(rev.

Sept 2018)

MX155X Operation Guide

Product Description and Com patibility
The MX155X is a modern direct slide-in replacement for the BendixKing KX155 NAV/COMM (all
series). The MX155 will work with both 14V and 28V systems. The radio is designed to work
with or without an external glide slope indicator, and is compatible with European 8.33khz
separated comm channels by selecting the appropriate menu option. For original installations
that utilized a remote comm channel flip-flop switch, this accessory has been disabled to
accommodate multiple aircraft input voltages.
Installation
The MX155X is shipped with a 3/32nd Allen wrench to install/uninstall the MX155 and KX155.
Use the wrench to unlock the KX155, turning the screw counterclockwise until the lockdown has
released. Grab the sides of the KX155 and pull it out of the tray. The knobs should never be
used to uninstall or install either radio.
Slide the MX155X in to the tray and press firmly on the front panel to help seat the radio. The
access hole for the lockdown on the MX155 is located between the two knobs. Turn the wrench
clockwise a number of times to lock the radio securely in the tray, being careful not to over
tighten.
Pilot Controls
The MX155X has a very simple set of controls that consist of two Dual-function (push & turn)
knobs and 4 ‘touch points’ in the display.
1. The top knob labeled ‘VOL’ controls the power of the radio and the volume. To power on,
press the knob. To power off, hold the knob for 3 seconds. While the radio is on, the
knob is dedicated to adjusting the volume up and down; the bar graph in the center of
the display gives a visual representation of the volume level.
2. The bottom knob is the Select/Enter knob. This knob is used to navigate the menu and
dial in frequency channels. A push and hold of this knob while in operating mode (menu
home screen) overrides the squelch to verify proper receiver operation and to allow
reception of weak signals.
3. The ‘Page’ touch point in the display accesses the menu. The lower knob is then used to
cycle through the different menu pages. Press the bottom knob to select a page option.
To return to the home state, hold the ‘Page’ button.
4. Press the VC-ID button to receive the Nav station identifier. Holding this button invokes
the Nav Volume adjustment page. Use the lower knob to adjust.
5. Press the Comm Standby Frequency to put the radio in to Edit Comm Mode (upper right
screen touch point – see diagram).
6. Press the Nav Standby Frequency to put the radio in Edit Nav Mode (lower right screen
touch point – see diagram).
7. Use the arrow (ßà) between the Comm standby and active frequencies to flip-flop the
channels. Holding this touch point for 4 seconds will activate the Emergency Channel
(121.500).

14811 N. 73rd St Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Phone (480) 991-5351 Website www.tkmavionics.com

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 (rev. Sept 2018)
8. Use the arrow (ßà) between the Nav standby and active frequencies to flip-flop the
channels.

Basic Operation
Frequency Selection
Frequency Selection operates on the Standby channel only. Selection operates the same for
Comm and Nav.
Press towards the right side of the Standby frequency to put the radio in Edit Mode.
Use the lower knob to select the mHz side of the channel. Press the knob once to switch to the
kHz side and select.
When the desired frequency is indicated in the Standby display, press the Flip-Flop (ßà) touch
point to activate.

Pages
1. Comm Memory
2. Nav Memory
3. Brightness Adjust
4. Squelch Adjust
5. Channel Spacing (25Khz & 8.33Khz-EASA)

Page Description
1. Comm Memory will store up to 20 channels.
a. Selecting Comm Memory will bring you to the list of stored channels. Use the
lower knob to cycle through the stored memory slots, the corresponding stored
channels will be cycling through in Standby. Just use the Flip-Flop to activate a
stored channel.
b. To store a new frequency, press enter on the desired slot position. Use the knob
to program a frequency just as you normally would to select a frequency and click
Enter. There is an option to save the frequency as is or to attach a 4-Digit
identifier to the frequency.
c. SAVE/EDIT LBL – scroll through the Alphabet and use Enter to choose a letter.
1st – then 2nd (up to 4 digits).
2. Nav Memory will store up to 20 channels. Nav Memory operates the same as Comm
Memory.
3. Use the page/lower knob to select and manually adjust LCD brightness.
4. Use the page/lower knob to select and manually adjust the squelch.
5. Use the page/lower knob to select and toggle between 25 kHz and 8.33 (EASA) spacing.

