Radio & GPS for a J3

[Lotro]

I flew a J3 to Collingwood this weekend and in addition to freezing my a** off, I realized that I'm uncomfortable flying a plane without a reliable radio and that a GPS would be prudent given that the 1946 bird has no heading indicator and a suspicious compass.

I realize that the joy of Cub flying is strict VFR flight and I safely made it to Collingwood and back without the aid of any nav instruments or radios (it helps when you have infinite visbility), but as a 120hr pilot, I was uncomfortable at times.

The plane did have a handheld radio that hooks up to an external antenna, but for some reason (maybe operator error) it would recieve, but not broadcast. My guess is that the battery was pretty much frozen from being in the plane all night, and couldn't produce enough juice to broadcast.

At any rate, my question is: if I wanted to buy a handheld radio and portable GPS to fly XC in this particular aircraft, what would you reccomend?

I searched the site, but found nothing, so apologies if this has been answered elsewhere.

I don't need overkill on the radio or GPS, just enough to make me feel a little more comfortable and keep me safe going forward.

Thanks for your insight.

Lotro

[Big Pistons Forever]

I flew a J3 to Collingwood this weekend and in addition to freezing my a** off, I realized that I'm uncomfortable flying a plane without a reliable radio and that a GPS would be prudent given that the 1946 bird has no heading indicator and a suspicious compass.

I realize that the joy of Cub flying is strict VFR flight and I safely made it to Collingwood and back without the aid of any nav instruments or radios (it helps when you have infinite visbility), but as a 120hr pilot, I was uncomfortable at times.

The plane did have a handheld radio that hooks up to an external antenna, but for some reason (maybe operator error) it would recieve, but not broadcast. My guess is that the battery was pretty much frozen from being in the plane all night, and couldn't produce enough juice to broadcast.

At any rate, my question is: if I wanted to buy a handheld radio and portable GPS to fly XC in this particular aircraft, what would you reccomend?

I searched the site, but found nothing, so apologies if this has been answered elsewhere.

I don't need overkill on the radio or GPS, just enough to make me feel a little more comfortable and keep me safe going forward.

Thanks for your insight.

Lotro

Well I saw a picture of a guy who duct taped an IPAD to the instrument panel of his J3. He had a full color moving map, real time XM weather, and synthetic vision through an external AHARS plug in. On the strut next to the throttle he had duct taped the new sporty handheld combined COMM/VOR/ILS.

I can see the ATC conversation now:

XXX arrival J3 FXXX checkin in with information Bravo. Requesting the ABC 1 STAR for the runway XX ILS and vectors won't be necessary as we can close the STAR ourselves.

[robertsailor1]

Often the stubby antenna is not up to the job and you need an external antenna properly set up to get decent transmit on the portables. Do you have headsets with the radio?
I use a Garmin 96C which works real well, its a little larger than your handheld radio, takes batteries and lasts around 12 hours. Might sell mine if your interested.
I flew a J-3 back here from the other side of Chicago with no compass, you get good at map reading and at those speeds it takes a lot longer to get lost.
Its a wonderful aircraft for you to be building time in at this stage in your flying, that little guy will teach you alot about flying, enjoy it.

[Big Pistons Forever]

Often the stubby antenna is not up to the job and you need an external antenna properly set up to get decent transmit on the portables. Do you have headsets with the radio?
.

My experience as well. The first airplane I owned was a 1969 C 150 (with the original truely horrible "discover flying" bright orange and lime green paint scheme ). It had the original Cessna 300 comm complete with unobtainium tube technology. The radio died shortly after I bought it and I could not afford another radio so I got the radio shop to make a pig tail that allowed me to plug the external antenna to the BNC plug on my King Ky 99 handheld. I also was able to plug it into a portable isocomm intercom powered through the cigarette lighter plug (modified with an in line 2 amp fuse). I flew for almost 3 years with this rig and never got any complaints from ATC,

[X Driver]

I just flew a cub with same instrumentation as yours from Northern Manitoba to Vancouver and it was as cold as you describe. For years I have used an Icom hand held with a good external antenna and plug to hook into A/C electrical system. As well the adapter to plug a David Clarke head set and push to talk switch into it. For navigation I used the Garmin 495 hand held GPS plugged into A/C electrical system as well. The set up works well is totally portable and cost effective.

