Portable Radio

[DannyDot]

For those that have been following me in other threads, I am seriously looking into buying a Taylorcraft -- probably a BC-12D that is close to original. Thanks to all for all of the advice.

Now I need advice on radio/intercom. Any recommendation on a good radio for a Tcraft without electrical. I would like one that is a combination radio/intercom.

Second question is how and where to mount it. I would like it in a place where I can see the nav display.

Danny Deger

[whake]

Re: Portable Radio

I have a no electrical BC12D So I installed an Icom A-200 radio and purchased 7.5 amp. 12 volt rechargeable dry battery, it works great..it is worth $2000 for the total installation...

I forgot to mention I have Slick magnetos and a shielded harness, add $1200 more...if I ever figure out how to take a picture under 125 kb ,,,I will post some pictures,,,brings my total BC12D value up to about $20M

[Bobdog]

Re: Portable Radio

I have to go along with Walter. I have an A-200 in another plane and it is an outstanding comm radio. You can build a "box" for the radio and the battery that sits on the floor boards, and then all you have to do is unplug the antenna and take the entire unit home with you to charge the battery.

Walter, I sure like the color of your Tcraft!!

[Richard Boyer]

Re: Portable Radio

I flew for years with an Icom A-22 radio and a sigtronics 2 place intercom. I connected the Icom to an external antenna.

Worked VERY well. People were usually suprised to hear I was transmitting from a portable!

[Len Petterson]

Re: Portable Radio

Do you have unshielded ignition?
If so get a radio what has NRL circuit in it.
I had unshielded in the beginnig and I bought a JRC from aircraft spruce as I had a chance to try one and it worked great!
Also a intercom is well worth the money and 2 (two) headsets with Noise canceling!
I would not mount a radio in the Tcraft maybe on the left side but it is hard to find a spot waht does not opstruct the view on landing and take off.
Mine stayes on the seat and intercom in the baggage compartment.
What way I use the transmit button on the radio not a puch to talk witch hangs up and leavs the mike open.
By a GPS and the vor function is your spare navradio.
A small 12 volt battery and a portable solarpanel WITH A CHARGE REGULATOR work well. but I sharge my 15 amp/hr motorcycle battery in the spirng and keep the solar panel on it for a day or two sometime.
Low cost and works well.!(;f Good luck. Len(;f

[perryv1]

Re: Portable Radio

I have to agree with Richard,I have the same setup in my plane and also have a Lightspeed ANR headset.I have been able to talk to other people,and flight service,from farther away than I thought possible.I ran the antenna inside the tail so that from looking at the plane you cant tell I even have a radio. And it Didnt cost anywhere near $2000.00
PV

[mulwyk]

Re: Portable Radio

Interesting topic, so I hate to change the subject...but, Bob and Walter that IS a great color combination. It's nearly the same as my project when I got her. (see the photo) My question: did you get your colors custom mixed? or is that some stock color? What did you use?

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Portable Radio

That is (I think) Taylorcraft Ivory over Metallic Maroon and was one of the standards on the pre-war "Deluxe". I did mine with it and did a LOT of research trying to get the colors just right. I finally got multiple independent pieces of each color from actual pre-war sources and had the colors custom blended by Jim and Dondi in Butyrate Dope (they did a fantastic job and still have the formula). You wouldn't believe how much better my plane looks than it's old International Harvester "Tractor Orange" with "Forest Green" trim. The old paint job made you want to puke (actually it looked like someone DID puke). People don't scrunch up their faces and look ill when they see me any more! At least not until I get out of the plane.
Hank

Finally got to use the puking smiley!

[whake]

Re: Portable Radio

I cannot help you on the history of the paint job...This I know, I had to touch up a couple spots and the red is a standard Porter eurothane enamel, the cream I had to have mixed....I hate to say this but Ace hardware had the paint and the mixing capability....

[Joel Severinghaus]

Re: Portable Radio

Getting back to Danny's question about radios, I've had good results with the old radio and intercom I already had before I got my Taylorcraft:
a Sporty's SP-200 hand-held (uses 8 AA batteries, and I keep a spare battery pack in the glovebox);
a Sigtronics SPO-42 intercom (uses one 9-volt battery, spare in the glovebox);
a push-to-talk switch velcroed to the control wheel;
a $23 whip antenna (45-degree bend) from Wag-Aero, mounted on the belly, poking out between the bungee covers.
The mechanic restoring my plane this winter has talked me into an internal antenna mounted inside the fuselage, model 5T from www.advancedaircraft.com, to replace the unsightly whip antenna.
Rather than mess with brackets or suction cups, or deface the panel, I just set the radio and intercom on the seat beside my right thigh, and pick it up when I need to see the frequency or CDI display. Low-tech and non-electric, but it works for me, and people seem to hear me from a reasonable distance.

[mulwyk]

Re: Portable Radio

Hey Joel,
I don't have any info on how the AAE 5T works in the air, because my "T" is in the shop undergoing restoration at this time. However, I have one mounted inside my fuselage here in the shop and all I can say is...WOW.

The rubber ducky antenna that came on my ICOM handheld will receive absolutely nothing here. But the AAE antenna brings in the local tower, AWOS, and VOR clear as a bell. That's at a 15 mile range and about 4 ft. AGL!

Of course, I have no experience with directional characteristics or transmission strength (but my ham radio background suggests it will be excellent). Anyway, it's sure worth a try. Please let us know how it works for you.

[taylorcraftbc65]

Re: Portable Radio

I agree with Len. I have the JRC with the VOR. When you switch to Nav., the freq. window becomes the CDI. WORKS GREAT!! Sabrina

[whake]

Re: Portable Radio

I have post these pictures of my Icom-200, battery and sigtronics intercom they all work great...unfortunatly there is awire in front of the sigtronics face.

[jmvolpp]

Re: Portable Radio

In N44305, I use the Sporty's SP-200 hand-held radio and FlightTech ITC-401ENRI, which has integral PTT switch, with Lightspeed headsets. They sit in a light-weight aluminum tray on the seat between pilots and are both miserly battery users. Coax cable comes up between bungees, so no wires between pilots and panel. With whip antenna mounted on boot cowl between main gear legs, range and clarity of transmission are very good.

I didn't have good luck with the AAE 5T internal mount antenna, which was in the aircraft when I bought it. It was mounted on a left fuselage airframe tube (not recommended), which I changed to a wood strip affixed to the airframe aft of the baggage compartment. Either way, reception (including localizer freqs) was excellent. However, transmission was lousy in both locations, although decidely better after it was moved from the original spot. Admittedly, a different radio may have performed better, but the SP-200 does a great job with the external antenna. I suspect the best spot for the
5T would be on a wing spar. BTW, I would be happy to sell the one I removed!

Mike Volpp

[flybikefarm]

Re: Portable Radio

how much? George