1. Transmitter tester. Make two or three coax cables up that mate to your
radio transmitter connector. Use a BNC at the output. Make a mating BNC
connector with a light bulb termination.

Use a #47 bulb (Rat Shack) for powers of up to 2 watts. Use a #53 for
powers of 2-3 watts, 57 up to 5 watts, and 67 up to 7 watts (Pep Boys). Use
a #313 (Chief Aircraft) up to 10 watts.

Key the transmitter. The bulb should light about 1/2 bright. Talk into the
microphone. The lamp should flicker almost full bright with a loud voice.



2. Antenna/receiver tester. Hook the antenna in question to a known good
receiver. Go fly at about 5000 AGL. Tune in a continuous station
(ATIS/AWOS) about 50 miles away (no hills in the way). Turn the airplane
SLOWLY (half standard rate) and notice any deep nulls where the signal
disappears. 50 miles should have some nulls, but nowhere should it
disappear. Now hook the receiver in question up to the proven good antenna
and repeat the test.



You just sat through my hour and a half forum for this year's Oshkosh.


Jim