Navcom - handheld VS panel ?

Hello everyone - my first posting here.

I'm in the process of equipping my Earthstar thundergull with avionics.
This is a very light tandem 2 seater.
I was wondering what type of navcom to go with...handheld or panel
mounted.

Panel space is limited , so a panel radio choice would probably be the
Microair. But this is substantially more expensive than handhelds.

What are the disadvantages of a handheld ?
Would you recommend a specific handheld make & model ?

The aircraft does have an external antenna.
I do intend to fly into class C & D airspaces.
I do need intercom.
I do need squelch.


All input much appreciated.

thanks
Pavan Bhatnagar (PPASEL to be)

On 28 Oct 2005 16:13:51 -0700, wrote:

Hello everyone - my first posting here.

I'm in the process of equipping my Earthstar thundergull with avionics.
This is a very light tandem 2 seater.
I was wondering what type of navcom to go with...handheld or panel
mounted.

Well...it's not exactly an "either/or" situation. Check out the panel mounting
of an ICOM IC-A5 in my Fly Baby:

http://www.wanttaja.com/hhrad2.JPG

The radio is wired to conventional panel jacks, and is powered by the aircraft
12V bus by a "Battery Eliminator" purchased from Batteries America. No
modifications to the radio were needed...I just built a cage from 1.25" aluminum
channel (actually square tubing with one side cut away) and purchased the
four-conductor plug that fits into the headset adaptor jack for about $7.

The radio assembly is essentially self-contained...the headset jacks mounted
onto the side rails of the aluminum channel. The only wiring on the airplane
was a 4-conductor plug for power and PTT switch (plus the antenna, of course).

http://www.wanttaja.com/hhrad.JPG

The potentiometer is used to adjust the volume without being able to access the
knob on top. Everyone seems to understand me (quite unlike RAH :-), I can
receive stations 75 miles away, and whole installation weighs less than a pound
and cost less than $300.

I made a couple of postings about it to the Fly Baby mailing list:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/flybabylist/message/5006

Ron Wanttaja

I'll second Ron's use of a portable. I've been doing the same in my
homebuilt Savannah, also with an external antenna. It works fine. Mine is
an Icom A23. The VOR function is pretty lame, so I would save my money and
get a com only radio next time. The range seems to be as good as the "real"
radios in rental planes.

Don't forget that you'll need a transponder to go into a class C airport.

tom


"Ron Wanttaja" wrote in message
...
On 28 Oct 2005 16:13:51 -0700, wrote:

Hello everyone - my first posting here.

I'm in the process of equipping my Earthstar thundergull with avionics.
This is a very light tandem 2 seater.
I was wondering what type of navcom to go with...handheld or panel
mounted.

Well...it's not exactly an "either/or" situation. Check out the panel
mounting
of an ICOM IC-A5 in my Fly Baby:

http://www.wanttaja.com/hhrad2.JPG

The radio is wired to conventional panel jacks, and is powered by the
aircraft
12V bus by a "Battery Eliminator" purchased from Batteries America. No
modifications to the radio were needed...I just built a cage from 1.25"
aluminum
channel (actually square tubing with one side cut away) and purchased the
four-conductor plug that fits into the headset adaptor jack for about $7.

The radio assembly is essentially self-contained...the headset jacks
mounted
onto the side rails of the aluminum channel. The only wiring on the
airplane
was a 4-conductor plug for power and PTT switch (plus the antenna, of
course).

http://www.wanttaja.com/hhrad.JPG

The potentiometer is used to adjust the volume without being able to
access the
knob on top. Everyone seems to understand me (quite unlike RAH :-), I can
receive stations 75 miles away, and whole installation weighs less than a
pound
and cost less than $300.

I made a couple of postings about it to the Fly Baby mailing list:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/flybabylist/message/5006

Ron Wanttaja

Yeah whatever regarding the radio... I like the gauge on the right hand side
of your panel Ron. Nice to see that even sitting in the hangar it's pegged
at the redline ;-)


"Ron Wanttaja" wrote in message
...
On 28 Oct 2005 16:13:51 -0700, wrote:

Hello everyone - my first posting here.

I'm in the process of equipping my Earthstar thundergull with avionics.
This is a very light tandem 2 seater.
I was wondering what type of navcom to go with...handheld or panel
mounted.

Well...it's not exactly an "either/or" situation. Check out the panel
mounting
of an ICOM IC-A5 in my Fly Baby:

http://www.wanttaja.com/hhrad2.JPG

The radio is wired to conventional panel jacks, and is powered by the
aircraft
12V bus by a "Battery Eliminator" purchased from Batteries America. No
modifications to the radio were needed...I just built a cage from 1.25"
aluminum
channel (actually square tubing with one side cut away) and purchased the
four-conductor plug that fits into the headset adaptor jack for about $7.

