Radio

[ZULU1]

Radios available at present for panel mount and problems:

Thanks for the comments chaps, we merely try to offer a service !!

Anyway I offer the following advice, most panel mounts are acceptable, and I suggest the following:

The Microair rather smart size and looks, in a noisy environment the Intercom doesn't work well, it is 5 watts and is susceptible (big time) to line interference. It needs chokes and line filters. I spent the entire day on a Airborne XT 912 with one yesterday. Best used with a Vee antenna and the GPS 296 nails it. Why not buy an ICA 4 ??

ICA 200 good kit and the new ones are 10 watt, nice kit in a tin aerie, put it in a Cheetah and whistle your way around the patch as no real ground plane, once again we have made a Vee antenna which Steve Mc Currach is going to be fitting. Why not buy an ICA 4 ??

As far as hand helds go, well we have used them all and to date nothing beats the ICA 4 (F3 series) for absolutely everything except looks. I have never opened one up yet. Even though we are now Vertex and Icom dealers the Vertex is very complicated for a trike use as it takes a simple squelch adjustment three knob hits !! Good radios though. ICA6/24 works well but a fussy installation and not as clear TX as the rest. (i do a software upgrade to them to work properly on a intercom system). The ICA 3/22s are getting old in the tooth now they can go over voltage (need a current limiting supply), spares are becoming scarce on these also, and the plugs give wear hassles.

The ICA 5/23 s we cant get batteries any more (same as T8s), the little plugs wear and they can go over voltage easy.

I am selling the VXA 220s and 710 s as they are very tough as well as ICA 4s when I can get them plus the occasional ICA 6/24.

Fliser is good but expensive, Xcoms no experience at all (apparently very good but 5 watts as we sell chokes to Oz for them).

Just a point if you install a panel mount you will require a radio station licence from ICASA for the aerie, a hand held no need as its removable, one screw and a licence is needed !! Should technically have a hand held licence..

If you send me a PM or email I have compiled a radio installation / setting guide in pdf format thats worth a read.

I may also add that the experience that I have gained from Microlights/PPGs has been really invaluable for our core business. We are now producing as a direct result of these experiences Bomb disposal intercoms for EOD helmets and some nice security comms.

So its all worth it..


Thanks Zulu1

[Rudix]

Hi Zulu,

The one reason I look at radios other than the normal handhelds is that I want a radio with dual receive capability, once you have used that in a busy flying area like GP you feel lost without it ! You keep one receiver on the special rules freq and the other on the closest airport, out in the boons you leave one on special rules and the second on 123.450

I am not aware of any handhelds that can do that ? Actually strange, both Yaesu (Vertex) and Icom have amateur band handhelds with dual recieve !

Regards,
Rudi

[ZULU1]

Yes correct, most hand helds have a scan function, the VXA 710 will dual receive on the commercial band.

However our new intercom will do as you request:

Two filtered regulated supplies
Battery back up
Two radio inputs (any type three or four wire) and both receive at same time
Two Ptts for either radio and also Pax selectable to tx (for farm patrols etc.) So Pax can talk on second radio whilst pilot is busy.
Stereo input and stereo in headsets (awesome)
muTunes and also VOX on music between pilot /pax either talks kills the music as well as either radio in or either PTT press with a preselectable time delay
three stage noise cancelling
Mil spec cables and plugs
Footprint and bracket for the large iPod
To come later a Bluetooth cell phone in either or both headsets.

So yes we can do it in about three - four weeks as the first 7 are pre sold !!

We are not replacing our existing range and no changes expected on that product at all.

We are producing a carbon fibre helmet to go with this range.

I will make as ystem available for demo in Jhb.

Cheers Zulu1

[Dish]

Zulu mate, did you get my email???

[Rudix]

Yes correct, most hand helds have a scan function, the VXA 710 will dual receive on the commercial band.

However our new intercom will do as you request:

Two filtered regulated supplies
Battery back up
Two radio inputs (any type three or four wire) and both receive at same time
Two Ptts for either radio and also Pax selectable to tx (for farm patrols etc.) So Pax can talk on second radio whilst pilot is busy.
Stereo input and stereo in headsets (awesome)
muTunes and also VOX on music between pilot /pax either talks kills the music as well as either radio in or either PTT press with a preselectable time delay
three stage noise cancelling
Mil spec cables and plugs
Footprint and bracket for the large iPod
To come later a Bluetooth cell phone in either or both headsets.

So yes we can do it in about three - four weeks as the first 7 are pre sold !!

We are not replacing our existing range and no changes expected on that product at all.

We are producing a carbon fibre helmet to go with this range.

I will make as ystem available for demo in Jhb.

Cheers Zulu1

That sounds really good ! I will have to install these in all my planes, could you please send me the dimensions to see if it will fit on the panel ?

If I supply the pin-outs would you be able to make up the cables needed to connect a second radio ? I would like to install a Yaesu FT-817 or FT-857 as a second radio. Will power it direct from the battery in the case of the FT-857 because it needs plenty amps !

The new intercom would not really solve the dual receive problem since you would need 2 antennas on the same freq and if you transmit on the one you stand a good chance of frying the front end on the other radio if it is in the same band, been there, done that

But I can live without the dual receive if I can have a radio on a different band, now I just need to sort out a HF antenna that will fit the plane !

Thanks for the information !
Regards,
Rudi

[ZULU1]

The Intercom box is :125mm long x 80mm x 55mm high ally cast, also the pax socket has a audio out for a video camera. The box is that size because of the iPod footprint, we could make much smaller otherwise. Just two lights and a rotary switch Off/Pilot tx/Pax tx and two Ptts on the bar (or elsewhere).

If on a trike you can mount two Vee rabbits as I am doing at present.

We use a 4016 to switch each device audio off with Ptt press ..this also allows the intercom to create a "pseudo side tone" and kills feedback loops from the audio on radio transmit.

Makes a real clean transmission as the side tone back from the radio is switched off. This doesnt interfere with any signal sent out and allows the mic to do the work.

In some radios we use a 0805 chip on the pins to leak some side tone in and makes very quiet flying. As its a 4 way switch we also use it for music muting, timing etc and makes the entire set up simple. Our stereo chips are also DC volume control so have no rf ingress from extra audio lines running around the sky !!

Just keep it simple..

Ciao Zulu1

[ZULU1]

We use two LM338 regulators in TO 220 package mounted to the enclosure lid as aheat sink. Rated at 5 amps and has a line choke inside also. That should power the small ham radio..

Zulu1