is also the first commercial airband VHF transciever designed and made in South Africa.

Local selling price is under R5K plus VAT.

Please note that due to our limited initial production quantities we are maintaining a waiting list. If you are interested in getting one of these jewels, please send us an e-mail with your details - info@MGLAvionics.co.za
No monies are payable upfront. When your turn comes, we contact you and then you can still decide if you want it or not - if not, no problem, it goes to the next one on the list.

Rainier
MGL Avionics

Re: MGL Avionics V10 VHF COMM radio

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 2:50 pm
by RudiGreyling
Very nice, I had a look at the specs.
One Q that is not clear from specs...is the intercom stereo for music input?

Re: MGL Avionics V10 VHF COMM radio

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 4:15 pm
by rainier
RudiGreyling wrote:Very nice, I had a look at the specs.
One Q that is not clear from specs...is the intercom stereo for music input?
No, it has a mono auxiliary input. You can mix stereo L/R onto it but the system as a whole is mono.
There were simply not enough channels on the CODEC we used to have stereo auxiliary unfortunately. While we are using a stereo CODEC one of the output channels is used to feed the modulator leaving only one to drive the headsets.

Maybe we can do this with the next model - right now we need to dock up a small fortune for the certification (and once certified we can't change anything).

Rainier

Re: MGL Avionics V10 VHF COMM radio

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:48 pm
by Stephan van Tonder
Nice system from the looks of it. This also links in with the enigma and can be controlled form it?

Re: MGL Avionics V10 VHF COMM radio

Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 9:24 am
by rainier
Stephan van Tonder wrote:Nice system from the looks of it. This also links in with the enigma and can be controlled form it?
The V10 can be controlled via any popular communications protocol.
It emulates a Garmin SL40 (the new Icom A210 also uses parts of this), Garmin SL30 (without the NAV part) and it also includes the MGL binary protocol as published in the user manual. This allows remote control right down to detail level if required.

Yes, of course the Enigma can be used to connect to the V10.

Rainier

Re: MGL Avionics V10 VHF COMM radio

Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 12:10 pm
by udher
Great news, this. Thanks.

How far are you with your transponder development?
Will be fitting both when the transponder comes out.

Udo

Re: MGL Avionics V10 VHF COMM radio

Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 1:09 pm
by rainier
udher wrote:Great news, this. Thanks.

How far are you with your transponder development?
Will be fitting both when the transponder comes out.

Udo
It is going quite well technically but is likely to take some time until it has the required TSO and other certifications. This is by far the most expensive development we are doing (the actual mode-s transponder is not such a big deal - the certification however is frightening, it costs so much I could quite comfortably retire on that sum).

It's one of those cases where designing the actual device is the easy part - but dealing with bureaucracy is far more difficult. However, there may be some good news on the horizon - one of our local testing labs is busy getting FCC accreditation - that may help save a lot of time and hopefully money as well.

Rainier

Re: MGL Avionics V10 VHF COMM radio

Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 8:28 pm
by diver
Hi Rianier,

It looks very nice. Do you have any plans for a handheld version.

Thanks

Re: MGL Avionics V10 VHF COMM radio

Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 1:45 pm
by rainier
diver wrote:Hi Rianier,

It looks very nice. Do you have any plans for a handheld version.

Thanks
Unfortunately no plans.
It's difficult for us to compete with Chinese made handhelds. We cannot buy the components for the price these things sell for.
We would have to make them for less than R1000 ready to ship in order to be able to compete (due to costs of supplier chain).
Also remember - these radios tend to be cheaper oversees, in particular in the U.S. and that is the price that counts for us since we export 95-98% of our products. You could buy handhelds this year at Osh from little more than $200. That is tough for anybody to compete with, even us.

The panel mount radios (like the V10) are better as due to more expensive base components the playing field is leveled a bit. This is were we can offer a genuinely cheaper product while at the same time offering more for the buck.

Rainier