Hangar Flying => Hangar Flying => Topic started by: NWade on January 05, 2006, 02:24:01 PM
Title: Handheld Transciever opinions?
Post by: NWade on January 05, 2006, 02:24:01 PM
Hi all,
A non-canard-specific question for ya; but I respect the experience and knowledge of the folks here - so I hope no one minds... :roll:
I'm closing in on beginning my pilot training... While I'm trying to keep my supplies limited and expenses low, I've heard that listening in on Comms, learning to work a radio, and learning local frequencies can be beneficial. To that end, I'm thinking about picking up a handheld scanner or transciever. A scanner might be cheaper - but I think a transciever might be a better long-term investment since I'd be able to use it in the cockpit as an emergency backup.
While I messed with CBs a bit (and HAMs a very tiny bit) in my youth, I admit to being clueless when it comes to quality, brands, or features for aircraft comms. I'm not looking for anything fancy - basic and inexpensive is the name of the game (ideally something under $250)... as long as the unit will last 3 to 5 years and cover the major frequency band.
Any thoughts or suggestions on brands, models, buying new vs. used?
Thanks! Take care,
--Noel
Title: Handheld Transciever opinions?
Post by: David on January 05, 2006, 03:33:29 PM
Buy a Yaesu VXA-700 and you have air band, 2 meter ham band, FM broadcast band and NOAA weather all rolled in one.
David
Title: Handheld Transciever opinions?
Post by: Alan Laudani on January 05, 2006, 03:34:39 PM
Congrats on the decision to learn to fly. My 2 cents: Spend your money first on noise cancelling headsets. To hear your instructor and the tower and other airplanes is paramount to anything else. Second on learning to fly. I cannot remember needing a personal transceiver. Most training planes have good radios, usually 2. A receiver while on the ground to listen to pattern traffic is helpful to learn the communication: "who am I, where am I, what I will do" like "Cessna 123AB, right crosswind for 27, cleared to land". Flight sim programs do this too. If you are feeling like a transceiver is necessary, ICOM have been good to me, with the provision that they do not fit universally into intercom systems. I fly with an ICOM 22 bracket mounted into my Varieze with a intercom that won't interact with the upgraded ICOM 23A. The new ICOM Sport is nice, too. Save your money until your ticket is in hand.
Title: Handheld Transciever opinions?
Post by: Dave in Eugene on January 05, 2006, 05:15:02 PM
I have an older hand held from Sportys. The new one has a " Last Channel" Button. And decent Nav function as well.
Don't buy a scanner when you could by a transceiver that will be a great lost electrical back-up for many many years of your flying. Buy the adapter so that you can plug straight into your headset. I used mine 2 days ago when I found that I left my master switch on in my c-140 and could not get a charge going even after flying for a while. Great to have. Also used mine once when my push-to-talk button crapped flying across the Canada - US boarder.... a good time to have comm.
I say buy one. If you are renting a plane that charges by hobbs and the hobbs runs off the master...then you will be charged for listening to Atis. This can save you some $'s by listening in prior to starting your $ siphon.
As far as a head set the best inexpensive one that I know if is made by lightspeed. I have the qfr it was about $135 on sale. It think it has the highest passive noise reduction out there. I don't have a burning desire for noise cancellation... someday it will probably happen.
Have fun and get in the air as soon as possible.
Dave
Title: Transciever
Post by: easyrider on January 06, 2006, 08:37:41 PM
I f you want to practice radio protocol buy Comm1. It is a computer program that takes you thru. all aspects of radio communication. I still use it today to practice going into class C airspace. Easyrider
Title: Handheld Transciever opinions?
Post by: NWade on January 06, 2006, 11:28:53 PM
I've wondered about those software programs... Without being truly "interactive" (using a Mic and talking to another live person), I was concerned that they wouldn't be worth the money.
I do use MS Flight Sim as well as X-Plane, and both implement radio calls - but while they're handy to see and hear, they don't give you the practical experience of composing the radio call yourself; or critiquing a less-than-textbook call (like you could listening in on the real frequency).
I'm certainly open to more thoughts and opinions on software solutions, though.
Thanks, take care,
--Noel (Actually, if I weren't so busy with school and work it would be interesting to try to write a plug-in for Microsoft Office; since it has built-in speech-to-text stuff now that's pretty good and would allow you to practice comm calls with a microphone and then have the computer parse your sentence for the appropriate information)