Avionics News June 2013 - 69

LEFT: King, Narco and ARC were major competitors in the 1970s.
BELOW: An analog KN-74 R-NAV system sits on early Foster
AirData and ARC digital R-NAV systems.
BOTTOM: The underside of the Narco MK-12A reveals an
early version of an integrated circuit and a few transistors.

ment became less expensive, smaller and within the
reach of more general aviation aircraft owners. As
the 1960s drew to a close, the industry was ready to
take the next big leap into 100 percent solid state.
Furthermore, digital circuitry was ready to make a
big splash in the avionics industry.
The market was looking bright, drawing Collins
into the small-aircraft avionics market. After a less
than successful launch of the MK-16, Narco jumped into
its Spectrum line of avionics with both feet, discontinuing the
well-liked MK-12 line. The Spectrum line abandoned hybrid
designs and embraced digital technology. Instead of crystal
synthesis, the new Narcos used digital frequency synthesis.
Collins and King radios were digitally synthesized, as well. ARC
released solid-state radios; some of them used digital frequency
synthesizers, while others still used crystal synthesis.
Narco and ARC kept technology that worked well with tubes.
But as history has proven, it didn’t translate well into the solidstate world. They kept sockets. Transistors and, in some cases,
integrated circuits plugged into receptacles soldered into the
circuit board. In contrast, the Collins VHF/VIR line and the King
KX-170 soldered all of their components.
The Collins and King equipment proved to be highly reli-

able. The KX-170 had an attractive price, and quickly, it began
to dominate the market for medium- and small-sized aircraft.
With the DME giving distance information and with VOR
(VHF omnidirectional radio range) giving angular information,
engineers were able to develop VOR/DME area navigation systems. In essence, these were real-time trigonometry computers
using VOR information for angles and DME information for
sides. Large aircraft had (and still have) the capability of doing
the trigonometry using triangle side information exclusively
Continued on following page
avionics news

•

june

2013

69



Avionics News June 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News June 2013

Point of Communication
AEA Now
The View From Washington
International News and Regulatory Updates
Electrical-System Manager
Member Profile
Let's Get to Work!
Advancing Avionics
Startup Stories
Member Profile
The History of Avionics
Avionics News Through the Years
A Conversation With...
Legal Ease
Business Basics
AEAviators
What's New
Avionics News June 2013 - Intro
Avionics News June 2013 - Cover1
Avionics News June 2013 - Cover2
Avionics News June 2013 - 1
Avionics News June 2013 - 2
Avionics News June 2013 - 3
Avionics News June 2013 - Point of Communication
Avionics News June 2013 - 5
Avionics News June 2013 - AEA Now
Avionics News June 2013 - 7
Avionics News June 2013 - 8
Avionics News June 2013 - 9
Avionics News June 2013 - 10
Avionics News June 2013 - 11
Avionics News June 2013 - 12
Avionics News June 2013 - 13
Avionics News June 2013 - The View From Washington
Avionics News June 2013 - 15
Avionics News June 2013 - International News and Regulatory Updates
Avionics News June 2013 - 17
Avionics News June 2013 - 18
Avionics News June 2013 - 19
Avionics News June 2013 - Electrical-System Manager
Avionics News June 2013 - 21
Avionics News June 2013 - 22
Avionics News June 2013 - 23
Avionics News June 2013 - Member Profile
Avionics News June 2013 - 25
Avionics News June 2013 - 26
Avionics News June 2013 - 27
Avionics News June 2013 - Let's Get to Work!
Avionics News June 2013 - 29
Avionics News June 2013 - 30
Avionics News June 2013 - 31
Avionics News June 2013 - 32
Avionics News June 2013 - 33
Avionics News June 2013 - 34
Avionics News June 2013 - 35
Avionics News June 2013 - 36
Avionics News June 2013 - 37
Avionics News June 2013 - Advancing Avionics
Avionics News June 2013 - 39
Avionics News June 2013 - 40
Avionics News June 2013 - 41
Avionics News June 2013 - 42
Avionics News June 2013 - 43
Avionics News June 2013 - 44
Avionics News June 2013 - 45
Avionics News June 2013 - 46
Avionics News June 2013 - 47
Avionics News June 2013 - 48
Avionics News June 2013 - 49
Avionics News June 2013 - 50
Avionics News June 2013 - 51
Avionics News June 2013 - 52
Avionics News June 2013 - 53
Avionics News June 2013 - 54
Avionics News June 2013 - 55
Avionics News June 2013 - 56
Avionics News June 2013 - 57
Avionics News June 2013 - Startup Stories
Avionics News June 2013 - 59
Avionics News June 2013 - 60
Avionics News June 2013 - 61
Avionics News June 2013 - 62
Avionics News June 2013 - 63
Avionics News June 2013 - Member Profile
Avionics News June 2013 - 65
Avionics News June 2013 - 66
Avionics News June 2013 - 67
Avionics News June 2013 - The History of Avionics
Avionics News June 2013 - 69
Avionics News June 2013 - 70
Avionics News June 2013 - 71
Avionics News June 2013 - 72
Avionics News June 2013 - 73
Avionics News June 2013 - Avionics News Through the Years
Avionics News June 2013 - 75
Avionics News June 2013 - A Conversation With...
Avionics News June 2013 - 77
Avionics News June 2013 - Legal Ease
Avionics News June 2013 - 79
Avionics News June 2013 - 80
Avionics News June 2013 - 81
Avionics News June 2013 - 82
Avionics News June 2013 - 83
Avionics News June 2013 - Business Basics
Avionics News June 2013 - 85
Avionics News June 2013 - 86
Avionics News June 2013 - 87
Avionics News June 2013 - AEAviators
Avionics News June 2013 - 89
Avionics News June 2013 - What's New
Avionics News June 2013 - 91
Avionics News June 2013 - 92
Avionics News June 2013 - 93
Avionics News June 2013 - 94
Avionics News June 2013 - 95
Avionics News June 2013 - 96
Avionics News June 2013 - Cover3
Avionics News June 2013 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-10
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-9
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-1
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-12
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-11
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-10
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-9
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-02
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-01
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/52-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/52-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/52-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/52-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/52-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-1
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-12
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-11
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-10
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-9
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-1
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-12
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-11
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-10
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-9
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-1
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-12
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-11
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-10
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-9
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-1
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/48-12
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/48-11
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com