MARK 3

VHF COMMUNICATIONS TRANSCEIVER

ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A-9

PUBLISHED: January 30, 1998

AN DOCUMENT
0
Prepared by
AIRLINES ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE
Published by
AERONAUTICAL RADIO, INC.
2551 RIVA ROAD, ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND 21401
This document is based on material submitted by various
participants during the drafting process. Neither AEEC nor ARINC
has made any determination whether these materials could be
subject to valid claims of patent, copyright or other proprietary
rights by third parties, and no representation or warranty, express or
implied, is made in this regard. Any use of or reliance on this
document shall constitute an acceptance thereof "as is" and be
subject to this disclaimer.
 Copyright ©1998 by
AERONAUTICAL RADIO, INC.
2551 Riva Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21401-7465 USA

ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A-9©

MARK 3 VHF COMMUNICATIONS TRANSCEIVER

Published: January 30, 1998

Prepared by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee

Characteristic 566 Adopted by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee: May 22, 1968
Characteristic 566 Approved by the Airlines Communications Administrative Council: August 23, 1968
Characteristic 566A Approved by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee: May 18, 1972
Characteristic 566A Approved by the Airlines Communications Administrative Council: May 24, 1972

Summary of Document Supplements

Supplement Adoption Date Revision Date

Characteristic 566A-1 April 6, 1973 April 19, 1973

Characteristic 566A-2 November 7, 1973 November 16, 1973
Characteristic 566A-3 September 30, 1973 October 11, 1973
Characteristic 566A-4 November 1, 1973 November 5, 1973
Characteristic 566A-5 September 24, 1982 November 4, 1982
Characteristic 566A-6 November 4, 1982 December 22, 1982
Characteristic 566A-7 October 13, 1983 April 30, 1985
Characteristic 566A-8 June 12, 1996 September 6, 1996
Characteristic 566A-9 October 14, 1997 January 30, 1998

A description of the changes introduced by each supplement is included on Goldenrod paper at the end of this document.
 FOREWORD
Activities of AERONAUTICAL RADIO, INC. (ARINC)
and the
Purpose of ARINC Characteristics

Aeronautical Radio, Inc. is a corporation in which the United States scheduled airlines are the principal
stockholders. Other stockholders include a variety of other air transport companies, aircraft manufacturers and
non-U.S. airlines.

Activities of ARINC include the operation of an extensive system of domestic and overseas aeronautical
land radio stations, the fulfillment of systems requirements to accomplish ground and airborne compatibility, the
allocation and assignment of frequencies to meet those needs, the coordination incident to standard airborne
communications and electronics systems and the exchange of technical information. ARINC sponsors the
Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (AEEC), composed of airline technical personnel. The AEEC
formulates standards for electronic equipment and systems for the airlines. The establishment of Equipment
Characteristics is a principal function of this Committee.

An ARINC Equipment Characteristic is finalized after investigation and coordination with the airlines
who have a requirement or anticipate a requirement, with other aircraft operators, with the Military services
having similar requirements, and with the equipment manufacturers. It is released as an ARINC Equipment
Characteristic only when the interested airline companies are in general agreement. Such a release does not
commit any airline or ARINC to purchase equipment so described nor does it establish or indicate recognition of
the existence of an operational requirement for such equipment, not does it constitute endorsement of any
manufacturer's product designed or built to meet the Characteristic. An ARINC Characteristic has a twofold
purpose, which is:

(1) To indicate to the prospective manufacturers of airline electronic equipment the considered
opinion of the airline technical people, coordinated on an industry basis, concerning requisites of
new equipment, and

(2) To channel new equipment designs in a direction which can result in the maximum possible
standardization of those physical and electrical characteristics which influence interchangeability
of equipment without seriously hampering engineering initiative.

ii
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A
TABLE OF CONTENTS

ITEM SUBJECT PAGE

1.0 INTRODUCTION AND DESCRIPTION 1

1.1 Purpose of this Characteristic 1
1.2 Unit Description 1
1.2.1 VHF Transceiver Unit 1
1.2.2 Control Panel 1
1.2.3 Remote Frequency Readout Indicator 1
1.2.4 Antenna 1
1.3 Function of the Equipment 1
1.4 Interchangeability 1
1.4.1 General Requirements for Interchangeability 1
1.4.2 Interchangeability Requirements for ARINC 566A Equipment 2
1.4.3 Generation Interchangeability Requirements for the ARINC 566A Transceiver 2
1.5 System Parameters 2
1.6 Applicable Publications, Specifications and Reports 2
1.7 Regulatory Approval 2

2.0 STANDARDS REQUIRED TO EFFECT INTERCHANGEABILITY 3

2.1 Form Factors and Connectors 3
2.1.1 Transceiver Unit 3
2.1.2 Control Panel 3
2.1.3 Antennas 3
2.1.4 Remote Frequency Readout Indicator 3
2.2 Weight 3
2.3 Interwiring 4
2.4 Primary Power Input 4
2.5 Power Control Circuitry 4
2.6 Control Panel Wiring 4

3.0 TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN 5

3.1 Frequency Range and Channelling 5
3.2 Frequency Selection 5
3.3 Transmitter Frequency Offset 5
3.4 Receiver Sensitivity 5
3.5 Receiver Selectivity 5
3.6 Undesired Responses 6
3.7 Cross Modulation 6
3.8 Audio Output 7
3.8.1 Gain 7
3.8.2 Audio Output Level Variation with Load Impedance 7
3.8.3 Audio Frequency Response 7
3.8.4 Harmonic Distortion 7
3.9 Automatic Gain Control 7
3.10 Noise Limiters 7
3.11 Squelch Provisions 7
3.12 Desensitization and Interference Rejection 8
3.12.1 AGC Versus Pulse Interference 8
3.12.2 Squelch Versus Pulse Interference 8
3.12.3 Pulse Noise Output 8
3.12.4 Receiver Operation in the Presence of In-Band Transmissions 8
3.12.5 Out-of-Band FM Broadcast Intermodulation Interference 8
3.12.6 Out-of-Band FM Broadcast Desensitization Interference 8
3.13 SELCAL Audio Output Provisions 8
3.14 Receiver Recovery 8
3.15 Aircraft Electrical Power Characteristics 9
3.16 Internal Circuit Protection 9
3.17 Transmitter Frequency Stability 9
3.18 Transmitter Power Output and Duty Cycle 9
3.19 Transmitter Sidetone 9
3.20 Transmitter Spurious Radiation 10
3.21 Transmitter Microphone Provisions and Frequency Response 10
3.21.1 Microphone Input Provisions 10