[robertsailor1]

Problem with the J-3 Cub is that you can't plug anything into the A/C electrical system because there isn't one!

[straightpilot]

For radio, all you need is a decent external antenna and batteries for a handheld.

For nav, all I use is the GPS in my phone. I'm cheap, so I downloaded blackstar for free, and it works great.

[oldtimer]

I have seen a number of different aircraft that had a wind propeller driven generator attached to the landing gear which gave the owner electrical power. Enough to run an aircraft radio. Friend flew an 8A Luscombe from Lethbridge to Victoria and then on to Newfoundland and then back to Lethbridge with this rig.

[lownslow]

The plane did have a handheld radio that hooks up to an external antenna, but for some reason (maybe operator error) it would recieve, but not broadcast. My guess is that the battery was pretty much frozen from being in the plane all night, and couldn't produce enough juice to broadcast.

You're probably right, I've had this happen when the batteries get low in the handhelds I've used. I've also used some Icom radios that seem to use the mic on the radio itself instead of the headset mic when you push the PTT. I'm told you're supposed to buy some kind of external PTT switch and it will then use the headset mic. Personally, I'd just choose a different radio.

As for the GPS thing, just get comfortable with map reading. A J-3 doesn't move fast enough to really get lost as long as you're looking outside. Plus, the cockpit is pretty small and only gets smaller as you fill it with unnecessary stuff.

The most fun I've had flying was in a Cub with the doors and windows open, a set of ear plugs in and a map sticking out of the front seatback pocket.

LnS.

[warbirdpilot7]

The plane did have a handheld radio that hooks up to an external antenna, but for some reason (maybe operator error) it would recieve, but not broadcast. My guess is that the battery was pretty much frozen from being in the plane all night, and couldn't produce enough juice to broadcast.

You're probably right, I've had this happen when the batteries get low in the handhelds I've used. I've also used some Icom radios that seem to use the mic on the radio itself instead of the headset mic when you push the PTT. I'm told you're supposed to buy some kind of external PTT switch and it will then use the headset mic. Personally, I'd just choose a different radio.

As for the GPS thing, just get comfortable with map reading. A J-3 doesn't move fast enough to really get lost as long as you're looking outside. Plus, the cockpit is pretty small and only gets smaller as you fill it with unnecessary stuff.

The most fun I've had flying was in a Cub with the doors and windows open, a set of ear plugs in and a map sticking out of the front seatback pocket.

LnS.

That's right...Enjoy the pure aspect of flying. If, however, you need a small GPS unit for your own comfort, get one. That frontseat back pocket mentioned above is a good spot for the unit. Just fly and enjoy the expierence and reference the GPS periodically.
All the pilots back in the day flying Curtis Jennys had no GPS.

[robertsailor1]

Curtis Jenny's !!! How about just a few years ago, LOL

[Lotro]

Thanks everyone,

I'm going to explore more closely the antennae setup. It's worked for me before, I just blamed the frozen battery. Yes, I wear a headset which hooks into the handheld. It's worked for me before, just not this particular flight.

I appreciate the joys of looking out the window and navigating by map, the GPS would just be for my own comfort, not as a main navigation tool. The compass told me I was going west, and I swore I was going south, which is a little unnerving when you don't have a lot of time or experience. My eyes didn't lie however, especially since the windfarm and lakes make for obvious landmarks.

It was wayy too cold though, even in my winter gear.

[chicken hawk]

I have a Garmin 76, good bang for your buck. Mounted on the top of the panel, it's a flip down mount so you can get it out of your way if needed. It does everything I need and more.

[straightpilot]

the frozen battery

One trick I've seen people do, is to carry a small sealed
+12V battery (like you would use on a motorcycle) with
them, and use it to power the GPS, radio, etc.

Something like this:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/e ... ighpwr.php

Put it in a carrying bag with one of these:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/e ... rchgr6.php

and plug it into the wall when you aren't using it.