Buzz Kill

In all my free time, haha, I help run a local flying club.  I finally convinced the other club managers that we should update the airplanes with modern WAAS gps units, so we did.  I coordinated the install with Executive Autopilots up at KSAC.  Overall a great experience and a solid shop I highly recommend for local avionics work.  Here is how the installs turned out:

Our venerable 172 gets a GTN 650

Our 182RG gets a GTN 750

Sweet, now I'll have good solid IFR backup for when my plane goes to the paint shop... I sent my slot reservation deposit off to Don Copeland, but he's super busy so it's unlikely he'll be able to get to it until Octoberish.  Must have patience for the master!

While I was up at Executive Autopilots I asked Dan the owner about a problem with my XM that's been bugging me for some time.  I hear an constant background buzz when the music goes soft.  He said I probably needed to install a noise isolator between the audio panel and the GDL69A.  It was only a $30 part so I decided to go for it.

It gets installed in the radome

Just that little black box right there smack in the middle of the photo above the wire bundle.

I still hear it ever so slightly, but it's definitely improved.  No one would notice unless they had good hearing and you asked them to listen for it in the lull between songs.