--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---

iii
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A
TABLE OF CONTENTS

ITEM SUBJECT PAGE

3.21.2 Frequency Response, Signal Conditioning and Speech Processing 10

3.21.2.1 Frequency Response 10
3.21.2.2 Speech Processing 10
3.21.2.3 Transmitter Distortion 10
3.21.3 Transmitter Energizing ("Press-to-Talk") 10
3.22 Muting Relay 11
3.23 Test Meter and Switch Provisions 11
3.24 Microphone and Headphone Jacks on R/T Front Panel 11
3.25 Provisions for Automatic Test Equipment 11

4.0 TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN FOR THE 8.33 kHz CHANNEL-SPACED

MODE OF OPERATION 12
4.1 Frequency Range and Channeling 12
4.2 Frequency Selection 12
4.2.1 Control Panel Programming 12
4.3.1 Selectivity 12
4.3.2 Cross Modulation 13
4.3.3 Squelch Provision 13
4.3.4 SELCAL Audio Output Provisions 13
4.3.4.1 Data Link Audio Output 13
4.3.4.2 Receiver Phase Inversion 14
4.3.4.3 Differential Phase Delay 14
4.3.4.4 AGC Attack Time 14
4.3.4.5 AGC Decay Time 14
4.4 Transmitter Design 14
4.4.1 Frequency Stability 14
4.4.2 Transmitter Microphone Provisions and Frequency Response 14
4.4.2.1 Microphone Input Provisions 14
4.4.2.2 Frequency Response, Signal Conditioning
and Speech Processing 14
4.4.2.2.1 Frequency Response 14
4.4.2.2.2 Speech Processing 14
4.4.2.3 Distortion 14
4.4.2.4 Transmitter Occupied Spectrum 14
4.4.3 Data Input 15

5.0 CONTROL PANEL DESIGN 16

5.1 General Configuration 16
5.2 Frequency Selection & Display 16
5.3 Connector Types 16
5.4 Volume Control 16
5.5 Master Off-On Control 16
5.6 Integral Lighting 16
5.7 Control Function Transfer Switch 17

6.0 ANTENNAS 18
6.1 General 18
6.2 Antenna Considerations for Multiple Systems Operations 18

7.0 PROVISIONS FOR DATA TRANSMISSION AND RECEPTION 19

7.1 Background of the Problem 19
7.2 Data Link Audio Input to the Transmitter 20
7.2.1 Transmitter Phase Inversion 20
7.3 Data Link Audio Output 20
7.3.1 Receiver Phase Inversion 21
7.4 Data Link Keying 21
7.4.1 Receive-to-Transmit Turn-Around 22
7.4.2 Transmit-to-Receive Turn-Around 22
7.4.3 Operating Voltages 22
7.4.4 Full Key Up Condition 22
7.4.5 Full Key Down Condition 22
7.4.6 Duty Cycle 22

iv
--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A
TABLE OF CONTENTS

ITEM SUBJECT PAGE

7.5 AGC Characteristics 22

7.5.1 AGC Attack 22
7.5.2 AGC Decay 22
7.6 Differential Delay 23
7.6.1 Receiver Delay 23
7.6.2 Transmitter Delay 23

ATTACHMENTS

1-1 Transceiver Unit Connector Locations 24

1-2 Standard Control Panel Outline Drawing 25
1-3 Typical VHF Communications Antenna 27
2 Standard Interwiring 28
3 Receiver Selectivity 32
4 Environmental Test Categories 33
5 Frequency Selector 34
6 Standard VHF NAV/COM Control Panel Wiring 35
7 Microphone and Data Inputs and Outputs 37
8 Test Procedures for Desensitization and Interference Rejection 41
9 8.33 kHz Receiver Selectivity 42
10 8.33 kHz Transmitter Spectrum Mask 43
11 Combined 8.33/25 kHz Frequency Selection 44

--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---

v

1.0 INTRODUCTION AND DESCRIPTION
1.1 Purpose of this Characteristic
For several years following its publication in 1961, ARINC
Characteristic 546 served to describe the basic VHF
communications transceiver system of the airline industry.
Towards the end of the sixties, however, the airlines began
planning for the implementation of a VHF SATCOM
system to provide long-range pilot-to-controller and
company operational voice communications. As part of that
activity, AEEC produced ARINC Characteristic 566.
ARINC Characteristic 566 described two versions of an
airborne VHF SATCOM terminal. In the first of these, an
ARINC 546 transceiver was supplemented with other units
(modulation adapter/modem, preamplifier/switching unit
and power amplifier) to form the terminal. In the second, a
more sophisticated transceiver absorbed the functions of the
modulation adapter/modem to eliminate this unit from the
equipment complement. This transceiver became known as
the “ARINC 566” transceiver.
25 kHz channel spacing in the aeronautical mobile
communications environment was foreseen as inevitable by
the airlines even before the preparation of ARINC
Characteristic 546. As part of that activity, therefore, they
laid careful plans to ensure that ARINC 546 transceivers
would not be made obsolete when the need to adopt the
closer spacing arose. Adequate transmitter frequency
stability was specified, as were provisions for the easy
modification of IF and audio bandwidths. All these features
were carried over into the ARINC 566 transceiver
specification when it was written some half-dozen years
later.
It was not until April 1972, at the 7th Air Navigation
Conference of the International Civil Aviation
Organization, that the international standardization of
system parameters for 25 kHz channel spacing was
finalized. Reviewing this event a month later at the Spring
1972 AEEC General Session in Montreal, the airlines
decided that a new ARINC specification should be written
to replace Characteristic 546. They noted that many
ARINC 546 radios now in service would reach retirement
age before the 25 kHz implementation dates set by ICAO,
and that no operational justification would exist on many
aircraft for replacing them with the sophisticated and
expensive ARINC 566 SATCOM transceivers. They
determined that the new Characteristic should describe a
simple, “no-frills”, 25 kHz VHF transceiver for terrestrial
use only. It should, they decided, supplement Characteristic
566 without downgrading the stature of that document as
the airline industry specification for VHF SATCOM
hardware.
ARINC Characteristic 566A sets out to fulfill this function.
Section 3.0 is applicable to the 25 kHz channel-spaced
voice and data modes of operation. Section 4.0 is
applicable to an optional 8.33 kHz channel-spaced voice
c-8 mode of operation and defines only the characteristics
specific to the 8.33 kHz channel-spaced mode of operation,
such as the channeling, the frequency selection, the
selectivity, the frequency stability, the frequency response,
and the transmitter occupied spectrum.
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 1
The characteristics in Section 3.0 are also applicable to the
optional 8.33 kHz channel-spaced voice mode of operation
unless otherwise specified in Section 4.0.
COMMENTARY
The 8.33 kHz channel-spaced mode of operation
for voice communications, if implemented c-8
concurrently with the 25 kHz channel-spaced
modes of operation, would require dual-bandwidth
receivers to ensure inter-operability of the airborne
transceivers with the current (25 kHz) and
proposed European narrowband (8.33 kHz) VHF
voice communications systems. The narrowband
mode of operation is limited to voice
communications.
1.2 Unit Description
1.2.1 VHF Transceiver Unit
The VHF transceiver unit should house all of the
components, electronic circuitry, etc., incident to the
channel selection, receiving and transmitting functions of
VHF air-ground-air communications.
1.2.2 Control Panel
The frequency selector control should employ the standard
two-out-of-five system described in ARINC Specification
410, with the additional frequency selection system
described in Attachment 11 for 8.33 kHz channel-spaced
frequencies. This Control Panel may also incorporate other
switches and controls applicable to the operation of the c-8
transceiver as described in Section 5.0.
1.2.3 Remote Frequency Readout Indicator
One or more remote indicators to display the frequency
selected on the control panel may be employed at user’s
option.
1.2.4 Antenna
The VHF antenna should be vertically polarized for
omnidirectional reception. Further information on antennas
may be found in Section 6.0 of this Characteristic. c-8
1.3 Function of the Equipment
The function of the VHF Communications Transceiver is to
provide the aircraft with a voice or data communications
capability with the ground via conventional VHF circuits.
1.4 Interchangeability
1.4.1 General Requirements for Interchangeability
One of the primary functions of an ARINC Equipment
Characteristic is to designate, in addition to certain
performance parameters, the interchangeability in an
aircraft of equipment produced by various
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 2

