Ok, so you guys were so helpful with the antenna question, I've got one more for you.

I've got a Narco Mark 12D that I need to pull out to check something, but the rack is different than the ones I've seen. The one I've seen releases the radio by sticking a small diameter rod in a small hole to the right of the nav display.

The one I have is slightly different and is like the one listed in this eBay listing. It has a handle at the base of the radio that is held in place by a screw. With the screw loosened, the handled pulls out. But there is something else holding it in place. There are two small holes, outboard of each display, but there isn't a spring loaded tab like with the other design. Anyone know what I'm missing and where it is at?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Narco-MK12D-NAV-COM-/200985966648?pt=UK_CPV_Aviation_SM&hash=item2ecbb27838

Thanks,
Cory

Have you looked for an owner's manual online?

Think if I was taking it out, it would stay out!!!

Looking at the photo of the rear of the unit, it has a latch bottom-center, and that's all I see.

Gump

Hmmm... I see what you are seeing. I'll be out there tomorrow to see if there is something I missed up front. No idea how to access it. I'll keep prodding.

Yeah, I've found a few manuals, but the closest I got was a drawing and some info on the other type of tray.

Believe me, if I had a couple of extra grand laying around, I'd replace it...and would love to replace the whole stack. But, it is functional and as such, there are other things I'd rather spend money on.

Thanks! I'll keep digging!

If I'm not mistaken you should make up two stiff wires about 6" long with some type of grip on the end (I used welding rod) and taper the end of them on a grinding wheel. There are two small holes, one on either side. Slide the extraction tools you've made into these two hole and push them in until you feel them engage a release. you can then slide the unit out.

Good luck,

Marty

The Mark 12D has a center release, which uses a smallish but long hex wrench to turn. When you first undo the handle, pull the handle out part way, you'll see the center hole in the middle of the handle; then put the hex wrench in the center hole and loosen it--don't try to take the hex screw clear out, because it won't come clear out. There's a tab on it that turns 90 degrees, and that tab is the actual lock. Once you get it turned, the radio will pull out--but it fits really tight in the can, so some wiggling will be necessary.

I have a pair of Mark 12Ds. I pulled one of them to have the 430W installed 1 1/2 years ago but kept it as a backup for the remaining one. They're not bad radios, and they can be repaired, although Narco is out of business. There's an avionics shop in Alamosa that takes care of them, and there are several others around the country also.

Cary

I have an Ncs-812 which Is very similar. I just removed it by making two small rods from a coat hangar and sticking them in those small holes on each side of the lcd display. Once i had the rods inserted i put my hand under the panel and pushed the radio out from the back.

Break

What's the name of the shop in alamosa? I just sent my radio to a guy in van nuys, ca for a weak nav azimuth receive and he didn't sound super confident that he could fix it. Might need another option. Don't want to scrap the ncs-812. It's got nav/com/gs/dme all in one box. The ipad handles everything else.

Thanks guys.

Cary, this is what had me a bit confused. I saw the hole that said Radio Release, but there is a metal plate behind it (that the handle retention screw goes into) and there is no hole that goes back to release the center clip that Gump and you mentioned. Maybe it is those on the sides that were mentioned. I'll have to play with it and see what I find.

Thanks for the info on the repair shop. That is good to know.

I should get over to the hangar in the next couple of days, and I'll take a pic of the radio that is out so you can see what I'm talking about.

I think I have the name of the Alamosa shop in the hangar, too, and if not, I'll call my avionics guy and get it--he took care of sending off one of the 12Ds for a "minor" repair--the nav side would bring up the identifiers of VORs, but I had to be on top of the VOR for it to register on the VOR head. $600 later, it works fine.

Cary

That would be great Cary. Thanks!

Here are the pics of one of my Mark 12Ds. I didn't feel like pulling the one out of the panel, since it's such a bear to get back in, and it's the one with the yellow tag on it with the name of the avionics shop in Alamosa. I think it's Depot Avionics, but I'll call my local avionics guy tomorrow and ask him.



The Phillips screw labeled "handle release" only releases a pull handle--makes it easier to get the radio out of the panel since it fits so tightly. The hole labeled "radio release" has a hex head screw behind it.



