Learning
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 10:42 pmI love to learn new things. Master new skills. Challenge myself.
Building an airplane certainly is more than just being a craftsman, a mechanic, a fabricator. Its being a student.
Especially when tackling the electrical and avionics.
Today I learned all the Sub-D pins I bought from B&G worked fine for the FlightCOM intercom, but wouldn't fit in the Garmin 300XL comm connector. Turns out there's two types, standard and High Density. Who would have thunk? Needed HD for the Garmin. Also, on the same Garmin 300XL, it has a standard density connector for all the GPS stuff and power that requires sockets and not pins. I have pins. Lots of them. So, back to B&G to order some more pins(er sockets) and will pay more for shipping than the items. BTW, Radio Shack sucks. They only sell phones now and their staff is useless.
For my push to talk, I thought I hit the lottery when I found a 4 pack of mini-momentary switches at Radio Shack for $3. Got them installed and found out they are mom-off. Of course, after wiring them to the control sticks. You push the button and the ciruit opens. Not closes. Well that's useless for a PTT. So off to B&G to get mom-ON mini-switches for $7 each. ARRRG!
I find myself studying electrical schematics at night on my iPad. From the various manufacturers and also from other Sonex builders. At first it was like reading greek, but now make sense. Usually. I think.
I learned everything I could about noise inducing circuits,antenna, co-axial cables, ground loops, shielding, crowbars, contactors, looms, bundles, mom-off switches. All for one tiny aircraft!
Oh well. I like to learn.
Building an airplane certainly is more than just being a craftsman, a mechanic, a fabricator. Its being a student.
Especially when tackling the electrical and avionics.
Today I learned all the Sub-D pins I bought from B&G worked fine for the FlightCOM intercom, but wouldn't fit in the Garmin 300XL comm connector. Turns out there's two types, standard and High Density. Who would have thunk? Needed HD for the Garmin. Also, on the same Garmin 300XL, it has a standard density connector for all the GPS stuff and power that requires sockets and not pins. I have pins. Lots of them. So, back to B&G to order some more pins(er sockets) and will pay more for shipping than the items. BTW, Radio Shack sucks. They only sell phones now and their staff is useless.
For my push to talk, I thought I hit the lottery when I found a 4 pack of mini-momentary switches at Radio Shack for $3. Got them installed and found out they are mom-off. Of course, after wiring them to the control sticks. You push the button and the ciruit opens. Not closes. Well that's useless for a PTT. So off to B&G to get mom-ON mini-switches for $7 each. ARRRG!
I find myself studying electrical schematics at night on my iPad. From the various manufacturers and also from other Sonex builders. At first it was like reading greek, but now make sense. Usually. I think.
I learned everything I could about noise inducing circuits,antenna, co-axial cables, ground loops, shielding, crowbars, contactors, looms, bundles, mom-off switches. All for one tiny aircraft!
Oh well. I like to learn.