1.0 INTRODUCTION AND DESCRIPTION (cont’d)

1.4.1 General Requirements for Interchangeability (cont’d)

manufacturers. The manufacturer is referred to Section 1.6

of ARINC Report No. 414 for definitions of terms and
general requirements for the airline industry for
interchangeability. As explained in that Report, the degree
of interchangeability considered necessary and attainable
for each particular system is specified in the pertinent
ARINC Equipment Characteristic for that system.

Furthermore, “Generation Interchangeability” is desired by

the airline industry. “Generation Interchangeability”
assures that future evolutionary equipment improvements
and the inclusion of additional functions in new equipments
during the next few years do not violate the interwiring and
form factor standards set forth in this Document. The
provisions to assure “Generation Interchangeability” are set
forth as can best be predicted in various places throughout
this Document to guide manufacturers in future
developments.

1.4.2 Interchangeability Requirements for ARINC 566A

Equipment

Unit interchangeability is required for the transceiver, the

control panel and the optional remote frequency read-out
indicator regardless of the manufacturing sources of the
individual items.

1.4.3 Generation Interchangeability Requirements for the

ARINC 566A Transceiver

The ARINC 566A transceiver should function normally

when installed in an aircraft wired according to ARINC
Characteristic 546. It should perform similarly when
installed in an aircraft wired according to ARINC
Characteristic 566 and connected to a standard (non-
SATCOM) antenna.

1.5 System Parameters

System parameters applicable to air-ground-air VHF

c-9 communications may be found in ICAO Annex 10,
“International Standards and Recommended Practices,
Aeronautical Telecommunications”.

1.6 Applicable Publications, Specifications and Reports

The reader is referred to ARINC Report 414, “General

Guidance for Equipment and Installation Designers”, and
specifically to Appendix I of that document, where a
tabulation can be found of the current reference publications
of ARINC and other organizations which are of importance
to equipment designers, installers and users.

1.7 Regulatory Approval

The equipment must meet all applicable FAA Technical

Standard Order (TSO) requirements and FCC Type
Acceptance requirements. Manufacturers are urged to
obtain all necessary information applicable to such
regulatory approvals from FAA and FCC. This information
is not contained in this ARINC Equipment Characteristic,
nor is it available from ARINC.
The environmental test categories to which the transceiver
should be declared may be found in Attachment 4.

