Matt's RV-8 Project



Matt Dralle's RV-8 Project
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Date:  1-3-2009
Number of Hours:  8.00
Manual Reference:  
Brief Description:  Radio Stack Redesigned - Part 1

Well, I just wasn't happy with some issues with the radio stack mounting and brackets. Additionally, both the Garmin SL-30 and GTX-327 faces stuck out well past the VP-200 control panel which obscured the lettering above the Mag switch. Finally, all the connector garbage in the back of the SL-30 and, GTX-327 for that matter, was just out of control. So, I decided to rip the whole mess out and start over again. Boy, I'm sure glad that I did!

The first thing I did was cut the backs off the mounting trays for the Garmin SL-30 and GTX-327 so that I could fit regular screw-on DB-style connectors to both the DB15/25/37 connectors as well as the BNC fittings for the three antennas. My ultimate goal is to be able to completely remove the instrument panel by simply disconnecting all of the various connectors. The default connectors (all of them) on the Garmin trays has you hard wiring everything to the back of the trays. This means you either have to put a secondary set of connectors in (which is what I had originally done), or just settle for never removing the instrument panel. The latter just not being an option. What I've done now is simply cut out the middle-man, and all connectors are connected directly to the radios with standard, removable connectors and stock screws. While this impacts the ability to slide the radios out in a "traditional" sense, I feel that the ability to remove the whole instrument panel as a single "unit" far out weighs the downside of having to remove the connectors from the rear of the radios before fully sliding them out.

But here's the major win in all of this. After cutting all of the tray connectors and fittings off, I weighed it all. Are you ready for this? Nearly 12oz of dead weight!!

So, all of this took about a day and half of "extra" work, but in the end it was well worth the time spent and is in keeping with my commitment to "If it ain't perfect, do it over.", philosophy I've been using during the construction of this here RV-8.
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Jack Screws Added To SL-30 & GTX-327

Jack Screws Added To SL-30 & GTX-327

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Standard Hooded DB Connectors

Standard Hooded DB Connectors

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Completely New Radio Stack Brackets

Completely New Radio Stack Brackets

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