So I put this light on my Gyro. It is amazingly bright, clearly visible from great distance in the day and provides really good light on the runway when landing after an evening of wonderful air. It gives me much better confidence that I will be seen by neighboring aircraft at our sometimes busy airport. It also gives me great radio interference when the engine is running making the radio virtually unusable which is a not so good trade off. I've been troubleshooting it, and perhaps one of you gents with intelligent answers could help me understand.
It is a scratching static noise that does not change with engine rpm. It is just there unless a close transmission is received from the airport weather or another pilot, but returns as soon as the tx is done. It seems that I am able to transmit as well, so the problem is that this noise blows my ears out. I have put a couple of graphite chokes on the power wires, I have wrapped the entire light and radio in metal window screen to shield. I have used both a whip antenna and a properly mounted frame external antenna. I spoke to folks at RIGID Industries as I saw their SQ-R2 light sold as an aircraft landing light. Compared to my Amazon light, they are very pricy, but they claim that the boards are graphite choked and they are made in the USA. There stuff is used by military and police who need their radios. I'm going to try their "sideshooter" light to see if it makes a difference.
Connected to switch and grounded to frame:
1) engine off, lights on, NO radio interference
2) engine on, lights on, MUCHO interference
3) engine on, lights off, no interference
Connected directly to a separate battery:
3) engine off, lights on, MUCHO interference, (see #1 above for extra confusion)
4) engine on, lights on, MUCHO interference
I was a bit lost since the noise only occured with the engine on...how could it be the light???.
Then since the noise is recreated on a separate battery not having anything to do with the gyro, I'm thinking it is the light.
But why then does it not give off the noise if its connected to the machine and the engine is off!!!???
I feel that there should be a work around since it can be on and connected without noise, but what is surpressing it?
Geoff
AirCommand Tandem
Sub 2.2