The radio assembly is essentially self-contained...the headset jacks
mounted
onto the side rails of the aluminum channel. The only wiring on the
airplane
was a 4-conductor plug for power and PTT switch (plus the antenna, of
course).

http://www.wanttaja.com/hhrad.JPG

The potentiometer is used to adjust the volume without being able to
access the
knob on top. Everyone seems to understand me (quite unlike RAH :-), I can
receive stations 75 miles away, and whole installation weighs less than a
pound
and cost less than $300.

I made a couple of postings about it to the Fly Baby mailing list:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/flybabylist/message/5006

Ron Wanttaja

Ron, that is so cool, I want a fun gauge! Any suggestions as to where I
might find one?
Gary Melton
N320GG LNC2

"Jase Vanover" wrote in message
...
Yeah whatever regarding the radio... I like the gauge on the right hand
side of your panel Ron. Nice to see that even sitting in the hangar it's
pegged at the redline ;-)


"Ron Wanttaja" wrote in message
...
On 28 Oct 2005 16:13:51 -0700, wrote:
Well...it's not exactly an "either/or" situation. Check out the panel
mounting
of an ICOM IC-A5 in my Fly Baby:

http://www.wanttaja.com/hhrad2.JPG

On Sun, 30 Oct 2005 02:19:30 GMT, "keepitrunning"
wrote:
"Ron Wanttaja" wrote:
Well...it's not exactly an "either/or" situation. Check out the panel
mounting of an ICOM IC-A5 in my Fly Baby:

http://www.wanttaja.com/hhrad2.JPG

Ron, that is so cool, I want a fun gauge! Any suggestions as to where I
might find one?

Your junk box, if you're lucky. The Fun Meter started out as a small voltmeter
made out of plastic. Once disassembled, the meter face was found to be a small
plastic disk held in place with a couple of tiny screws. I noted the size, drew
up my own meter, printed it on photo paper, and glued it over the old face.
Reassemble the meter, and the rest is history:

http://www.bowersflybaby.com/stories/meter.JPG

Originally, I kept the original needle movement but the needle eventually broke
when I had to take the meter apart to replace the paper face. I now use just a
scrap of white-insulated wire.

I've got a large empty instrument hole where the old radio used to go, and I'm
considering some kind of similar goofy project. Currently, I've just got a Fly
Baby logo in the hole...

http://www.wanttaja.com/hhrad2.JPG (Towards the bottom)

.... but I'd like to put in either a dummy radar or possibly a "weapons status"
display.

Ron Wanttaja

Ron Wanttaja wrote:
On Sun, 30 Oct 2005 02:19:30 GMT, "keepitrunning"
wrote:

"Ron Wanttaja" wrote:

Well...it's not exactly an "either/or" situation. Check out the panel
mounting of an ICOM IC-A5 in my Fly Baby:

http://www.wanttaja.com/hhrad2.JPG

Ron, that is so cool, I want a fun gauge! Any suggestions as to where I
might find one?


Your junk box, if you're lucky. The Fun Meter started out as a small voltmeter
made out of plastic. Once disassembled, the meter face was found to be a small
plastic disk held in place with a couple of tiny screws. I noted the size, drew
up my own meter, printed it on photo paper, and glued it over the old face.
Reassemble the meter, and the rest is history:

http://www.bowersflybaby.com/stories/meter.JPG

Originally, I kept the original needle movement but the needle eventually broke
when I had to take the meter apart to replace the paper face. I now use just a
scrap of white-insulated wire.

I've got a large empty instrument hole where the old radio used to go, and I'm
considering some kind of similar goofy project. Currently, I've just got a Fly
Baby logo in the hole...

http://www.wanttaja.com/hhrad2.JPG (Towards the bottom)

... but I'd like to put in either a dummy radar or possibly a "weapons status"
display.

Ron Wanttaja

How about a retractible cup holder or phaser/warp drive panel? In
the Air Farce one of our mockups had an instrument hole covered by a
square of alumininum labelled "phaser/warp drive." It was even once
written up by QC as "phaser/warp drive panel missing screws" since it
was held in place by 2 screws instead of 4 with 2 screw holes open. You
tax dollars at w**k

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

Ron Wanttaja wrote:

... but I'd like to put in either a dummy radar or possibly a "weapons
status" display.

No where as cute, but a one time I owned a 172 that landing gear switch
with indicator lights. I always wanted to figure out the circuit that
would make the lights "fail" randomly once every 20 hours or so.

--
Frank Stutzman
Bonanza N494B "Hula Girl"
Hood River, OR

I would recommend the Microair, it can be purchased with an intercom.
I beleive the handheld may be problematic with an intercom and much
more of a hassel using and you still have to mount it somewhere.


Richard
www.craggyaero.com

Thanks for all the input , folks.

regards
Pavan.