PS Engineering's PAR100EX

[RanRan]

Mark Scheuer
PS Engineering, Inc.
www.ps-engineering.com

Mark, in your product development and research, how much does radio wattage matter? Is a 10 Watt radio twice as good as a 5 Watt radio?
I can't find any articles on the net that have addressed the question. How and when and where does wattage power come into play for determining the best radio for Cub type flying?

Wouldn't a 5 watt panel mounted radio with a quality antenna blow away the same wattage in a handheld? Some of you guys with the Becker 6 watt radio must have an opinion on this. What's that radio been like?

I know Ralph has said that he loves his 10 watt SL40 in plane to plane talk - the last to fade out. But in everyday contact with towers - say 30 miles out - will a 5 watt radio do the trick?

Thanks

[mscheuer]

While there is no doubt, the output power of the transmitter plays a significant role in distance of transmission, there are many other factors that the aircraft owner has in his control to assure he gets the optimum performance from his radio system.

Choose an antenna that has the least amount of attenuation. Most VHF antennas have gain less than a dipole, and a dipole antenna has a gain of 1.

Choose coax that has less loss over the standard RG-58

Make sure your antenna is working from a great ground plane.

Check the SWR, if it is greater than 2:1, you are having too much RF being reflected back into the transmitter.

And of course the placement of the antenna can play an important role. Remember, VHF propagation is line of sight, placing an antenna behind something metal blocking the RF, can degrade signal strenght at the receiver.

And speaking of receivers, the receiver sensitivity and selectability also plays an important role in over all quality of communications.

There are equations, two of them in fact, the are interdependent. I'd rather not bring my books out, its been way too long for me to try to be an antenna specialist again. (ham radio call is W9MV)

And you are so correct, a handheld inside an aircraft, IMHO, is very impractical. The best I have ever gotten was about 5 miles away from the tower.

Sincerely,

The REM760 that we sell with the PAR100EX garauntees output power of 5 Watts, but every unit we have tested puts out at least 6 watts.

[chipallen]

Mark - Is the intercom in the PAR100EX as good as the PM1200? I've used it in the Sport / Carbon Cubs for a long time with outstanding performance! Secondly, I assume there are no issues with using the LEMO jacks with the PAR100EX.

Pete D - What about mounting space for the "box"? Where do you put it?

Thanks,

[Pete D]

Love to, but to answer your question (and this is a little embarrassing) I don't have 200 thousand dollars for an airplane right now. That can/will change. In the meantime, should I hold off asking questions? Let me know.

Ran

Not at all. The more questions you (or anyone) asks, the better.

I too am just a couple pennies shy of picking up my own Carbon Cub ;-P


Pete D.

[mscheuer]

Mark - Is the intercom in the PAR100EX as good as the PM1200? I've used it in the Sport / Carbon Cubs for a long time with outstanding performance! Secondly, I assume there are no issues with using the LEMO jacks with the PAR100EX.

Pete D - What about mounting space for the "box"? Where do you put it?

Thanks,

The IntelliVox intercom that is incorporated in the PAR100EX is an excellent intercom (would we make anything less?). While the PM1200 is designed to work in open cockpit aircraft, very noisy war birds, and the like, the PAR100EX does have a High-Noise setting for the IntelliVox that is controlled by moving dip switches inside the audio panel.

In the event that the Oregon Aero Mic Muff Kits just don't cut enough of the back ground noise, the last alternative is to switch to the High-Noise IntelliVox. That in most cases, will work great.

Mark Scheuer
PS Engineering

[clipwingcub]

Dear Clipwingcub (sorry, couldn't find your name).

Just wanted to clarify one item, the PAR100EX has Bluetooth where the PMA5000EX does not. The only loss of capability are the number of switched inputs! Otherwise, they are very capable audio panels. (note: the MAP of the PMA5000EX is $895 while the MAP on the PAR100EX is $2295, making the difference less than $400, when using Aircraft Spruce's M760 price of $1081.

I also think the pilot will find operation of the audio panel (as an ICS, audio controller, and radio controller) very simple, and that is what we have been told pilots are wanting. Capability without complexity.

Mark Scheuer
PS Engineering, Inc.
www.ps-engineering.com

Dear mscheuer,

If you click on clipwingcub, it's fairly easy to find a name.

You folks up in Tennessee build some excellent intercom products, which I own one now. If you had read further down in the posts, you would find that I "was" seriously considering this one to save on panel space. Whether you subtract MAP from MAP, or my 900 from 1300, it's still a 400 difference. While you guys normally have a very good value proposition, in my opinion, you would have a better proposition with an 8 watt versus the 5 watt. Us cub operators don't have the optimal antenna placement choices and the additional db gain in the fringe would make this worth the premium.

By the way, bluetooth sucks the life out of mobile device batteries. Of course you could plug the device into your panel power, but it you are going to use a cord, why not just plug it into the audio and save the cool factor of using bluetooth.

ps. if you really search out beyond Aircraft Spruce, you can find the 760 with their control head for a little over 900. When you insult a customer you lose a customer.


Tony

[RanRan]

When you insult a customer you lose a customer.

Tony

Come on, Tony, this the first time in this thread that you signed your name. I don't think Mark meant to be rude at all - he used your other name - your handle on this forum.

Ran

[mscheuer]

Dear mscheuer,

If you click on clipwingcub, it's fairly easy to find a name.

You folks up in Tennessee build some excellent intercom products, which I own one now. If you had read further down in the posts, you would find that I "was" seriously considering this one to save on panel space. Whether you subtract MAP from MAP, or my 900 from 1300, it's still a 400 difference. While you guys normally have a very good value proposition, in my opinion, you would have a better proposition with an 8 watt versus the 5 watt. Us cub operators don't have the optimal antenna placement choices and the additional db gain in the fringe would make this worth the premium.

By the way, bluetooth sucks the life out of mobile device batteries. Of course you could plug the device into your panel power, but it you are going to use a cord, why not just plug it into the audio and save the cool factor of using bluetooth.

ps. if you really search out beyond Aircraft Spruce, you can find the 760 with their control head for a little over 900. When you insult a customer you lose a customer.


Tony

I appologize for using your handle and not taking the time to find your name. That was a mistake, not an insult. (I think this is the insult you are referring too?)

Sorry we lost you as a customer. Having been in the business for over 25 years, I understand the importance of each and every customer in our very small community of aviators. Losing you as a customer is a serious matter, could you reconsider remaining as one of our many fans?

Sincerely
Mark Scheuer
Founder and CEO
PS Engineering, Inc.