KX170B replacement options

----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert M. Gary"

So, if I'm currently working with an MX-170B and a working glideslope,
does that mean that when I put the MX-170B in the trash and put a
MAC1700 in (or KX-170B) the glideslope will still work??

-Robert

Yup. You have an external GS rcvr, probably a King KN-73, somewhere in the
plane. Probably in the fuselage, aft of the baggage compartment. And don't
put the MX170B in the trash. Send it to me!

Mike

Do you think there is any value in the MX-170? The display seems very
effected by moisture. For the last couple of years it would be dark
during run up and would slowly come back after the moisture was driven
out of the cabin. Today, it went to 100.00 on all 4 freqs in
mid-flight. The company that makes it (TKM) refuses to fix it because
they want me to buy their new model and they don't offer the manuals so
no shop can legally work on it. Its too bad too. I had the exact same
problem with my KX-155, the shop simply replaced the display for a very
reasonable amount of money. In my opinion, TKM are just being butts
about this.


-Robert

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
ups.com...
Do you think there is any value in the MX-170? The display seems very
effected by moisture. For the last couple of years it would be dark
during run up and would slowly come back after the moisture was driven
out of the cabin. Today, it went to 100.00 on all 4 freqs in
mid-flight. The company that makes it (TKM) refuses to fix it because
they want me to buy their new model and they don't offer the manuals so
no shop can legally work on it. Its too bad too. I had the exact same
problem with my KX-155, the shop simply replaced the display for a very
reasonable amount of money. In my opinion, TKM are just being butts
about this.


Well, it might be worth something to me. I do avionics repair work and I
might be able to fix it or use it for parts. I'll send you an email.

Mike

Robert M. Gary wrote:
: Do you think there is any value in the MX-170? The display seems very
: effected by moisture. For the last couple of years it would be dark
: during run up and would slowly come back after the moisture was driven
: out of the cabin. Today, it went to 100.00 on all 4 freqs in
: mid-flight. The company that makes it (TKM) refuses to fix it because
: they want me to buy their new model and they don't offer the manuals so
: no shop can legally work on it. Its too bad too. I had the exact same
: problem with my KX-155, the shop simply replaced the display for a very
: reasonable amount of money. In my opinion, TKM are just being butts
: about this.


I had a friend that got screwed out of his radio in the same way. Bought an
ebay-special MX-170 that worked, but had a little display problem and the volume was a
little low. Sent it to Michel since they would supposedly fix it for a flat rate
(something like $200 or something IIRC). Well, they sat on the radio giving bullsh*t
stories of how it was ready, no there was more broken, now it was in final adjustment
stage, and finally he was told he had to buy a new one. Couldn't even get the old one
back unless he paid about 1/2 the cost of a new one in labor for diagnostics.

He also had a MX-12. After getting screwed on the MX-170, I volunteered to
look inside a bit. They are built much cheaper than King units.... regular COTS ICs,
sockets, ribbon cables, LEDs, etc. That's cheap and easily fixable: as long as you
can get them to fix it or give you the info to do so yourself. Ribbon cables aren't
chafe-protected, non-gold-plated connectors, cheesy DIP sockets for many ICs, etc.

If you look inside a King unit, they're built to avionics standards... not
cheapo consumer VCR standards.

My recommendation: Don't by Michel anything.

-Cory

--

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

That's cheap and easily fixable: as long as you
can get them to fix it or give you the info to do so yourself. Ribbon
cables aren't
chafe-protected,

Chafe-protected against what?


non-gold-plated connectors

Tin on tin is every bit as good as gold on gold in the avionics environment.


cheesy DIP sockets for many ICs, etc.

What does a non-cheesy DIP socket look like? And why in the world would you
ever socket an IC?



If you look inside a King unit, they're built to avionics standards... not
cheapo consumer VCR standards.

How many devices have you built and marketed to avionics standards? And
where are these standards posted or documented?


-Cory

You've been a grad student now for about four years as I count. Ever plan
on finishing up?


Jim


--

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

: Chafe-protected against what?

Wire on metal inside the radio. They're not tied down to anything and are
free to flap against other parts inside the radio.

: Tin on tin is every bit as good as gold on gold in the avionics environment.

OK. Sure.... and the crappy little consumer-grade EGT/CHT switches that came
with my multi-cylinder aren't actually exhibiting poor contact resistance already
after only 2.5 years either. I'm not buying it... There *IS* a reason for MIL-SPEC
components.

