I recently bought a 1958 7EC Champ. It has an Escort 110 mounted in between the feet, in front of the stick. (I like the installation between the feet as it is out of the way and doesn't interfere with getting in and out of the Champ.) It was wired into a Flightcom intercom. The radio is illegal and inoperative. I planned to use my ICOM A23 handheld temporarily, but when I plug it into the intercom and use the PTT on the handheld, I get a great deal of static and hum for transmission. It receives transmissions quite well though. So I can listen but not respond very well. I am looking for suggestions for simple fixes while I consider GPS/Com vs Com only fixed installation. Presently I am using the handheld without connection to the A/C battery. I noticed that the A23 cigarette lighter adapter has a "noise filter." Perhaps this is all I would need? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated...
Also, I will be looking to put in an inexpensive Transponder with Mode C eventually and would appreciate thoughts and suggestions on that issue. Unfortunately, there is no local avionics shop to help me sort this out.
Com radio woes
radio
DRP: Been down that road with my A5 Icom . The sound you hear is probably side tone. It should still transmit clearly although , to you it may not sound like it does. Hissing , squeals and all kinds of noise. If the com has a pilot isolate switch on it, you have to have it on and eliminate the passenger from the com. If this is not done you will receive well , but transmissions will be at about a 2, if that. Check to make sure you are pluged into the pilot side of the com. I made that mistake before.
Ron
Ron
Before you believe anything I say, check with two more people. If they agree, I must be right.
Im having similar problems, I think...
I just bought a new Icom A-24 radio, to replace an Icom A-4. (I liked being able to directly enter a freq, instead of scrolling thru...) I have it powered with the cigarette lighter adapter, and wired into a Flightcom portable intercom. I can receive fine, but the guys in the tower have told me repeatedly that about halfway thru my transmission my radio "makes a funny noise" and they have trouble hearing me. I can hear a slight "buzz/hum" that occurs at the same time the tower is having problems hearing me. It doesnt happen all the time, and Im having trouble narrowing down the exact cause...
Wouldnt engine/ignition noise occur at all times during transmit, and not just at certain times during transmissions ? Regardless, it happens with the engine shut off as well, so thats ruled out... I already replaced my PTT switch, thinking that it had a loose connection, but the problem persists... I believe the problem lies either in the intercom, or in the gain on my headset mic. The "buzz/hum" comes in after I talk for about 3-4 seconds, so maybe its feedback ?
The guys in the tower now remind me everytime I go flying that "Your radio is still making that funny noise..." Its kind of embarrasing that Im now known by ATC for having a screwy radio.
Ideas ?
Thanks !
Bob K.
Anchorage, AK
I just bought a new Icom A-24 radio, to replace an Icom A-4. (I liked being able to directly enter a freq, instead of scrolling thru...) I have it powered with the cigarette lighter adapter, and wired into a Flightcom portable intercom. I can receive fine, but the guys in the tower have told me repeatedly that about halfway thru my transmission my radio "makes a funny noise" and they have trouble hearing me. I can hear a slight "buzz/hum" that occurs at the same time the tower is having problems hearing me. It doesnt happen all the time, and Im having trouble narrowing down the exact cause...
Wouldnt engine/ignition noise occur at all times during transmit, and not just at certain times during transmissions ? Regardless, it happens with the engine shut off as well, so thats ruled out... I already replaced my PTT switch, thinking that it had a loose connection, but the problem persists... I believe the problem lies either in the intercom, or in the gain on my headset mic. The "buzz/hum" comes in after I talk for about 3-4 seconds, so maybe its feedback ?
The guys in the tower now remind me everytime I go flying that "Your radio is still making that funny noise..." Its kind of embarrasing that Im now known by ATC for having a screwy radio.
Ideas ?
Thanks !
Bob K.
Anchorage, AK
Bob,
In the cases I have been involved in, the magneto or ignition noise happens all the time that the engine is running, and since your engine is not running and you are still having issues, does not seem to be a problem.
I would switch out headsets and intercoms with someone else to try to narrow the problem down.
In the cases I have been involved in, the magneto or ignition noise happens all the time that the engine is running, and since your engine is not running and you are still having issues, does not seem to be a problem.
I would switch out headsets and intercoms with someone else to try to narrow the problem down.
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flybackwards1
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 21:52
- Location: N. Fla
- Contact:
Radio in '46 Chief
I am looking at a Micro Air radio, instead of the hand held, cockpit full of wires, poor reception, transmissions that are unintelligble,weak, intermittent etc. My AI friends tell me to go ahead and put it in and go fly. They tell me the paper work and time involved to do it legally, is not worth the effort. I believe the airplane would be safer flown with ANY good radio! However I also remember the grief we had a few years ago putting a shoulder harness in, and now all you need is a logbook entry! Comments, suggestions please.
everything looks better from above.
radio noise
Hearing all the comments about poor transmissions sound like the exact complaints that I posted several months ago. I got lots of advise and tried EVERYTHING with little success. Then last week by accident I borrowed a LIGHTSPEED thirty-3G-ANR Headset and tried them in my TAC. The resuslts were amazing. Clear crisp transmissions and reception better than I had EVER had. I had tried EVERYTHING else, new antenna, new intercom, new radio etc. Try another headset. It worked for me.Good Luck !
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marklamon
- Posts: 284
- Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2005 02:28
- Location: Pensacola, FL 16FL J-22 Ranch
- Contact:
You may try the heaset adapter that came with the Icom radio's and eliminate the Flightcom intercom. If the problem is still there it may be the headset. If the problem goes awy I mat be the flightcom.
I have had great luck with the Icom/ PS Engineering Aerocom III http://www.aircraftspruce.com/menus/av/ ... ms_ps.html .
But like others have said here the wires were driving me nutz. I just finised a MicroAir/PS Engineering PS 1000 II intercom install and love it. Now the only wire I have to deal with is the wire going from the IPod to the music input jack on the panel!
The newer MicroAir's have a VOX intercom built in.
My power is coming from a portable battery box that I slide into the glove/map box. My panel was modified in the early 60's to look like this.
The intercom is now under the Microair on the far right. The mag switches are now on the far left. A Garmin 296 in a AirGizmo's panel mount is in the top of the retangle hole and the map/glovebox is in the lower half of the rectangle. I need some thing to fill the 2" hole in the middle. Mark
I have had great luck with the Icom/ PS Engineering Aerocom III http://www.aircraftspruce.com/menus/av/ ... ms_ps.html .
But like others have said here the wires were driving me nutz. I just finised a MicroAir/PS Engineering PS 1000 II intercom install and love it. Now the only wire I have to deal with is the wire going from the IPod to the music input jack on the panel!
The newer MicroAir's have a VOX intercom built in.
My power is coming from a portable battery box that I slide into the glove/map box. My panel was modified in the early 60's to look like this.
The intercom is now under the Microair on the far right. The mag switches are now on the far left. A Garmin 296 in a AirGizmo's panel mount is in the top of the retangle hole and the map/glovebox is in the lower half of the rectangle. I need some thing to fill the 2" hole in the middle. Mark