. . . Mount ’em!

Today I finally got around to answering yet another one of those nagging questions… or I guess actually two questions: Will the Trig TY91 Radio and Trig TT22 Transponder both fit on the TriParagon’s top shelf? Moreover, will there be clearance with these respective units, their requisite GRT serial adapters, and their antenna connectors/cables?

These were all big IFs.

First off, I did NOT design the TriParagon’s top avionics shelf to accommodate the Trig TY91 radio. I did however design it specifically for the MicroAir M760REM remote radio to be mounted on the bottom of the TriParagon’s left side to allow the shelf to be made narrower. It was only when I learned that GRT –and apparently everyone else– had stopped selling the MicroAir M760REM remote radio and that they were no longer being manufactured, that I fell back to my original radio choice: the Trig TY91 [back then it was to be my primary radio, thus the switch to the MicroAir after I decided to make the GNS480 GPS navigator my COM1 radio].

As the radio saga was playing out, so too did the mounting location of the Trig TT22 transponder have its own drama, moving from its planned spot on the TriParagon top shelf to possibly join its antenna in its original planned location: the outboard right strake. This was due to learning (by reading the installation manual in-depth… go figure!) that the antenna cable would be very close to it’s max length if I ran it between the control head on the avionics shelf and the antenna in the right strake.

Moreover, through lessons shared by Marco in his install of the Trig TT22 out in his right strake, and some challenges/2nd order affects with that, I decided to try harder to get the entire unit + antenna in the panel-forward area.

As I initiated this move effort I found that each data test point was surprisingly successful. For example, the antenna fit easily into the tall narrow “pocket” of the NG30 uprights immediately aft of the Napster bulkhead.

Then tonight was another data assessment point: could the Trig TT22 Transponder fit in such tight quarters that would allow it to function as designed? ….

Well, as you can see below, both the Trig TY91 COM2 Transceiver (left) and the Trig TT22 Transponder (right) fit on the TriParagon’s avionics top shelf with just enough room to allow the GRT AHARS to nestle in between them… quite snugly of course!

Have no real idea of what I’m talking about? “What’s what,” you ask?! Well, although I made it exceedingly busy, I went ahead and labeled the above pic to be clear on all the components at play in this story:

And here we have just another view . . .

Also a view of the Trig TT22 Transponder with its serial adapter and very tight clearances with the GRT AHRS box, TruTrak ADI and GRT HXr EFIS.

And finally a view of the Trig TY91 COM2 Transceiver with its serial adapter and very tight clearances with the AHRS box, Trio Pro Pilot Autopilot and GRT HXr EFIS.

In addition to ensuring the remote units themselves and their respective GRT serial adapters fit [note that I installed the opposite side D-Sub connectors in the serial adapters, so that the only thing missing is the actual wires], I also focused on both antenna jack clearances and the antenna cable runs to ensure that there wouldn’t be any clearance issues with those.

I then went a step further to do an antenna connector inventory and assess connector/cable attachment configurations. I rounded out this effort by then taking a hard look at antenna cable length requirements.