The trusty PA28 has a King KX 170 as comm two and I love this radio. Very simple to use, works well for ATIS etc and also gives me a VOR which combined with GPS distance from Skydemon allows me to shoot Localiser only approachers in VFR conditions.
Unfortunately it won’t go on for ever and it takes up quite a bit of space. This is limited in a PA28 due to the location of the master and fuel pump switches . I also can’t stand having the transponder stuck over on the P2 side.
I also question the safety of having a two comm radios and that a hand held radio which I could connect to an external antenna in an emergency via a BNC connector or what ever it is called would be ideal.
Has anyone got any experience of doing this? I’m sure I have seen it in other aircraft in the past.
We had an external antenna on the Robin, for use with a hand held.
That was indeed a ‘Bulkhead’ BNC connector on the panel, and we had a ‘Patch lead’ to connect from the handheld’s antenna point to the bulhhead fitting on the panel.
All worked very well.
Then only downside is that to ensure always having the handheld available, we left it in the storage pouch on the side by your ankles/the rudder pedals, and of course weeks would pass and the batteries would die. After a few cycles of that, the batteries are ruined.
So a bit of discipline is req, or like us, you have external power made available next to the new antenna bulkhead.
Yes,my aircraft used to have an ELT (121.5) fitted with an external antenna (hidden in the fin fairing). The ELT has since been removed, so an extension cable to the antenna connection works well with my handheld.
A Bluetooth handheld to Bluetooth capable headset(have a light speed zulu2) is the icing on the cake.
Useful where start clearance is required and works much much better than rubber duck antenna.
GA_Pete wrote:
We had an external antenna on the Robin, for use with a hand held.
That was indeed a ‘Bulkhead’ BNC connector on the panel, and we had a ‘Patch lead’ to connect from the handheld’s antenna point to the bulhhead fitting on the panel.
All worked very well.
I did the same on my C 150, and had excellent results.
Assure that you have the correct adapter for the headset, and PTT! The PTT on the side of the handheld might not activate the mic on the headset (which was my experience), additional PTT adapter required in the mic line, but otherwise, ’worked fine!
My ex-Luscombe had no electrical system or installed radio, just a handheld that hung on a mount on the passenger side doorpost, with an installed antenna on the cabin roof and concealed cables from the antenna and stick-mounted PTT running to the radio. It all worked well, and I flew in all kinds of airspace without issue. The radio and cables could be removed in a few minutes if desired and worked no differently for my purposes than an installed radio except for keeping batteries charged.
Over a long period I found using a AA battery back worked better than rechargeable batteries, little loss of charge in storage and with spare AAs on hand there was no waiting to recharge. As well as loose AAs I generally kept a compete AA-loaded battery pack within reach in the plane. It didn’t loose charge very much over time, and so was always available to be swapped quickly.
Did you ever try how far out you can reach your home airfield on the handheld with its standard antenna? Do you really need more?
Yes, I had a wire antenna as backup rigged from center cockpit to rudder fin – mainly for ocean crossing and backup. After not using it for many many years I got it off and now use the handheld as is when needed (doing no ocean crossings anymore anyways). Got a good original Nagoya 771 in case standard is not sufficient, but have been happy ever since.
Even further, switched to a modern handheld COM/NAV with VOX (no PTT needed) and Bluetooth (Rexon RHP530). In combination with the Bose A20 BT I do have full communications backup by this – if power goes completely bust, I can still choose to couple the A20 to my mobile or the Rexon, whichever gives me the better way to get to whom needed.
MichaLSA wrote:
Even further, switched to a modern handheld COM/NAV with VOX (no PTT needed) and Bluetooth (Rexon RHP530). In combination with the Bose A20 BT I do have full communications backup by this – if power goes completely bust, I can still choose to couple the A20 to my mobile or the Rexon, whichever gives me the better way to get to whom needed.
This sounds interesting. How well does the VOX work in a noisy cockpit with a BT ANR headset? It sounds like a good solution for getting start and IFR clearances on the ground without powering up avionics.
After 20+ years VFR and IFR, I have come to the conclusion that no handheld radio at all is best. Having some radio (which likely won‘t work well enough) that one time in your life when you have a full dual radio outage (or full electrical outage) is overrated. Just fly an approach to some sleepy regional airport if the weather is IFR (and the navigator still works) or stay VFR and land at a small airfield is just fine. Having a handheld radio will not really help with that. Maybe fiddleing with that radio will actually detract you just enough to mess up the approach, or your decision making.
chflyer wrote:
This sounds interesting. How well does the VOX work in a noisy cockpit with a BT ANR headset? It sounds like a good solution for getting start and IFR clearances on the ground without powering up avionics.
VOX is adjustable, works well with the A20 even in noisy cockpit (actually better in noisy than in quiet) and yes, that is what I frequently use it for now.
boscomantico wrote:
Just fly an approach to some sleepy regional airport if the weather is IFR (and the navigator still works) or stay VFR and land at a small airfield is just fine.
The ‘sleepy regional airports’ are the worst, at least in Germany … and I think landing there without radio would be my very very last option to take.