2.0 STANDARDS REQUIRED TO EFFECT INTERCHANGEABILITY
It is of prime importance that the Industry establish specific
form factors, mounting provisions, interwiring, input and
output interfaces and power supply requirements for the
VHF Communications Transceiver. These standards are
necessary to ensure the continued independent design and
development of both the equipment and the airframe
installation.
It should be noted that although this ARINC document does
not prohibit manufacturers from developing equipment
having other form factors and interwiring features, the
practical problem of re-designing what will then be a
standard aircraft installation to accommodate some special
system could very well make the use of that other design
prohibitively expensive for the customer. Thus,
manufacturers should recognize the practical advantages of
developing equipment in accordance with the form factor,
interwiring and input and output interface standards of this
document.
2.1 Form Factors and Connectors
2.1.1 Transceiver Unit
The transceiver should be packaged in a short 1/2 ATR case
(see ARINC Specification No. 404 for case dimensions). A
dual-shell connector type M81659/35A2-0131 (or non-
environmental equivalent) employing index pin code 03
should be mounted in the standard location, right side up.
This connector employs two identical inserts, each having
39 #20 pins and one coaxial contact. A drawing showing
the location of the connector (and that anticipated for the
ATE connector described in Section 3.25) may be found in
Attachment 1-1 to this Characteristic.
The transceiver should conform to all the requirements of
ARINC Specification No. 404 concerning dimension
tolerances, projections, handles, cooling and limits on
weight and center of gravity. Type ‘A’ racking attachments,
as specified in Supplement 7 to Specification No. 404,
should be used. See Section 30.4 of ARINC Report No.
414 for further details on equipment racking tolerances.
2.1.2 Control Panel
While many airlines and/or airframe manufacturers may
provide special custom-built control panels and this may be
expected to continue as it has for many years, it has become
the practice of the Industry to set forth in an ARINC
Equipment Characteristic certain standardized provisions
for a “Standard Control Panel” which should be made
available by equipment manufacturers for those customers
having “standard” requirements.
The “standard control panel” should conform to the
dimensions and configuration of Appendix 2 of ARINC
Report No. 306. Note that the standard width is 5.75 inches
and the specific height for the VHF communications panel
is 2.625 inches. The depth of the unit behind the panel is
typically 4.00 inches and should not exceed 5.00 inches,
c-8 excluding the connectors.
The connectors described in Section 5.0 of this
characteristic should be employed unless alternatives are
--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 3
specified by the user. Your attention is directed to Section
5.0 for further details of control panel functions. c-8
COMMENTARY
The Mythical “Standard Control Panel”
The term “Standard Control Panel” as used in this
Characteristic applies to a control panel conforming to
the functional specification of this Characteristic and
having form factor, connector and specific wiring
functions as set forth in this document. Further, the
arrangement of controls is anticipated to be similar to
those suggested in Section 5.0 and Attachment 1-2. c-8
Historically, many airlines and/or airframe
manufacturers have employed custom-built “radio”
control panels. Recently, however, the trend has been
to use a somewhat more “standard” configuration.
Thus, while the trend is towards standardization, the
term “Standard Control Panel” should not be
misconstrued to mean a standard device which all
customers would purchase from the equipment
manufacturer.
2.1.3 Antennas
There are no specific form factors set forth herein for the
antenna to be employed with this particular equipment as
there are numerous designs presently on the market which
are considered satisfactory. Attachment 1-3 shows a typical
antenna. Designers of new antennas are encouraged to
survey the present antenna mounting provisions and
maintain compatibility insofar as is practicable with the
present standard mountings, depending upon, of course, the
particular aircraft type for which the antenna is intended and
with due consideration being given to pressurized versus
unpressurized aircraft and the relative requirements for
flush mounting and for minimum weight. It is recognized
that for most air transport applications the VHF
communication antenna will be integrated into the airframe
design and it is, therefore, only in special installations or
retrofit installations where a specific “antenna unit” would
be needed.
2.1.4 Remote Frequency Readout Indicator
The optional remote frequency readout indicator should
occupy a 2ATI4.1 case. It should employ a connector type
MS3112-20-41P, the pin assignments for which are shown
in Attachment 2.
2.2 Weight
For the information of the installation designer, this
Characteristic sets forth the probable maximum weight
which can be expected for the equipment. This is, however,
not to be misconstrued as a specification on the acceptable
weight limits for the equipment. Manufacturers are asked to
keep ARINC informed regarding any new equipment
intended to conform with this Characteristic where the unit
weights vary appreciably from those set forth below. Such
information can then be disseminated to the airlines and
airframe manufacturers.
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 4
2.0 STANDARDS REQUIRED TO EFFECT INTERCHANGEABILITY (cont'd)
2.2 Weight (cont’d)
Transceiver Unit 12-20 lbs.
Control Panel 1- 2 lbs
COMMENTARY
Why Not Specify A Particular Weight?
Manufacturers of equipment for airline use are quite
familiar with the usual weight reducing techniques
whereby high strength and vibration resistance can be
provided in airborne equipments without the necessity
for heavy castings and structures. It is normally the
practice for an ARINC Characteristic to not specify a
particular weight limitation because the manufacturers
of airline equipment are fully familiar with the
competitive sales advantage of a light weight unit
where weight can be reduced without affecting
performance, ridigity and reliability. Thus, even
though no requirement is specified herein for weight
reduction, the manufacturer would be well advised to
study the typical designs of airline electronic gear and
become familiar with the proper techniques for
designing equipment for minimum required weight.
(NOTE: The airlines report that there are cases where
too much weight reduction has produced a design
which is inadequate from the mechanical standpoint.
See Section 4.5, Page 12 of ARINC Report No. 414).
2.3 Interwiring
The standard interwiring to be installed for the VHF
transceiver is contained in Attachment 2. This interwiring
is designed to provide the degree of interchangeability
specified in Section 1.4. The equipment manufacturer is
cautioned not to rely upon special wires, cabling or
shielding for use with particular units because they will not
exist in the standard installation.
COMMENTARY
The standardized interwiring is perhaps the heart of all
ARINC Characteristics. It is this feature which allows
the airline customer to complete his negotiation with
the airframe manufacturer so that the latter can
proceed with engineering and initial fabrication stages
prior to airline commitment on a specific source of
equipment. This provides the equipment manufacturer
with many very valuable months in which to put the
final “polish” on his equipment in development.
The reader’s attention is directed to the interwiring
guidance in ARINC Report No. 414, Section 5.0. This
material defines all of the basic standards utilized in
airframe wiring installations. Manufacturers who have
been working with AEEC for a long time will find it to
be the same as in previous Characteristics. But
manufacturers who are new to AEEC activities should
read it carefully because knowledge of its content may
make the difference of whether their new equipments
end up in their customer’s airplanes or not!
The reader is also cautioned to give due consideration
to the specific notes in Attachment 2 as they apply to
the standard interwiring.
2.4 Primary Power Input
The transceiver and electronic control panel should utilize c-8
27.5 Vdc +10% - 20% primary power and should meet all
performance specifications set forth in this document over
this voltage range unless otherwise noted. It is not
acceptable for the transceiver to employ 400 Hz ac, or any
other power source, in place of, or in addition to, the 27.5
Vdc specified herein.
2.5 Power Control Circuitry
There is to be no master power on/off switching within the
transceiver. Any user desiring power on/off control must
provide, through the medium of a switching function
installed in the airframe, means of interrupting the primary
dc power to the equipment. An on/off switch may be
incorporated in the “Standard Control Panel” to control the
operation of this switching function.
COMMENTARY
ARINC Characteristics 546 and 566 provided for the
optional use of the power on-off relay excluded from
the ARINC 566A radio by the above paragraph. An
interwiring option supported this, primary power
positive being wired to TP3/4 when the relay was to
be used and to TP5/6 when it was not. To ensure that
the ARINC 566A radio functions in ARINC 546/566 c-1
installations regardless of how this option was
exercised, manufacturers should connect together pins
TP3, TP4, TP5 and TP6 within the radio.
Airlines should note that if a ARINC 566A radio is
installed in interwiring for a relay-switched ARINC
546/566 radio, it will have primary power applied to it
irrespective of the position of the remote on/off switch.
2.6 Control Panel Wiring
Specific wiring as shown in Attachment 2 is allocated for
control panel functions. The functions of the control panel
are set forth in Section 5.0 of this Characteristic and the c-8
standard switch functions for frequency selectors and other
controls are established in ARINC Specification 410.
Manufacturers should note that adherence to the standard
interwiring of Attachment 2 is important for
interchangeability and that such adherence presupposes the
use of the standard control functions and frequency
selection methods established in Section 5.0 and
Attachment 5. In addition, Attachment 11 establishes the c-8
frequency selection method for the combined 8.33/25 kHz
channel-spaced frequencies.
--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---

