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Replace Icom A220 with GTR200?

mattwood

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I recently purchased a -7A (love it!) that has an Icom A220 unit (and also came with a A200 unit). Both squawk more than I'd like (RX times out after about an hour and need to cycle the power, today the squelch was INOP (always on)).

I'm considering replacing with a GTR 200. For those that have done it: how big a deal is it to make this change? Does it fit in the existing panel hole? How big a change to the wiring is required? Apologies for the vague questions - I'm at the beginning of the learning curve on this.
 
Anything you can do to get rid of that iCom is a good thing.

I believe you'll have to replace the tray and re-pin the dSub connector on the back as a minimum.

Also, you may have more wire-futzing to do if you want to take advantage of all the features of the GTR 200.

Beware the A220 probably has a relay wired into the aircraft keyline/PTT circuit.

Its a little gotcha that often isn't well documented. But, its required with some intercoms, because the A220 is fussy about requiring 0vdc ground potential on the keyline before it will transmit.
 
GTR 200

Replaced my bendix 97 with a GTR 200 and it is about the best com radio I have ever used. The built-in intercom is excellent. I did have to replace tray.
chuck
 
Icom A220

Hi Matt, did you end up replacing your A220?
Or did you get it repaired?
If they repaired it do you know what was done?

I have the same rx failure after an hour, I’ve sent mine to icom but they say “nothing wrong”

On the squelch issue, there was a firmware up date last year that helps a lot.

Icom also has a s/b about the intercom being in op. The 220 is very fussy about seeing a clean ground (low impedence, 0 ohm) from the ptt switch. You basically wire the ptt to active a relay to ground for the input. Don’t forget the flyback diode
Thank you.
Mark
 
RX Timing Out?

My A220 does the same after about 30 minutes to an hour. And cycling the power fixes it. Anyone know why this is? And do Icom have a fix?

The A220 replaced an A210 with front panel and ribbon problems.

Jim Sharkey
RV6 - Flying since 2009
 
I recently dumped my A210 for a Garmin GTR200B. The Bluetooth allows my iPad/Foreflight to talk to the radio so I get alerts in my headset. I had to buy wire strippers and a crimping tool from B&C to pin the new connector. So far, I'm very happy with the Garmin radio.
 
Slide note - if your plan is to use the Garmin GTR200 as your only radio, fine.

I’ve found that using the GTR200 as comm #2, the GTN-650 as comm #1, and having the GTR listening on one frequency while transmitting on the GTN-650 the GRT200 squelch gets open by picking up cross talk. This has rendered the GTR200 as non-useable for monitoring other frequencies - so relegated to just the spare radio mode.

This was in an RV-14, panel done by an avionics shop and antennas in the places where Van’s drilled the holes. After 50 years of radio work I have some knowledge to know when a radio has a less then perfect front end.

I never had cross talk using the Dynon radio as comm #2 with the GTN-650 (three RVs flying like this).

Carl
 
My A220 does the same after about 30 minutes to an hour. And cycling the power fixes it. Anyone know why this is? And do Icom have a fix?

The A220 replaced an A210 with front panel and ribbon problems.

Jim Sharkey
RV6 - Flying since 2009

Sad to see the A220 has the same known problem of losing comm and having to recycle power that the A210 had. You would have thought that problem would have been solved with release of A220. I replaced my icom with a GTR-200 also.
 
TX Interlock

Slide note - if your plan is to use the Garmin GTR200 as your only radio, fine.

I’ve found that using the GTR200 as comm #2, the GTN-650 as comm #1, and having the GTR listening on one frequency while transmitting on the GTN-650 the GRT200 squelch gets open by picking up cross talk. This has rendered the GTR200 as non-useable for monitoring other frequencies - so relegated to just the spare radio mode.

This was in an RV-14, panel done by an avionics shop and antennas in the places where Van’s drilled the holes. After 50 years of radio work I have some knowledge to know when a radio has a less then perfect front end.

I never had cross talk using the Dynon radio as comm #2 with the GTN-650 (three RVs flying like this).

Carl

Carl,

We are curious if your installation included a connection from the GTN 650 MIC KEY to the transmit interlock input on the GTR 200 radio, similar to the drawing below (with a GTN 650 in place of the GNS 430). If that connection is made, any time the GTN 650 mic key is pressed, the GTR 200 receiver should be de-sensed to prevent this from happening.

i-rmX83Sp.jpg


Thanks,

Justin
 
The tech fella at icom suggested possibly a poor ground or dirty power supply. I questioned how it could be due to the instant fix when the radio is powered off/on, & that the old a200 worked fine with the same harness. He didn’t have an answer. I asked about maybe installing a ferrite suppressor, he agreed that it “might” help.
My plan is to check/clean the ground (s) while I wait for the ferrite kit to arrive.
(Working on the theory of only changing one thing at a time).
Once the kit arrives I plan to install a few suppressors through the system at key locations.
M
 
Carl,

We are curious if your installation included a connection from the GTN 650 MIC KEY to the transmit interlock input on the GTR 200 radio, similar to the drawing below (with a GTN 650 in place of the GNS 430). If that connection is made, any time the GTN 650 mic key is pressed, the GTR 200 receiver should be de-sensed to prevent this from happening.

Thanks,

Justin

Justin - I don’t know as this was not my RV - but I did have several cross country hours in it. I do know the panel was done by an authorized Garmin shop.

That said, it seems to me that this “de-sense” fix would prevent the capability of pilot and co-pilot communicating on both radios, different frequencies, at the same time (split mode). Perhaps this limitation is listed in the GTR-200 manual - I don’t know.

Carl
 
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