Making a NAV / COM Radio Help Needed!

[No Longer Active]

Hello,

I am planning on buying the BU0836X shortly, to replace my 'non x version' that I sold.

I would like to make a NAV / COM radio using the panel I have designed.

I would like it to work like the desktop aviator NAV / COM but using my own panel, as I plan to incorporate an LCD Screen into it using FS LCD through a parallel port, and my panel is only 6 1/4 inches wide like a real Bendix radio as compared to the DA radio which is 8 inches.

http://www.desktopaviator.com/Products/Panel/Model_2010/index.htm

Looking at the Desktop Aviator panel, it incorporates 2 rotary encoders, 2 standby push buttons and 2 flip switch toggles for MHZ & KHZ.

What encoders do I need, and how would I wire it up to function as a radio.

I am guessing:

INPUT 1 = STANDBY
INPUT 2 = STANDBY 2
INPUT 3 & 4 = ENCODER UP DOWN
INPUT 5 & 6 = ENCODER 2 UP AND DOWN

But how do I wire up the flip switch toggle so that I can select MHZ and KHZ using the same encoder on each side?

Am I thinking on the right track on making a radio, surely this shouldn't be too hard?

Cheers for all your help.

Alex

[NigelD]

Hi Alex,
This might not be helpful, but I don't think you can do that. The reason is that you assign the encoders directly to their respective functions from the BU card. I've had a look at this for my radios-to-be. I'm sure someone else will tell me why I am wrong!

Two possible solutions - Leo is now selling dual encoders on his (temporarily offline) site for about £18 each. The other solution which I've tested is to have Mhz assigned to clockwise and khz to anti-clockwise. Not ideal, but I know this works! I was going to do it that way until I saw the dual encoders from Leo.

I kicked myself for being an idiot as I've been looking for them everywhere for ages, and then I saw them on Leo's and thought "dammit! They were there all the time! :-x " But they weren't - they are a recent addition. Funny story? No, I guess not.....!

Nigel.

[No Longer Active]

Hi Nigel,

Cheers for the advice, to be honest there isn't no cheaper way of making a simple radio that does so little.

But 2 of leo's encoders @ £18 each is £36 plus £50 for the BU0836 still comes to a few quid.....

Maybe DA's option is the best and cheapest all along!

If I buy one, I'll rip it apart and let you know how it's wired!

All the best!

Alex

[Geremy Britton]

knowing the owner of DA well and also owning one of just about all the panels he sells i have the radio panel. What i'll do for you is take it apart for you and take a picture and post for you tomorrow. The rotaries are simply a series of microbuttons in effect and each increment on the turn of the rotary can be programmed separately if that makes any sense.

I've got some other pictures to upload from cosford tomorrow so i'll do it for you within the 24 hour mark for you if that helps. :)

[Buddym]

I think Niget to be correct, since we assign the function of the rotaries directly with the Bodnar card, changing function during flight does not seem like it would work.

I did see something like this in a nother post here some time ago.. the idea was to wire a single rotary to 2 sets of pins, that is 2 "pairs" on the card, then the ground of each pair went to 2 poles on a simple switch, with the common on the switch going to ground on the rotary. When the switch is in position 1, the rotary would have a ground reference that could trigger pulses to the card inputs for 1 control (like Mhz), when in position 2 the card would have a ground foe the other pins. It seems like this would work as long as the inputs do not share a common ground.

I never tried it but depending on how the bodnar card designed (and it seems very robust) it might work.

Another route is the dual rotary from cockpitsonicUSA. I have tested this dual rotary encoder with my Bodnar card and works very well. As a matter of fact, that's what I used it for when I tested, tuning NAV1.

Hope this helps..

