Audio Pannel Backlighting

[John Roncallo]

Hello

I'm trying to find out if the Audio Pannel in our Clubs 81 C172 should
have back lighting or not. I dont know who makes it since there is no
name on the audio panel. But it uses a row of up and down toggle
switches to flip between functions and it has the marker beacon light
built in. Every time I fly at night I curse this thing because I can't
tell which COM is selected without pulling out a flash light. Im not
shure if the lettering should light up or not. Is there any way to tell?

John Roncallo

[Roy Smith]

In article >,
John Roncallo > wrote:

> Hello
>
> I'm trying to find out if the Audio Pannel in our Clubs 81 C172 should
> have back lighting or not. I dont know who makes it since there is no
> name on the audio panel. But it uses a row of up and down toggle
> switches to flip between functions and it has the marker beacon light
> built in. Every time I fly at night I curse this thing because I can't
> tell which COM is selected without pulling out a flash light. Im not
> shure if the lettering should light up or not. Is there any way to tell?
>
> John Roncallo
>

Try the time-honored way. Write up "backlighting on audio panel INOP"
as a squawk and see what happens :-)

[John Roncallo]

Roy Smith wrote:

> In article >,
> John Roncallo > wrote:
>
>
>>Hello
>>
>>I'm trying to find out if the Audio Pannel in our Clubs 81 C172 should
>>have back lighting or not. I dont know who makes it since there is no
>>name on the audio panel. But it uses a row of up and down toggle
>>switches to flip between functions and it has the marker beacon light
>>built in. Every time I fly at night I curse this thing because I can't
>>tell which COM is selected without pulling out a flash light. Im not
>>shure if the lettering should light up or not. Is there any way to tell?
>>
>>John Roncallo
>>
>
>
> Try the time-honored way. Write up "backlighting on audio panel INOP"
> as a squawk and see what happens :-)

I have actually done this and was told there is no backlighting. But I'm
not sure I was told this by someone who knows or someone in the club
that never flys at night and really doesnt want to look into it or have
the club spent the money to fix it.

J. Roncallo

[Jeff]

my old audio panel I just replaced did not have back lighting, my new one
does not have back lighting but the buttons are lighted. chances are if its
an old one with just the metal toggle switches it has no lighting.

John Roncallo wrote:

> Hello
>
> I'm trying to find out if the Audio Pannel in our Clubs 81 C172 should
> have back lighting or not. I dont know who makes it since there is no
> name on the audio panel. But it uses a row of up and down toggle
> switches to flip between functions and it has the marker beacon light
> built in. Every time I fly at night I curse this thing because I can't
> tell which COM is selected without pulling out a flash light. Im not
> shure if the lettering should light up or not. Is there any way to tell?
>
> John Roncallo

[Gene Kearns]

On Sun, 23 Nov 2003 00:22:17 -0800, Jeff > wrote:

>my old audio panel I just replaced did not have back lighting, my new one
>does not have back lighting but the buttons are lighted. chances are if its
>an old one with just the metal toggle switches it has no lighting.
>
>John Roncallo wrote:
>
>> Hello
>>
>> I'm trying to find out if the Audio Pannel in our Clubs 81 C172 should
>> have back lighting or not. I dont know who makes it since there is no
>> name on the audio panel. But it uses a row of up and down toggle
>> switches to flip between functions and it has the marker beacon light
>> built in. Every time I fly at night I curse this thing because I can't
>> tell which COM is selected without pulling out a flash light. Im not
>> shure if the lettering should light up or not. Is there any way to tell?
>>
>> John Roncallo

This is likely the case here, as well. However, it sounds like a post
light or two could help a lot and certainly shouldn't be that much
expense to install. From a standpoint of safety, it would be cheap
insurance against selecting the wrong switch or position at night...

[Doodybutch]

John...

This sounds like a Cessna Audio Panel. They have a rotary switch to choose
the transmitter and a rotary control (two concentric knobs) to control the
Marker receiver. Otherwise toggle switches.

They all do have backlighting.

If your plane has optional electrolumenescent (EL) backlighting (120 VAC,
very low current) on the lower panels ( ignition, gear, heater, etc.), the
audio panel has EL lighting. This often fails but if you are a handyman,
you can buy replacement EL flexible panels and cut them to fit. They are
available at allelectronics.com for $3.50 each. You have to do a bit of
soldering but they should work great.

If you do not have the EL option, you have 28 V lights (about 8 of them) on
a plastic sheet inside instead of the EL panel. You can replace the lights
or maybe I have a spare with good lights. Email me for more info.

