Switching from MGL to Dynon

[PaulSS]

It's a plan that's been jiggling around in the back of my head for some time but the same plan seems to come to the fore more often of late. The plan is to move from my current MGL iEFIS Explorer Lite to Dynon HDX.

For obvious reasons I would like to limit the changes in infrastructure and would like to know two things, if anyone is able to help:

1. Can I keep my existing MGL autopilot servos in place and connect them to an HDX?
2. More complicated this one: MGL have a 'fudge' that has a couple of RS232 wires running to the Trig radio TMAP. This 'fudge' allows the radio to be controlled by the EFIS without having to have a radio head in the panel (which I like). What I don't like is the Dynon radio panel and I especially don't like having to have an intercom panel when there is already an intercom built into the Trig radio (that has Dynon written on it if you go for that option). What I would really love to do is keep my existing Trig, remote-mounted, radio and control it through the HDX, without having to install the Dynon radio head or intercom panel. Is it possible to use the same 'fudge' via serial Tx/Rx from the HDX to the radio's TMAP and control it through the HDX, as I do with the MGL EFIS?

I am happy with everything else in the HDX set up but clearly have quite a strong view on Dynon's radio 'choices'.

Thank you for any light you can shed on my questions.

 

[Marc_J._Zeitlin]

1. Can I keep my existing MGL autopilot servos in place and connect them to an HDX?

Can't address the 2nd question, but the answer to the first question is no. Skyviews can only talk to Skyview servos.

 

[Rhino]

I'm told the Dynon radio is, for all intents and purposes, simply a repackaged Trig TY-91L, so you "should" be able to control it from the HDX, although some custom wiring changes might possibly be needed. However, the Dynon setup for controlling radios does not include volume control. That's the main reason you need a radio control panel and can't go completely headless with a Dynon radio. However, again with some customized wiring, you could simply install a volume knob on your instrument panel for that purpose.If you have a control head for the radio already (you didn't specify model), then you already have a volume knob and this isn't an issue. You also cannot control a second radio of any sort from an HDX, should that be something you envision in the future.

 

[jakej]

It's a plan that's been jiggling around in the back of my head for some time but the same plan seems to come to the fore more often of late. The plan is to move from my current MGL iEFIS Explorer Lite to Dynon HDX.

For obvious reasons I would like to limit the changes in infrastructure and would like to know two things, if anyone is able to help:

1. Can I keep my existing MGL autopilot servos in place and connect them to an HDX?
2. More complicated this one: MGL have a 'fudge' that has a couple of RS232 wires running to the Trig radio TMAP. This 'fudge' allows the radio to be controlled by the EFIS without having to have a radio head in the panel (which I like). What I don't like is the Dynon radio panel and I especially don't like having to have an intercom panel when there is already an intercom built into the Trig radio (that has Dynon written on it if you go for that option). What I would really love to do is keep my existing Trig, remote-mounted, radio and control it through the HDX, without having to install the Dynon radio head or intercom panel. Is it possible to use the same 'fudge' via serial Tx/Rx from the HDX to the radio's TMAP and control it through the HDX, as I do with the MGL EFIS?

I am happy with everything else in the HDX set up but clearly have quite a strong view on Dynon's radio 'choices'.

Thank you for any light you can shed on my questions.

"don't like having to have an intercom panel when there is already an intercom built into the Trig radio" --
Are you sure about that ? Take the Dynon (Trig) Transponder - The standard Trig Txpdr have an inbuilt encoder whereas the Dynon/Trig unit does not as the SV displays have their own encoder output. Some avionics boxes have been rebadged for OEM's however that does not mean they are the same.

 

[Rhino]

"don't like having to have an intercom panel when there is already an intercom built into the Trig radio" --
Are you sure about that ?

Assuming he's talking about a TY-91 or 92, yes, they have a built-in intercom.

As for the radio being compatible with the EFIS, that is limited. It will transfer frequencies, but the EFIS cannot "control" the radio the same way it does the Dynon radio because the protocols are different for the repackaged Trig radios being used by Dynon. You'd still need a control head of some sort to exercise full radio control. I haven't checked measurements, but I think I'd opt for the Trig because it looks to be more easily integrated into a panel limited on space.

 

[PaulSS]

Thank you one and all for your replies. I thought the servos might be a 'no' because the signals from the MGL CAN bus are probably just a different collection of 1 and 0 to make the servo do the same thing. It's a shame because they're the same size etc, so it would have just been nice to keep everything in place.

My existing radio is, indeed, a TY91. It does not have a radio head and is all controlled through the EFIS. MGL have designed a 'comms panel' that can adjust all the settings that you'd normally be able to with a head. It does have a built-in intercom but, as pointed out by Jake, it would seem Dynon elected to have that function removed when they re-badged it from Trig to Dynon.

It's just a real shame Dynon cannot do a little re-write of the HDX comms panel to include the settings (including volume) and allow the choice of a head-less radio. I get that some people get very opinionated about how the world will fall in if the HDX goes blank and you can't control the radio but, equally, there are also those of us who want a clean panel and don't actually require radio signals for the aircraft to fly.

I rather think I'm trying to paddle up the proverbial creek without a paddle

 

[Rhino]

I have no problem putting a separate volume knob on my panel for a Dynon radio to go 'headless'. But I really wish the EFIS would control more than one radio. The EFIS will display frequencies from a second radio, but there's no control available for that second radio, and I need a second radio.