KI-209 - calibrations only last about 4 months

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Aviator305

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I have had my KI-209 calibrated 3 times in the last two years. Each time, the calibrations are good for only 3-4 months before I start getting 10-18 degree deviations only of the VOR. The ILS and glideslope indications are good.

Does anyone have any insight or guesses as to why this is happening? The last person that worked on it is blaming the KX-155, but I do not see why that would be the case given that no work has been done on the radio during this time while working on the KI-209 yields good albeit transient results.
 
Unfortunately, probably time to replace with something list GI-106A or MD200-706. Added benefit, it has the LED annunciations for NAV, GPS, VLOC and To/From indication for future upgrades.

Likely not worth sending out it for overhaul, as it's not much more for a new modern unit.

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/cata...MIuM_Vt7aJ6wIV2iCtBh3J7A99EAQYAyABEgJ3avD_BwE

10-06014.jpg
 
If money is growing on trees for you, might consider an extra thousand for a GI-275 used as MFD & CDI.
CDI.png
 
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Are the above products plug and play with the existing connections to the KI-209 coming from the KX-155?
 
They are compatible with KX-155 and future likely replacements like any Garmin or Avidyne GPS/NAV/Comm or new radios like GNC-255A.
 
GI-106A or MD200-706....any relative pros and cons in comparing these two?
 
The MD200-706 (Garmin also sold this as GI-106A) is electro-mechanical, while GI-275 is all solid state. The GI-275 also doubles as an MFD. If you have an ADSB-in transponder, that data can be represented as well to see FIS-B weather and TIS-B traffic. If or when a GPS is added then GPS track can be displated too alsong with the ADSB traffic & wearher. It's possible to toggle between MFD and CDI depending on your needs.

The GI-275 is more future focused, but costs more. More software upgrades will be coming over the years for the GI-275 as it's such a flexible platform.
 
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Looking at the price tag of these units made me come up with a different question:

Can a G5, GI-275 (HSI mode), or Aspen E5 accept inputs from GPS, Nav1 radio and Nav2 radio simultaneously? Right now, I’m running two legacy navcoms, a kln-94, and a KI-525. So, the idea is if possible to consolidate the functions of my current HSI and KI-209 into one unit.

I am not ready for a big panel upgrade, but if I’m going to spend $2,000 I would like to spend it in that direction.

Edit: I just answered my own question. The GI-275 can accept two nav inputs whereas the G5 cannot, the latter as per a post from 2017. I will do more research to determine whether or not this is still the case.
 
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asicer said:
The GI-106B has LED.
The GI-106A does not.
Click to expand...

Yes, the Gi-106A has incandescent annunciations and the GI-106B is the version with LED annunciations. The 106B also has other nice features like unneeded needles are moved out of pilots view.
 
I just talked to Mid-Continent. They said that neither their product nor the Garmin will be a simple swap for my KI-209. Strategy time
 
Aviator305 said:
I just talked to Mid-Continent. They said that neither their product nor the Garmin will be a simple swap for my KI-209. Strategy time
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Just noticed that you're trying to connect to a KX-155, in which case you need an indicator with a built-in converter. None of the passive ones @NordicDave mentioned have a built-in converter. However, the GI-275 does have a built-in converter so that's still an option.

As to why it loses calibration, it could be that the built-in converter is going wonky.

EDIT: The KI-204 also has a built-in converter if you can find one.
 
asicer said:
Just noticed that you're trying to connect to a KX-155, in which case you need an indicator with a built-in converter. None of the passive ones @NordicDave mentioned have a built-in converter. However, the GI-275 does have a built-in converter so that's still an option.

As to why it loses calibration, it could be that the built-in converter is going wonky.

EDIT: The KI-204 also has a built-in converter if you can find one.
Click to expand...

Thanks Asicer, I confused the KX-165 with an internal VOR/LOC converter with the KX-155 which does not.
 
Would it be reasonable to expect that an overhaul should address any issues with the built-in converter, or is that piece something that only an exceptionally skilled component-level person could fix (which perhaps may mean that practically no one could fix it)?
 
Aviator305 said:
Would it be reasonable to expect that an overhaul should address any issues with the built-in converter, or is that piece something that only an exceptionally skilled component-level person could fix (which perhaps may mean that practically no one could fix it)?
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Took a quick scan of the maintenance manual and considering its ancient 1980s-era design techniques it doesn't look to me like it would require any exceptional skill at component-level repair.

http://www.mikeg.net/hobbies/aviation/avionics/maintenance/King KI-209A Maintenance.pdf
 
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