Rotating Beacon vs. Flashing Beacon

[Mike Rapoport]

My upper rotating beacon has stopped rotating and I am debating whether to
overhaul it or replace it with one of the new Whelen flashing beacons. The
flashing beacons are all solid state with no moving parts but cost $800 and
I am also concerned about noise since the beacon is located a few inches
from the COM1 antenna. Has anyone replaced a beacon with the new flashing
type? How far from your COM antenna is it? Is there any noise on the COM?
A question for the electronics gurus: Do I even need to be concerned with
noise?

Thanks in advance!

Mike
MU-2

[Orval Fairbairn]

In article et>,
"Mike Rapoport" > wrote:

> My upper rotating beacon has stopped rotating and I am debating whether to
> overhaul it or replace it with one of the new Whelen flashing beacons. The
> flashing beacons are all solid state with no moving parts but cost $800 and
> I am also concerned about noise since the beacon is located a few inches
> from the COM1 antenna. Has anyone replaced a beacon with the new flashing
> type? How far from your COM antenna is it? Is there any noise on the COM?
> A question for the electronics gurus: Do I even need to be concerned with
> noise?
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Mike
> MU-2
>
>

A strobe draws considerably less power than a rotating beacon and puts
out a lot more light. The Aircraft Spruce catalog lists single-strobe
systems for $225 up to $370 for multiple-strobe systems.

I don't know where the $800 figure came from.

[Mike Rapoport]

The $800 figure is the Aircraft Spruce price for the strobe approved to
replace my beacon.

Mike
MU-2

"Orval Fairbairn" > wrote in message
...
> In article et>,
> "Mike Rapoport" > wrote:
>
> > My upper rotating beacon has stopped rotating and I am debating whether
to
> > overhaul it or replace it with one of the new Whelen flashing beacons.
The
> > flashing beacons are all solid state with no moving parts but cost $800
and
> > I am also concerned about noise since the beacon is located a few inches
> > from the COM1 antenna. Has anyone replaced a beacon with the new
flashing
> > type? How far from your COM antenna is it? Is there any noise on the
COM?
> > A question for the electronics gurus: Do I even need to be concerned
with
> > noise?
> >
> > Thanks in advance!
> >
> > Mike
> > MU-2
> >
> >
>
> A strobe draws considerably less power than a rotating beacon and puts
> out a lot more light. The Aircraft Spruce catalog lists single-strobe
> systems for $225 up to $370 for multiple-strobe systems.
>
> I don't know where the $800 figure came from.

[Ben Jackson]

In article et>,
Mike Rapoport > wrote:
>My upper rotating beacon has stopped rotating and I am debating whether to
>overhaul it or replace it with one of the new Whelen flashing beacons.

The Grimes rotating beacon on my plane did not rotate when I bought it.
My understanding is that you can't get parts for them anymore, but some
people have made a single working unit from several dead ones. My wingtip
strobes are visible from the rear, so I don't think it's even required
for night flight, but on the advice of my A&P he replaced it with a
strobe. The new one has no moving parts, just a half red/half white
lens and a strobe that's powered by one of the channels of the strobe
power supply that was already installed.

I haven't noticed any radio noise from this installation. In fact,
when I took apart my wingtip to change my landing light I discovered
that the remote flux gate for my HSI is mounted in the wingtip right
behind the nav and strobe lights. And it seems to work fine.

The main thing I don't like about it is that in ground operations when
you wouldn't want to be blinding people with strobes you can't have a
beacon either. No one has run into me yet, though.

--
Ben Jackson
>
http://www.ben.com/

[Craig]

(Ben Jackson) wrote in message news:<UZvTb.79308$U%5.425268@attbi_s03>...
> The main thing I don't like about it is that in ground operations when
> you wouldn't want to be blinding people with strobes you can't have a
> beacon either. No one has run into me yet, though.

Don't forget that anything that strobes can and will produce very
unpredictable light patterns when in any type of cloud or fog....

Craig C.

[Ron Rosenfeld]

On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 14:49:50 GMT, "Mike Rapoport"
> wrote:

>My upper rotating beacon has stopped rotating and I am debating whether to
>overhaul it or replace it with one of the new Whelen flashing beacons. The
>flashing beacons are all solid state with no moving parts but cost $800 and
>I am also concerned about noise since the beacon is located a few inches
>from the COM1 antenna. Has anyone replaced a beacon with the new flashing
>type? How far from your COM antenna is it? Is there any noise on the COM?
>A question for the electronics gurus: Do I even need to be concerned with
>noise?
>
>Thanks in advance!
>
>Mike
>MU-2
>

Mike,

I was going to replace it ten or fifteen years ago. Unfortunately, the
strobe that Whelan had caused interference in my WX10A Stormscope. The
shop tried all kinds of shielding but were unable to get a clean WX10A. So
I'm still rebuilding the Grimes every two or three years.


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)

[Rosspilot]

My beacon just went TU and yesterday my mechanic suggested installing a brand
new self-contained flashing unit by Whelan
for $150. No rotating moving parts, and weighs about 4 lbs less than what is
installed now (original).
I said do it.
www.Rosspilot.com

[Kyler Laird]

"Mike Rapoport" > writes:

>Has anyone replaced a beacon with the new flashing
>type?

