Transceiver questions.

[Vance Breese]

I have flown a variety of experimental aircraft with wildly varying radio performance.

A lot appears to me to do with the installation, wiring and the antenna.

I see power outputs from 6 watts to 10 watts and I don’t know how much difference that makes. I would appreciate some pilot experience here.

What do you feel is the best panel mount transceiver?

I have a separate David Clark intercom now; how well do the intercoms that are a part of the radio work?

Do the transceivers that fit in a two and a quarter inch hole work as well as the rack mounted transceivers?

I am training a client in a Cavalon by AutoGyro that has a Funke ATR833. I need to be closer and higher (9miles, 2,700 feet) before I can pick up ATIS at KSMX when coming from the south east compared to the older Icom in my gyroplane (15 miles and 1,300 feet).

The tower can hear the radio down to about 800 feet and 10 miles.

I flew another Cavalon with the same Funke ATR833 and it had much better performance. The installations and antenna appear identical. Any guesses on the reasons for the difference?

Thank you for your help!

 

[tawood]

Power has the smallest effect on the radio's ability. Believe it or not, a receiving station wouldn't probabaly notice a difference in a station switching from 1 watt to 10 watts transmitting power.
Antenna and antenna mounting has a much much larger influence on receivability.

 

[GRG55]

Power has the smallest effect on the radio's ability. Believe it or not, a receiving station wouldn't probabaly notice a difference in a station switching from 1 watt to 10 watts transmitting power.
Antenna and antenna mounting has a much much larger influence on receivability.

The Cavalon (and most other autogyros) don't appear to have any substantive, obvious ground plane; I would expect small differences in antenna placement and installation method might make quite a large difference.

 

[bluerooster]

While the suggestions mentioned above will significantly affect the actual power being radiated on transmission. I seriously doubt there would be much affect to reception. You might take a vhf antenna analyzer, and connect it to the coax and see what the antenna system is doing.
But as mentioned before, the output power would not make a significant difference in your recieved signal.

 

[bluerooster]

You mentioned seeing power output "of 6 watts, and 10 watts" Is that on the same radio? Or same make and model radio, two different installations? If the latter, it could be a built in safety feature, to cut back power, in an effort to save the finals, in the event of a mis-match to the antenna system, or a high standing wave ratio. Most modern solid state trancievers have a feature which will cut back on power output in the event of too high swr, or mismatch. That only affects the transmitter.

 

[hotprops]

the becker 2 1/4 hole unit is the best. get a good antenna and have a pro install shop, do the work.