Club Homepage Forums Classified Ads Buy & Sell - Everything But Airplanes Looking for a used but working TKS MX-300 Radio

My MX300 repaired by BEVANS in Feb 2024 just died.

It could be something they need to re-look at or it could be something totally new with the radio, but it's going BACK to Bevans.

Symptoms - seemed to just "go blank" like it slipped out of the pins in the tray. Yes, I did try gently pushing it back in and that worked a time or two, and then it didn't, telling me it is some sort of power source issue. We will see.

I called the shop chief, Tom, and he was very good about it being only 2 weeks past the 90-Day Warranty. I asked about it and he said they would still honor it, which was very gracious for the $650 fee I paid to have it refurbished in Feb, just 3.5 months ago.

So, thankfully, I have a THIRD radio that went into the panel (and worked) so it's the radio and not the tray or the comm system.

I am patient and that is why I keep THREE radios so I can keep rotating them when they fail (until they fail for good).

For the $650 fee every 10 years or so (per radio), it is well worth staying on this course and not investing in a $4-5,000 radio (each) just to talk while flying VFR in VMC. If I were doing more, like most of you, I would consider some massive glass panel upgrade, but for me this makes more practical sense...more to follow on the radio saga as it goes on!

How frustrating.......

Jim, over the years, I have learned to take many of these irritants in stride. We are, after all, flying 50+ year old pieces of machinery. By comparison, most machinery made in 1976 is now in some dump, scrap heap, or recycled into a soda can....and our planes KEEP FLYING because we love them!

So, another small setback but keep a spare, so this will not stop me from attending the major Reading Airport WW II show this Friday! Onward!

I'm surprised that your MX-300 failed so quickly. I had an MX-385 (24V version) in my former 152 for about 15 years. On average, it needed some kind of "tweaks" (bad squelch, static noise) every 2-3 years. Back then, TKM still serviced them, for a fixed labor cost of $95 (one hour of labor) plus any parts. Sadly, they have a "rolling" range of serial numbers that they no longer service (based on manufactured date) and my radio eventually got aged out in 2016.

Thanks Hung, me too! Surprised and a bit disappointed, but taking it in stride because I had anticipated such events with a spare radio, so I won't lose any flying over it.

I also ALWAYS fly with a hand-held radio in case I lose ALL electrics (happened to me before and the hand-held saved me).

I am in a region where having two radios is almost required...I really feel a bit underprepared to fly without two working radios here.

So, I will simply send it back ($42 shipping) and see what we can do...in this hobby, throwing enough time and money (and seeking good advice HERE) at problems can usually fix them! Crazy what we all do...

I have not given up on my process of keeping three OLDER radios going - it is what fits into my budget and flying profiles. So, patience in all things...easier to SAY than DO, but we are dealing with OLD stuff. I am sure that radio is at least 25-30 years old? How could I tell when a radio was manufactured? It would be interesting to know...

OLD for sure. I wonder if they are replacing the capacitors to keep them going. It is one of the real weaknesses in older electronics as they leak and dry out or just breakdown internally......

Where is John Trolinger when you need him?......

Just sent my mx300 back to the shop,it appears the radio is having a thermal problem. Tested ok on bench check but had a problem so sent it back and the problem is off again on again. They’re having a problem duplicating the problem.

Ron, where did you send yours for repair?

I've sent two to two different places....Bevans and Ellisons.

I am sure there are more, but those are the two I am currently using. They are both OK, but Ellison is much more communicative.

The MX-385 radio in my former 152 has a serial number on the back. I'm sure that if you contact TKM and provide the serial number of your MX-300 they can tell you when it was manufactured. Also, my radio has yellow tage dated 7/1/02, so it must've been made prior to 2002.

My mx300 is being serviced by Ellison of Texas. Hopefully should get it back in the next week or two.