BuddyM

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

hi alex......
ian to the rescue again......... :o
ok, this is how to do it. two options here...you either use a dual rotary encoder 1 for Mhz and one for Khz and the push switch as the toggle between Com1 & Com2.
or the 'cheap' way is to use 1 cheap Sure Electronics encoder thru a DPDT switch.
this way you will use 2 button pairs on the card.

you need to connect the common on the encoder to a gnd input on the card. then the two other connections are soldered to the common on each side of the switch. connect 4 wires to the outputs on the switch and connect these to two seperate button pairs on BU0836X. you then assign the one set to Mhz + & - and Khz + & -.
throwing the switch one way will increase/decrease Mhz and the other way the Khz will get changed. you can use the push switch again as your toggle.

if you get in trouble, mail me and i'll see if i have an old encoder in the workshop to do the job for you.

good luck matey. rgds ... ian

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

hello alex........
you lucky, lucky boy :o
i've just been down to the workshop and in my box of bits, i have an alps dual rotary encoder that i used for something (can't remember what). it's all wired up except the push switch. but i'm sure you can sort that :o
it'll be in the mail to you next time i go out. you'll have to sort the knobs.
hope that gets you out of a spot.
rgds ... ian

[No Longer Active]

Sir Ian.....

Reading your explanation makes perfect sence, i'm pretty sure I can work something out! Secretly I knew you would come to my rescue with a solution!
You always do!

I think you have atleast a 30% Share in my sim now! Superb!, the next thing you'll want is to stick ''737ng.co.uk'' stickers over my MIP as advertising! LOL :D, (......plus a UPS account!)

Ian....simply smashing!!!!

I might pick your brain when it arrives!!!

Nice one Sir Ian and Gez!!!

Kind Regard!

[No Longer Active]

Hello Sir Ian.....

I have tried to understand your second method / the cheap way of wiring up the radio using a flip switch and encoder!

I have come up with this:

http://alexpilot.50g.com/navcomradiopinout.jpg

Does this look right?

Cheers,

Alex

[wannabeaflyer]

Hi Guys i recently Bought some Dual Encoders from Cockpitsonic USA and they were a great price you may wanna have a look at there product ...not affliated with them just thought they were excellent value for money and shipping to the UK was Very reasonable..

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

hello alex......
not quite right. this is how it's done.
this is a basic encoder (CTS288 or SURE Encoder). the pins are designated A B & C.
C is the common, so run the common wire (Black) to a GND connection on the BU0836X.
the other two wires (red and blue) are the contacts. these tell the hardware which way you have turned the encoder and by how much.
to do what you want to do, run the red and blue wires to the common terminals on a DPDT switch. you can route the output to two different destinations by throwing the switch.
from the switch, the respective red and blue wires attach to two seperate button pairs on the BU0836X which have been set up for encoders. you now have two seperate encoder inputs, one for each side of the switch. Mhz + & - on one side and Khz + & - on the other.
both encoders mentioned also have a push to make switch. so you may to choose changing Mhz to Khz with this instead.
but if you didn't get your mail yet, i sent you a dual encoder in the mail this morning :o
good man, soldier on and good luck.....
regards from wales ... ian

[No Longer Active]

Hi Ian,

Lol, thats funny because your drawing was the first one I did, then I redrew it because I didnt know how to pair the toggle or what way it went!

Not far off though!

Yeah checked my mail today, love your emails (always something in the post me at the end lol pmsl :)

Your a superstar!

Nice one pal,

Will let you know when it arrives!

[No Longer Active]

I found this site too, which has a few diagrams, not too sure if this person is an MC member:

http://personales.ya.com/micabina737/iocards/hard/elementosi.htm#cts

[Jackpilot]

Hey Guys....
What about this as a panel and knobs:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Boeing-737-Aircraft-Gables-G-1728-VHF-NAV-Control-Panel_W0QQitemZ230360962857QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Aviation_Parts_Gear?hash=item35a2955729&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245
JP

[Kerbo]

Hi Guys i recently Bought some Dual Encoders from Cockpitsonic USA and they were a great price you may wanna have a look at there product ...not affliated with them just thought they were excellent value for money and shipping to the UK was Very reasonable..

I will second this opinion. I bought a couple of dual encoders and two sets of concentric knobs from Cockpitsonic for my GA Nav/Comm prototype and was very happy. The knobs are the wide body style but I have been unable to find anything close to a GA/King concentric knob.