Ps engineering 8000bt

[Andrew Foster]

Going to have this audio panel unit installed to replace the teradactyl Collins Amr 350.
Any input, suggestions or feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Andrew

[N3322G]

Andrew,

I haven't seen the model you mention - we put in the Garmin unit a few years back and were surprised how often we use the split-com feature. If you fly with a co-pilot, the ability to have PIC on the center frequency and the co-pilot checking ATIS weather or local traffic has been very handy in our home area - under the busy DFW Class B airspace. The individual volume and squelch control has also been great.

[9089P]

Hi Andrew,

One caveat to Pat's comment on the dual com feature, given the size of our aircraft, the antennas are by nature very close together and when the frequencies are relatively close transmissions can bleed over from one radio to the other. Not a big problem but it is there. Obviously no problem when you are just monitoring.

Don

[N3322G]

Don,

Interesting comment - we haven't had the experience in the years we have used it. Have you found this using headsets too?

[9089P]

We only use headsets, no it is definitely a bleed over from one radio to the other. We have a 430 and a Narco 12E for a back up and the thinking is that the problem is with the Narco and if we installed a more modern(read better tolerances) the problem would go away.

Don

[N3322G]

Don,

When we did the 'new' panel, I 'lost' my Narco 12D+ with 9 pre-set frequencies - still miss it. I've heard the 530W can do that now but I'm pretty tired of downtime so I haven't done it. We put in a new-to-us King 155 with GS to backup the 530 so all the radios are new-ish with new up-to-spec wiring. The spaghetti behind the panel was entertaining and it went away and suuurprise, a number of other quirks went away too.

Really didn't like the down time to do all the extra work (or money it took) behind the panel but looking back it seems to be worth it.

[9089P]

Hi Pat,

You pegged it, I like the Narco, particularly the to/from radial read out. On the 430 we had the shop install the frequency recall hardware which is basically a push button. With the push of the button you can recall 5(?) freqs. Nice feature to use as you get home.

Don