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iCom Antenna Switchbox effect on Com Radio

 
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kenryan



Joined: 20 Oct 2009
Posts: 424

PostPosted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 3:31 pm    Post subject: iCom Antenna Switchbox effect on Com Radio Reply with quote

iCom makes a little box for allowing com antenna to be used by their handheld radio, in the event the primary com fails. This requires splitting the coax from the com transceiver to the antenna into two lengths.

My question is, will using this box have a negative effect on either reception or transmission of the com radio? (as compared with identical system with just an unbroken coax from transceiver to antenna).
Here is a link to the iCom box on Aircraft Spruce: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/icomswitchbox.php?clickkey=3576


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PostPosted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 6:38 pm    Post subject: iCom Antenna Switchbox effect on Com Radio Reply with quote

On 1/23/2017 5:27 PM, Ken Ryan wrote:
Quote:
iCom makes a little box for allowing com antenna to be used by their
handheld radio, in the event the primary com fails. This requires
splitting the coax from the com transceiver to the antenna into two
lengths.

My question is, will using this box have a negative effect on either
reception or transmission of the com radio? (as compared with
identical system with just an unbroken coax from transceiver to antenna).

Here is a link to the iCom box on Aircraft Spruce:
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/icomswitchbox.php?clickkey=3576
Hooo....weee! Proud of a little box with two BNC's & a toggle switch,

aren't they?

The answer to your question is, 'Yes.'

Now ask if you can tell how much without a many kilobuck test rig and an
antenna test range.

Then you can ask about the guts inside the box....

Charlie


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user9253



Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Posts: 1906
Location: Riley TWP Michigan

PostPosted: Tue Jan 24, 2017 7:29 am    Post subject: Re: iCom Antenna Switchbox effect on Com Radio Reply with quote

Com radios do not fail very often. When yours does fail, the cause is likely to be icom's little antenna switch box or the coax or antenna. If so, the handheld radio will not work either. How about a separate antenna, either external or internal? Maybe Jim Weir's copper tape antenna on a window?

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kenryan



Joined: 20 Oct 2009
Posts: 424

PostPosted: Tue Jan 24, 2017 10:17 am    Post subject: iCom Antenna Switchbox effect on Com Radio Reply with quote

Thanks for the inputs. I wondered about the quality of the thing. I think I will not install it. Will probably just carry handheld and hope for the best. Last time I checked, airplane flies good without radio.

On Tue, Jan 24, 2017 at 6:29 AM, user9253 <fransew(at)gmail.com (fransew(at)gmail.com)> wrote:
Quote:
--> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "user9253" <fransew(at)gmail.com (fransew(at)gmail.com)>

Com radios do not fail very often.  When yours does fail, the cause is likely to be icom's little antenna switch box or the coax or antenna.  If so, the handheld radio will not work either.  How about a separate antenna, either external or internal?  Maybe Jim Weir's copper tape antenna on a window?

--------
Joe Gores




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PostPosted: Tue Jan 24, 2017 1:16 pm    Post subject: iCom Antenna Switchbox effect on Com Radio Reply with quote

I installed something like this; it uses a switched 3.5mm jack socket to interrupt the centre conductor of the coax. It's a complete disaster as far as ERP goes. However now that it's mounted on the panel, I have a convenient break in point to the no.2 comm antenna because I can reach under and disconnect the BNC connector on the back of the thing and access the cable to the antenna. Now I carry a spare coax cable with a barrel connector to connect my handeld at that point.

The combination of very low transmit power, the frankly laughably inefficient rubber whip antenna, and the shielding effects of the airframe on the handheld all mean that the range from inside aircraft with the hand-held as-is is too all intents useless. When connected to the aircraft power bus, and using the external anntenna via the coax I described above, two of the attenuating effects are mitigated and my Icom A-24 gives me about 7-8 miles range to an ATC outlet. Not great, but might one day be useful. But only with that method of connection.
On 24Jan2017, at 7:13 PM, Ken Ryan <keninalaska(at)gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks for the inputs. I wondered about the quality of the thing. I think I will not install it. Will probably just carry handheld and hope for the best. Last time I checked, airplane flies good without radio.

On Tue, Jan 24, 2017 at 6:29 AM, user9253 <fransew(at)gmail.com> wrote:


Com radios do not fail very often. When yours does fail, the cause is likely to be icom's little antenna switch box or the coax or antenna. If so, the handheld radio will not work either. How about a separate antenna, either external or internal? Maybe Jim Weir's copper tape antenna on a window?

--------
Joe Gores


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speedy11



Joined: 29 Jun 2015
Posts: 61
Location: Port Orange, FL

PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 9:50 am    Post subject: iCom Antenna Switchbox effect on Com Radio Reply with quote

Bob,

Thanks for discussing this subject.
I'm having trouble with my SL30 not receiving and transmitting and had assumed the problem to be with the radio. After your discussion I remembered I wired in one of the iCom boxes and it well could be the problem.

Thanks,
Stan Sutterfield


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 1:27 pm    Post subject: iCom Antenna Switchbox effect on Com Radio Reply with quote

Harry, you need the VHF/UHF version not the HF one. Bob's link was the
correct 100-500 MHz.