14811 N. 73rd St Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Phone (480) 991-5351 Website www.tkmavionics.com

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 (rev. Sept 2018)

1 3 7 5

2 4 8 6

1 ON/ OFF & VOLUME CONTROL 5 EDIT COM FREQUENCY

Push for on/ off Push to adjust COM frequency. Use Select/
Turn to adjust audio output level Enter 2 knob to set frequency.

2 SELECT/ ENTER 6 EDIT NAV FREQUENCY

Push to enter selected value Push to adjust NAV frequency. Use Select/
Turn to adjust value of selected function Enter 2 knob to set frequency.

3 MENU 7 FLIP- FLOP COM

Push to scroll through menu functions Push to switch between active and standby
COM frequency
4 VOICE ID
8 FLIP- FLOP NAV
Nav station voice identifier
Push to switch between active and standby
NAV frequency

14811 N. 73rd St Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Phone (480) 991-5351 Website www.tkmavionics.com

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 (rev. Sept 2018)

Tuning instructions for 8/33khz communication

(from https://833radio.com/news/show/7 )

8.33kHz Voice Channel Spacing

communications
27-07-2017 10:01:44 - Radio equipment
The fundamental axiom in aviation is: “Aviate, Navigate, Communicate.” The first priority is to
“aviate” - fly the aircraft and keep it safely in the air; secondly, pilots must navigate - fly the aircraft
towards the destination. The final step involves communicating. Whether this is for talking with
other aircraft that share the same airspace, with the relevant Air Traffic Services Units along the way
or just for receiving important information about weather or conditions at the destination airport, all
these involve using the radio equipment on board. These series of articles will try to elaborate on the
principles of radio communication, the need for channel spacing, correct usage of the equipment as
well as on the changes to be expected when transitioning to an 8.33kHz voice channel spacing
environment.

Chapter 2 – Communications in 8.33kHz Voice Channel Spacing

Communications in an 8.33kHz VCS environment
By reducing the channel spacing between consecutive frequencies in the VHF aeronautical
communication band, 8.33 channel spacing adds two additional channels for every 25kHz. In such
a way, as an example, in addition to 118.025Mhz the following frequencies can be used as well
118.0333MHz and 118.0167MHz (in fact by dividing 25 by 3 we obtain 8.333333… and therefore
the new frequencies should be 118.03333333… and 118.016666666… but for simplification the
rounded values are considered)
In a today’s 25kHz spaced VHF radio communication, the digits selected (dialled) on the radio
equipment interface on board the aircraft correspond to the frequency used for transmission and
reception (frequency which can be found on the charts or indicated by air traffic controllers). This is
valid for most of the radio equipment installed on board the aircraft. For some radio models,
however, it may happen that only 2 digits are available for selection after the decimal – this means
for example that for frequencies such as 121.625MHz the selection on the display will show
121.62Mhz, but the equipment will actually transmit and receive on 121.625MHz – It can also be
noticed that in some parts of the globe, in an environment using 25kHz spacing controllers will only
mention the first two digits after the decimal regardless of the frequency to be dialled (e.g. "Contact
121.62")
In an 8.33kHz channel spacing environment, while the frequencies used involve at least 4 digits
after the decimal, to ease the communications between controllers and pilots but also to reduce the
potential for errors, by convention, a channel has been allocated for each frequency. In such a way
only 3 digits after the decimal are required, simplifying a lot the phraseology as well as the
manipulation of the radio equipment on board.
14811 N. 73rd St Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Phone (480) 991-5351 Website www.tkmavionics.com

