TKM 170 as a replacement radio

[Ian Taylor]

All,
I am looking to upgrade the avionics in my '78 Mooney 201. I am going to
swap out the KY196 and KNS 80 for a Garmin 430 which will drive the KCS-55A
HSI, which leaves me with a KX175B driving a KI-204 as a backup ILS/NAV/COM.
It would be nice to have a "flip-flop" option over there, and someone
suggested putting in a Mitchel TKM 170, as it is a "plug and play"
replacement.
Anyone have any experience with this? Will it connect to the glideslope as
well as the VOR?
Thoughts?

Ian

[[email protected]]

Ian Taylor > wrote:
: All,
: I am looking to upgrade the avionics in my '78 Mooney 201. I am going to
: swap out the KY196 and KNS 80 for a Garmin 430 which will drive the KCS-55A
: HSI, which leaves me with a KX175B driving a KI-204 as a backup ILS/NAV/COM.
: It would be nice to have a "flip-flop" option over there, and someone
: suggested putting in a Mitchel TKM 170, as it is a "plug and play"
: replacement.
: Anyone have any experience with this? Will it connect to the glideslope as
: well as the VOR?
: Thoughts?

It should be a drop-in replacement and all things should function. I will say
this, though: I had a friend who bought a couple of Michel radios. They are built
out of commodity parts with commodity construction. Un-strain-reliefed computer-grade
ribbon cables, regular DIP connections on the PCB, etc. If you're electronically
inclined that's probably a good thing since parts are off-the shelf. Look inside a
King unit, however, and stuff is built more to mil-spec (out of more expensive and
exotic connectors, wires, etc).

Also, he sent back a radio to the "factory" to have a minor display
brightness, Rx volume adjustment repaired. "A common problem," according to the tech
support. After a number of weeks, lots of phone calls, slipping dates, and
up-ratcheted repair quotes, the final result was that he could repair it for the same
cost as a refurb unit. It was $1500 IIRC... he got the radio on ebay for $700 or
something. When he said, "no thanks," they wouldn't return the old radio unless he
paid large fraction of it for the cost of troubleshooting it... more than he paid for
the radio IIRC.

Anyway, this may or may not be indicative of SOP, but he got screwed out of
the radio.

-Cory

--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

[Tom Nery]

After a lot of research, I bit the bullet and upgraded my KX170B to an
MX170c. It was a direct slide in replacement, my KI-214 worked immediately.
The same evening I replaced it I tested the glideslope and it was right on
the money. The only thing I noted is the squelch preset and night dimming
preset were not adjusted to my liking. But both were easily adjusted with
front screw adjustments and a jewelers screwdriver.

This Friday I'm heading over to the avionics shop to check the calibration
of my two vor's to make sure their in spec for IFR.

Got to say I love the flip-flops and it sure beat the alternatives from a
cost/installation stand-point.

Good luck,
tom


"Ian Taylor" > wrote in message
...
> All,
> I am looking to upgrade the avionics in my '78 Mooney 201. I am going to
> swap out the KY196 and KNS 80 for a Garmin 430 which will drive the
> KCS-55A
> HSI, which leaves me with a KX175B driving a KI-204 as a backup
> ILS/NAV/COM.
> It would be nice to have a "flip-flop" option over there, and someone
> suggested putting in a Mitchel TKM 170, as it is a "plug and play"
> replacement.
> Anyone have any experience with this? Will it connect to the glideslope as
> well as the VOR?
> Thoughts?
>
> Ian
>
>

[Ian Taylor]

Thanks for that Tom. What paperwork needs to be completed for the change
out, do you know?
Is it legal for an owner to do it, or must it be signed off by a mechanic
(or avionics technition?)

Ian
"Tom Nery" > wrote in message
...
> After a lot of research, I bit the bullet and upgraded my KX170B to an
> MX170c. It was a direct slide in replacement, my KI-214 worked
immediately.
> The same evening I replaced it I tested the glideslope and it was right on
> the money. The only thing I noted is the squelch preset and night dimming
> preset were not adjusted to my liking. But both were easily adjusted with
> front screw adjustments and a jewelers screwdriver.
>
> This Friday I'm heading over to the avionics shop to check the calibration
> of my two vor's to make sure their in spec for IFR.
>
> Got to say I love the flip-flops and it sure beat the alternatives from a
> cost/installation stand-point.
>
> Good luck,
> tom
>
>
> "Ian Taylor" > wrote in message
> ...
> > All,
> > I am looking to upgrade the avionics in my '78 Mooney 201. I am going to
> > swap out the KY196 and KNS 80 for a Garmin 430 which will drive the
> > KCS-55A
> > HSI, which leaves me with a KX175B driving a KI-204 as a backup
> > ILS/NAV/COM.
> > It would be nice to have a "flip-flop" option over there, and someone
> > suggested putting in a Mitchel TKM 170, as it is a "plug and play"
> > replacement.
> > Anyone have any experience with this? Will it connect to the glideslope
as
> > well as the VOR?
> > Thoughts?
> >
> > Ian
> >
> >
>
>

[Jay Honeck]

> Is it legal for an owner to do it, or must it be signed off by a mechanic
> (or avionics technition?)