DB

"John Roncallo" > wrote in message
. com...
> Hello
>
> I'm trying to find out if the Audio Pannel in our Clubs 81 C172 should
> have back lighting or not. I dont know who makes it since there is no
> name on the audio panel. But it uses a row of up and down toggle
> switches to flip between functions and it has the marker beacon light
> built in. Every time I fly at night I curse this thing because I can't
> tell which COM is selected without pulling out a flash light. Im not
> shure if the lettering should light up or not. Is there any way to tell?
>
> John Roncallo
>

[John Roncallo]

Thank You

John Roncallo

Doodybutch wrote:

> John...
>
> This sounds like a Cessna Audio Panel. They have a rotary switch to choose
> the transmitter and a rotary control (two concentric knobs) to control the
> Marker receiver. Otherwise toggle switches.
>
> They all do have backlighting.
>
> If your plane has optional electrolumenescent (EL) backlighting (120 VAC,
> very low current) on the lower panels ( ignition, gear, heater, etc.), the
> audio panel has EL lighting. This often fails but if you are a handyman,
> you can buy replacement EL flexible panels and cut them to fit. They are
> available at allelectronics.com for $3.50 each. You have to do a bit of
> soldering but they should work great.
>
> If you do not have the EL option, you have 28 V lights (about 8 of them) on
> a plastic sheet inside instead of the EL panel. You can replace the lights
> or maybe I have a spare with good lights. Email me for more info.
>
> DB
>
> "John Roncallo" > wrote in message
> . com...
>

[Brien K. Meehan]

John Roncallo > wrote in message >...
> Hello
>
> I'm trying to find out if the Audio Pannel in our Clubs 81 C172 should
> have back lighting or not.

I don't know if this applies to 81's, but recent Cessna's have a
switch on the annunciator panel with which you should be familiar.
It's a 3-position toggle switch, and if you press it up and hold it in
the TST position, it illuminates all the lights on the annunciator
panel. You do this as part of your pre-flight.

You can press that very same switch down, into the DIM position. THIS
PROVIDES POWER TO THE AVIONICS PANEL BACKLIGHTS! If it's not in the
DIM position, the audio panel will have no lights! Neither will the
radios or NAV and ADF heads.

[John Roncallo]

Brien K. Meehan wrote:
> John Roncallo > wrote in message >...
>
>>Hello
>>
>>I'm trying to find out if the Audio Pannel in our Clubs 81 C172 should
>>have back lighting or not.
>
>
> I don't know if this applies to 81's, but recent Cessna's have a
> switch on the annunciator panel with which you should be familiar.
> It's a 3-position toggle switch, and if you press it up and hold it in
> the TST position, it illuminates all the lights on the annunciator
> panel. You do this as part of your pre-flight.
>
> You can press that very same switch down, into the DIM position. THIS
> PROVIDES POWER TO THE AVIONICS PANEL BACKLIGHTS! If it's not in the
> DIM position, the audio panel will have no lights! Neither will the
> radios or NAV and ADF heads.

I will have to try this. I do have a 3 position toggle switch on the
right which I thought was strictly for the Marker Beacon lights. I have
tested them during the day and probably a night, but I dont think I ever
shot appraches at night in this plane so I may have never turned it to
the night position. There is no mention of backlighting in the POH for
this switch. It references Mkr Bcn, BC, LOC ARC and RN, Which except for
Mrk Bcn, I dont know what the rest are. All I know is that my NAV and
ADF heads are back light fine and are operated from a rheostat just
below the throttle.

Thanks
John Roncallo

[John Roncallo]

Brien K. Meehan wrote:
> John Roncallo > wrote in message >...
>
>>Hello
>>
>>I'm trying to find out if the Audio Pannel in our Clubs 81 C172 should
>>have back lighting or not.
>
>
> I don't know if this applies to 81's, but recent Cessna's have a
> switch on the annunciator panel with which you should be familiar.
> It's a 3-position toggle switch, and if you press it up and hold it in
> the TST position, it illuminates all the lights on the annunciator
> panel. You do this as part of your pre-flight.
>
> You can press that very same switch down, into the DIM position. THIS
> PROVIDES POWER TO THE AVIONICS PANEL BACKLIGHTS! If it's not in the
> DIM position, the audio panel will have no lights! Neither will the
> radios or NAV and ADF heads.

OK I went out and actually tried this today and I still have no
backlighting.

John Roncallo