With the radio upside down and the handle pulled open, you can see the hex head screw. Directly behind that is a rectangular hole, and in it you can see the latch. As the hex head screw is turned clockwise, it draws the latch forward, and when it clears the back edge of the hole, it turns 90 degrees and inserts into a slot in the can to hold it the radio in place. A little more tightening, and the radio is snug.

To remove the radio, you turn the hex head screw counter-clockwise until the radio is slightly loose, i.e., can be pulled out maybe a sixteenth inch. Then you push it back in and turn the hex head screw counter-clockwise one more quarter turn, then pull out the radio. At least, that's the theory. More than once, I've thought I had a radio in there tight, then pulled on the handle and the radio started to slide out. Other times, I've thought I had it loose, and it was still solidly latched in. It's not the greatest latching system, but when it works, it holds the radio in securely.

Cary

Thanks for the pics Cary. There is no hex screw behind that hole on mine. It is just a solid plate of sheet metal. It must have latches on the sides towards the back. I'll play with it and see what I find.

Meanwhile, I've torn into another Narco project. I've got an original Narco Mark 12 coffee grinder radio that I've pulled. Now I'm trying to figure out how to get the wires, tray, and box in the nose out of the plane. It's been a bit of a bear to trace the wire. I'm hoping to finish it up this week.

Years ago, I bought a great Cessna 180 from the government. The first winter I owned it I had it in the shop for annual. The mechanic offered to let me work on it in his shop in evenings to clean up wiring and remove previously installed brackets and mounts.

Man, was THAT a task. Those avionics techs had done a great job securing all that wiring in the belly, etc.

When I was done, I'd removed 30 POUNDS of useless wiring, brackets, and mounts . And, I still had a functional panel, with two good nav/comes, an ADF and Xponder.

Have fun stripping old junk out of that beast

MTV

mtv wrote:Years ago, I bought a great Cessna 180 from the government. The first winter I owned it I had it in the shop for annual. The mechanic offered to let me work on it in his shop in evenings to clean up wiring and remove previously installed brackets and mounts.

Man, was THAT a task. Those avionics techs had done a great job securing all that wiring in the belly, etc.

When I was done, I'd removed 30 POUNDS of useless wiring, brackets, and mounts . And, I still had a functional panel, with two good nav/comes, an ADF and Xponder.

Have fun stripping old junk out of that beast

MTV

I wish you guys could see the camera installs we used out here in the Pacific. Laptops/desktops, motors, GPSs, lights, LAZERs, comms... And of course 6-8 "cameras" in a Navajo!

Oh yeah, the Oxygen systems too, for 12.5 MSL+ and night flying. Unbelievably, the FAA let us operate undert straight part 91.

mtv wrote:Years ago, I bought a great Cessna 180 from the government. The first winter I owned it I had it in the shop for annual. The mechanic offered to let me work on it in his shop in evenings to clean up wiring and remove previously installed brackets and mounts.

Man, was THAT a task. Those avionics techs had done a great job securing all that wiring in the belly, etc.

When I was done, I'd removed 30 POUNDS of useless wiring, brackets, and mounts . And, I still had a functional panel, with two good nav/comes, an ADF and Xponder.

Have fun stripping old junk out of that beast

MTV

Thanks! I wish I had the money to gut it and replace the avionics, but that will have to wait. I can tell that there is at least a bit of remnants of past setups in there. What a rat nest! I'm taking note of what I know needs to be removed at the next annual when I have the interior out. Hopefully tomorrow I'll make some progress getting the old Narco out.

When I had one of the Narcos replaced with the 430W, they also pulled the old GS receiver in the tail and the connecting wiring. The radios weigh about the same, but the cabling and the GS receiver added up to some 6 lbs benefit. Wish I could lose 6 lbs that quickly!

Cary

When I started this project, I thought that big box was coming out of the nose compartment. Ends up it is being used by the newer Narco. So my weight loss won't be as much as I had hoped, but I'll still gain a bit!

Just an update. I got the original Narco pulled last week and lightened my load by 11.5 pounds. I also was able to remove a spare VHF antenna from the bottom of the aircraft that likely would have snagged on something down the road. I still need to grt the Mark 12D pulled and do some work on the stack to get it looking good.

Quite the heavy relic!