Not so fast, Mike. These statements lead one to imagine that it would be fairly simple to design a drop-in adapter "box" which picks up existing pin-outs in the SL40 tray, fills the extra depth in the rack, and re-connects existing wiring to the appropriate pins and securing features on the GTR200.

I'd be quite happy to consider designing and producing one, if not for the possibility that Garmin would release their own very soon.

I'll take the one they made for you, then. :) Well, I would if it weren't for all these pesky rivets that steadfastly refuse to jump into their holes and squeeze themselves.

Seriously, the stereo intercom with proper muting of music sources and "3D" features, built into the radio, are the killer combination for me. Saves having to buy, mount and wire one more box.

Let me put it this way. Just yesterday (I swear this is true) I was pondering building my own COM radio and intercom. I mean, this isn't rocket science... it's a low powered VHF AM transceiver. I figured if I built one I'd do it with two receivers, so you could monitor your standby frequency. Taking a page from some ham radio projects, I figured stereo separation would work well for that. And if I were going to build a radio, may as well make the audio section handle all the intercom duties as well. Plus, I figured if I built something nice enough I could get it FCC certified and sell it -- to help pay for my RV.

Then today, this. The good news: now I can concentrate on something else. The bad news: I guess I have to keep my day job.

I think the only thing Garmin didn't do right was the COM audio output. If I were designing this I'd make provision for "3D" stereo audio output, with menu selectable mono or stereo output. As it is you have a really nice rig for a 2-place airplane, but people who have already invested in a 4-place stereo intercom or audio panel (like, you know, RV-10 builders) might like to have that feature without having to use the GTR's intercom.

Still... nice job, guys.

Already been thinking of this, but no actual box----just a cross over cable, and mounting screw extension.

Steve (G3expert) and I have been trading emails, and he mentioned something that got me to thinking along that line.

It is good to have that kind of personal contact with people "on the inside" :D

radio depth
 

Hi Steve,

Congrats on a super product! Really happy to see that it is not as deep as the other radios on the market.

Do you have any international "certification" plans for this baby?

Regards, Mickey

I went from very interested, to not interested, back to very interested in one afternoon!!

I like the technical's and capabilities of the GTR 200, but not enough to go through the trouble of tearing my panel apart to replace the tray. Some kind of adapter would be ideal....

Chris, EXACTLY the same thing I went through.

"but not enough to go through the trouble of tearing my panel apart to replace the tray."

I totally understand, did that when I added the SL30, and GMA 240.----Major hemorrhoid;) that was.

Are there any intercoms/audio panels on the market that will accept a "stereo" output from a COM radio?

Not yet, I don't think. Bet there will be, though. Good point, though -- I guess it wouldn't be a big deal for people who have existing 4-place intercoms. Still, it would be essentially a zero cost design feature that could be used later on.

Hello Mickey,

We don't have any immediate plans to certify this radio. One of the reasons it is so affordable is that we didn't go through an expensive certification program before bringing it to market. Our team focuses on non-certified products and markets.

Thanks for your interest,
Steve

If my SL-40 ever bites the dust, this new radio will definitely be on my short list for a replacement. It looks to be a perfect fit for any typical 2-place RV.