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fvalarm(at)rapidnet.net
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 Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 11:20 am Post subject: weird radio trouble |
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A hangar neighbor did an engine overhaul last fall. The airplane didn't fly for about 5 months. It sat in a hangar the whole time. Now that it's flying again, there's a new weird radio problem that we can't figure out.
Initial radio operation (on the ground) is... not stellar but OK (maybe 4/5 for clarity). After airborne for a short time (less than 1/2 hour) communications becomes so poor that radio contact with the tower cannot be maintained.
Aircraft is BD4 (aluminum skins)
Comm antenna is on top ala Cessna 172 etc
The alternator is also new with the engine overhaul. Plane Power internally regulated.
At first we thought it was a low battery (sitting for 5 months) or alternator problem but a recently added multimeter reveals 14.5V while flying.
The hangar has been very humid at times with condensation forming on all the exterior surfaces. So we are wondering about corrosion or connection issues. But comms on the ground are much better than in the air. That may be just following the trend that initial communications is always better. It seems to deteriorate a little after being airborne.
Any ideas?
Bevan
[quote][b]
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n233ee(at)gmail.com
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| Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 11:34 am Post subject: weird radio trouble |
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Putting my money on 'ground' issues on aluminum skins. Even from one skin to the next.
Good luck! On Feb 16, 2015 1:25 PM, "B Tomm" <fvalarm(at)rapidnet.net (fvalarm(at)rapidnet.net)> wrote:[quote] Â
A hangar neighbor did an engine overhaul last fall. The airplane didn't fly for about 5 months. It sat in a hangar the whole time. Now that it's flying again, there's a new weird radio problem that we can't figure out.
Â
Initial radio operation (on the ground) is... not stellar but OK (maybe 4/5 for clarity). After airborne for a short time (less than 1/2 hour) communications becomes so poor that radio contact with the tower cannot be maintained.
Â
Aircraft is BD4 (aluminum skins)
Comm antenna is on top ala Cessna 172 etc
Â
The alternator is also new with the engine overhaul. Plane Power internally regulated.
Â
At first we thought it was a low battery (sitting for 5 months) or alternator problem but a recently added multimeter reveals 14.5V while flying.
Â
The hangar has been very humid at times with condensation forming on all the exterior surfaces. So we are wondering about corrosion or connection issues. But comms on the ground are much better than in the air. That may be just following the trend that initial communications is always better. It seems to deteriorate a little after being airborne.
Â
Any ideas?
Â
Bevan
Â
Â
Â
Â
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[b]
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peter(at)sportingaero.com
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| Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 11:55 am Post subject: weird radio trouble |
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What type of radio? On 16 Feb 2015 19:33, "B Tomm" <fvalarm(at)rapidnet.net (fvalarm(at)rapidnet.net)> wrote:[quote] Â
A hangar neighbor did an engine overhaul last fall. The airplane didn't fly for about 5 months. It sat in a hangar the whole time. Now that it's flying again, there's a new weird radio problem that we can't figure out.
Â
Initial radio operation (on the ground) is... not stellar but OK (maybe 4/5 for clarity). After airborne for a short time (less than 1/2 hour) communications becomes so poor that radio contact with the tower cannot be maintained.
Â
Aircraft is BD4 (aluminum skins)
Comm antenna is on top ala Cessna 172 etc
Â
The alternator is also new with the engine overhaul. Plane Power internally regulated.
Â
At first we thought it was a low battery (sitting for 5 months) or alternator problem but a recently added multimeter reveals 14.5V while flying.
Â
The hangar has been very humid at times with condensation forming on all the exterior surfaces. So we are wondering about corrosion or connection issues. But comms on the ground are much better than in the air. That may be just following the trend that initial communications is always better. It seems to deteriorate a little after being airborne.
Â
Any ideas?
Â
Bevan
Â
Â
Â
Â
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ist" target="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?AeroElectric-List
tp://forums.matronics.com
_blank">http://www.matronics.com/contribution
|
[b]
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john.maccallum(at)bigpond
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| Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 12:54 pm Post subject: weird radio trouble |
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You don’t say whether it’s a transmit or receive issue? You also say contact with the tower, so do you mean local comms with a control tower or do you
mean Air Traffic Control which is usually remote.
If on receive the Radio is a little scratchy and only readability 4 for a local control tower there may be something wrong with the Antenna or the feed line or the radio.
If you have more trouble receiving the further you get away from a local station, ie a local Tower with weak reception  and the Tower has trouble hearing you, look at the Antenna and the Feedline,
check them for connections and check the SWR.
If Radio receives ok and the Antenna/feedline is ok but the Tower has trouble hearing you at a distance then it’s most likely the Power output from the Radio. Most SWR Meters will also tell you
what  the output power is so you can check that as well. Older model Radios usually somewhere around 10 watts and the newer stuff 25 watts.
