VansAirForceForums  
Home > VansAirForceForums

- POSTING RULES
- Donate yearly (please).
- Advertise in here!

- Today's Posts | Insert Pics


Go Back   VAF Forums > Avionics / Interiors / Fiberglass > COMM
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Today's Posts

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #41  
Old 07-26-2013, 10:18 AM
Aryana Aryana is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Western US
Posts: 98
Default

I think it's funny that you can spend years on end banging rivets/building, but changing a radio tray out and moving some wiring over is cause for such consternation!

I get the point though, and understand how silly it seems that they don't look at it from the point of view of their installed base and give them a scale-able solution that just slides right in place of the old.
Reply With Quote
  #42  
Old 07-26-2013, 06:10 PM
Mike S's Avatar
Mike S Mike S is offline
Senior Curmudgeon
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aryana View Post
I think it's funny that you can spend years on end banging rivets/building, but changing a radio tray out and moving some wiring over is cause for such consternation!
Truly it is a major bit of work when you are dealing with a finished and flying plane, instead of a project in progress.

I just got though installing a SL 30, and GMA 240 in place of a PSE 7001 last year, and it was much much harder than building the panel in the first place. Of course, I built the panel on the workbench which makes all the difference.

Luckily, I have discussed this with Stein, and he is pretty sure things will fit just fine, and he has already made the cross over cables, so that is a non issue for the electrical side of things.
__________________
Mike Starkey
VAF 909

Rv-10, N210LM.

Flying as of 12/4/2010

Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011

Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.

"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
Reply With Quote
  #43  
Old 07-26-2013, 06:33 PM
Pmerems's Avatar
Pmerems Pmerems is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 818
Default Considering upgrading

I too am interested in upgrading to this radio. What I don't like about my SL40 is the small display since I've old man eyes. I've been considering the A210 for the last few years but now Garmin has introduced their new radio which is worth considering.

I have done a little research. The mounting hole locations are different and I will need to provide additional clearance between the avionics above and below the radio due to the new thicker tray and bezel. So for me there is a little more work then just swapping trays and wiring.

After playing (I mean test driving) the radio at Airventure and talking with the Garmin guys l may have a new upgrade to my RV7A. Anyone interested in an used SL40 (185 hrs on it)?
__________________
Dream it, Build it, Fly it

Paul Merems (EAA Tech Counselor, EAA Sheetmetal Workshop Instructor/Volunteer 12 yrs)
ExperimentalAero-HANGAR BANNERS
www.experimentalaero.com
RV-7A (Flying since 2010)/RV-4 (sold 1990)
Tucson, Arizona 85749
Reply With Quote
  #44  
Old 07-26-2013, 07:02 PM
Aryana Aryana is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Western US
Posts: 98
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike S View Post
Truly it is a major bit of work when you are dealing with a finished and flying plane, instead of a project in progress.
I know what you mean. My Cessna had 60 years of garbage behind the panel and I eventually had to have it all ripped out and start from scratch. Not fun.
Reply With Quote
  #45  
Old 07-27-2013, 07:16 AM
flyvans.com flyvans.com is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Posts: 466
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aryana View Post
I think it's funny that you can spend years on end banging rivets/building, but changing a radio tray out and moving some wiring over is cause for such consternation!
completely different situation. once you're flying, any downtime is unwelcome ;-) and access is no longer as easy as during the build when the top cover is not yet on.

also, in our case, optimizing the whole panel structure / rack mount / trays / penetration through the canopy bulkhead took more effort than the actual wiring.

great choice by garmin though that the existing crimped wires can be reused through pin extraction. :-)

nice unit in any case. wonder if the 3d audio also works well enough for in-ear headsets??? anyone know?
__________________
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bernie Daenzer, Alex Lichtensteiger
www.flyvans.com
RV-7A
S/N 72072, Flying!
HB-YMT (Switzerland)
Reply With Quote
  #46  
Old 07-27-2013, 07:18 AM
Aryana Aryana is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Western US
Posts: 98
Default

The dimensions are so close, I don't see this taking more than a day for a swap.
Reply With Quote
  #47  
Old 07-27-2013, 08:55 AM
Mike S's Avatar
Mike S Mike S is offline
Senior Curmudgeon
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aryana View Post
The dimensions are so close, I don't see this taking more than a day for a swap.
Those close dimensions are part of the potential problem.

Have you ever tried to relocate a screw hole 0.030"------when the screw itself is 0.100" or so?? It would be easier to relocate a screw hole a quarter inch than thirty thousandths.
__________________
Mike Starkey
VAF 909

Rv-10, N210LM.

Flying as of 12/4/2010

Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011

Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.

"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
Reply With Quote
  #48  
Old 07-27-2013, 10:18 AM
Aryana Aryana is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Western US
Posts: 98
Default

I think it would be a lot easier to leave the screw where it's at and work on 0.03" around the bezel if you want to make it a quick swap.

I'm familiar with working with crappy panels and interference issues. My Cessna is 1950's art deco, pre 6 pack, no center stack with a t shaped control bar interfering with 80 % of the instruments which look almost randomly scattered in their placement. Believe me, I know what it takes to retrofit avionics on a flying airplane as stuff is constantly changing on my panel over the last 20 years. Be happy your RVs don't have 10-15 previous owners that hacked on everything until its a rats nest of wires. That's a pain in the butt! After removing and re-installing all the avionics cleanly, I know there is an advantage to having been the builder that designed and installed what you have in place before doing an upgrade.

Plug and play is nice, but 0.03" on the bezel and swapping trays/wires is really trivial. I'm pretty sure any shop wouldn't take more than a day to do this if you just decided to opt out of dealing with it on your own and just paid someone to do it.

Personally, I like the idea of a patch cable that lets you use the SL-40 tray. That sounds like a great idea and could prove to be quite a hot item.
Reply With Quote
  #49  
Old 07-28-2013, 11:52 AM
grayforge's Avatar
grayforge grayforge is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Kirkland, WA
Posts: 886
Default

This radio totally answers my question about which comm/intercom setup to install in my 7A. I was torn between:

PAR100EX with built-in stereo intercom: $2300
GTR 225 + PS Engineering stereo intercom: $2200
GTR 225 + GMA 240 Audio Panel: $2645

Now I can have a 10w radio AND stereo intercom for $1200?!

Thank you guys on the Garmin X Team!

Russ
__________________
Speed Is Life

VAF Donation made: 1/28/2020, My RV-7A Build Log
Reply With Quote
  #50  
Old 07-28-2013, 03:26 PM
grayforge's Avatar
grayforge grayforge is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Kirkland, WA
Posts: 886
Default

Another question: Why would anyone buy the base GTR 225 over the GTR 200?

Same transmit power and the GTR 200 has a stereo vs mono intercom.
__________________
Speed Is Life

VAF Donation made: 1/28/2020, My RV-7A Build Log
Reply With Quote
Reply



Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:23 AM.


The VAFForums come to you courtesy Delta Romeo, LLC. By viewing and participating in them you agree to build your plane using standardized methods and practices and to fly it safely and in accordance with the laws governing the country you are located in.