Narco Mark 12D Issues

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buzzard86

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Jim R
Hey guys -

My Narco Mark 12D is starting to act up. It will work perfectly when I first turn it on but the audio quickly becomes distant and tinny. I can still barely make out calls from other planes but things are definitely garbled and not clear. Today it faded from clear to garbled while I was listening to the ASOS. Repeat radio checks all confirm that I am transmitting clearly. The issue persists with different headsets and also with the intercom off, so I am fairly certain it's the radio.

Knowing that Narco went belly up, what are your thoughts on how to proceed? Does this sound like something that could be repaired or would I just be throwing $ away?

Thanks.
Jim
 
My Narco 810 com 2 went out and the shop told me the hours to repair it were not worth it. Especially since you're stuck right back with a radio that is practically un-serviceable.

I ended up buying one off the internet that was yellow tagged for about a grand because I just wanted to slide it in and go. It's my com 2. The 430W does most of the heavy lifting on com 1.

I had a Mark12D and it never faltered. It was a good radio but I sold it when I put in the 430.
 
Probably, not worth it. As a backup/second radio there a number of affordable options. TKM makes a slidein replacement, and you can probably pick up a used one on ebay or somewhere. You could also contact TKM and see if they have any used units.
 
Those Mk12Ds were horrible. We spent more money fixing them than we did buying them in the first place.
 
Dan Thomas said:
Those Mk12Ds were horrible. We spent more money fixing them than we did buying them in the first place.
Click to expand...
not my experience. loved the MK12D's. They didn't constantly eat displays like the KX155's
 
Cut your loss throw it away, TKM not much better and not cheap, KX155 look for a newer one, old ones have display problems. Your still dealing with old radio's and someone else problem child. :(
 
I was in your shoes a while ago. I was able to find someone to work on mine. Repair shop only offered 90 day warranty. I had my mk12d repaired 2x in 9 months. Each repair was $1000 and took a couple of months. Afterward i wished I had spent the money on a new radio.
 
I have unkind things to say about the 12D's even when NARCO was still around to "support" them.
 
JHW said:
not my experience. loved the MK12D's. They didn't constantly eat displays like the KX155's
Click to expand...

Ours ate displays, too. The problems might have become worse toward the end of Narco, maybe. The avionics tech showed me the insides of a couple of them; they had extra components soldered in to make them work, components that weren't in the schematics but had been installed at the factory to correct some deficiency. He said that each MK12D was a bit different that way; very poor consistency of manufacture and performance.

Dan
 
Narco manufactured the finest radios in the industry, the 120 series were the one to have in their day. but the 12 series wasn't their best. and this isn't their day.

My advise. = update now.
 
My Mark 12D+ worked flawlessly for 22 years. That said, I have had nothing but issues with it since late last year and I'm close to pulling it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Yeah the gas tube or whatever they are displays kinda sucked.

If one little tube goes out, a 9 can look like a 7, or some other number and it gets frustrating real fast.
 
Last of the real good Narco radio's made, Narco Superhomer VHT-2.
 
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