3.0 TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN
3.1 Frequency Range and Channeling
The transceiver should be capable of operating on a total of
760 channels spaced 25 kHz apart in the internationally
allocated band 117.975 to 137.000 MHz. There is a 12.5
kHz guard band on each end of the allocated band.
c-9 Therefore, the lowest assignable channel is centered on
118.000 MHz and the highest assignable channel is
centered on 136.975 MHz. Channel changing time should
not exceed 60 ms.
NOTE: Although this Characteristic indicates no necessity
to provide frequency coverage below 118 MHz or
above 137 MHz, channel selection wires for such
coverage are shown in the Standard Interwiring of
Attachment 2. The user may decide whether or
not to include these wires in a given installation.
COMMENTARY
Prior to the publication of Supplement 6 to this
c-6 Characteristic, the upper limit of the frequency range
was 136 MHz. The change to 137 MHz resulted from
the allocation of an additional 1 MHz of spectrum to
the aeronautical mobile (R) service by the 1979 World
Administrative Radio Conference of the ITU.
Manufacturers are advised that the users desire all new
ARINC 566A designs to encompass the greater range
and, where economically feasible, its incorporation into
designs currently in production. Consideration should
also be given to the design of modification kits for
transceivers already in the field.
COMMENTARY
Frequency Management Policy regarding the use of 25
kHz channel assignments within the internationally
c-9 allocated band may vary from country to country.
Implementors should consult the local regulatory
authorities, in the regions of airspace of interest,
pertaining to the authorized use for voice and/or data
operations.
3.2 Frequency Selection
The transceiver should employ the standard two-out-of-five
frequency selection system described in ARINC
Specification 410. Specification 410 should be followed in
explicit detail with respect to diode isolation for each lead,
voltage limits on control leads, and protection against
reduced or interrupted power supply voltage during the
frequency change cycle. In addition, the receiver audio
outputs should be muted and the keying of the transmitter
inhibited during channel changing.
In the event that a control panel is employed for the
transceiver on which frequencies outside the range 118.000
to 135.975 MHz can be selected and such a selection is
made, no damage to the transceiver should occur. The
invalid selection, however, should cause the receiver audio
outputs to be inhibited and prevent the transmitter from
being keyed.
--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 5
3.3 Transmitter Frequency Offset
The transceiver should be capable of double-channel
operation, i.e., transmitting on a frequency higher by some
whole number of megahertz than that on which it is
receiving. Sufficient flexibility should be provided to
permit the same or a different value for this offset to be
selected for each whole megahertz of receiving frequency.
Double-channel operation should be effected by the
grounding of the “Transmitter Frequency Offset” wire,
either at the control panel or elsewhere.
COMMENTARY
The amount of separation of transmit and receive
frequencies that might be employed in communications
systems of the future has not yet been determined. It is
assumed that once they are established, however, offset
values will be subject to no more than very infrequent
change. It is anticipated, therefore, that offset selection
for each receive frequency will be made within the
transceiver by reference to a hard-wired program.
3.4 Receiver Sensitivity
With a 3 microvolt (hard) signal, amplitude modulated 30%
at 1000 Hz, the signal-plus-noise-to-noise ratio should be 6
dB or better and the squelch should be positively opened at
all points in the frequency range.
NOTE: The sensitivity specified above is 6 dB less than
that demanded for the VOR receiver specified in
ARINC Characteristic 579. The reason for this is
that the airlines desire the receiver to provide the
best possible protection from interference caused
by onboard VHF transmitters. They recognize
that the receiver experiences a harsher operational
environment in this respect than does the VOR
receiver (the transmissions are in-band and of the
same plane of polarization) and are therefore
prepared to specify a lower sensitivity in order to
achieve it. It is desired, however, that means be
provided within the front end of the receiver for
the customer to change the coupling adjustment if
it becomes important to either improve sensitivity
at the expense of spurious rejection, or improve
spurious rejection at the expense of sensitivity.
The equipment designer should provide the best
possible low-noise front end permitted by the
state-of-the-art, consistent with the compromises
necessary between sensitivity and cross
modulation/spurious rejection. The front end
design should not preclude obtaining a 0.5
microvolt sensitivity if the user prefers this
adjustment to the full spurious rejection capability
specified elsewhere in this Characteristic.
3.5 Receiver Selectivity
The nose passband and the stability of the receiver should
be such that there is no more than 6 dB attenuation of a
carrier amplitude modulated 30% at 1000 Hz and removed
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 6

3.0 TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN (cont’d)

3.5 Receiver Selectivity (cont’d) Undesired Signal Minimum Desired signal

Frequency undesired signal level -
±8 kHz from its assigned frequency when compared to the level modulated unmodulated
response at that assigned frequency. The skirt selectivity 50% (hard (hard
should be such that at least 60 dB of attenuation results microvolts) microvolts)
when the modulated carrier departs ±17 kHz from its
assigned frequency. ± 25 kHz 10,000 10
± 50 kHz 20,000 10
NOTE: Although the airlines have not chosen to specify
bandwidths for attenuations greater than 60 dB, ± 100 kHz 60,000 10
they do expect rejection to increase (to at least 100 ± 500 kHz 100,000 10
dB) as the modulated carrier departs more than ±1 MHz 200,000 10
±17 kHz from its assigned value.
COMMENTARY While the simultaneous application to the input of the
receiver of a 30% modulated off-resonance signal with an
It is the equipment manufacturer’s option to choose the unmodulated desired signal, the audio output produced by
stability figure for the receiver, even though it may to the undesired signal should not exceed -10 dB with
some extent be dictated by the stability specified for the reference to the output produced by the desired signal only
transmitter elsewhere in this Characteristic. It should (when modulated 30%) under the conditions specified
be evident that the foregoing specification sets forth the below. With the desired signal level varied from 3
minimum nose bandwidth and the maximum 60 dB microvolts to 0.1 volt, and the audio gain adjusted in each
skirt bandwidth for the receiver. Obviously, a wider- case for 100 milliwatts output, the receiver should meet the
c-3 above specification with the following undesired signals:
than-minimum nose bandwidth and/or a narrower-than-
maximum skirt bandwidth are acceptable to the airlines
in actual practice. The manufacturer is free to trade Undesired Signal Level Off Resonance
these numbers with stability as seen fit. 0.06 volts 0.1 MHz
In making decisions, the manufacturer might note that 0.3 volts 0.5 MHz
early utilization of offset carrier (CLIMAX) networks 0.6 volts 1.0 MHz
in the 25 kHz channel-spaced environment may well be
facilitated if a wider-than-specified nose bandwidth is 1.2 volts 2.0 MHz
provided. Later on, as 25 kHz channel deployment
increases, receivers having enhanced adjacent channel COMMENTARY
rejection, i.e., 60 dB skirt bandwidths of ± 15 kHz or
less, may well find favor in the market place. Despite No-one reading this section should believe that it
the fact that by that time, all offset carriers should be genuinely reflects the airlines true requirements for
reliably constrained within ± 8 kHz of their assigned receiver cross modulation performance and inference
channel frequencies, the prudent manufacturer would rejection. They really want much better performance
still provide a wider-than-specified nose bandwidth. In than this, but found difficulty in trying to write a
addition to ensuring optimal utility of the equipment, meaningful specification of “just how much better”. A
this approach also provides the airlines with an in- short historical note explains why.
service maintenance run-down margin on these
important characteristics. At the time ARINC Characteristic 546 was being
prepared, the “all-transistor” receiver was just about to
For the purposes of illustration, Attachment 3 shows a become a commercial reality. Despite its many
typical receiver’s selectivity characteristics based on an advantages over its tubed predecessor, there were some
assumed receiver stability that is believed to be areas in which it could not match the performance of
reasonable. It must be realized, however, that the the older radio, of which cross modulation performance
stability figure suggested for the receiver in that and interference rejection was one. The reasons for
Attachment is not part of the specification material this were bound up in the limitations of semi-conductor
contained in this Characteristic. Note further that no state-of-the-art at the time.
allowances are included in Section 3.5 for a non-
symmetrical pass-band or other design problems. These Fortunately in this respect, the requirement for double
deficiencies in actual receivers must be considered channel duplex operation, foreseen when ARINC
within the limits set forth in Section 3.5. Characteristic 520A was written, had not materialized,
nor was it necessary to specify more than the very
3.6 Undesired Responses minimum provisions for it in ARINC Characteristic
546. This enabled the airlines to accept the
All spurious responses, including image, should be down at contemporary transistor receiver capabilities without
least 80 dB. All spurious responses within the frequency submitting to too many operational problems.
band 108 to 136 MHz should be down at least 100 and
preferably 120 dB. With the advent of the need for the re-introduction of
cross-band operation into the airborne transceiver, the
3.7 Cross Modulation requirement for good cross modulation and
interference rejection capabilities has returned. The
The undesired cross modulation product should be down at airlines require latest-state-of-the-art capability in first
least 10 dB with respect to the audio output when the generation ARINC 566A equipment and even better
desired signal is modulated 50% under the following
conditions:

