Over the years I have been using various digital timers, but so far I
have not been satisfied with any of them. The LCD displays make them
difficult to read when viewing at different angles. The right seat
pilot (or CFII) cannot see the digits. Lack of illumination in most
units is another big problem for night use. Size is another issue.
Most of the timers appear to be way too bulky for their function. For
example, the ASA timer is larger than any instrument in the cockpit.
If you install it on your yoke clip, it would cover up half of the
approach chart. For some reason, the manufacturers seem to be obsessed
with presenting large digit displays. That may be good for home or
outdoor use, but there is really no need for the digits to be >10
times larger than the font size on the approach charts.


For a long time I have been looking for a very small timer (1" x 1")
with an LED display (not LCD) that could be glued to the yoke clip.
With LED displays, battery life could be a problem, but one could
easily solve that by having an on/off switch (most timers seem to run
continuously regardless of use). Any ideas where I may find such a
device?

In article >, Andrew
Sarangan > wrote:

> For a long time I have been looking for a very small timer (1" x 1")
> with an LED display (not LCD) that could be glued to the yoke clip.

Wait until you get older, then tell me you don't need big numbers.

It seems to me that West Bend Co. makes most of the timers I've seen. Maybe
they have something smaller.
--
Jim Burns III

Remove "nospam" to reply

"Andrew Sarangan" > wrote in message
om...
> Over the years I have been using various digital timers, but so far I
> have not been satisfied with any of them. The LCD displays make them
> difficult to read when viewing at different angles. The right seat
> pilot (or CFII) cannot see the digits. Lack of illumination in most
> units is another big problem for night use. Size is another issue.
> Most of the timers appear to be way too bulky for their function. For
> example, the ASA timer is larger than any instrument in the cockpit.
> If you install it on your yoke clip, it would cover up half of the
> approach chart. For some reason, the manufacturers seem to be obsessed
> with presenting large digit displays. That may be good for home or
> outdoor use, but there is really no need for the digits to be >10
> times larger than the font size on the approach charts.
>
>
> For a long time I have been looking for a very small timer (1" x 1")
> with an LED display (not LCD) that could be glued to the yoke clip.
> With LED displays, battery life could be a problem, but one could
> easily solve that by having an on/off switch (most timers seem to run
> continuously regardless of use). Any ideas where I may find such a
> device?

"Jim" > wrote in message ...
> It seems to me that West Bend Co. makes most of the timers I've seen. Maybe
> they have something smaller.

Of course, they also make some of the most inaccurate timers as well. Some
here have noticed that they can run almost 100% off when the batteries start
to go.

I used a West Bend kitchen timer for the tank timer on Voyager. I bought Dick's
unit and my unit at the same time in 1984. Mine has never been turned off and
is still on the panel of the 182, ticking away.

Jim


"Jim" >
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

->It seems to me that West Bend Co. makes most of the timers I've seen. Maybe
->they have something smaller.

Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

Got the Radio Shack count up/down timer which can be set easily. It is big
though (2" or so on a side). I connected an external AAA battery and put in
a red LED across the speaker. I can now see when the timer expires with the
flashing LED since I doubt I could hear the speaker go off.

Here's the link for the timer.
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CT
LG%5F010%5F002%5F002%5F000&product%5Fid=63%2D878

"Jim" > wrote in message
...
> It seems to me that West Bend Co. makes most of the timers I've seen.
Maybe
> they have something smaller.
> --
> Jim Burns III
>
> Remove "nospam" to reply

"S Narayan" > wrote in message
...
> Got the Radio Shack count up/down timer which can be set easily. It is big
> though (2" or so on a side). I connected an external AAA battery and put
in
> a red LED across the speaker. I can now see when the timer expires with
the
> flashing LED since I doubt I could hear the speaker go off.
>

Can you provide a schematic? Please.

>For a long time I have been looking for a very small timer (1" x 1")
>with an LED display (not LCD) that could be glued to the yoke clip.
>With LED displays, battery life

I have a 3 function clock made by Westbend. It is fastened by velcro to the
left hand panel in front of the door. C172.
I time my XC legs and my approaches.
Hank N1441P

On 15 Jan 2004 09:44:35 -0800, (Andrew
Sarangan) wrote:

>Over the years I have been using various digital timers, but so far I
>have not been satisfied with any of them. The LCD displays make them
>difficult to read when viewing at different angles. The right seat
>pilot (or CFII) cannot see the digits. Lack of illumination in most

Get two they are cheap!
Or use the clock that is required int he airplane and get a timer for
the copilot. I have a digital timer, but find the clock about as easy
to use.

>units is another big problem for night use. Size is another issue.
>Most of the timers appear to be way too bulky for their function. For

Just right, but don't forget to take off the magnet.

>example, the ASA timer is larger than any instrument in the cockpit.
>If you install it on your yoke clip, it would cover up half of the
>approach chart. For some reason, the manufacturers seem to be obsessed
>with presenting large digit displays. That may be good for home or

Wait 20 years and those won't be big enough.

