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Dynon Introduces Radio At Sun-n-Fun

D

DFlyer

Well Known Member
Really!

Dynon Announces Limited Edition DX15 Handheld Aviation Radio

As our first entry into aviation communications, Dynon is offering a limited edition hand-held radio. We created 100 compact aviation band transceivers as part of our plans to eventually supplement the SkyView Glass Panel System with a panel mounted radio. We created the DX15 hand-held transceiver to learn about radio design, FCC Part 87 certification, and radio production.

We only have a few of these radios, and so we decided to do something fun to sell them.

These 100 handheld radios are restricted to use in the United States and are being offered to U.S. pilots through a unique auction. To participate, bidders must visit www.DynonAvionics.com/radio and place a bid. A typical retail price for equivalent radios would be about $250, but bids can start as low as $75. Participants can only bid once, for up to two units. Shipping in the U.S. is free.

The top legitimate bids for 100 hand-helds will be accepted. The price for all of them will be the lowest bid of the top 100. Bids will be accepted between March 29th and April 27th.

If you are at Sun-n-Fun, please come see us. We have a few of these radios in the booth.

Read full details at www.DynonAvionics.com/radio
HHRadio_Banner_Small.jpg


-Robert
Dynon Marketing
 
Shucks, the Dynon rep up here at the northwest convention told me to keep my out for the panel mounted version at sun n fun. This is not what I had in mind but still very cool to see them expanding into new fields.

-david
 
I've been lucky enough to beta test this radio and I will add that it is one of the best handheld com radios I have ever used, regardless of the price.

It is easy to use and has a range that far exceeded my expectation.
 
Here I was getting all excited to see a "Dynon Radio" thinking it was going to be integrated into the Skyview...Well, it's a start I suppose. ;)
 
N941WR said:
I've been lucky enough to beta test this radio and I will add that it is one of the best handheld com radios I have ever used, regardless of the price.

It is easy to use and has a range that far exceeded my expectation.
Click to expand...

This is great to hear with them moving towards a skyview based comm setup. I'm excited.
 
Unless I missed it in the item description, there's NO nav capability for this radio, right? That would make it comparable to the Vertex Standard VXA-220 or similar. Nice, basic comm-only radio.

Aircraft Spruce currently sells those for $189. That might be a fair price comparison, considering that these Dynon radios are one-offs, with limited serviceability. Not exactly disposable, but if there's only one batch of them, I'm betting that their lifespan will be "as long as they keep on working".

This is not to denigrate Dynon's auction in any way. I LOVE my Dynons and the company! It's much better to let others benefit from your R&D on the cheap AND to recoup some of your investment -- but if I were looking for a reliable handheld and willing to spend hundreds, I'd probably stick with an iCOM.
 
N8RV said:
Unless I missed it in the item description, there's NO nav capability for this radio, right? That would make it comparable to the Vertex Standard VXA-220 or similar. Nice, basic comm-only radio.

Aircraft Spruce currently sells those for $189. That might be a fair price comparison, considering that these Dynon radios are one-offs, with limited serviceability. Not exactly disposable, but if there's only one batch of them, I'm betting that their lifespan will be "as long as they keep on working".

This is not to denigrate Dynon's auction in any way. I LOVE my Dynons and the company! It's much better to let others benefit from your R&D on the cheap AND to recoup some of your investment -- but if I were looking for a reliable handheld and willing to spend hundreds, I'd probably stick with an iCOM.
Click to expand...
Correct, this is a com only.

As for their plans with this radio, I really don't know. Robert may explain more later.

Either way, they are great radios! They are clear both sending and receiving and they passed the two year-old test. Meaning I gave one to my son to play with (After I set the PTT and channel locks) for a few days and he couldn't destroy it, try as he might. BTW, that radio is not back in the Dynon pool as I have it on my desk as I type this.
 
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I'm thinking it is unlikely Dynon would have set up a radio manufacturing/testing line for this one h/h radio...so can anyone identify who manufactures this for Dynon? Is it Vertex, perhaps? Can't find any mention of this (important) detail on the Dynon webpage & spec sheet...

Thanks!

Jack
 
To answer the first question, the DX15 is Com only, no Nav.

And to answer Jack, you are correct. All of our products come out of our Woodinville, Washington factory (near Seattle), except for the DX15 and the transponder. We designed the electronics for the DX15, but it is made at a no-name contract manufacturer (not any brand name.) And the transponder of course comes from Trig in the UK.

