Audio Panel Recommendations

My Narco audio panel works just fine. However, the faceplate has been glued
back together twice by my avionics shop. (How it got broken in the first
place is anyone's guess...)

In the recent intense cold, the epoxy has let go again, so I think it's time
to replace the unit. Other than requiring the marker beacon lights/receiver
to be built-in, I have no prerequisites. Well, it would be nice if it fit
in the same hole without too much bother.

Any recommendations?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
My Narco audio panel works just fine. However, the faceplate has been glued
back together twice by my avionics shop. (How it got broken in the first
place is anyone's guess...)

In the recent intense cold, the epoxy has let go again, so I think it's time
to replace the unit. Other than requiring the marker beacon lights/receiver
to be built-in, I have no prerequisites. Well, it would be nice if it fit
in the same hole without too much bother.

On the basis of no technical knowledge, but some personal experience with
customer service, plus lots of anecdotes from contributors to this newsgroup
(including you), why not start your search at PS Engineering?

I'm not an avionics person, but my impression of audio panels is that there is
no standardization and they are simply laboriously wired in soldered connections
and point to point wiring. I dont' think there exists any kind of slide-in
replacement for an audio panel, ever. I stand ready to be corrected.

Dave
Remove SHIRT to reply directly.

Jay Honeck wrote:
My Narco audio panel works just fine. However, the faceplate has been glued
back together twice by my avionics shop. (How it got broken in the first
place is anyone's guess...)
In the recent intense cold, the epoxy has let go again, so I think it's time
to replace the unit. Other than requiring the marker beacon lights/receiver
to be built-in, I have no prerequisites. Well, it would be nice if it fit
in the same hole without too much bother.

The audio panel is one of the most labor intensive pieces of avionics to
replace. This is because of the shear number of wires that must be
installed/hooked up (multiple wires from each of your other radios, plus
the speaker and the outputs to the headphones/intercom). Obviously, we're
not talking about 100's of wires, but there's still a lot. I wouldn't
replace an audio panel for cosmetic reasons. You'd be better off trying
to find a new faceplate.

--- Jay


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Have you considered Jim's audio panel kit?
http://www.rst-engr.com/rst/catalog/audpnl.html I have thought of getting it
myself but in my plane, it's overkill.

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:nMQPb.125135$na.126504@attbi_s04...
My Narco audio panel works just fine. However, the faceplate has been
glued
back together twice by my avionics shop. (How it got broken in the first
place is anyone's guess...)

In the recent intense cold, the epoxy has let go again, so I think it's
time
to replace the unit. Other than requiring the marker beacon
lights/receiver
to be built-in, I have no prerequisites. Well, it would be nice if it
fit
in the same hole without too much bother.

Any recommendations?

Jim's panel looks good, and I'd buy it in a heartbeat, but for:

1. I've already got the PS Engineering intercom built into my CD player. I
hunted around a bit, and couldn't find a version of Jim's audio panel
WITHOUT the intercom.

2. There is the obvious problem of me being clueless with regards to
building the thing. Make it out of wood, and I'll build it with dovetail
joints -- but electricity is a mystery to me.

Does Jim sell fully assembled stuff?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

In article mCRPb.122933$8H.317848@attbi_s03, Jay Honeck
wrote:

2. There is the obvious problem of me being clueless with regards to
building the thing. Make it out of wood, and I'll build it with dovetail
joints -- but electricity is a mystery to me.

Colonel Weir puts out one of the most complete, easy to read, easy to
understand manuals I have ever come across in an electronics kit. As I
understand the process, some of his Alpha- and Beta-testers/reviewers
have fresh minds, untainted by previous electronics experience. If they
come to him for clarification, the manual gets edited until there are
no more questions.

Jay, as long as you know which end of the soldering iron to hold, you
can follow Jim's instructions and build one of his kits and it will
work.

Jay, as long as you know which end of the soldering iron to hold, you
can follow Jim's instructions and build one of his kits and it will
work.

Ow! Ow! Ow!

Whoops, wrong end... ;-)

Ah, hell, I suppose if I can build a fuel truck (ain't never done THAT
before, neither!), I can build an audio panel, too.

Trouble is, all I *really* need is the stupid faceplate. Narco wants TWO
HUNDRED BUCKS for this stupid plastic faceplate! Augh!

Sometimes I hate aviation, God help me...

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Kenny Faeth (Faeth Aircraft Salvage) out in Sacramento specializes in
"previously owned avionics" as well as a lot of other used airplane parts. I'll
bet you can find one from him. If you need his phone number, I can look it up,
but I also think you can google him and find it.

Tell him Jim sent you and he will only charge double what it is worth rather
than the usual triple {;-)

Jim



"Jay Honeck"
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

-Trouble is, all I *really* need is the stupid faceplate. Narco wants TWO
-HUNDRED BUCKS for this stupid plastic faceplate! Augh!



Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

I'm not totally up to speed on this thread, but reading between the lines
of your post Jay - there are companies that advertise to the airplane
homebuilders to make custom panels, inserts, faceplates, engravings, etc.,
etc. Just look in the back of your EAA, Sport Flying you are a member, of
course
Ayund, your local sign shops may also offer such services... Look also to
trophy shops who make various plaques, etc... Jeez, too hunnert bucks
should get you one that lights up, blinks, and plays the Marseilles when you
transmit...
denny

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:TIcRb.27547$U% Trouble is, all I *really* need is the stupid
faceplate. Narco wants TWO
HUNDRED BUCKS for this stupid plastic faceplate!

$200 for a new faceplate! Mind you, compared to $1500 for a new
audio panel, plus $$$ rewiring everything, it may be a good investment!

Paul

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:TIcRb.27547$U%5.179540@attbi_s03...
Trouble is, all I *really* need is the stupid faceplate. Narco wants TWO
HUNDRED BUCKS for this stupid plastic faceplate! Augh!