I did during The Big Annual in 2000.
http://lairds.org/Kyler/photos/disk0018/img_0300.jpg/image_viewer

I also added Whelan strobes to the tips and tail at the same time.

>How far from your COM antenna is it?

10 feet? My strobe is on top of the tail (part of the rudder). Comm.
antennas are on the top of the fuselage. (See photo.)

>Is there any noise on the COM?

I haven't noticed it. (I think I *would* notice it if it's there. Such
things annoy me. But maybe I mentally filter it now.)

--kyler

[Newps]

That's the one I put on. No brainer.

Rosspilot wrote:

> My beacon just went TU and yesterday my mechanic suggested installing a brand
> new self-contained flashing unit by Whelan
> for $150. No rotating moving parts, and weighs about 4 lbs less than what is
> installed now (original).
> I said do it.
> www.Rosspilot.com
>
>

[Mike Rapoport]

Thanks for all the replies. I ordered the Whelan strobe type beacon
yesterday. It was $800 and the cost to overhaul the rotating beacon was
quoted at
$900(!!!).

Mike
MU-2

"Kyler Laird" > wrote in message
...
> "Mike Rapoport" > writes:
>
> >Has anyone replaced a beacon with the new flashing
> >type?
>
> I did during The Big Annual in 2000.
> http://lairds.org/Kyler/photos/disk0018/img_0300.jpg/image_viewer
>
> I also added Whelan strobes to the tips and tail at the same time.
>
> >How far from your COM antenna is it?
>
> 10 feet? My strobe is on top of the tail (part of the rudder). Comm.
> antennas are on the top of the fuselage. (See photo.)
>
> >Is there any noise on the COM?
>
> I haven't noticed it. (I think I *would* notice it if it's there. Such
> things annoy me. But maybe I mentally filter it now.)
>
> --kyler

[Jim Weir]

Hint...Jameco Electronics has DOZENS of different gearhead DC motors for not a
lot of money. Of course, **I'd** never use an unapproved part in **MY**
airplane, but...

Jim



Ron Rosenfeld >
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

->I'm still rebuilding the Grimes every two or three years.
->
->
->Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)



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

[Abafon Goula]

On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 16:21:51 -0800, Jim Weir > wrote:

>Hint...Jameco Electronics has DOZENS of different gearhead DC motors for not a
>lot of money. Of course, **I'd** never use an unapproved part in **MY**
>airplane, but...
>Jim

And if I were wanting to look for Jameco Electronics for some type of
hobby motor, where might I find them?

[G.R. Patterson III]

Abafon Goula wrote:
>
> And if I were wanting to look for Jameco Electronics for some type of
> hobby motor, where might I find them?

http://www.jameco.com

George Patterson
Love, n.: A form of temporary insanity afflicting the young. It is curable
either by marriage or by removal of the afflicted from the circumstances
under which he incurred the condition. It is sometimes fatal, but more
often to the physician than to the patient.

[Abafon Goula]

On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 04:09:47 GMT, "G.R. Patterson III"
> wrote:

>
>
>Abafon Goula wrote:
>>
>> And if I were wanting to look for Jameco Electronics for some type of
>> hobby motor, where might I find them?
>
>http://www.jameco.com

Doh!

[Viperdoc]

I replaced my old rotating beacon with a Whelen strobe unit and have been
very happy. There was no electrical interference, and with the comet flash
the visibility is much better.

[Ron Natalie]

"Abafon Goula" > wrote in message ...
> On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 16:21:51 -0800, Jim Weir > wrote:
>
> >Hint...Jameco Electronics has DOZENS of different gearhead DC motors for not a
> >lot of money. Of course, **I'd** never use an unapproved part in **MY**
> >airplane, but...
> >Jim
>
> And if I were wanting to look for Jameco Electronics for some type of
> hobby motor, where might I find them?
>
I wouldn't put a Jameco motor in my Grimes beacon. First off, the thing that's
there, even before it's geared down has a decent amount of torque. Second,
unless something real bad has happened like it got struck by lightening, it's easier
to just rebuild the blasted thing. The thing is dirt simple and designed to come
apart and be worked on. All you need is a screwdriver, some solvent, some
oil, and if you really want to be fancy a source of DC current to test the thing with.

[Nathan Young]

Mike,

You may want to see if you can get the old one overhauled. My
mechanic saves old beacons and cobbles enough parts together to get
them working again.

When mine stopped rotating - I opened it up and found a plastic gear
had been worn down by the metal gear that meshed with it.

My mechanic installed a new plastic gear, and voila, it worked.

Total cost: 1/2 hour of labor, part was free.

-Nathan


On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 14:49:50 GMT, "Mike Rapoport"
> wrote:

>My upper rotating beacon has stopped rotating and I am debating whether to
>overhaul it or replace it with one of the new Whelen flashing beacons. The
>flashing beacons are all solid state with no moving parts but cost $800 and
>I am also concerned about noise since the beacon is located a few inches
>from the COM1 antenna. Has anyone replaced a beacon with the new flashing
>type? How far from your COM antenna is it? Is there any noise on the COM?
>A question for the electronics gurus: Do I even need to be concerned with
>noise?
>
>Thanks in advance!
>
>Mike
>MU-2
>