>outdoor use, but there is really no need for the digits to be >10
>times larger than the font size on the approach charts.

Ohhhh yes there is.

>
>
>For a long time I have been looking for a very small timer (1" x 1")
>with an LED display (not LCD) that could be glued to the yoke clip.
>With LED displays, battery life could be a problem, but one could
>easily solve that by having an on/off switch (most timers seem to run
>continuously regardless of use). Any ideas where I may find such a
>device?

Check with the regular aviation outlets that advertize in the
magazines. I've seen several All had digits too small to read and
controls too small to use when bouncing around. Maybe were I 20, or
40 years younger I'd not think the same.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

"Roger Halstead" > wrote in message
...
> On 15 Jan 2004 09:44:35 -0800, (Andrew
> Sarangan) wrote:
>
> >Over the years I have been using various digital timers, but so far I
> >have not been satisfied with any of them. The LCD displays make them
> >difficult to read when viewing at different angles. The right seat
> >pilot (or CFII) cannot see the digits. Lack of illumination in most
>
> Get two they are cheap!
> Or use the clock that is required int he airplane and get a timer for
> the copilot. I have a digital timer, but find the clock about as easy
> to use.

As a renter from a fleet, I can never remember which planes have an easy to
use digital timer installed, and which have an analog clock with a barely
visible second hand that suffers even worse from the "lack of illumunation"
problem.

I once flew with a guy who had a timer with a big button that launched a
60-second count-down and beeped at the end. I haven't seen the same model
anywhere since. Sources, opinions? I guess you need the minute countdown a
more during training (holds, "standard" procedure turns) but not so much
during real life IFR.

-- David Brooks

Put a Garmin 430 or 530 in your airplane. They do the countdown timer
thing automatically for approaches and holds. And - they're only a
thousand times more expensive than the West Bend kitchen variety!

Dave Blevins

On 15 Jan 2004 09:44:35 -0800, (Andrew Sarangan)
wrote:

>Over the years I have been using various digital timers, but so far I
>have not been satisfied with any of them. The LCD displays make them
>difficult to read when viewing at different angles. The right seat
>pilot (or CFII) cannot see the digits. Lack of illumination in most
>units is another big problem for night use. Size is another issue.
>Most of the timers appear to be way too bulky for their function. For
>example, the ASA timer is larger than any instrument in the cockpit.
>If you install it on your yoke clip, it would cover up half of the
>approach chart. For some reason, the manufacturers seem to be obsessed
>with presenting large digit displays. That may be good for home or
>outdoor use, but there is really no need for the digits to be >10
>times larger than the font size on the approach charts.
>
>
>For a long time I have been looking for a very small timer (1" x 1")
>with an LED display (not LCD) that could be glued to the yoke clip.
>With LED displays, battery life could be a problem, but one could
>easily solve that by having an on/off switch (most timers seem to run
>continuously regardless of use). Any ideas where I may find such a
>device?

"Casey Wilson" > wrote in message
...
>
> "S Narayan" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Got the Radio Shack count up/down timer which can be set easily. It is
big
> > though (2" or so on a side). I connected an external AAA battery and put
> in
> > a red LED across the speaker. I can now see when the timer expires with
> the
> > flashing LED since I doubt I could hear the speaker go off.
> >
>
> Can you provide a schematic? Please.
>

I don't have the timer with me now, but IIRC, I experimented by putting
several types of LEDs across the speaker inside, and it worked. In fact, the
speaker works while the LED flashes. I didn't care if the speaker died, so I
used the largest LED I had. I believe, there is some some kind of a
charge-pump type circuit which steps up the voltage to tens of volts to
drive the piezo type speaker. The somewhat high voltage won't hurt the LED,
since the speaker driver cannot provide much current. The whole timer used
to run off a 1.5V button cell. The standby current drain is around 5uA and
putting an external AAA battery will keep it going as long as the battery
manages to stay alive which may be a several years. The self discharge may
be higher than what the timer needs!

"S Narayan" > wrote in message
...

> I don't have the timer with me now, but IIRC, I experimented by putting
> several types of LEDs across the speaker inside, and it worked. In fact,
the
> speaker works while the LED flashes. I didn't care if the speaker died, so
I
> used the largest LED I had. I believe, there is some some kind of a
> charge-pump type circuit which steps up the voltage to tens of volts to
> drive the piezo type speaker. The somewhat high voltage won't hurt the
LED,
> since the speaker driver cannot provide much current. The whole timer used
> to run off a 1.5V button cell. The standby current drain is around 5uA and
> putting an external AAA battery will keep it going as long as the battery
> manages to stay alive which may be a several years. The self discharge may
> be higher than what the timer needs!

Okay, now I've got it. I was confused over what you did with the battery.
Now I see all you did was supplement the main unit battery -- it had nothing
directly to do with the LED which simply parallels the pizeo transducer.
Thanks.

>
>