Who here carries a handheld com transceiver?

Stan Cooper

Stan Cooper

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Stan Cooper
Bob Brown's thread prompts my question. Rather than derail Bob's thread (which has lots of great feedback) I figured it would be easier to start a new one.

I wonder how many here carry a handheld com transceiver for use in case of panel mounted com failure. I regularly fly into KOAK, a Class C airport inside the SFO Class B veil and I only have one com transceiver (Garmin SL-30) in the panel. I had a Yaesu handheld that went TU, and bought a Sporty's PJ2 to replace it because figuring out the Yaesu's (or ICOM's) menu when I just need to talk to somebody in a hurry was a big hassle. My headset plugs directly into the PJ2, and frequency input is by keypad without even having to push an "enter" key. It also has flip-flop toggle between two frequencies, but no damn menus to figure out! At $199 it's pretty reasonably priced, and works great with the rubber duck within five miles or so of an airport.
 
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We have a small Yaesu handeld in a flight bag. It has the headset adapter already plugged in. It's a rechargeable but can take a tray of AA batteries so we keep plenty of those in the bag for headsets and radio. Without a way to connect to the planes external antennae I'd be surprised if it works at 5 miles. Gonna add that to this years flight goals, a handeld backup test. Heck, I don't think I've seen any YouTubers cover this one yet....calling Bryan, Marty or Kevin.
 
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I had one for years and never used it once. I don't have it anymore. I only flew VFR at the time. Might be different if you fly IFR a lot or fly in a lot of B airspace.

Actually, I did use it on the ground a few times. Airshows or just listening to airport traffic (early days of my flying).
 
Lndwarrior said:
I had one for years and never used it once. I don't have it anymore. I only flew VFR at the time. Might be different if you fly IFR a lot or fly in a lot of B airspace.

Actually, I did use it on the ground a few times. Airshows or just listening to airport traffic (early days of my flying).
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That's a good point, Gary. I use mine to get the ATIS as part of my preflight.
 
I have an old Sporty's SP-200 with an adapter cable to plug in my DC HD-10-30 headset.... (Yah, I keep stuff around for a while... :D)
 
Vertex Standard VXA-300 off of Craigslist. No idea how old it is. Have never used it in anger.
 
I've got one, the Yeasu I believe, it is a pain the in the butt to tune, but you get used to it.
 
Carry, sometimes.

Remember to charge? Rarely.

Ever needed it? Not yet. Going on 30 years now, various models.

Waste of money? Dunno. Ask again in another 30 years.

Cheaper than the multitude of overpriced headsets. Works as a receiver to listen when I’m bored at home or working in the hangar.
 
I have one on board all the time, stored in the pocket behind the copilot. Easy to reach. I need to start taking it out after every flight and put it on the charger, because I don't check it often enough.
I also need to test the use of the plug in headset/mic adapter with my headset and get a radio check.
 
Stan, I purchased the Yaesu FTA 450L, just prior to Sporty coming out with their new model. I like the idea of the built in headset jacks, how do they work, have you tried them out?

Like you, I use the radio to listen to ATIS and CTAF when lounging in the hanger. In my previous aircrafts, I’ve had a separate external antenna, I keep putting off requesting an LOA for just such an install. With my annual/condition coming up in July, I think Ill get the process started this week.

Fly safe, stay healthy...
 
We've got an Icom in the R182, no back-up radio in the Citabria. Champ is currently only ads-b in also so far.

Jim
 
I carried a KX 99 years back and used it for a VOR approach once. Once is enough to make you a true believer. It'll also make you seriously consider where you will mount it or how you'll hold if you are alone, and need to use the VOR feature on an approach.

I still have two KX 99s, but I recently upgraded to a Sporty's SP-400 and I have an SP-200 sitting in the hangar to hear what's happening in the pattern.

My Citabria is not VOR equipped, so the SP-400 would potentially fill that role for basic navigation on a cross country as a back up if the Stratux ADS-B/GPS and iPad fail - and I somehow simultaneously forget how to read a sectional. I'm old school, so I still draw lines on paper and still recall what a great thing it was for useful load when clay tablet sectionals were replaced by paper.
 
I carry a Yeasu.

On my first attempt to use my pilot certificate to actually go somewhere, I attempted to fly a Cessna 150 from Atlanta to New Orleans. About an hour and a half in, I lost all electrical systems. It was not that big of a deal (I just landed at an uncontrolled airport, and then with a more experienced pilot in the right seat, flew it to it's mechanic). The next time I went to fly, I was going to do some take off and landings to maintain night currency and all I could think about was if I lose my radio I cannot turn on the airport lights. So I didn't fly that night and the next day I bought my Yeasu.
 
