diamondaviators.net

Hi All,
I'm in the evaluation phase of purchasing a DA62.

I want to use the aircraft in remote areas in Australia and the South Pacific.
Particularly for oceanic areas down here - say Australia to Noumea, Fiji or New Zealand, to file IFR you need either HF Radio or HF Radio plus CPDLC (Controller Pilot Datalink Communication). Even though CPDLC is better than HF, if you have CPDLC it's not approved as "sole means" of communication and must be backed up by HF Radio.

Does anyone know whether a HF radio has ever been fitted to a DA62 and can it be wired into the G1000? I hope it can be put in as "Com 3".
Also, does any one know is the Garmin GR56 Iridium SATCOM unit is CPDLC capable? I can't find anything when I read the publicity on it.

I know other “around the world” Diamond pilots have used SAT phones, particularly for Atlantic crossings, however Brisbane, Nadi and Oakland FIRs do not like you to call them on the ATC phone number unless there is a problem. You are meant to carry HF or CPDLC. I recall Wolf Reichenburger in his round the world DA42 flight used a portable HF plugged into a 28V power port, had the HF set on the right seat and the antenna trailing out the right hand storm window – not really great for regular use.

Thanks for any input!

I've flown Noumea, Vanuatu, Nadi, NZ & YBBB/YMMM in a DA42-VI w/satphone only - works fine. You don't need to worry about HF or CPDLC.

If you're going further out to Tahiti, Oakland etc, HF is mandatory, but a DA42/62 is not really the right plane for regular flights between those areas anyway - for one, it's a bit slow & lacks proper range sans ferry tank.

One-offs with ferry trips or RTW stuff is fine w/temporary HF set & ferry tanks, but I wouldn't fly regular trips with such a configuration.

The DA42MPP does indeed support a permanent HF installation as its alternators can supply sufficient power, but the regular DA42 can't. I suspect the DA62 is similar.

Hi Henrik, Thanks for the input. With the DA42MPP do you know if the HF is integrated somehow into the G1000 or does it have a separate control head to set frequencies etc? The Diamonds don't have much spare panel space for separate control heads.

I think the standard DA42/62 Alternators should supply enough power - I have flown Cessna 210's with HF in the past - single standard alternator.

Back in 2013 when we ferried my DA42-VI across the north Atlantic, the Diamond ferry pilot who accompanied me temporarily rigged an HF radio into our G1000 audio panel. I do recall it included a 24V to 12V inverter. However, I don't know the details of the installation.

Gordon wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 7:46 am I think the standard DA42/62 Alternators should supply enough power.

They don't - I asked Diamond for a fixed HF radio installation as well back in 2013 & this was the answer.

Temporary HF rigs tend to have a spotty record w/wonky operation etc. Also the composite body on the DA42 is a poor dipole.

Henrik wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 5:53 pm Temporary HF rigs tend to have a spotty record w/wonky operation etc. Also the composite body on the DA42 is a poor dipole.

That pretty much sums up my (rather limited) experience with HF in a DA42. However, battery powering the radio was no issue at all. No need to integrate the installation for power alone.

Thanks for all the answers - useful stuff. Especially the composite body angle - hadn't thought of that.

By the way, this is the answer I received from Australian ATC by email regarding oceanic ops:

"Thank you for your query. Sections of your proposed flight will be outside VHF range thus making HF radio carriage mandatory for IFR flight. However, if you contact CASA they will be able to assist with the information required to enable a dispensation to cover a ‘one off’ ferry flight. They can be contacted at international_ops@casa.gov.au"

I might contact my old avionics guy - large numbers Australian GA planes in the 80's and 90's had HF and Australian manufacturers like Barrett and Codan made a number of "cheap and cheerful" aircraft HF radios - they were often limited to 9 fixed channels but that would be enough for the South Pacific. There might be some second hand sets we can rig up if needed.

Either that or just file VFR for 800 nm across the water ha ha and have home based SAR over the satphone.