Becker vs Microair

I've decided to give up on my Avionic Dittel and buy new. It's been a
good radio and has given many years of service, but I'd like some new
functionality.

Functionality is really at the heart of my dilemna. I've kind of
narrowed things down to Becker vs Microair (I've ruled out Walter
Dittel on price... everyone has a limit independent of reason). There
seems to be a broad consensus that the Becker is a more reliable
choice. However, the Microair seems to offer a number of superior
features.

1) Remote operation from a stick mounted toggle.
2) Dual scan beteween the active and standby freqs with the ability to
transmit on the active. (Becker also offers a scan option but it seems
to be cover far more freqs and the freqs covered can only be changed
by turning the radio off and on at least twice. Dual scan seems very
nice when flying XC in the vicinity of an active airport.)
3 Alpha descriptions of saved freqs.
4) Variable squelch (Becker has this, but not without turning the
radio off and on at least twice to make changes.)


So here I am... The Microair costs less and has "better" features. But
who cares if it doesn't work?

What to do? What to do?.. I think I'll fly with the handheld!

What am I missing? I'm sure there are many cosniderations that escape
me.

Doug

On Aug 15, 8:18*pm, Dixie Sierra wrote:
I've decided to give up on my Avionic Dittel and buy new. It's been a
good radio and has given many years of service, but I'd like some new
functionality.

Functionality is really at the heart of my dilemna. I've kind of
narrowed things down to Becker vs Microair (I've ruled out Walter
Dittel on price... everyone has a limit independent of reason). There
seems to be a broad consensus that the Becker is a more reliable
choice. However, the Microair seems to offer a number of superior
features.

1) Remote operation from a stick mounted toggle.
2) Dual scan beteween the active and standby freqs with the ability to
transmit on the active. (Becker also offers a scan option but it seems
to be cover far more freqs and the freqs covered can only be changed
by turning the radio off and on at least twice. Dual scan seems very
nice when flying XC in the vicinity of an active airport.)
3 Alpha descriptions of saved freqs.
4) Variable squelch (Becker has this, but not without turning the
radio off and on at least twice to make changes.)

So here I am... The Microair costs less and has "better" features. But
who cares if it doesn't work?

What to do? What to do?.. I think I'll fly with the handheld!

What am I missing? I'm sure there are many cosniderations that escape
me.

Doug

- Statistically speaking I know of THREE cases of Micro air radio
having problems with transmitting once the radio gets warm - usually
an hour into flight. The two Becker’s (one being mine) on the other
hand seem to work flawlessly.
So, save yourself the arse pain, spend little more and have a product
that has a solid dependability record; it’s not like you buy one every
year. Besides there is nothing more frustrating than your equipment
not operative on that good day.
Good luck.

GK

On Aug 15, 5:40*pm, GK wrote:
On Aug 15, 8:18*pm, Dixie Sierra wrote:



I've decided to give up on my Avionic Dittel and buy new. It's been a
good radio and has given many years of service, but I'd like some new
functionality.

Functionality is really at the heart of my dilemna. I've kind of
narrowed things down to Becker vs Microair (I've ruled out Walter
Dittel on price... everyone has a limit independent of reason). There
seems to be a broad consensus that the Becker is a more reliable
choice. However, the Microair seems to offer a number of superior
features.

1) Remote operation from a stick mounted toggle.
2) Dual scan beteween the active and standby freqs with the ability to
transmit on the active. (Becker also offers a scan option but it seems
to be cover far more freqs and the freqs covered can only be changed
by turning the radio off and on at least twice. Dual scan seems very
nice when flying XC in the vicinity of an active airport.)
3 Alpha descriptions of saved freqs.
4) Variable squelch (Becker has this, but not without turning the
radio off and on at least twice to make changes.)

So here I am... The Microair costs less and has "better" features. But
who cares if it doesn't work?

What to do? What to do?.. I think I'll fly with the handheld!

What am I missing? I'm sure there are many cosniderations that escape
me.

Doug

*- Statistically speaking I know *of THREE cases of Micro air radio
having problems with transmitting once the radio gets warm - usually
an hour into flight. The two Becker’s (one being mine) on the other
hand seem to work flawlessly.
So, save yourself the arse pain, spend little more and have a product
that has a solid dependability record; it’s not like you buy one every
year. Besides there is nothing more frustrating than your equipment
not operative on that good day.
Good luck.

GK

Kind of comparing a Mercedes and a Lada. IMNSHO

Feature shopping is not where I'd start. Reputation. Reliability.
Service support. What else is used locally?

I suffered with an early Microair radio while training. Display would
go to garbage (Chinese like characters) and it would have other
problems when it got hot. I believe that some problems have been
addressed but that was such a substandard experience, and I've seen
others Microairs with the same problems. Personally I'd not touch
them. By comparisons I've owned two Becker radios and two Becker
transponders and used more in club ships with no problems. Also
excellent fast turn around on Becker repairs with a Becker USA service
center (one of the transponders had its fuse blown by an external
error - not Becker's problems). I flew last weekend in a Duo Discus
with a Microair transponder and its slightly funky user interface and
hard to read display had me wanting my Becker transponder....

it is claimed that the Beckers also run better at lower voltage but
I've not tested this myself.

