8.33 and what happens with existing radios
 

Went to AeroExpo today and was thinking of buying a handheld to be ahead of the 8.33 game (I did something similar when 720 became 760 channels) BUT saw the CAA update sheet, and now understand that from December 2017, it will actually be illegal to use our old 760s as these will interfere with 8.33 frequencies.

I know this has been coming for years, but maybe others like me don't realise that our current panels will effectively be scrap. No doubt it may get pushed back, and there could be exceptions, but CAA seems to think this will just be emergency frequencies, and the like of ballooning - otherwise there is no point in keeping any 25 KHz equipment in the aircraft.

So anyone who has more than one radio to replace is into serious money, and for absolutely no purpose, as we (GA) have quite enough frequencies available if we manage them properly. Apparently there is some 4.5 million euro grant available to help the transition, but no-one knows who will get it or how.

Even the side of the radio containing nav are at threat too, because ILS will be changed to 8.33 (like all ground frequencies), so it's all new everything.

No doubt that LAA, AOPA etc will be campaigning like crazy, but please add your "voices" to the debate. Talk to your representatives (whoever they are) and see if we can change anything.

Why yes, there is now a market niche for a new kind of cupboard or shelf, to go into all avionics workshops. It has a compartment for mode C transponders and another for 25 kHz radios. Demand is expected to be considerable.

And I hear some saying that there was no real need for 8,33 , only too big a part of the available 25 kHz channels are reserved for authorities that don't really need them and use them rarely, if at all.

But it seems like now is too late to re-open the debate.

A plastic container colour-coded for recycling electronics is already available, I believe.

Read somewhere the suggestion that you try to flog your old 25khz gear in the USÁ as they don't use 8.33 spacing.

I think that we'll all end up with old 25kHz radios on our desks at work so that we can listen to local ATC when nobody else is in the office. There probably is a market for little desk mount / power supply / antenna combos for that.

Mode C transponders.... weee !

G

I upgraded my Box 2 to 8.33 last year and was stunned at the price my old, knackered, unit got on eBay, shipped to US

@GtE: I understood that the US (with its much more sensible rulemaking) is indeed a possible destination for 25 kHz radios, as confirmed by @150Driver, but doesn't the same apply for mode C transponders?

Good point - if you're right, it's a great time to be an American aircraft owner in search of cheap avionics!

G

can I have the source for this please? VOR signal is 21KHz wide and the reference signal is FM, how do you imagine compressing it down to 8.33 spacing? It's not like voice AM where you can just cut the side band without affecting the quality

ILS change?
 

This came out in discussion with CAA person (although they were "policy" rather than "technical"). So it may well be incorrect - but either way, one half of my KX155 will be defunct, so I may as well swap to new Garmin kit, and use existing indicator (which Garmin assure me will be compatible as "we talk to others"..........

A more efficient use of spectrum is to use digital - as happened with mobile phones and TV. I do wonder whether there is a digital plan in someone's pocket which will render 8.33 obsolete.

...and here's another thing. In common with many places, our airfield uses an Icom vehicle radio for the 'Ground' bit of 'Air/Ground'. Although the frequency isn't going to change, I asked if we need to change this to an 8.33-capable box, in view of the fact that there won't be any adjacent 8.33 frequencies within our DOC, including the airway above us. The answer was 'dunno'.

I'm not changing our lovely, fully working, Bendix/King KX165 and KX155 at least for another 15 months, in the hope that we get a reprieve for Class 'D' and below. In any event, I believe that if we swop the 165 for a Garmin then we can keep the 155 for receive only. We've NO plans to change the Mode 'C' transponder, which is accurate to within 50'. The only advantage to upgrading to Mode 'S' is that we could then have a box with a 'VFR' button on it!

TOO

I hear Australia/NZ is another possible market.

Odd one
 

You can get a KX165A that will be a slide in replacement for your KX165 if you have a 28VDC aircraft if you have a 14VDC aircraft you will need a voltage converter.

KX165 A is almost a slide in replacement some small wiring changes might be required dependent on indicators.

The only think that won't work is KX165A backlighting unless you fit a new pin in the connector and run it to the lighting bus.

The viability of the project is largely dependent on if you are already 28VDC and the cost on the unit, being the demand in Europe for the KX 165A and that next to no one in the USA needs these units second hand equipment is hard to find.

I'll just switch to Stealth mode. I'm already half-way there due to the Mode S farce.