Narco AT50 Replacement

[Frank Green]

Thanks for the recommendation. I don't want to spend a fortune, but also don't want to waste money on another piece of equipment that will fail soon.

I did a bunch of research last night. Based on that I am leaning toward the Garmin GTX 320A. Still supported and can be found tested and tagged for under $500.

The tough part is finding a Garmin P/N 011-00292-00. It adapts the GTX 320A to use the existing Narco tray and wiring.

I would have gone the Garmin route if I could have found the adapter as well but found the 165 first. Either are scarce.

[EdH]

Thanks for the recommendation. I don't want to spend a fortune, but also don't want to waste money on another piece of equipment that will fail soon.

I did a bunch of research last night. Based on that I am leaning toward the Garmin GTX 320A. Still supported and can be found tested and tagged for under $500.

The tough part is finding a Garmin P/N 011-00292-00. It adapts the GTX 320A to use the existing Narco tray and wiring.

I have found that the 327 works better, with the ADSB equipment. You can find these at Texas air salvage. I bought one of these from them and it actually died on initial start up, sent it back and they sent me another one next day air. Also these are not that hard to wire in if you use the 232 serial to connect it to everything.

[Steve Pierce]

The avionics said they just bench checked one for me. $100 and they want your old one.

[moto657]

The avionics said they just bench checked one for me. $100 and they want your old one.

That's a great deal.

Late last night a Garmin GTX327 with a Narco adapter showed up on eBay. For sale from an avionics shop, it was tested and tagged. I bought the set up for $575.

Steve I really appreciate you taking the time to set up a great deal with your avionics guy. If you give me his info I'll gladly send him my old AT50 so he can use it for parts.

[moto657]

I feel like it's a good deal for a more modern and reliable setup that is plug and play.

The Garmin Narco adapters are tough to find. I called/emailed a bunch of the bigger avionics shops around the US and nobody had one. I was watching eBay close, and jumped on it quick when it showed up last night.

[moto657]

The GTX-327 and adaptor showed up early! Scheduled for Oct 15, then Oct 12, and showed up today at 12PM. Awesome for free shipping from the east to west coast.

It slid into the Narco tray and fired right up. Nice to have the Pressure Alt display so you know the encoder is doing its job.
DSC_2829.JPG

It also has a flight time read out as well as a count up and count down timer.
DSC_2830.JPG DSC_2831.JPG

With the installation manual it was pretty easy to cycle through all of the set up menus and get it configured properly for my plane. I set the Flight timer up so it will start automatically when I take off. I checked my skybeacon with the app and its receiving the squawk code properly. Now I just need to get the biannual transponder inspection and log book entries done. I think I'll get the 2 old Morrow GPS units out so the sign off and W&B can all get done at once. They still work OK, but there are no more updates available and they are way out of date. Really just dead weight with my iPad running foreflight and an iPhone for backup display and GPS.

DSC_2833.JPG

[Jspey]

I like your panel. What is that switch on the top of the panel between the tach and the vacuum gauge?

[moto657]

I like your panel. What is that switch on the top of the panel between the tach and the vacuum gauge?

It's a left/right switch for the fuel gauge

[moto657]

The new transponder set up was tested and signed off this morning. It was functioning perfect.