Handheld problem in NORDO plane

[[email protected]]

Hey folks,

I just bought a Luscombe 8A and am launching tomorrow to fly it home.

The problem is the handheld transceiver I'm using to communicate. It
works fine on the ground. But as soon as I get 100-200 feet off the
ground it gets overwhelmed with static, like the squelch is wide open.

It's a Vertex VXA-300 attached to an external antenna.

I' ve tried turning the squelch to max. I haven't checked whether it
occurs on all frequencies because that didn't occur to me until I had
put the plane back in the hangar.

Any ideas what's going on here? All help is appreciated.

Tailwinds and blue skies,
Mike

[[email protected]]

Sorry. The frequency involved is 122.7.

Thanks again.

wrote:
> Hey folks,
>
> I just bought a Luscombe 8A and am launching tomorrow to fly it home.
>
> The problem is the handheld transceiver I'm using to communicate. It
> works fine on the ground. But as soon as I get 100-200 feet off the
> ground it gets overwhelmed with static, like the squelch is wide open.
>
> It's a Vertex VXA-300 attached to an external antenna.
>
> I' ve tried turning the squelch to max. I haven't checked whether it
> occurs on all frequencies because that didn't occur to me until I had
> put the plane back in the hangar.
>
> Any ideas what's going on here? All help is appreciated.
>
> Tailwinds and blue skies,
> Mike

[[email protected]]

Sorry. The frequency involved is 122.7.

Thanks again.

wrote:
> Hey folks,
>
> I just bought a Luscombe 8A and am launching tomorrow to fly it home.
>
> The problem is the handheld transceiver I'm using to communicate. It
> works fine on the ground. But as soon as I get 100-200 feet off the
> ground it gets overwhelmed with static, like the squelch is wide open.
>
> It's a Vertex VXA-300 attached to an external antenna.
>
> I' ve tried turning the squelch to max. I haven't checked whether it
> occurs on all frequencies because that didn't occur to me until I had
> put the plane back in the hangar.
>
> Any ideas what's going on here? All help is appreciated.
>
> Tailwinds and blue skies,
> Mike

[Mark Morissette]

*Only* when you hit a few hundred feet...or anytime the engine is running?

Personally I'd venture to take a guess that it's picking up electrical
interference from an ignition component.

[john smith]

In article >,
Mark Morissette > wrote:

> *Only* when you hit a few hundred feet...or anytime the engine is running?
>
> Personally I'd venture to take a guess that it's picking up electrical
> interference from an ignition component.

I thought that too, but it doesn't make sense that it would start
100-200 feet AGL. If it is ignition, it will be present any time the
engine is running.

[Emily[_1_]]

wrote:
> Hey folks,
>
> I just bought a Luscombe 8A and am launching tomorrow to fly it home.
>
> The problem is the handheld transceiver I'm using to communicate. It
> works fine on the ground. But as soon as I get 100-200 feet off the
> ground it gets overwhelmed with static, like the squelch is wide open.
>
> It's a Vertex VXA-300 attached to an external antenna.
>
> I' ve tried turning the squelch to max. I haven't checked whether it
> occurs on all frequencies because that didn't occur to me until I had
> put the plane back in the hangar.
>
> Any ideas what's going on here? All help is appreciated.

Anything that would block the signal at that altitude? Have you tried
other frequencies? Other airports?

[OP]

On 18 Aug 2006 18:41:54 -0700, wrote:

>Hey folks,
>
>I just bought a Luscombe 8A and am launching tomorrow to fly it home.
>
>The problem is the handheld transceiver I'm using to communicate. It
>works fine on the ground. But as soon as I get 100-200 feet off the
>ground it gets overwhelmed with static, like the squelch is wide open.
>
>It's a Vertex VXA-300 attached to an external antenna.
>
>I' ve tried turning the squelch to max. I haven't checked whether it
>occurs on all frequencies because that didn't occur to me until I had
>put the plane back in the hangar.
>
>Any ideas what's going on here? All help is appreciated.

Try using the antenna that came with the radio. I know it sounds
counter-intuitive, but it can eliminate one device in the problem.
You might not have the range with the rubber ducky antenna, but it
will be enough to get you home if the external antenna is bad.

I had a similar problem years ago, but with the radio stack in a
Cessna 172. I squawked it and got another plane. The first plane
was back on the line the next day, so the problem couldn't have been
too bad. I didn't think to ask at the time what was wrong.

Ron Kelley

[[email protected]]

john smith wrote:
> In article >,
> Mark Morissette > wrote:
>
> > *Only* when you hit a few hundred feet...or anytime the engine is running?
> >
> > Personally I'd venture to take a guess that it's picking up electrical
> > interference from an ignition component.
>
> I thought that too, but it doesn't make sense that it would start
> 100-200 feet AGL. If it is ignition, it will be present any time the
> engine is running.

Airframe static? Isn't that what they have the static dissipation
wires for? Just a WAG.

[Mark Morissette]

> I thought that too, but it doesn't make sense that it would start
> 100-200 feet AGL. If it is ignition, it will be present any time the
> engine is running.


Agreed, hence my query to double confirm that.

I think someone else further down the thread may have nailed it -
airframe static, perhaps.