C-1 PILOT said:
Stan, I purchased the Yaesu FTA 450L, just prior to Sporty coming out with their new model. I like the idea of the built in headset jacks, how do they work, have you tried them out?
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I love it. I bought it when they still had a QC problem with the spring contacts to the battery pack connection weren't reliable, but the fix (slightly bending the contacts) was easy and it's now completely reliable. I understand the factory has fixed that problem.

My Bose A20 headset connectors plug right in, and in the air I can talk to the STS tower with a "loud and clear" signal report more than five miles out using the rubber duck antenna. My airplane has a bubble canopy and I've yet to try it out in an enclosed cabin airplane like a C172 or PA28, so I can't say how that might affect the range.

If you have a USB power source, the radio can be powered externally through a USB connector.
 
It's been a good 20 years ago that a handheld really saved the day. I took off from a towered field at night (KTIW) to give a friend a ride. My buddy was going to pick up his plane at another field. We were just leaving the pattern when all the electrical went out and I smelled smoke. I hollered that I was going to grab the handheld and my buddy took the controls. I was able to contact the tower and we made an uneventful landing.
The plane was new to me and it turned out that that my pal's knee had contacted a cigarette lighter power outlet mounted under the instrument panel. It was unfused and wired in such a manner that it killed all the electrical when shorted.
 
I have two handhelds. The important thing to remember for emergency use is they are worth nothing if they don't have power either. I had a rather interesting evening in the back seat of a friend's Arrow when his electrical system took a dump. The KX99 he had also had nearly dead batteries (I could hear ATC but they couldn't hear me). Nevertheless, given one transmission that did get out and couple of turns for identification based on the primary target they had we got back into IAD without being able to transmit.

Don't rely on NICADs. Grab some AA's (I have fresh ones in the plane for any number of things) or get some additional backup (later models that can take an external USB battery would be a good idea).

Interestingly, a while back I was going on a flying "safari" around the outback of Australia. When I asked the guy running the tour if bringing my handheld com and GPS would be a good idea he downplayed the need but told me I could if I wanted. Well, my plane's GPS failed so I used my ancient Garmin 195. Oddly enough it had all the Australian airports in it. Not much ground map detail (though there's not much detail to be had in most of the outback). The lead 172 in our group had a comm failure, so I loaned them my Vertex 710 to use for the next day until they could diagnose what had failed.
 
Stan Cooper said:
I love it. I bought it when they still had a QC problem with the spring contacts to the battery pack connection weren't reliable, but the fix (slightly bending the contacts) was easy and it's now completely reliable. I understand the factory has fixed that problem.

My Bose A20 headset connectors plug right in, and in the air I can talk to the STS tower with a "loud and clear" signal report more than five miles out using the rubber duck antenna. My airplane has a bubble canopy and I've yet to try it out in an enclosed cabin airplane like a C172 or PA28, so I can't say how that might affect the range.

If you have a USB power source, the radio can be powered externally through a USB connector.
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THANKS FOR THE PIREP. I saw they were still on sale, I might just pick one up and leave the other home or in the hanger.
 
Like Ron, a handheld is the Swiss Army Knife when flying....you need a decent one for backup. I have a friend flying at night in rain and the handheld saved lives.
 
I keep a Vertex Standard VXA-300 in my flight bag that comes home with me after every flight (so I can keep it charged). Use it for picking up ATIS and clearances on the ground prior to engine start. For flight in IMC I configure it with a headset adapter and a coax cable for connection to an external antenna through a port in the instrument panel. Radio stays in a pocket on the sidewall. In the event of power loss I believe that I can shift over my headset plugs and plug in the antenna lead in a few seconds (haven't needed to use it and with luck never will). With an external antenna it can be heard for 15 miles or more to a ground station. Expect greater range to an airplane at a higher altitude.
 
Yup.

And had to use once to depart from a Class C far from home and had a com panel failure (known bug that I though was fixed). Made it a non issue for the most part.

...and the simpler unit the better IMO.
 
...and the simpler unit the better IMO.
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Amusingly, when Margy and our mechanic went to ferry our airplane back from the restoration shop, it had no radios installed (I wanted to redo the panel closer to home in case there were issues).
They headed out with last-minute, one-way tickets to Omaha and their luggage consisted primarily of aviation charts, a handheld COM, a handheld GPS, headphones, portable intercom, etc... Oddly this attracted no attention at security.

The mechanic flew the plane solo over to the next airport (which had a tower) because Margy was driving the rental car there to turn it in. Unfortunately, the mechanic couldn't figure out how to tune my handheld. She managed to get the thing up on 121.5 (it has an emergency button) and called the tower at that. They tried to get her to switch to the real frequency but she says, "Negative, this is the only frequency I have." It all worked out.
 
flyingron said:
Amusingly, when Margy and our mechanic went to ferry our airplane back from the restoration shop, it had no radios installed (I wanted to redo the panel closer to home in case there were issues).
They headed out with last-minute, one-way tickets to Omaha and their luggage consisted primarily of aviation charts, a handheld COM, a handheld GPS, headphones, portable intercom, etc... Oddly this attracted no attention at security.

