Hello Team,
I am not happy with the Funke ATR833S COM my aircraft is equipped with.
The radio was first used with its internal 2-seat intercom. At some point it started developing totally garbled audio when transmitting. (Intercom was fine when not transmitting). The issue was mostly solved by using an external intercom. Then a couple months ago, the aircraft was at Avionik Straubing to install, among others, an audio panel. Despite the audio panel, some issues remain. ATC reports unintelligible transmissions from time to time. My favorite headset (Clarity Aloft) is unusable.
Having the audio panel on board enabled re-activating the old 25 kHz King KX-125A NAV/COM as secondary COM. The King was still used in the aircraft as NAV receiver, but its COM part had been obviously replaced by the 8.33 Funke device. We conducted extensive tests with both COMs and all our headsets. Difference is night and day. No issue with the King, transmitted audio is so much clearer, all headsets work well. I use the King in flight whenever I can, but 25 kHz band frequencies are getting rare around here…
I am now at the point where I don’t trust the Funke device anymore. I am considering several options:
Option 1 – replace the ATR833S by an ATR833-II.
Connectors are identical therefore no re-wiring is required. However, chances are high that the hardware is quite similar and I’d end up with the same issues.
Option 2 – replace the ATR833S by something different (Becker or Air Avionics, tending toward the Becker at this point). I want a 57mm round form factor due to the already existing panel cut out, which limits my options. This requires adapting the wiring – probably not a big thing, though.
What do you guys think? Are you happy with your ATR833S?
Has anyone done a comparison of the ATR833S vs ATR833-II?
Any experience with other manufacturers such as Becker or Air Avionics?
Thanks!
Etienne
I have the Becker as COM2, which was already installed when I purchased the airplane. I used it exclusively for a few months before I had the 530W installed, and now I use it for checking/monitoring a second frequency (like ATIS). It’s not nearly as good as the Garmin, but as a drop in for your Funke it could be a decent option.
I would not want it as my primary radio under IFR if I had a choice, mainly because
If I needed a radio for mostly local VFR, the Becker is fine. Its memory function can hold a bunch of frequencies with labels, which might be all you need and eliminate the frequency dialing issue. Just keep in mind that the quality of these cheap radios isn’t going to be as good as a modern rack mount.
We have a ATR833S ATR833 II in the Alphatrainer. I also use Clarity Aloft, and have never had any issues. Some people have had issues though. This has been with older/cheap headsets, and IMO it was “finger trouble”. There are some odd (or difficult to remember) settings on it. Don’t remember exactly what it was, but from time to time it has to be tuned down/up.
We fitted a Trig22 to our wood-and-fabric Jodel DR1050 when 8.33 came in, and immediately had problems. These were caused by interference and were eventually sorted out. At first it was unusable as an intercom and poor as a radio. Fortunately one of the Group was a radio engineer. There was no radio fault. Changing the radio wouldn’t have fixed it
An identical Trig was fitted to the metal Bolkow Junior with no problems. Both have O200 engines with generators. The Jodel had only the Trig transponder and turn-and-slip. The Bolkow has electric flaps, nav lights, and a strobe as well
8.33 seems much more susceptible to interference than 25.
Maoraigh wrote:
There was no radio fault. Changing the radio wouldn’t have fixed it
This is a good point. There are many sources of radio frequency interference and also many reasons why a radio can have poor reception/transmission. I once had a bad antenna connector that made reception horrible. But any decent avionics shop can test RX/TX with shop equipment.
Thanks for all your answers! Will have a shop look into it before moving forward.
(…and keep my handheld radio nearby just in case… ;) )
