Second-hand Icom A2 Tranceiver
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Second-hand Icom A2 Tranceiver
I have an opportunity to purchase a secondhand Icom IC-A2 transceiver, which I am looking to be primary VHF radio in my vintage taildragger.
Th owner is asking £150 and is including a number of accessories, e.g. headset adapter+PTT, spare battery, leather case, remote battery lead.
Is this a good deal, and can anyone suggest anything I should be looking out for when buying such kit secondhand?
The question of testing the transmitter portion of the radio prior to purchase, did strike me as problematic. Do avionics shops have transceiver test rigs that can be used to test such equipment without actually transmitting?
Only other option is to bite the bullet and buy an IC-A22, the VOR receiver may well turn out to be a life-saver; what have been other people's experience with handheld VORs receivers? Worth the extra?
Any advice and suggestions appreciated.
Th owner is asking £150 and is including a number of accessories, e.g. headset adapter+PTT, spare battery, leather case, remote battery lead.
Is this a good deal, and can anyone suggest anything I should be looking out for when buying such kit secondhand?
The question of testing the transmitter portion of the radio prior to purchase, did strike me as problematic. Do avionics shops have transceiver test rigs that can be used to test such equipment without actually transmitting?
Only other option is to bite the bullet and buy an IC-A22, the VOR receiver may well turn out to be a life-saver; what have been other people's experience with handheld VORs receivers? Worth the extra?
Any advice and suggestions appreciated.
Join Date: Oct 2000
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My opinion based on similar experiences:
Price of £150 is the right area with the accessories listed (particularly the headset adapter and spare battery pack) if the battery packs are ok. Replacement battery packs approx £70 from memory, or you can replace the cells yourself for about £25 (from memory).
I use an IC-A20 in my pfa aircraft and I am very impressed with it. Range is as good as anything else I have ever used but I do have a well installed antenna.
I bought mine s/h with the (oral) g/tee that I could try it and return if not satisfactory. Easy enough to test go/no-go at any airfield but a proper avionic test set check will cost money.
My IC-A20 does have the VOR in it, but it is inferior to a standard aircraft VOR in that it seems rather insensitive and the reading fluctuates by up to five degrees all the time. Because of the poor sensitivity it is rare to be able to find two VORs within range which is what you need for a fix, there being no DME ! Also, you can't use the VOR and the radio simultaneously so it is of limited use unless you have a dual installation in the aircraft.
Personally, I wouldn't bother with the VOR version. If you are "uncertain of position" it is quicker to call two ATC units for QDM, or call 121.5 for autotriangulation.
I bought a cheap non-aviation GPS (GPX12) and am very impressed with that.
Final note, if you are using an aircraft generated supply, make sure you add a good regulator. The ICOMs will not tolerate an overvoltage, and repairs cost the same as the equipment is worth.
Price of £150 is the right area with the accessories listed (particularly the headset adapter and spare battery pack) if the battery packs are ok. Replacement battery packs approx £70 from memory, or you can replace the cells yourself for about £25 (from memory).
I use an IC-A20 in my pfa aircraft and I am very impressed with it. Range is as good as anything else I have ever used but I do have a well installed antenna.
I bought mine s/h with the (oral) g/tee that I could try it and return if not satisfactory. Easy enough to test go/no-go at any airfield but a proper avionic test set check will cost money.
My IC-A20 does have the VOR in it, but it is inferior to a standard aircraft VOR in that it seems rather insensitive and the reading fluctuates by up to five degrees all the time. Because of the poor sensitivity it is rare to be able to find two VORs within range which is what you need for a fix, there being no DME ! Also, you can't use the VOR and the radio simultaneously so it is of limited use unless you have a dual installation in the aircraft.
Personally, I wouldn't bother with the VOR version. If you are "uncertain of position" it is quicker to call two ATC units for QDM, or call 121.5 for autotriangulation.
I bought a cheap non-aviation GPS (GPX12) and am very impressed with that.
Final note, if you are using an aircraft generated supply, make sure you add a good regulator. The ICOMs will not tolerate an overvoltage, and repairs cost the same as the equipment is worth.
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To get the VOR side of a hand held to work well it must be conected to a VOR aeriel and not the COM aeriel this is a a bit of a pain in the **** to swap around when you are trying to fly the aircraft !
The hand held must be conected to a proper COM aeriel to get any worthwile range out of it ,my king KX99 will transmit about 10 miles at 2000ft with the ruber duck aeriel and 35+ miles at 2000ft when conected to the aircraft aeriel.
For use as a backup King make a mechanical relay to conect the hand held and disconect the aircraft radio from the aircraft aeriel.
The hand held must be conected to a proper COM aeriel to get any worthwile range out of it ,my king KX99 will transmit about 10 miles at 2000ft with the ruber duck aeriel and 35+ miles at 2000ft when conected to the aircraft aeriel.
For use as a backup King make a mechanical relay to conect the hand held and disconect the aircraft radio from the aircraft aeriel.
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Sorry Sensible, have snapped the Icom up <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
But I noticed a slightly more expensive one on <a href="http://www.afors.co.uk" target="_blank"> Aircraft For Sale</a>in the For Sale - Miscellaneous section, but it is the later IC-A20 model, so it may be worth a bit extra - or it may be that the owner is open to haggling.
Good luck
[ 21 January 2002: Message edited by: tacpot ]</p>
But I noticed a slightly more expensive one on <a href="http://www.afors.co.uk" target="_blank"> Aircraft For Sale</a>in the For Sale - Miscellaneous section, but it is the later IC-A20 model, so it may be worth a bit extra - or it may be that the owner is open to haggling.
Good luck
[ 21 January 2002: Message edited by: tacpot ]</p>
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Actually, I have an Icom IC-A22 I was just being greedy and looking for a spare one for my club. I don't think I want to spend more than £150 tho. Thanks anyway.