3.0 TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN (cont’d)
than this in subsequent designs. Equipment
manufacturers should recognize that the airlines regard
this area as one in which considerable design effort
should be expended, involving in all probability the
semi-conductor device industry in some basic R&D.
3.8 Audio Output
The specification material in this Section applies to the
audio output for voice communications appearing at pins
BP35 and BP36 of the transceiver’s service connector. The
parameters of an additional audio output for SELCAL/Data
Link use are specified in Section 7.3 of this Characteristic.
3.8.1 Gain
The receiver gain should be such that a 3 microvolt signal
modulated 30% with 1000 Hz produces at least 100
c-1 milliwatts output into a 600 ohm resistive load. A locking-
potentiometer type of control should be provided within the
transceiver case for the purposes of audio gain adjustment.
NOTE: The foregoing is intended as a design
specification. Section 4.6 of ARINC Report 412,
“Audio Systems” specifies the output level to be
employed in normal operation.
3.8.2 Audio Output Level Variation With Load Impedance
The audio output circuits should be isolated from ground
and so designed (adequate power output capability) that the
specified output power can be obtained in any load
impedance from 200 to 500 ohms. The harmonic distortion
limit specified in Section 3.8.3 should not be exceeded with
either load impedance. With the audio output set by means
of the service adjustment to 50 milliwatts (into a 200 ohm
load), there should be no more than a two-to-one output
voltage change when the load impedance is changed from
200 ohms to infinity. Under the conditions set forth in
Section 3.8.3 for the measurement of harmonic distortion, it
should be possible to vary the load impedance from 200
ohms to infinity (with no changes of volume control or
audio gain adjustment settings) without exceeding the limit
for harmonic distortion set forth therein.
3.8.3 Audio Frequency Response
The audio power output level should not vary more than 6
dB over the frequency range 300 Hz to 2500 Hz with
respect to a reference level of up to 100 milliwatts
established at 1000 Hz with a constant input carrier level
modulated 30%. A sharp cut-off in response below 300 Hz
and above 2500 Hz is desirable. Frequencies above 3750
Hz should be attenuated at least 20 dB and preferably 40
dB.
NOTE: The above audio frequency response characteristic
is specified in the belief that it will provide
satisfactory attenuation of heterodynes in offset
carrier networks in which 4 kHz carrier-to-carrier
spacing is employed. Equipment manufacturers
are urged, however, to design the response-
determining elements of the receiver such that they
can be modified easily by the user if experience in
such operations shows this to be necessary.
--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 7
3.8.4 Harmonic Distortion
With an input signal of 1000 microvolts modulated with
1000 Hz and the receiver gain adjusted to produce 100
milliwatts into a 200 or 500 ohm resistive load, the total
harmonic distortion should not exceed 7.5% with 30%
modulation or 20% with 90% modulation (with the gain
control reset to maintain the output at 100 milliwatts),
including any effects of the noise limiter.
3.9 Automatic Gain Control
The receiver amplitude modulation output should not vary
more than 3 dB with input signals from 5 microvolts to
100,000 microvolts, and not more than 6 dB with input
signals from 5 microvolts to 500,000 microvolts. Variation
of percentage modulation should have negligible effect on
the automatic gain control. The receiver should not
overload with one volt of rf energy applied at the antenna.
(See also Section 7.5 for AGC characteristics needed to
accommodate data link).
3.10 Noise Limiters
Although a noise limiter serves a useful purpose in a VHF
Communication set for amplitude modulated signals, it is
not specified as a requirement, but simply as a desired
feature. The required operation of airborne communication
receivers with network type communications systems
usually dictates that noise limiters be set to at least as high
as 70 to 80% clipping level so that the noise limiter does not
cut off.
3.11 Squelch Provisions
Manufacturers are encouraged to provide the best possible
squelch system; one that can distinguish between
communications signals and the usual types of interference
and receiver background noise which can obscure signals.
Sophisticated squelch systems which automatically adjust
the squelch threshold to match the masking level of the
noise are highly desirable so that the user can take full
advantage of the highest possible sensitivity capability in
the receiver when the aircraft is away from ground-
generated noise conditions, but which will also
automatically adjust the sensitivity level of the receiver
when flying over industrial areas where heavy noise levels
exist. The desire is that the squelch be capable of tripping
open whenever a readable signal is present, yet remain
closed whenever a signal is below the noise level.
It is emphasized, however, that any squelch circuit
employed, if it is to be truly effective, should be highly
stable in operation so that, at least between normal shop
servicing operations, there is no change in the squelch
setting threshold which could have an effect on the ability
of the squelch to distinguish between “good” and “bad”
signals. In any event, service adjustments should be
provided for setting the squelch. Unless the squelch is a
highly reliable and stable system fully capable of coping
with variations in noise level and other environmental
conditions which might change in service, the squelch level