The mechanic flew the plane solo over to the next airport (which had a tower) because Margy was driving the rental car there to turn it in. Unfortunately, the mechanic couldn't figure out how to tune my handheld. She managed to get the thing up on 121.5 (it has an emergency button) and called the tower at that. They tried to get her to switch to the real frequency but she says, "Negative, this is the only frequency I have." It all worked out.
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Confession time. When I bought my 172 in 1999 both the radios were old 360 channel Narcos, so I was using my then new Yaesu handheld connected to one of the external com antennas for com. I really hadn't used it much and wasn't familiar with the menu tree, but set out from Vacaville Nut Tree (KVCB) where the plane had been based to Oakland (KOAK) where I had rented a tiedown until my name came up on the wait list for a T-hangar. As I was approaching the SFO Class B veil, I switched to NorCal Approach and was directed to a reporting point where I was told to switch to Oakland Tower. I accidentally managed to hit the 121.5 emergency button and couldn't figure out how to change frequencies to the OAK tower. No matter what frequency I keyed in, it reverted to 121.5. So, I called the tower on 121.5 and briefly explained my situation and they cleared me to land. It was really embarrassing.

I spent that evening pouring over the Yaesu manual learning about the menus. Since then, I've always carried a handheld with a fully charged battery on every flight. When the PJ2 was announced soon after my Yaesu went bonkers, I jumped on it because of its beautiful simplicity.
 
I carry one on any instrument or night flight. Not so much during the day. I don’t like being one major electrical failure away from either death or an extremely tense time.
 
PeterNSteinmetz said:
I carry one on any instrument or night flight. Not so much during the day. I don’t like being one major electrical failure away from either death or an extremely tense time.
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It's cheap insurance against nuisance, but it's Bernouli (or if you must Newton) not Marconi that makes it fly. It's loss of navigation that's going to kill you, loss of comms is provided for in the rules and air traffic procedures. Of course, most of us carry several forms of (albeit not certified) backup navigation these days.
 
Got an older Icom A-22. Used to carry it often but not so much anymore. Was fun using it to track a VOR now & again. Mostly used these days to scan nearby frequencies while I sit at the computer in the office.
 
Daleandee said:
Got an older Icom A-22. Used to carry it often but not so much anymore.
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ditto...except I'm not sure of the Icom model off the top of my head
Anyway, the only time I've ever used it is at airshows to monitor, and a time or two getting atis.
I probably will carry it again if I ever start doing cross country trips or IMC again... but I have often thought of selling it. I concur with Stan's sentiment about the simpler the better. Mine is a great radio, but for my purposes I wish it were simpler. Would probably be great if used all the time so familiarity is maintained, but for a rarely used thing I'd need to break out the manual.
 
C-1 PILOT said:
THANKS FOR THE PIREP. I saw they were still on sale, I might just pick one up and leave the other home or in the hanger.
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I just looked and it seems it's the SP-400 that's on sale. The PJ2 is the one with the jacks for the headset and looks to be its normal price of $199. Unless I'm reading it wrong.
 
Yes, I carry one and have external antenna with panel mount jack.
 
I have a Yaesu 450. I use non-rechargeable lithium batteries. Handy for ATIS and IFR clearance before engine start if needed. Replace batteries once a year and usually they have enough leftover power for my headset for a few months. Have my home and frequently visited airport frequencies programmed. Fits between the rear seats in my Archer for easy reach if needed in an emergency.
 
My 14-year-old-Icom died recently, and I replaced it with a Sporty's PJ2, which I liked for it's simplicity, and build-in headset jacks.

I've not had occasion to use either in the plane, but I'd feel uncomfortable without one, especially in this crowded northeast airspace (I'm based under the NYC Bravo).
 
I have an Icom, but I mostly have it so I can pick up my IFR clearance prior to engine start in the MU-2. It's easily paid for itself many times over with 30 GPH combined ground idle fuel flow.
 
BrianNC said:
I just looked and it seems it's the SP-400 that's on sale. The PJ2 is the one with the jacks for the headset and looks to be its normal price of $199. Unless I'm reading it wrong.
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It’s also $199, I found it advertised in the latest AOPA Pilot, page 15.
 
YAESU FTA-450L - always in the plane, get used on the ground at times and gets charged about once a month
one of these days i will put the headset jack adapter on.
 
I have the compact Yaesu. It works nicely and keeps a charge for quite a while. I leave the headset adapter plugged into it, so it won't be a struggle if I need it. Doesn't take much room in my bag.
 
I used an Icom A24 as my only radio for several years and two airplanes, neither of which had an electrical system. Now that I have a plane with an installed radio, the Icom is gathering dust. But I don't fly anywhere that a com failure would be more than a minor inconvenience.
 
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