Rotating Beacon vs. Flashing Beacon

My upper rotating beacon has stopped rotating and I am debating whether to
overhaul it or replace it with one of the new Whelen flashing beacons. The
flashing beacons are all solid state with no moving parts but cost $800 and
I am also concerned about noise since the beacon is located a few inches
from the COM1 antenna. Has anyone replaced a beacon with the new flashing
type? How far from your COM antenna is it? Is there any noise on the COM?
A question for the electronics gurus: Do I even need to be concerned with
noise?

Thanks in advance!

Mike
MU-2

In article . net,
"Mike Rapoport" wrote:

My upper rotating beacon has stopped rotating and I am debating whether to
overhaul it or replace it with one of the new Whelen flashing beacons. The
flashing beacons are all solid state with no moving parts but cost $800 and
I am also concerned about noise since the beacon is located a few inches
from the COM1 antenna. Has anyone replaced a beacon with the new flashing
type? How far from your COM antenna is it? Is there any noise on the COM?
A question for the electronics gurus: Do I even need to be concerned with
noise?

Thanks in advance!

Mike
MU-2



A strobe draws considerably less power than a rotating beacon and puts
out a lot more light. The Aircraft Spruce catalog lists single-strobe
systems for $225 up to $370 for multiple-strobe systems.

I don't know where the $800 figure came from.

The $800 figure is the Aircraft Spruce price for the strobe approved to
replace my beacon.

Mike
MU-2

"Orval Fairbairn" wrote in message
news
In article . net,
"Mike Rapoport" wrote:

My upper rotating beacon has stopped rotating and I am debating whether
to
overhaul it or replace it with one of the new Whelen flashing beacons.
The
flashing beacons are all solid state with no moving parts but cost $800
and
I am also concerned about noise since the beacon is located a few inches
from the COM1 antenna. Has anyone replaced a beacon with the new
flashing
type? How far from your COM antenna is it? Is there any noise on the
COM?
A question for the electronics gurus: Do I even need to be concerned
with
noise?

Thanks in advance!

Mike
MU-2



A strobe draws considerably less power than a rotating beacon and puts
out a lot more light. The Aircraft Spruce catalog lists single-strobe
systems for $225 up to $370 for multiple-strobe systems.

I don't know where the $800 figure came from.

In article . net,
Mike Rapoport wrote:
My upper rotating beacon has stopped rotating and I am debating whether to
overhaul it or replace it with one of the new Whelen flashing beacons.

The Grimes rotating beacon on my plane did not rotate when I bought it.
My understanding is that you can't get parts for them anymore, but some
people have made a single working unit from several dead ones. My wingtip
strobes are visible from the rear, so I don't think it's even required
for night flight, but on the advice of my A&P he replaced it with a
strobe. The new one has no moving parts, just a half red/half white
lens and a strobe that's powered by one of the channels of the strobe
power supply that was already installed.

I haven't noticed any radio noise from this installation. In fact,
when I took apart my wingtip to change my landing light I discovered
that the remote flux gate for my HSI is mounted in the wingtip right
behind the nav and strobe lights. And it seems to work fine.

The main thing I don't like about it is that in ground operations when
you wouldn't want to be blinding people with strobes you can't have a
beacon either. No one has run into me yet, though.

--
Ben Jackson

http://www.ben.com/

(Ben Jackson) wrote in message news:UZvTb.79308$U%5.425268@attbi_s03...
The main thing I don't like about it is that in ground operations when
you wouldn't want to be blinding people with strobes you can't have a
beacon either. No one has run into me yet, though.

Don't forget that anything that strobes can and will produce very
unpredictable light patterns when in any type of cloud or fog....

Craig C.

On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 14:49:50 GMT, "Mike Rapoport"
wrote:

My upper rotating beacon has stopped rotating and I am debating whether to
overhaul it or replace it with one of the new Whelen flashing beacons. The
flashing beacons are all solid state with no moving parts but cost $800 and
I am also concerned about noise since the beacon is located a few inches
from the COM1 antenna. Has anyone replaced a beacon with the new flashing
type? How far from your COM antenna is it? Is there any noise on the COM?
A question for the electronics gurus: Do I even need to be concerned with
noise?

Thanks in advance!

Mike
MU-2


Mike,

I was going to replace it ten or fifteen years ago. Unfortunately, the
strobe that Whelan had caused interference in my WX10A Stormscope. The
shop tried all kinds of shielding but were unable to get a clean WX10A. So
I'm still rebuilding the Grimes every two or three years.


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)

My beacon just went TU and yesterday my mechanic suggested installing a brand
new self-contained flashing unit by Whelan
for $150. No rotating moving parts, and weighs about 4 lbs less than what is
installed now (original).
I said do it.
www.Rosspilot.com

That's the one I put on. No brainer.

Rosspilot wrote:

My beacon just went TU and yesterday my mechanic suggested installing a brand
new self-contained flashing unit by Whelan
for $150. No rotating moving parts, and weighs about 4 lbs less than what is
installed now (original).
I said do it.
www.Rosspilot.com

Hint...Jameco Electronics has DOZENS of different gearhead DC motors for not a
lot of money. Of course, **I'd** never use an unapproved part in **MY**
airplane, but...

Jim



Ron Rosenfeld
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

-I'm still rebuilding the Grimes every two or three years.
-
-
-Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)



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

On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 16:21:51 -0800, Jim Weir wrote:

Hint...Jameco Electronics has DOZENS of different gearhead DC motors for not a
lot of money. Of course, **I'd** never use an unapproved part in **MY**
airplane, but...
Jim

And if I were wanting to look for Jameco Electronics for some type of
hobby motor, where might I find them?