Cheers
John MacCallum
VH-DUU
RV 10 # 41016
From: owner-aeroelectric-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-aeroelectric-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Peter Pengilly
Sent: Tuesday, 17 February 2015 6:54 AM
To: Aeroelectric List
Subject: Re: weird radio trouble
What type of radio?
On 16 Feb 2015 19:33, "B Tomm" <fvalarm(at)rapidnet.net (fvalarm(at)rapidnet.net)> wrote:
A hangar neighbor did an engine overhaul last fall. The airplane didn't fly for about 5 months. It sat in a hangar the whole time. Now that it's flying again, there's a new weird radio problem that we can't figure out.
Initial radio operation (on the ground) is... not stellar but OK (maybe 4/5 for clarity). After airborne for a short time (less than 1/2 hour) communications becomes so poor that radio contact with the tower cannot be maintained.
Aircraft is BD4 (aluminum skins)
Comm antenna is on top ala Cessna 172 etc
The alternator is also new with the engine overhaul. Plane Power internally regulated.
At first we thought it was a low battery (sitting for 5 months) or alternator problem but a recently added multimeter reveals 14.5V while flying.
The hangar has been very humid at times with condensation forming on all the exterior surfaces. So we are wondering about corrosion or connection issues. But comms on the ground are much better than in the air. That may be just following the trend that initial communications is always better. It seems to deteriorate a little after being airborne.
Any ideas?
Bevan
01234567890123
[quote][b]
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BobsV35B(at)aol.com
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| Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 1:22 pm Post subject: weird radio trouble |
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Was the radio working acceptably before the engine work?
Old Bob
In a message dated 2/16/2015 1:35:01 P.M. Central Standard Time, n233ee(at)gmail.com writes:
| Quote: |
Putting my money on 'ground' issues on aluminum skins. Even from one skin to the next.
Good luck! On Feb 16, 2015 1:25 PM, "B Tomm" <fvalarm(at)rapidnet.net (fvalarm(at)rapidnet.net)> wrote: | Quote: |
A hangar neighbor did an engine overhaul last fall. The airplane didn't fly for about 5 months. It sat in a hangar the whole time. Now that it's flying again, there's a new weird radio problem that we can't figure out.
Initial radio operation (on the ground) is... not stellar but OK (maybe 4/5 for clarity). After airborne for a short time (less than 1/2 hour) communications becomes so poor that radio contact with the tower cannot be maintained.
Aircraft is BD4 (aluminum skins)
Comm antenna is on top ala Cessna 172 etc
The alternator is also new with the engine overhaul. Plane Power internally regulated.
At first we thought it was a low battery (sitting for 5 months) or alternator problem but a recently added multimeter reveals 14.5V while flying.
The hangar has been very humid at times with condensation forming on all the exterior surfaces. So we are wondering about corrosion or connection issues. But comms on the ground are much better than in the air. That may be just following the trend that initial communications is always better. It seems to deteriorate a little after being airborne.
Any ideas?
Bevan
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skywagon
Joined: 11 Feb 2006
Posts: 184
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| Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 1:43 pm Post subject: weird radio trouble |
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First, suggest checking the coax cable from the antenna to the radio and also the BNC connectors of both ends which might have a broken shield connection or cold solder joint. The coax cable should be checked to see if it got pinched, nibbled on by mice, cut, water in the dielectric, etc
D
[quote] ---
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jmjones2000(at)mindspring
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| Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 1:30 pm Post subject: weird radio trouble |
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Condensation forming on all exterior surfaces can also equal condensation on internal surfaces.
Make sure all radio connections (especially antenna connections) are clean, dry, and free from corrosion.
I have seen these symptoms with moisture inside of a connector. Good on the ground but when you take off and fly, the temperature drops and the moisture freezes causing increased resistance.
Be sure to recheck all grounds as well. Pay close attention to the grounds that were touched in the replacement of the engine.
Good luck
Justin
On Feb 16, 2015, at 10:19, B Tomm <fvalarm(at)rapidnet.net (fvalarm(at)rapidnet.net)> wrote:
[quote]
A hangar neighbor did an engine overhaul last fall. The airplane didn't fly for about 5 months. It sat in a hangar the whole time. Now that it's flying again, there's a new weird radio problem that we can't figure out.
Initial radio operation (on the ground) is... not stellar but OK (maybe 4/5 for clarity). After airborne for a short time (less than 1/2 hour) communications becomes so poor that radio contact with the tower cannot be maintained.
Aircraft is BD4 (aluminum skins)
Comm antenna is on top ala Cessna 172 etc
The alternator is also new with the engine overhaul. Plane Power internally regulated.
At first we thought it was a low battery (sitting for 5 months) or alternator problem but a recently added multimeter reveals 14.5V while flying.
The hangar has been very humid at times with condensation forming on all the exterior surfaces. So we are wondering about corrosion or connection issues. But comms on the ground are much better than in the air. That may be just following the trend that initial communications is always better. It seems to deteriorate a little after being airborne.
Any ideas?
Bevan
[b]
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