service adjustment should be accessible from the front
panel.
Irrespective of how stable and reliable the squelch system
may be, a spring loaded push button type of switch for
rendering squelch inoperative should be located on the
transceiver front panel. It should also be possible to 3.11
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 8
3.0 TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN (cont’d)
Squelch Provisions (cont’d)
disable the squelch by closing a remote switch connected
between pin BP30 on the transceiver service connector and
ground.
3.12 Desensitization and Interference Rejection
Circuitry should be included for the prevention, insofar as
practicable, of receiver desensitization due to pulse-type
interference. As the magnitude and character of the pulse
interference levels expected in a typical installation in the
future is not known, system performance specifications
would be meaningless. The following specification
Sections 3.12.1, 3.12.2, and 3.12.3 are not made a
requirement of this Characteristic, but are included as being
typical of the type and degree of protection that is likely to
be needed. The content of Sections 3.12.1, 3.12.2, and
3.12.3 apply when rf pulses having the following
characteristics are introduced into the receiver through a 52-
ohm dummy antenna:
Width of Pulse 10 ± 2 microseconds
Repetition Rate 1000 ± pps
Waveform Rise and decay time each less
than 1 microsecond
3.12.1 AGC Versus Pulse Interference
With the receiver sensitivity set to maximum and with a test
signal of 3 to 1000 microvolts, modulated 30% at 1000 Hz,
the resulting 1000 Hz output should not decrease more than
2 dB for pulses having the same carrier level, or more than
10 dB for pulses with amplitudes 100 times the carrier
level, introduced simultaneously with the standard test
voltages.
3.12.2 Squelch Versus Pulse Interference
The squelch should not open when pulses and unmodulated
carrier on the same frequency are introduced, having the
following levels in microvolts:
Squelch Carrier Level Pulse Peak
Threshold Amplitude
5 0 3000
5 3 1000
3.12.3 Pulse Noise Output
With the receiver gain adjusted so that a test signal of 100
microvolts, modulated 30% at 1000 Hz, produces 100
milliwatts output in a 500 ohm resistive load, substitution of
pulse-type interference superimposed upon the 100
microvolt carrier in lieu of the 1000 Hz modulation should
not produce more than 5 milliwatts audio output with pulse
peak amplitudes up to one volt.
3.12.4 Receiver Operation in the Presence of In-band
Transmissions
The receiver design should be the best that the state-of-the-
art can provide with respect to freedom from interference
from transmitters operating in the 118.000 to 135.975 MHz
band on the same aircraft. There should be no squelch
tripping or degradation of the receiver performance when a
25 Watt transmitter tuned to a frequency 6 MHz or more
removed from that to which the receiver is tuned is operated
into an antenna space-isolated from the receiver’s antenna
by 35 dB. If 45 dB of space isolation is provided between
the two antenna, there should be no interference or squelch
tripping when the transmission frequency is as close as 2
MHz to the receive frequency.
Note also the design considerations stated in Section 3.4
with respect to the possible trade-off between receiver
sensitivity and interference from adjacent transmitters.
NOTE: The above interference specification naturally
assumes that the transmitter itself is not generating
a spurious radiation that appears on the receiver
input frequency.
3.12.5 Out-of-Band FM Broadcast Intermodulation
Interference
No degradation of performance should occur when third
order intermodulation products in the VHF communications
band of 118.000 and 136.975 MHz result from two or more
FM broadcast signals of -5 dBm or less mixing within the
receiver. See Attachment 8 of this document.
3.12.6 Out-of-Band FM Broadcast Desensitization c-7
Interference
No degradation in performance should occur if the
aggregate level of one or more FM broadcast signals across
the VHF communications transceiver input terminals is less
than -5 dBm. See Attachment 8 of this document.
3.13 SELCAL Audio Output Provisions
There is no output circuit provided exclusively for
SELCAL. The data link audio output specified in Section
7.3, should be employed for SELCAL applications.
3.14 Receiver Recovery
Equipment manufacturers should give careful consideration
to the operation of the Transceiver as a system and also as a
part of an aircraft installation in which a second, and
perhaps even a third, VHF Communication System is
installed. Recovery of the receiver after transmission, either
from its associated transmitter or from a different
transmitter within the aircraft, is extremely important to the
operator. As a general guide, the receiver should recover
90% of its full sensitivity (1 dB loss from full sensitivity)
within 0.5 seconds after any transmission resulting in a
coupling of up to 0.3 volts across the antenna input
terminals when the squelch and/or internal sensitivity
adjustment are set for normal operation with a 1.5 microvolt
signal. The receiver must regain its full sensitivity within
0.5 seconds after any transmission on the associated
transmitter.
COMMENTARY
When employed for air-ground datalink it is necessary,
due to the presence of other aircraft in close proximity,
for the receiver to receive a ground-to-air poll
immediately following an air-to-ground transmission
from a nearby transmitter. In this situation (as well as
in a zero signal condition) it is desirable that the
receiver be capable of recovering a high percentage of
its sensitivity in the minimum of time. The reader is c-1
directed to Section 7.5.2 of this

