Flying_Monkey
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- Sep 22, 2014
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I am having some issues with my comms. The 430W shows continuous RX on it's comm (com1) on some frequencies.
INCIDENT 1: The other day I flew from my home airport to a local airport whose CTAF is 122.9. No issues on flight there. Fueled up and started plane and 122.9 was static showing RX all the time. I asked other pilots on CTAF for radio check - they could hear me and I, them. No one had a stuck mic. I pressed the squelch (volume button in on the 430W) and it did not clear up. I took off and eventually it cleared up and was fine the rest of the flight to 2 other airports.
INCIDENT 2: Trying to get some IFR training done from my home airport. On taxi, the Ground frequency was showing the same issue - RX always displaying and unable to squelch it out. I ended up pressing the squelch key while receiving a transmission from Ground Control and this resolved the static. Upon departure, the Socal Departure frequency (120.4) was horribly staticky and unintelligible. Switched to com2 (KX155) and also horribly staticky. We canceled IFR (total VMC weather) and turned around for home.
INCIDENT 3: After talking to avionics shop I test flew to try to get some more insight. This time, ground freq was totally fine, along with tower and 122.775 once I got to practice area. I was monitoring the 120.4 frequency here and there and it was all staticky with no ability to control squelch by pressing button. Once I got out to practice area at 3500' the static went away. Com #2 on 120.4 was still full of static but also did receive although a little more difficult to understand.
Avionics shop says my antennas are not proper for the 430W. They say I have "non wide band bent metal rod antennas" that could damage the 430W at higher freqs. Another guy says it's probably magneto noise.
I've had the plane for about 6 months and haven't had these problems. I have been using a Stratus 2 plugged into the cigarette lighter socket for the last few months. I have not tried unplugging it yet but just read that I should do that as a test. I run an iPad mini (not plugged in). There was a GoPro running but not plugged into ship's power. I recently replaced the battery with a new Concorde Sealed battery.
The avionics shop recently installed a KT74 transponder. I asked them if that installation could have caused any of these problems and they said no.
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!
INCIDENT 1: The other day I flew from my home airport to a local airport whose CTAF is 122.9. No issues on flight there. Fueled up and started plane and 122.9 was static showing RX all the time. I asked other pilots on CTAF for radio check - they could hear me and I, them. No one had a stuck mic. I pressed the squelch (volume button in on the 430W) and it did not clear up. I took off and eventually it cleared up and was fine the rest of the flight to 2 other airports.
INCIDENT 2: Trying to get some IFR training done from my home airport. On taxi, the Ground frequency was showing the same issue - RX always displaying and unable to squelch it out. I ended up pressing the squelch key while receiving a transmission from Ground Control and this resolved the static. Upon departure, the Socal Departure frequency (120.4) was horribly staticky and unintelligible. Switched to com2 (KX155) and also horribly staticky. We canceled IFR (total VMC weather) and turned around for home.
INCIDENT 3: After talking to avionics shop I test flew to try to get some more insight. This time, ground freq was totally fine, along with tower and 122.775 once I got to practice area. I was monitoring the 120.4 frequency here and there and it was all staticky with no ability to control squelch by pressing button. Once I got out to practice area at 3500' the static went away. Com #2 on 120.4 was still full of static but also did receive although a little more difficult to understand.
Avionics shop says my antennas are not proper for the 430W. They say I have "non wide band bent metal rod antennas" that could damage the 430W at higher freqs. Another guy says it's probably magneto noise.
I've had the plane for about 6 months and haven't had these problems. I have been using a Stratus 2 plugged into the cigarette lighter socket for the last few months. I have not tried unplugging it yet but just read that I should do that as a test. I run an iPad mini (not plugged in). There was a GoPro running but not plugged into ship's power. I recently replaced the battery with a new Concorde Sealed battery.
The avionics shop recently installed a KT74 transponder. I asked them if that installation could have caused any of these problems and they said no.
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!