Darryl

We have had a Microair on our plane. It has never worked properly, in
spite of two returns to the factory. We don't bother anymore. 'Nough
said.

Cheers, Charles

On Aug 15, 5:40*pm, GK wrote:
On Aug 15, 8:18*pm, Dixie Sierra wrote:





I've decided to give up on my Avionic Dittel and buy new. It's been a
good radio and has given many years of service, but I'd like some new
functionality.

Functionality is really at the heart of my dilemna. I've kind of
narrowed things down to Becker vs Microair (I've ruled out Walter
Dittel on price... everyone has a limit independent of reason). There
seems to be a broad consensus that the Becker is a more reliable
choice. However, the Microair seems to offer a number of superior
features.

1) Remote operation from a stick mounted toggle.
2) Dual scan beteween the active and standby freqs with the ability to
transmit on the active. (Becker also offers a scan option but it seems
to be cover far more freqs and the freqs covered can only be changed
by turning the radio off and on at least twice. Dual scan seems very
nice when flying XC in the vicinity of an active airport.)
3 Alpha descriptions of saved freqs.
4) Variable squelch (Becker has this, but not without turning the
radio off and on at least twice to make changes.)

So here I am... The Microair costs less and has "better" features. But
who cares if it doesn't work?

What to do? What to do?.. I think I'll fly with the handheld!

What am I missing? I'm sure there are many cosniderations that escape
me.

Doug

*- Statistically speaking I know *of THREE cases of Micro air radio
having problems with transmitting once the radio gets warm - usually
an hour into flight. The two Becker’s (one being mine) on the other
hand seem to work flawlessly.
So, save yourself the arse pain, spend little more and have a product
that has a solid dependability record; it’s not like you buy one every
year. Besides there is nothing more frustrating than your equipment
not operative on that good day.
Good luck.

GK- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

... OTOH, just buying a Becker doesn't mean it will be trouble free.
Our club has purchased two Becker transceivers in the last 3 years.
Both have required return for repair in short order. Another club
member had to send his Becker Transponder back twice to get it to work
(turned out to be a cold solder joint). I went (for me) big bucks and
bought a Dittel FSG2T, which was also bad out of the box (Dittel
repaired it for free, of course). The Becker transceivers seem okay
after they come back from the factory, but IMO we should be able to
expect these high dollar bits of electronics to work reliably. In my
limited experience, 100% of the Becker and Dittel electronics were
defective (granted, I have a sample size of only four).

On Aug 15, 6:56*pm, wrote:
We have had a Microair on our plane. *It has never worked properly, in
spite of two returns to the factory. *We don't bother anymore. 'Nough
said.

Cheers, *Charles


I sell both MicroAir and Becker Radios and Transponders. I have had
a MicroAir Rev N in my glider for 3 years with no problems, except a
Push to Talks switch that was corroded., no fault of the MicroAir. The
early MicroAirs did have problems mentioned above. MicroAir changed
hands several years ago and I beleive have been extremely active in
solving any problem they encounter with their products. I talked to a
customer yesterday that sent several Beckers his club had back to
Germany for repair. He stated he would never again buy a Becker
product.

MicroAir has a US service center Erie Aviation.

I think both radios are acceptable, the MicroAir is less expensive and
smaller.


Richard
www.craggyaero.com

I have had a Terra 760D in my glider for the last 10 years. It works
great nearly all the time except when I fly in our soaring regatta in
Central Idaho. It has always recieved great but when I start flying at
High Altitude were we typically fly between 14,000 and 18,000 feet the
tranmission occasionally becomes unreadable. I suspect this is some
combination of the batteries getting cold (low voltage) and possibly
the radio itself not liking the altitude. After a couple years of
consistantly having trouble I performed my own informal survey. We
have up to 15 different gliders flying in these regatta's and the
after listening to different radios I determined that only the Dittles
and the Beckers consistantly performed well (with clear
transmissions) in this High altitude enviorment. This year I
installed Becker and am very pleased with it with everyone giving the
transmission quaility a thumbs up. I remember that the MicroAir
miserably failed my informal Survey and the ATR was suspect (due to
the pilot often failed to respond, I don't know if this was the pilot,
the reciever or the transmitter). I don't recall what other radios I
evaluated.

Brian
HP16T

Soar Truckee where I am based has Microair radios in their fleet of 4
ride gliders. They get used frequently and to the best of my
recollection they have not experienced any problems. I have a 2 year
old Becker radio and transponder in my glider. The radio will need to
be sent to the factory because of low modulation even after trying
several mics and turning up the user adjustable gain level in the
radio. The first time I turned on the transponder when it was
installed by a Becker distributor it started to smoke from behind the
display. The code selector switch, which I thought was a low voltage
device, melted and was rendered unusable. Becker replaced the
transponder quickly. Given the relatively high rate of problems in
glider avionics in general, my preference would be for the company
that provides the best repair service.

My first Becker went back. The second is fine if the volts are high. 12.5
I guess, but I cannot tell because the voltmeter on it always reads 15.1
(on 12V batteries). I would prefer not to buy another Becker. Surely
there MUST be a better alternative?

Jim

Buy an ATR500 from Funkwerk(ex-Filser) in Germany.
Reasonable price,excellent quality and IT WORKS FAULTLESSLY!

I too had an early Microair and have been scarred for life.

Pete