SP-400 Handheld

[coppercity]

Just picked up a Sporty's SP-400 handheld. So far I like it. It has a nice big easy to read screen. Has Comm, Nav, and Glideslope complete with a graphic ILS display. It will be a nice addition to the flight bag and a nice backup for my CT, Comanche, etc.

[airhound]

Eric,

How user friendly/intuitive is frequency bank programming? My ICOM 24 programming procedure is like a one dimensional rubics cube routine....Not Friendly Need Distructions!

[coppercity]

I find the radio very easy to use. To program a freq in the storage, you punch in the freq you want to save, hit the "mem" button, then up or down to the location number you want to put it, then press "mem" again. Very easy to get to the stored freqs as well, just press "rcl" button then up or down to the one you want and its in. It also has a "last freq" button to switch right back to the previous freq you were using. So far everything seems really simple, and with the big screen and big buttons, its easy to use bouncing around!

[airhound]

Let us know your VOR experience when able. What kind of range, will you mount the radio, or occasionally hold it for a to/from heading to the VOR etc. Are you going to couple it to your aircraft COM antenna?

[coppercity]

I will try to get some range data for you this weekend. I'll be flying over to San Diego so I will have a chance to check it out. Looking forward to seeing how it matches up on the ILS into SD International.

 

 

Didn't have any plans to mount it. I just plan on using it as a backup comm/nav, and for yelling at my students when their solo!

[coppercity]

Back from San Diego and the SP 400 performed very well. I was able to pick up various VORs from 60nm-75nm at 9500-11500 ft using the stock antenna. Tracking seemed solid and the display is very easy to read. Setting the OBS and selecting to/from is very simple. Didn't get a chance to check the ILS, it got a little busy on approach into Lindbergh with the low cloud layer, but overall I thought the handheld did very well and makes a great addition to the flight bag. Battery life was good, though I didn't transmit on it I used it for at least 4-5hrs throughout the weekend and there was no indication of the battery indicator moving down. Thats using 8 AA alkline batts. I think my next addition will be the headset adapter for it, its to hard to hear in the cockpit.

 

regards

[airhound]

Good new! Were you holding it or was it sitting in the seat or on top of the panel? I hooked up an older headset to the 'multi-plug' adapter so its ready to go if the Comm1 craps out at the worst time, so I wouldn't have to fidget with it.

[BMcCand - N248CT]

I have an Icom A24 as a backup. I used it when the SL30 was removed. I found that using a headphone adapter *requires* an external Push-to-talk switch. Pushing the button on the side of the radio activates the internal mic, not the external headphones. A very helpful controller at my home base, KASH, explained this to me after landing. He was very nice upon my return to field, I was able

to receive Ok, but he could not hear my transmissions. He still accepted me into downwind, and cleared to land.

I used double-click of carrier to acknowledge his transmissions. Lesson learned !

Try out the backup procedures and radios before they become necessary.

 

I got RF feedback into my ANR David Clark headphones, and a squeal on xmit. Had to turn off the noise cancellation.

There are RF beads available from Icom to stop the feedback. I don't have them yet.

 

I didn't try using VOR nav on the portable, just COM. VOT always works Ok on the A24, 0 or 1 deg error. I use the

built-in antenna.

 

The Icom cigarette power plug doesn't stay in the CTSW socket. That socket is basically a cylinder with no effective retention springs or notches. I'm looking at replacement plugs for the Icom power. Does anyone know of a better, approved, socket for the aircraft ?

 

Oh, I do agree that storing a frequency, with a name, is difficult on the A24. That always sends me to the manual. I carry a Kindle reader in the plane, and put all the manuals on that in addition to AFD and approach plates.

[airhound]

248CT-Good Gouge! Thanks!! Where do you place the radio in the A/C? Radio or headset=turn off the noise cancellation? What are noise beads??

[BMcCand - N248CT]

Ranger6,

I tried the radio on the seat and held up over the console. Still got feedback.

 

I turned off the active noise suppression on the David Clark box, part of the H10-13X head set.

I also put it on mono mode (the little slide switch in the Y of the cable.)

 

I've attached the Icom service bulletin about the ferrite beads. They snap over the headset wires.

Two Icom part #6910013530 are needed. I'm not sure who sells them, yet.

A24 Headset Noise Modification.pdf