Using GF radio "guts" for 737 radio?

[mynamismatt]

Just thinking outside the box on this one... Has anyone used the "guts" of a goflight GF166 in order to make a scale 737 VHF/NAV/XPDR ?  If so, can anyone give me some pointers, tips, or how to's? I'm thinking of building a 737 pedestal, but would like to have my radios be scale size, and the GF radios are way to long.

[jackpilot]

Yes can be done
Had it for years in my pedestal
You have to open the GF166 carefully and figure out what's what.
If I did it you can do it...lol
Here are pics from my archives.
The boards came in different shapes but the one of the left (elongated one ) is probably what you will end up with.

[mynamismatt]

Jack, thanks so much -its great to know it's possible. If you remember, can you inform me what modifications are necessary? It looks like you move the board and the desolder the digit display and reattach using ribbon wiring?

Anything else I should be aware of?

[jackpilot]

Hi Matt
Years and years ago...do not remember exactly !
Old age kicked in 
Try on one, they are all the same boards.

[rprather]

Years ago, Go Flight offered an option called RMKs (Remote Mount Kits). They were plug-n-play counterparts to the GF series. The seven segment displays, for instance, were on ribbon cables and the circuit board had a smaller footprint. Worth asking if they still make them.

[Bob Reed]

Years ago, Go Flight offered an option called RMKs (Remote Mount Kits). They were plug-n-play counterparts to the GF series. The seven segment displays, for instance, were on ribbon cables and the circuit board had a smaller footprint. Worth asking if they still make them.

Hi Robert, nice to see you here. Unfortunately, GoFlight no longer offers these kits.

[RayS]

With some patience and good soldering skills it can be done. I "Reverse-engineered" 2 GF-266 modules and put the guts into some Sperry 1048 radio carcasses. Every once in while I'll open one up and wonder "What the hell was I thinking?" It can be tedious work but done correctly, the payoff is really nice.

[Joe Lavery]

I constructed all my radios using the RMK units, but as has alrady been mentioned Go Flight don;t make these any more. I did ask a couple of years ago but they said the chips needed to make them don't exist any more. Well that;s what they told me.

If it's any help I used the 6 segment boards sold by Open Cockpits and wired them directly to the boards, it's easier than de-soldering the displays on the GF166 units. I then mounted the boards remotely inside the pedestal, It's a bit time consuming but they are still working some five years on.

I'm afraid I don't have any schematics to offer, as I recall it was trial and error to get them wired correctly. At least you know it can be done. 

Joe.

[mynamismatt]

Many thanks for the help. I'm currently contemplating using a ardunio mega card and make some radios on my own. I've picked up a card and some rotary encoders to see if it's something worth pursuing.