dmmartindale@watcgl.UUCP (Dave Martindale) (11/28/83)
In several years of flying, I've experienced several radio failures in
one-radio aircraft, and one alternator failure in an IFR-equipped aircraft.
Though I fly only VFR, the thought of losing all radios is not a pleasant
one, particularly if it is night. Thus I've been considering buying
a handheld transceiver for emergency use. The ones with only a few frequencies
available via crystals seem a bit too limited; if I'm going to spend the
money for a transceiver I might as well get a 720-channel one. Do any
of the readers of this group own one of these, or have you looked them
over closely? How do they perform? Do they require a station licence
as transceivers installed in an aircraft do (at least in Canada)?
So far, I've seen 3 different units advertised. Terra has had one available
for a couple of years which selects frequencies via a thumbwheel switch on
the end of the case. Narco has recently come out with one that uses a digital
keypad and an LCD display, and can be used as a 10-channel scanning receiver
as well as a transceiver. There is one sold by a company called
"Communications Specialists" which I know little about. The Narco seems
most attractive to me at the moment because of its ability to double as a
scanner.
These are rather expensive pieces of equipment (about $1000 CDN) and I don't
know of any local dealer where I can go and look at one, so any comments
are appreciated.
Dave Martindale
decvax!watmath!dmmartindale
{allegra,ihnp4,teklabs}!watcgl!dmmartindalenosmo@pyuxqq.UUCP (12/01/83)
I am familiar only with the Terra. I've used it and found it very nice. Don't know about licensing regulations, sorry. You can get one for about $600 if you shop around--check ads in Soaring magazine. --Pat
jimw@apollo.UUCP (Jim Ward) (12/12/83)
Dick Collins has written of his experience with some portable
transceivers in some recent issues of "Flying" Magzaine's "On Top"
column. He covered Terra a couple of months ago, and in the most
recent issue, talks about Communications Specialists. Also, he makes
an interesting point that, although these transceivers have on-board
antennas, an external (to the aircraft) antenna is needed to prevent
the outgoing signal from being absorbed by the airframe.
I am also likely to purchase a hand-held transceiver in the
near future and would like to hear from extant owners. Perhaps
responses should be posted instead of mailed privately.
I too have suffered an alternator failure and microphone
failure while on IFR flight plans. In the former case (the
alternator ground wire became unattached in an Arrow), Approach agreed
to work me as a primary target and to provide vectors as required,
thus allowing me to shutdown the entire radio stack except for
1 COM radio. The battery lasted the 45 minutes it took us to get on
the ground, and was accommodating enough to lower the gear, too.
The latter case was one of stupidity (mine): After asking for a radio
check at an uncontrolled field and not receiving a response, I blasted
off anyway for D.C. Only when Boston Approach bitched about someone
dead-keying the frequency (unmodulated carrier) did I believe I had
a problem. Live and learn; I now carry a spare.
Finally, at the risk of proselytizing: I too like the security
blanket that the radio provides, but I think that COM radio-out IFR
flying is easier than many of my colleagues believe. Just know the
procedures (which way, how high, how far), demand EFC/EAC times if
not proffered by controllers, and keep tabs on the weather. Try it
under the hood sometime in VMC, to and from some uncontrolled field.
Have the pilot riding shotgun give you a clearance with a limit and
expected altitude/route. I think you'll see what I mean.
Jim Ward
...decvax!yale-comix!apollo!jimw