Handheld radio questions

[OuterMarker]

With the airshow at OSH (Oshkosh) only a few weeks away I am going to attend and I would like to put some questions out to the group. I am going to buy a new handheld radio. Currently, I have an old Sporty's SP-200 nav/com which is at least 10+ years old. So it is time.

What are you guys using?

What is good about it?

What is bad about it? Such as charging system, headphone jacks, where the knobs are located, battery life, warrantee/service, range, physical size. visibility of numbers/backlight.....

[GyrOZprey]

I-com A6 - seems fine in hand for a ground-man listening & talking to aircraft but been trying to plug in to comtronics cords & helmets - it's being a mongrel to make transmissions
- can receive fine!!!! Comtronics says they are squirrelly & need a $25 capacitor to filter out engine RF's --- our next step no doubt!

[OuterMarker]

thanks...that is the type of information I am looking for......I too, use a Comtronics helmet/headset. Is the engine noise also present if a military type helmet is used?

[Stan V]

Contact Bear Perkins, He sells all kinds of handhelds and knows what each model can and can't do. He has been coming to both Benson days and Mentone in the past, I expect he'll be there again this year. www.bearperkins.com or call at 706-757-3435. I bought an A6 from him last year at Mentone, I've been very happy with it but I only use it on the ground. Bear is a great suporter of PRA and is a great person to buy from.

[WHY]

Outermarker

If I was buying new, I would for sure look at something with navagation features as well, like some of the Vertex stuff.

Tony

[Brent Drake]

I use the Vertex VXA-710 It's a NAV/COM and does public FM so you can listen to your favorite radio station if you want. There about $300

[WHY]

Brent

How does that Vertex handle engine noise ??

Tony

[brs]

I have two. The Vertex VXA-700? (not sure of the model it's like the 710 but with HAM radio ability). With an external headset it's fine but the built in speaker and mic are not good. I always have trouble understanding speach with the speaker. Also, each time I pick up the radio I find I've forgotten how to use it. Complicated.

Sporty's SP-400. Solid radio for aircraft. Instructions not needed just pick it up and use it. Good audio quality. Plastic case though not well sheilded against some types of noise. I had it mounted on the SHredo panel but the MGL display put out too much noise for it. Engine noise (subaru) was not a problem.

If this is a dedicated gyro main radio you may want to look at ...
http://www.pacificcoastavionics.com/...00-fl-760.aspx
no more weight than a handheld and not much more in price.

[Doug Riley]

I've had good luck isolating engine RF by using a external whip antenna in place of the rubber duckie. Mount the antenna as far away from the engine as possible. On small, open pusher gyros, I've mounted the whip on the nose near the nosewheel fork.

Whip-antenna kits, pre-wired with more coax than you'll ever need, are an inexpensive purchase from several of the light-aircraft supply houses.