Last summer we held an open-house at Dynon coinciding with the Arlington Fly-In. We will do it again this year; come by and see how we make our products.

-Robert
Dynon Marketing
 
Trig Transponder

I have a very good friend from Stirling, Scotland that "helps" Trig in the manufacture of their transponders. His plant also manufactures circuit boards and other secret and not so secret electronics for the UK military. Top notch componets and quality.
 
Dynon has recently contributed two of their DX-15 radios to the "Friends of the RV-1" organization for use in the RV-1's return to flight program. They are amazingly small and lightweight - and intuitively easy to use. For a compact hand-held, I am really impressed with what I have seen so far!

Paul
 
I picked one up at Oshkosh this summer and love it. Nice and lightweight and compact, and the battery life is very good. Beats the heck out of lugging around my old King KX-99 heavy brickbat portable.

The only complaint I have about the Dynon portable radio is that the silkscreening on the front seems to be rubbing off far too easily.
 
More Pireps please! - christmas is here!

okay, I need a new handheld comm; any more feedback on the dynon dx15?
1. are the numbers on the KEYS rubbing off, or just the case ( not so important!)
2. do I need another battery pack?
3. is the proprietary pack like a set of 4 AA's?...could one be rigged up?
4. the push-to-talk interface cable-jack seems pricey, are the jacks relatively common....could one be rigged up by a novice?
5. are these really 'limited production' still...or are they a standard item now?...everyone seems to have them for about $155.

thanks guys!
 
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My PTT key is failing and they are going to replace the whole unit. Mine is a backup only, so it sits unused for months at a time and the battery stays charged. It's unusable with my Zulu headset due to screeching feedback but works fine with a non-ANR headset. As of last week they are aware of that problem, and it may be the Zulu, not the radio, causing the feedback. The battery is flat like you would have in a cellphone. I like that it is quite compact.
 
flyboy1963 said:
okay, I need a new handheld comm; any more feedback on the dynon dx15?
1. are the numbers on the KEYS rubbing off, or just the case ( not so important!)
2. do I need another battery pack?
3. is the proprietary pack like a set of 4 AA's?...could one be rigged up?
4. the push-to-talk interface cable-jack seems pricey, are the jacks relatively common....could one be rigged up by a novice?
5. are these really 'limited production' still...or are they a standard item now?...everyone seems to have them for about $155.

thanks guys!
Click to expand...

1) It's not the numbers on the keys, they're fine... only the Dynon silkcreened logo, etc, printed on the black plastic case that's rubbing off on mine.

2) I've not needed one yet. It hold a charge and lasts a very long time. I often carry mine around all over the airport, powered up all day Saturday and all day Sunday mostly to listen to traffic, but occasionally to make a quick transmission or two. My battery so far lasts all weekend long without a recharge (turning it off at night of course) :)

3) It is a proprietary LiON battery pack that forms the back half of the case. I suppose you could rig up your own external battery pack and plug it into the charger jack.

4) You certainly can make your own headset adapter. Uses ordinary 2.5mm and 3.5mm stereo plugs. Dynon provides the pinout info here at the DX15 FAQ: http://wiki.dynonavionics.com/DX15_FAQ

The users manual tells you how to enable sidetone so you can hear your own transmissions when using an external headset. http://www.dynonavionics.com/downloads/User_Manuals/DX15_User_Guide-Rev_B.pdf

5) Looks like this radio is a standard item of their current product line nowadays.
 
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great answers

thanks guys...I knew I could count on the VAF forum!

PTT failing, hmmmm, that's the ONE part the should be built like a tank. Nice to hear they are supporting the unit.

...the USER guide, duh, what a great idea, I'll read thru that....never occured to me to look for it...probably on the dynon site.

( also looking at a D6, maybe they will 'throw in' a DX15 :) )

any other users, welcome to chime in!
thx
 
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adaptors optional

thanks Gil,
dynon has the headset adaptor, but $35 for 3 jacks and some wire hit my 'wall'.
Not sure if I'd need it, if just an emergancy com, used mostly for ATIS & pre-start info.
 
PIREPS on DX15 and Availability

We need a couple of handhelds to support a upcoming project and have looked at the DX15. I was curious as to user experience with them compared to the usual suspects. It appears that they are in short supply, is this an indication of their popularity or a problem at the factory?

Any suggestions on where to purchase? It appears that ACS, Wicks, and the other suppliers listed on the Dynon website are out of stock and have been for some time.
 
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