: What does a non-cheesy DIP socket look like? And why in the world would you
: ever socket an IC?

As you well know, there are high-quality sockets and low-quality sockets. One
wouldn't think that socketing ICs are too necessary, yet the Michel radios had them.

: How many devices have you built and marketed to avionics standards? And
: where are these standards posted or documented?

A personal attack? I would expect more. To answer the question though,
absolutely zero devices have been marketed. I've designed a few ( 5 ) to go on
experimental research rocket payloads. I have designed a number of circuits for use
in an automotive environment for a hybrid electric research vehicle ( 10 ). I have
repaired even more on the same project due to crappy construction quality of circuits
designed by previous people similar to what I've seen in Michel units. I have been
involved with designing and building electrical power electronic circuits switching
over 50kW and have seen the ramification of ill-constructed circuitry. I have been
inside a number of King, Narco, Dave Clark, and Michel avionics and the Michel units
are sub-standard in construction quality by comparison.

: You've been a grad student now for about four years as I count. Ever plan
: on finishing up?

No. I enjoy keeping an open mind and continually learning about as much as I
possibly can. I will never finish being a "student."

-Cory

--

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

"RST Engineering" wrote in message
.. .
non-gold-plated connectors

Tin on tin is every bit as good as gold on gold in the avionics environment.

I respect your background, and I am not an avionics engineer (and do not
play one on TV) but this is directly opposite to my experience. I will never
bother with a non-gold card edge connector again.

cheesy DIP sockets for many ICs, etc.


What does a non-cheesy DIP socket look like?

I have had grief with cheap IC sockets. The difference can be pennies per
unit.

And why in the world would you ever socket an IC?

Here, we agree.


You've been a grad student now for about four years as I count. Ever plan on
finishing up?

I spent at least 4 years on my Master's, given that life continued to go on
and I still needed a job to feed my family. The Ph.D (if I had continued) would
have taken longer.


Vaughn

"Vaughn" writes:



And why in the world would you ever socket an IC?

Here, we agree.

You socket the IC where your evaluation tells you it's necessity
for replacement overcomes the added issues with a socket.

I designed my boards with the vulnerable IC's in GOOD, gold-plated
sockets. I can't recall the brand now; but they were circular
concentric pins held in a strip of plastic. Not cheap.

The vulnerable ones to me were those that interfaced OFF the board,
to the real world. They took the abuse & died for the cause every
so often. YMMV.

--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

wrote in message
...
Robert M. Gary wrote:
: Do you think there is any value in the MX-170? The display seems very
: effected by moisture. For the last couple of years it would be dark
: during run up and would slowly come back after the moisture was driven
: out of the cabin. Today, it went to 100.00 on all 4 freqs in
: mid-flight. The company that makes it (TKM) refuses to fix it because
: they want me to buy their new model and they don't offer the manuals so
: no shop can legally work on it. Its too bad too. I had the exact same
: problem with my KX-155, the shop simply replaced the display for a very
: reasonable amount of money. In my opinion, TKM are just being butts
: about this.


I had a friend that got screwed out of his radio in the same way. Bought
an
ebay-special MX-170 that worked, but had a little display problem and the
volume was a
little low. Sent it to Michel since they would supposedly fix it for a
flat rate
(something like $200 or something IIRC). Well, they sat on the radio
giving bullsh*t
stories of how it was ready, no there was more broken, now it was in final
adjustment
stage, and finally he was told he had to buy a new one. Couldn't even get
the old one
back unless he paid about 1/2 the cost of a new one in labor for
diagnostics.

He also had a MX-12. After getting screwed on the MX-170, I volunteered
to
look inside a bit. They are built much cheaper than King units....
regular COTS ICs,
sockets, ribbon cables, LEDs, etc. That's cheap and easily fixable: as
long as you
can get them to fix it or give you the info to do so yourself. Ribbon
cables aren't
chafe-protected, non-gold-plated connectors, cheesy DIP sockets for many
ICs, etc.

If you look inside a King unit, they're built to avionics standards... not
cheapo consumer VCR standards.

Hell., some of the king stuff I have seen don't even have solder mask on
the PCB and they use old very cheap boards Not even fiberglass FR4


My recommendation: Don't by Michel anything.

-Cory

--

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