I installed a TKM KX-170B in my old Warrior. Bought it at OSH, slid the old
King beast out, slid the new Michel beast in, flipped on the avionics
switch, verified that everything worked, made a logbook entry, and went on
my merry way.

It was far easier than changing a landing light.

I loved that radio, BTW. Wish I had it in my Pathfinder.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Denny]

I'm flying a pair of TKM, slide in replacements in Fat Albert for 4
years now, one a 170 and the other a 300... Great radios, simply
great...
denny

[RST Engineering]

"I dunno. It was there when we bought the plane."

{;-)

Jim



"Ian Taylor" > wrote in message
. ..

> Thanks for that Tom. What paperwork needs to be completed for the change
> out, do you know?
> Is it legal for an owner to do it, or must it be signed off by a mechanic
> (or avionics technition?)

[Denny]

Anyway, this may or may not be indicative of SOP, but he got screwed
out of
the radio.
************************************************** ****************************

My suspician is that there is more to this story than what he told
you...

denny

[[email protected]]

Denny > wrote:
: Anyway, this may or may not be indicative of SOP, but he got screwed
: out of
: the radio.
: ************************************************** ****************************

: My suspician is that there is more to this story than what he told
: you...

Possible, but I pretty much heard a blow-by-blow as it happened. I just don't
remember completely through my foggy memory. I *DO* remember looking at the guts of
the radio. Not bad, but definately of more comodity-grade than the likes of
Bendix/King.

-Cory

--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

[Paul kgyy]

A good alternative that a lot of people like is a King KX125. These
are often available used and mine has been totally reliable. It has a
built-in CDI, flip-flop, and a direct radial readout which is sometime
handy to have.

[[email protected]]

Paul kgyy > wrote:
: A good alternative that a lot of people like is a King KX125. These
: are often available used and mine has been totally reliable. It has a
: built-in CDI, flip-flop, and a direct radial readout which is sometime
: handy to have.

Basically a KX-155 with an LCD instead of a plasma display, IIRC. Also a
little bit less Tx power?

Does seem like a good way to go. Whatever's popular (KX-155, and KX-170B's
for the older croud) is overpriced. We ended up with a KY-197 and KN-53 for COM and
NAV, respectively. A little more panel space, but the price was right. Depending on
how you look at it, it's either more redundancy, or another point of failure... :)

-Cory

--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

[Tom Nery]

I installed it myself per FAR 43-100, section 31. I asked a avionics shop
and they agreed that was ok. But since I plan on flying IFR, I still
brought it for calibration.

Hope that helps.

Tom

"Ian Taylor" > wrote in message
. ..
> Thanks for that Tom. What paperwork needs to be completed for the change
> out, do you know?
> Is it legal for an owner to do it, or must it be signed off by a mechanic
> (or avionics technition?)
>
> Ian
> "Tom Nery" > wrote in message
> ...
>> After a lot of research, I bit the bullet and upgraded my KX170B to an
>> MX170c. It was a direct slide in replacement, my KI-214 worked
> immediately.
>> The same evening I replaced it I tested the glideslope and it was right
>> on
>> the money. The only thing I noted is the squelch preset and night dimming
>> preset were not adjusted to my liking. But both were easily adjusted
>> with
>> front screw adjustments and a jewelers screwdriver.
>>
>> This Friday I'm heading over to the avionics shop to check the
>> calibration
>> of my two vor's to make sure their in spec for IFR.
>>
>> Got to say I love the flip-flops and it sure beat the alternatives from a
>> cost/installation stand-point.
>>
>> Good luck,
>> tom
>>
>>
>> "Ian Taylor" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > All,
>> > I am looking to upgrade the avionics in my '78 Mooney 201. I am going
>> > to
>> > swap out the KY196 and KNS 80 for a Garmin 430 which will drive the
>> > KCS-55A
>> > HSI, which leaves me with a KX175B driving a KI-204 as a backup
>> > ILS/NAV/COM.
>> > It would be nice to have a "flip-flop" option over there, and someone
>> > suggested putting in a Mitchel TKM 170, as it is a "plug and play"
>> > replacement.
>> > Anyone have any experience with this? Will it connect to the glideslope
> as
>> > well as the VOR?
>> > Thoughts?
>> >
>> > Ian
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>

[Tom Nery]

Yup 9476J I am.

Tom

"Aaron Coolidge" > wrote in message
...
> Tom Nery > wrote:
> : I installed it myself per FAR 43-100, section 31. I asked a avionics
> shop
> : and they agreed that was ok. But since I plan on flying IFR, I still
> : brought it for calibration.
>
> : Hope that helps.
>
> : Tom
>
> Hey, Tom, is that you with N9476J?
> --
> Aaron C. (N9376J)