[Jim Macklin]

Squelch is a "dumb" device on cheap radios. It just looks
at the total RF signal level, from any source. You said
that the frequency was 122.7, which is a common frequency,
at 200-300 feet AGL, you're getting your mags [which
probably are not shielded on a NORDO aircraft], and all the
hundreds of transmitters within 200 miles line of sight.
Your hand held may also not be sensitive enough to reject
the adjacent frequencies.


"john smith" > wrote in message
...
| In article
>,
| Mark Morissette > wrote:
|
| > *Only* when you hit a few hundred feet...or anytime the
engine is running?
| >
| > Personally I'd venture to take a guess that it's picking
up electrical
| > interference from an ignition component.
|
| I thought that too, but it doesn't make sense that it
would start
| 100-200 feet AGL. If it is ignition, it will be present
any time the
| engine is running.

[Jim Macklin]

At the speed of the 8A in clear air, I doubt it is static
electricity, wicks are usually not installed until cruise
speeds get into the 150 + speed range.
Install a shield ignition system if you can, make sure that
your external antenna is properly installed.


"Mark Morissette" > wrote in
message
m...
|> I thought that too, but it doesn't make sense that it
would start
| > 100-200 feet AGL. If it is ignition, it will be present
any time the
| > engine is running.
|
|
| Agreed, hence my query to double confirm that.
|
| I think someone else further down the thread may have
nailed it -
| airframe static, perhaps.

[Ron A.[_1_]]

If you are using a handheld GPS, try moving the transceiver away from the
gps. My ICOM breaks squelch badly when it is near the Garmin 196 display
(even on batteries). I move it a few feet and it goes away.

[RST Engineering]

What's a static dissipation wire?

Jim


> wrote in message
oups.com...

>
> Airframe static? Isn't that what they have the static dissipation
> wires for? Just a WAG.
>

[RST Engineering]

Busted ground wire off the coax at the antenna end.

Jim


> wrote in message
ups.com...



>
> Any ideas what's going on here? All help is appreciated.
>
> Tailwinds and blue skies,
> Mike
>

[Jose[_1_]]

> Busted ground wire off the coax at the antenna end.

While I've got you, (heh heh) what's your take on a car radio that
buzzes (ignition noise) much louder than the radio station coming in,
but intermittently? I'd guess the same thing, but we haven't been able
to find it.

Jose
--
The monkey turns the crank and thinks he's making the music.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

[[email protected]]

RST Engineering wrote:
> What's a static dissipation wire?
>
> Jim
>
>
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>
> >
> > Airframe static? Isn't that what they have the static dissipation
> > wires for? Just a WAG.
> >

It's the name I thought of late at night, for the wires that trail the
wings/elevators to dissipate static. People who know better probably
have a different name that more folks, also knowledgable, recognize
more quickly. Like I said, WAG. If I really knew what I was talking
about, I'da said so. <big grin, late at night on Saturday>

I'll be interested in the real cure, when the OP figures it out. I
learn a lot that way...

[RST Engineering]

static wick. You can make one out of a solder lug, a high value resistor,
and a pinpoint for less than a penny if you google my KitPlanes article on
the subject.

However, for aircraft less than 200 knots cruise speed, it isn't a problem.

Jim



> wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> RST Engineering wrote:
>> What's a static dissipation wire?
>>
>> Jim
>>
>>
>> > wrote in message
>> oups.com...
>>
>> >
>> > Airframe static? Isn't that what they have the static dissipation
>> > wires for? Just a WAG.

[Cub Driver]

On 18 Aug 2006 18:41:54 -0700, wrote:

>The problem is the handheld transceiver I'm using to communicate. It
>works fine on the ground. But as soon as I get 100-200 feet off the
>ground it gets overwhelmed with static, like the squelch is wide open.

Is it only when you transmit? (Sparkplugs likely, in that case.)


-- all the best, Dan Ford

email: usenet AT danford DOT net

Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum: www.pipercubforum.com
In Search of Lost Time: www.readingproust.com

[Cub Driver]

On Sat, 19 Aug 2006 13:53:47 GMT, "Ron A." > wrote:

>If you are using a handheld GPS, try moving the transceiver away from the
>gps. My ICOM breaks squelch badly when it is near the Garmin 196 display
>(even on batteries). I move it a few feet and it goes away.

Sounds like a Garmin family foible. I have the same problem (though
only on trasmit) between my 296 and my Vertex Standard. Since I really
have no option, and since the Cub is so obviously Nordo anyhow, I just
don't use them at the same time. When I have my destination in sight,
I turn off the Garmin. After I'm clear of the pattern on takeoff, I
turn it on again and go to the waypoint for the home airport
(whatever). Awkward, but I don't own the plane.



-- all the best, Dan Ford

email: usenet AT danford DOT net

Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum: www.pipercubforum.com
In Search of Lost Time: www.readingproust.com

[Matt Whiting]

RST Engineering wrote:

> static wick. You can make one out of a solder lug, a high value resistor,
> and a pinpoint for less than a penny if you google my KitPlanes article on
> the subject.
>
> However, for aircraft less than 200 knots cruise speed, it isn't a problem.

There are some occasions where it is. I flew my Skylane in cold, dry
snow once and got so much static that the comm radio was completely
useless. Installed the wicks a short time later and never had that
problem again.

The 182 is much slower than 200 knots and I never had a problem other
that in fairly dry (cold) snow.


Matt