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Icom 220 Constant RX static

Mdragon

Active Member
I am in the process of overhauling my panel, and installed 2 hdx dynon displays. Putting everything back together, nearly done, and now I have a constant loud static and RX displayed on the icom 220 at all times.

I installed an auxillary audio line into the harness on the icom, but even disconnected does the same thing. Even with nothing else running, still have the constant RX. Adjusted all the setting I could find in the manual with no avail.

Any ideas?

I even put on an RFI magnet around the coax cable.
 
Did you go through the crappy menu system and try changing the squelch value? Squelch settings are much too complicated on that radio IMHO.

If you've got "RX" showing on the screen, then squelch is being broken, so its either somehow defaulted to minimum value, or you've an RF noise-maker somewhere very nearby.
 
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Yes, the squelch is turned all the way up. Loud headphone static, RX indicator constantly on. I have an RFI clam shell magnet. When I first put in around the coac by the radio, the static was gone and it operated normally. That last 5 minutes. Now it's back.

All other systems have no power to them, so wondering where the RFI would be coming from. This is motor off, running off battery.
 
Check your USB Chargers

Yes, the squelch is turned all the way up. Loud headphone static, RX indicator constantly on. I have an RFI clam shell magnet. When I first put in around the coac by the radio, the static was gone and it operated normally. That last 5 minutes. Now it's back.

All other systems have no power to them, so wondering where the RFI would be coming from. This is motor off, running off battery.

This happened to me, discovered finally in time to get to Airventure 2017. Got ready to leave at 7am and radio was useless, RX on all the time. Finally by 10 oclock after nearly disassembling the airplane, I spied the brand new USB charger I just put in the day before. I removed it and VOILA! Problem solved and flew to OSH, no more issues.
Ed
 
This happened to me, discovered finally in time to get to Airventure 2017. Got ready to leave at 7am and radio was useless, RX on all the time. Finally by 10 oclock after nearly disassembling the airplane, I spied the brand new USB charger I just put in the day before. I removed it and VOILA! Problem solved and flew to OSH, no more issues.
Ed

It is weird. I have everything off except the radio. Pulled AP servo fuses, etc, so can't figure it out. The aluminum instrument panel is not currently in the plane, and the headphone plates attach to this, but don't think this is the issue.

Unfortunately, have installed a lot of wiring for 2 hdx displays, and ADSB input, gps puck, 2 servos for AP, EMS box and wiring, so a lot of potential issues. But again, I have turned off all power to these devices and still have problem.

Frustrating as I was so close to getting it back together. Not sure if the radio is bad but don't have another Icom to put in there.

Would hate to order a new radio and wire the whole thing to just have the same problem.
 
Just maybe..

Are there neon lights in your hangar?

Before I put LEDs in my hangar all my radios from 650 to handheld broke squelch.
 
... Finally by 10 oclock after nearly disassembling the airplane, I spied the brand new USB charger I just put in the day before. ...

USB power bricks and 12vdc to USB plug-in types that are not specifically designed for aviation use are notorious RF noise sources.

If that's what it is, try moving it around the cockpit to see if that helps.

Sporty's sells a brand that works good in airplanes for a reasonable price. I haven't found anything else that's 100% without the "certified" aviation price tag.
 
Are there neon lights in your hangar?

Before I put LEDs in my hangar all my radios from 650 to handheld broke squelch.
LED lights. Tried turning those off too. Had some military helicopters a 100 feet away doing night ops, even thought they might of had hardware running that would cause RF. Went back out this AM and unfortunately same thing.

Thought might be shorted PTT button on copilot stick as it seemed to worsen/improve with stick movement. But this turned out to not be it.

Made a new antenna cable, no dice.
 
So update...

Did the following.

Removed radio, disassembled, blew it out with air compressor in case aluminum dust got in and caused issue from my panel fitting. Twice...no fix

Pulled every fuse except radio, same problem.

Made new coax...same problem

Disconnected PTT, as the copilot control seemed to make the problem worse, same problem.

Cleaned coax connections.

Put on RFI magnet over coax.

Unplugged all appliances in hangar, shut off lights, etc. Same problem.

Then ordered new radio.

After 10 hours, working on this, I notice my handheld scanner has the same coax connector. I turn it on, and same static. Hook up to planes antenna, same static. Walk outside with scanner, static gone.

Turns out my hangar now has a source of RFI that was never there before. Pulled my plane out 20 feet outside, static gone.

Glad I figured it out, but wish I would have found this out first instead of last.

Now I have a new radio coming that I will probably install anyway as the one I have, the Icom 220, has annoyed me periodically.

Thanks for help and suggestions. Still can't believe there was so much RFI in my hangar that squelch on max couldn't get out.
 
It would be interesting to locate the RFI source, does the hangar have multiple breakers on the electrical panel? If so, turn them off one by one to narrow down the area.
Use the handheld radio as a simple direction finding device to identify where the RFI is the strongest.
Most times the RFI is produced by something we overlook, I once had a clock radio that would wipe out my 2 meter receiver, found it after too many hours of searching. <G>
 
Last year I begrudgingly put in a A220 radio in a Beech Musketeer. Had nothing but problems with it in the hangar picking up noise as described here. On the first flight the radio started acting up then died. The owner purchased it new but not installed and out of warranty so a new one was ordered and swapped in. That one still works. Nothing was wrong with the installation or wiring but it suffered an early death.
 
After troubleshooting for two days, and taking everything apart to get to the wires on my panel, I decided to just get a dynon radio to go with the rest of my equipment.

Once I have a Dynon radio installed, it did the exact same thing. Now I was really confused. I happened to turn on my scanner to check airport, weather, and that he was having static, which went away after I walked out of my hanger.

what ended up causing all the problems was that somebody hooked up equipment in my complex of hangers that made electromagnetic field that only affected the inside of the hanger. Prior to doing the work this field wasn't there, so I did not think of a new interference being present inside my hanger while troubleshooting.

So it turns out there's nothing wrong with the radio after all. That being said, I like the new dynon radio and how it integrates into my HDX display.

Sure felt like an idiot.
 
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