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 (rev. Sept 2018)
Consequently, as an example, in order to communicate on 118.0333Mhz a pilot will have to dial
118.035 on his 8.33 capable radio equipment interface – the system is designed in such a way that
when dialling this channel the radio will be tuned to 118.0333MHz. The allocation of a new channel
is valid as well for the old 25kHz frequency, regardless the fact that the carrier frequency is the
same. As an example, in both 25kHz and 8.33kHz spacing the frequency 118.025Mhz is used, but
the for an 8.33kHz channel spacing environment the frequency has been “coded” as 118.030
channel. The new channel is allocated in order to distinguish on the radio interface between the
25kHz spacing and 8.33kHz spacing modes (i.e. in an 8.33 environment in order to transmit on
118.025Mhz, pilots will have to dial 118.030 on the radio interface)
The following table is provided as an example of the pairing between channels and carrier
frequencies, for both 25kHz and 8.33 spacing.
Old 25kHz
New 8.33kHz radio
radio

Dial selection Real TX/RX frequency

25kHz
Frequency Dial 8.33kHz Channel Frequency (Mhz) Spacing (kHz)
Frequency

118.000 118.000 118.000 118.0000 25

118.005 118.005 118.0000 8.33

118.010 118.010 118.0083 8.33

118.015 118.015 118.0167 8.33

118.025 118.025 118.025 118.0250 25

118.030 118.030 118.0250 8.33

118.035 118.035 118.0333 8.33

Etc…..

Radio equipment
A new 8.33kHz spacing capable radio will operate on 25kHz or 8.33kHz depending on the user
selection. As an example, if the user selects a 25kHz spaced frequency such as 132.000, the new
equipment will operate just like the old radio, but if the 132.005 channel is selected, the same
frequency will be used but the radio will be working in an 8.33kHz spacing mode. In most of the
cases, these radios are provided with a switch to enable them to operate in either 25kHz or
8.33kHz mode. It is essential that the radio is configured on the correct mode to enable the
selection of the desired channel or frequency.
It is worth noting that some frequencies will remain designated as 25kHz (such as the emergency
frequency 121.5MHz); during the transition period untill all aircraft will be equiped, for safety

14811 N. 73rd St Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Phone (480) 991-5351 Website www.tkmavionics.com

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 (rev. Sept 2018)
reasons, it is also expected that some of the frequency assignments mostly used for information
(e.g. ATIS) will remain in 25kHz spacing.
As an example, in practical terms, to instruct a flight to change the communication frequency to
132.0083MHz the phraseology used by air traffic controller will be "Cessna 123 contact London
132.010” ("One tree two decimal zero one zero") Flight crews need to be aware that there will be no
specific indication in the phraseology if the new frequency is an 8.33channel or a 25kHz frequency.
Inadequate use of radio
Communications problems caused by mistuning VHF channels are an important safety and security
risk for air traffic management. Given the difference between 25kHz spaced frequencies and the
8.33kHz channels, it is very important that flight crews understand the correct operation of their
radio equipment and tune their radios accordingly. Pilots have to understand the difference
between frequencies and channels and they should not attempt to tune their 25kHz radio to match
an 8.33kHz channel.
It worth noting that operating a 25kHz radio in a sector in which communications are performed in
8.33kHz channel spacing, even if the transmission is performed on the central frequency (i.e.
identical carrier frequency in both 25kHz and 8.33kHz cases) this may create interference on
adjacent 8.33kHz channels which could be in use by another control centre. It is also possible that
reception of 25kHz transmissions will be poor on the ground and ATC may not be able to hear the
communications.
It is recommended that flight crews, in preparation of the flight, especially after 01/01/2018, consult
relevant local aeronautical publication in order to identify the correct equipment requirements for
the airspace in which they will operate. Pilots need to be aware that internet available flight
information services may not have the correct information regarding the frequencies in use for a
particular service and/or airspace, especially in the transition period and after 31/12/2018.
Correlating this information with certified sources (such as the local AIP) is recommended before
operating.
Useful links
http://www.eurocontrol.int/sites/default/files/article/content/documents/communications/2016-03-
frequency%20table.pdf

14811 N. 73rd St Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Phone (480) 991-5351 Website www.tkmavionics.com

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