Cheers

Werner

On 25.01.2017 20:15, Harry Bartel wrote:
Quote:
Bob,

I need an education. The SWR meter referenced here shows; Frequency
Range: HF 1.6MHZ~60MHZ. How important are the range markings?

Quote:

Thanks,

Harry

*From:*owner-aeroelectric-list-server(at)matronics.com
[mailto:owner-aeroelectric-list-server(at)matronics.com] *On Behalf Of
*Robert L. Nuckolls, III

Quote:

http://tinyurl.com/j7muztq



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PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2017 2:01 am    Post subject: iCom Antenna Switchbox effect on Com Radio Reply with quote

Bob being in Europe things are a bit more difficult to find, I found in
Amazon:

Gam3Gear Surecom SW-102 Digital-VHF UHF 125-525 MHz Power & SWR-Meter

This would be a bit at the edge of our band, but a review of a user
stated (translated from German):

If a resitor of 50 ohm is used (reflection > 30 dB) and connected to the
antenna connector a VSWR of 1.02 is shown open antenna connector shows
19.99 (full reflection), so far so good. He then tests with different
resistors (non inductive precision resistors) he tells with 25 ohm or
200 ohm he should see a VSWR of 2, 75 ohm should show 1.. But this unit
always did show 1.02 when trying to calibrate with 1W and even with
other power settings he never did see a VSWR which was to expect and
tells the unit is useless for measuring VSWR.

So I probably should go better with a standard box like DAIWA CN-102 L?

Cheers Werner

On 25.01.2017 20:41, Robert L. Nuckolls, III wrote:
Quote:

An SWR check at the radio end of the feed
line would be equally useful. These things
are coming down in price . . . and this offering
even ships from US.

http://tinyurl.com/j7muztq

You'll need a pair of BNC(F)->N(M) adapters

http://tinyurl.com/h3666vz


Bob . . .



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speedy11



Joined: 29 Jun 2015
Posts: 61
Location: Port Orange, FL

PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2017 9:48 am    Post subject: iCom Antenna Switchbox effect on Com Radio Reply with quote

I have to rummage through my electronics box but I'm sure I have a BNC tee.
Good idea to bypass it to test.
I will followup.
Stan


Quote:
>Bob,
>
>Thanks for discussing this subject.
>I'm having trouble with my SL30 not receiving and transmitting and
>had assumed the problem to be with the radio. After your discussion
>I remembered I wired in one of the iCom boxes and it well could be the problem.

It certainly warrants investigation. Do
you have a BNC barrel adapter . . . or perhaps
a BNC-Tee? You can pull the coaxes off the
back of the Icom-Box and bypass it with
the connectors.

Let us know what you discover.

An SWR check at the radio end of the feed
line would be equally useful. These things
are coming down in price . . . and this offering
even ships from US.

http://tinyurl.com/j7muztq

You'll need a pair of BNC(F)->N(M) adapters

http://tinyurl.com/h3666vz


Bob . . .


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PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2017 2:02 pm    Post subject: iCom Antenna Switchbox effect on Com Radio Reply with quote

I would imagine the MFJ-259 would be of limited application when testing at the transponder frequency, given it's normal application doesn't extend above VHF? I have the later MFJ-269, that does reach up into the lower part of UHF but only gives SWR results at that frequency.

On 27/01/2017 8:32 AM, Earl Gmail wrote:

Quote:
Some time ago when the MFJ-259 was mentioned in a post, I was wishing you had made a 'comic book' about it's proper use associated with aircraft testing.  You were otherwise occupied at the time but thought it was a good idea to put on your to-do list. I would still appreciate your guidance since the included manual mentions several things NOT to do.  Knowing how to do nondestructive testing would help.  Thanks.

On Jan 26, 2017, at 14:19, Robert L. Nuckolls, III <nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelectric.com (nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelectric.com)> wrote:


Quote:
At 11:54 AM 1/26/2017, you wrote:
Quote:
--> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Alec Myers <alec(at)alecmyers.com (alec(at)alecmyers.com)>

A transponder SWR meter would be great, but how are you going to get the output stage to transmit a carrier for long enough to measure anything with basic equipment?

  Excellent point . . . I should have amplified
  my wish with the phrase "self excited".

  Such a device is not so much an SWR meter as
  it is an antenna analyzer . . . the next
  step up in RF measurement.

  I have an MFJ-259 that's getting rather
  long in the tooth. Got mine back when they
  were $170!

 


  This critter, and it's relatives have built in
  variable frequency excitation sources. Of
  course, the ship's transponder would not be
  a useful energy source for analyzing the
  antenna's performance.





  Bob . . .


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PostPosted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 10:03 am    Post subject: iCom Antenna Switchbox effect on Com Radio Reply with quote

Please include nav antennas if possible. Thanks

On Jan 27, 2017 09:52, "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" <nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelectric.com (nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelectric.com)> wrote:
Quote:
At 03:32 PM 1/26/2017, you wrote:
Quote:
Some time ago when the MFJ-259 was mentioned in a post, I was wishing you had made a 'comic book' about it's proper use associated with aircraft testing.  You were otherwise occupied at the time but thought it was a good idea to put on your to-do list. I would still appreciate your guidance since the included manual mentions several things NOT to do.  Knowing how to do nondestructive testing would help.  Thanks.

  Good idea . . .

  I'll put it in the 'bucket' of topics.



  Bob . . .


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