Radio outage in flight

[Gmoore7]

Last week I flew from KTFP to kBRO to show my CTSW off to an old friend with flight time about 1 1/2 hours. 45 minutes in to the flight I noticed no one talking. After several frequecy changes with no reply I determined I might be being heard, but couldn't communicate. With that I dialed in KBRO tower and began announcing my ETA and runway choice every five minutes. About 3 miles out from a straight in on runway 17 I saw the beautiful green light in the tower and safely landed.

I left my portable at home because I didn't think I would need on a plane with only 200 hours TT.

That same portable is charged and ready to go on all my future flights.

Fly smart and you will be safer.

[CT4ME]

For that same reason, I always fly with a portable and some batteries. My radio problem turned out to be connector-related, sort of. The radio slides into a bracket, with the connectors at the back of the radio. The way mine had been installed, the faceplate part wouldn't let the radio slide all the way back. Therefore, the connectors weren't seated all the way. At first, it started out as weak reception, then eventually I couldn't hear anything. BTW, as things got worse, I discovered that I could receive better if I un-squelched the radio... noisy, but at least I could hear.

I also try to make sure I have the tower phone numbers, so I could call via cell phone, if I had to...

Tim

[Flying C Farms]

For that same reason, I always fly with a portable and some batteries. My radio problem turned out to be connector-related, sort of. The radio slides into a bracket, with the connectors at the back of the radio. The way mine had been installed, the faceplate part wouldn't let the radio slide all the way back. Therefore, the connectors weren't seated all the way. At first, it started out as weak reception, then eventually I couldn't hear anything. BTW, as things got worse, I discovered that I could receive better if I un-squelched the radio... noisy, but at least I could hear.

I also try to make sure I have the tower phone numbers, so I could call via cell phone, if I had to...

Tim

 

Same thing happened to me with the transponder.After filing down the panel, the faceplate could go in a little more allowing it to make a good conection. Then I had mode C once again.

[Gmoore7]

Thanks for the replies. Things like this sure do wake you up which makes better safer pilot's out of all of us.

Hope to se some of you at OSH.

[airhound]

Same on a 06 SW....Recommend complain and have avionics shop that fixes it turn in a difficulty report to FD. FD should pick up the tab for poor workmanship..If a transponder is involved..I've read recent posts about requiring an avionics certified repairman to reinstall it............very technical explaination somewhere here in the Flier forum...if you want to do it right, I guess....Regardless, if its just the radio, have a certified repairman do the work, he may even have to disassemble the rack, beyond the face plate, to make adjustments to ensure sufficient pin connectivity. Again, FD should be consulted and should back up the shoddy workmanship......bad JUJU there with such a pricey peace of equipment.

[N89WD]

Nice trip to Dillon, MT today for business. Check out my spot link.

[FlyingMonkey]

Did you squawk 7600?

[BMcCand - N248CT]

I had that happen, once, with my SL-30. Receive went quiet. Power cycling fixed (rebooted?) the radio. I was in MSP class B at the time, so dropped below the floor and announced for my destination field, in the blind.Never did squak 7600, got to KMIC tower in time to hear them saying I was NORDO, inbound.I carry an ICOM hand-held, but discovered it is hopeless in the noisy cockpit. Got an adapter and PTT switch to hook up the David Clark phones. THen got feedback squeal on some frequencies. Finally added ferrite bead around the wires, so I now have a working backup. But first try re-booting the radio. Avionics shop could not duplicate the problem, nor could I on later flights.