3.0 TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN (cont’d)
c-1 Characteristic for a quantitative statement of the
receiver recovery needs associated with data link.
3.15 Aircraft Electrical Power Characteristics
The reader is referred to the general guidance material on
equipment design in ARINC Report 414 and to the
information on electrical power system performance,
tolerances, and transient conditions in ARINC Report 413.
The VHF Communications Transceiver should accept the
power variations specified in those documents without
adverse effects upon equipment performance. The
equipment should be of such design that it is not damaged
by power supply voltages below the minimum specified
operating voltage, and, if operation is interrupted under
these conditions, the equipment should automatically
resume normal operation when the voltage returns within
limits.
3.16 Internal Circuit Protection
The basic master power protection means for the transceiver
is to be external to the unit and utilize a standard circuit
breaker rating. Within the equipment, no master power
protection means is to be provided, although subdistribution
circuit protection is acceptable where the set manufacturer
feels this would improve the overall reliability of the
equipment.
The airlines have expressed strong objection to the use of
subdistribution fuses within the equipment, but they have
not refused to accept such internal protection when it is
most effectively provided by fuses rather than by circuit
breakers or other protective means. The consensus is,
however, that if internal protection by fuses is employed,
these fuses should not be accessible when the set is installed
in the aircraft radio rack, but should be replaceable only
when the equipment goes through the service shop. The
reason for this is that fuses have been replaced on occasion
with incorrect values in the field and the airlines prefer to
accept the possibility of a nuisance fuse failure in
preference to the possible hazard of an incorrect fuse
replacement. The regular possibility of nuisance tripping
and fatigue failures in fuses is the main reason for objection
to the use of fuses in subdistribution protection.
If such subdistribution protection is by means of circuit
breakers, the majority prefer that these be accessible on the
front panel of the equipment so that they can be reset in
service.
In many circumstances the airlines encourage the
manufacturers to employ fusible components or circuit
designs protected against component shorting by other
fusible circuitry. Fusible elements are less subject to
nuisance tripping and fatigue failures, yet adequately protect
against an overload which might take out the master circuit
breaker and, thus disable the remainder of the transceiver.
They can also protect against smoke-producing faults in any
components which might be vulnerable.
3.17 Transmitter Frequency Stability
The transmitter carrier frequency should not deviate from
the assigned carrier frequency of any selected channel by
more than ±0.002% under the following conditions taken
one at a time.
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 9
a. The dc input voltages vary from 24 volts to 29 volts.
b. The ambient temperature is varied from +10º C to +71º
C and internal warm up (not to exceed 5 minutes) has
been attained.
c. The humidity is varied from 10% to 95% at 50º C.
d. The pressure is varied from sea level to that equivalent
of an altitude of 30,000 feet (the equipment should not
require pressurization).
e. Tubes or transistors which might affect frequency are
exchanged in a random manner for like tubes or
transistors which are within appropriate specifications.
The transmitter output carrier frequency should not deviate
from the assigned carrier frequency on any channel by more
than ±0.003% when the ambient temperature is varied from
-50º C to +71º C and without internal warm up.
The transmitter frequency should not deviate from the
assigned carrier frequency by more than ±0.003% when any
other environmental characteristic or other situation
develops which might, in the opinion of the manufacturer or
the airline customer, exist in actual service.
3.18 Transmitter Power Output and Duty Cycle
When operated at rated input power, the Transceiver carrier
power output measured into a 52 ohm resistive load at the
end of a 5 ft. transmission line should be 25 Watts
(nominal) on any operating frequency. The transmitter
should be capable of continuous operation with ARINC
cooling air. The transmitter should be designed to operate
with a 52 ohm transmission line terminated in its
characteristic impedance.
3.19 Transmitter Sidetone
With 90% amplitude modulation at 1000 Hz the sidetone
output should be at least 100 milliwatts into either a 200 or
500 ohm resistive load. A service adjustment should be
provided for control of the sidetone level.
The sidetone circuit should be above ground and so
designed (adequate power output capability) that the above
specified output power can be obtained in any load
impedance from 200 to 500 ohms. Further, with the
sidetone output set (by means of the service adjustment) to
a 50 milliwatt level into a 200 ohm load, there should be no
more than two to one voltage output changes when the load
impedance is changed from 200 ohms to infinity.
The user will decide how to feed the sidetone into the audio
distribution system. Attachment 2, Standard Interwiring,
does not show the interconnection of the sidetone and the
audio output circuits. It should be remembered that with
low impedance audio output and sidetone output circuits, it
is not practicable for these two circuits to be paralleled
directly in feeding to the isolation amplifier. Instead, series
attenuators should be provided if parallel mixing is to be
employed in the aircraft.
The rf power used for operation of the sidetone should be
obtained from a source as close as practicable to the
transmitter output terminals so that it may also provide a
means of monitoring the transmitter for proper operation.
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 10
3.0 TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN (cont’d)
3.20 Transmitter Spurious Radiation
Any emissions on a harmonic of a desired frequency should
be less than -45 dBW (dB below one watt). Any other
emissions should be less than -65 dBW, and any emissions
within the band 108 to 136 MHz should be down to at least
-75 dBW and preferable to -105 dBW. Any spurious within
the band 108 to 136 MHz, but more than 5 MHz from the
carrier frequency, should be down to at least -105 dBW.
This attenuation should be accomplished within the
transmitter without the aid of external circuits.
NOTE: The specification for spurious radiation is stated in
terms of absolute power level rather than amount
of attenuation by virtue of several historical
agreements reached as a result of interference on
harmonics of aeronautical mobile frequencies.
The absolute level of -45 dBW for harmonics is
based on 60 dB attenuation of the harmonics in a
25 to 50 Watt transmitter and is compatible with
FCC requirements. This has been determined to
be a maximum allowable level for operation on an
interference free basis.
It should also be recognized that the European
Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) recommended
maximum level is -46 dBW for all spurious
emissions except where 40 dB attenuation below
the fundamental power output results in a lower
power level. ECAC has also considered
recommending -56 dBW as the maximum level for
all spurious emissions in the band 108.0 to 136.0
MHz, regardless of the fundamental power output.
For this reason equipment manufacturers should
regard the figures specified in this paragraph as
“barely acceptable minima”, and aim to do rather
better in their boxes.
3.21 Transmitter Microphone Provisions and Frequency
Response
The specification material in this Section applies to the
audio input channel for voice communications. The
parameters of an additional audio input channel for Data
Link use are specified in Section 7.2 of this Characteristic.
3.21.1 Microphone Input Provisions
The microphone audio input should present an ac load
impedance across pins TP-30 and TP-31 of 150 ohms
(nominal). It should also provide a microphone excitation
c-1 supply in the form of an open circuit voltage on TP-30 of
16 Vdc (nominal). The dc source impedance of this supply
should be 400 ±50 ohms. With a sine wave applied to the
microphone audio input of 0.25 volts RMS, 1,000 Hz, the
modulator should be capable of modulating the RF carrier
100%. A service adjustment should be provided to permit a
higher level microphone signal input to be accommodated,
if desired.
NOTE: The reader should consult ARINC Characteristic
c-1 538A, “Hand-Held Microphone”, for further
information on microphone characteristics.
3.21.2 Frequency Response, Signal Conditioning, and
Speech Processing
3.21.2.1 Frequency Response
The transmitter microphone frequency response should be
flat within 6 dB between any two frequencies through the
range of 300 Hz to 2500 Hz. Filtering to attenuate
frequencies above and below these limits is desirable to
maximize power in the usable baseband.
3.21.2.2 Speech Processing
It is desirable that some form of clipping or speech
processing be included in the microphone input circuits. It
should provide sufficient extra gain to allow at least 10 dB
(preferably 20 dB) of such speech processing, still meeting
the microphone input level requirements. Service
adjustment provisions should be included to allow setting
the speech processing or clipping to the desired amount.
3.21.2.3 Transmitter Distortion
With speech processing circuits de-energized or the speech
processing service adjustment of Section 3.21.2.2 set to
“minimum”, the transmitter distortion indicated on an
external monitor detector should not exceed 10% with full
90% sinusoidal modulation at any frequency in the range
300 to 3000 Hz. The noise level should be at least 45 dB
below the level of a carrier modulated 90% at 1000 Hz.
3.21.3 Transmitter Energizing (“Press-to-Talk”)
The transmitter output on the selected carrier frequency
should be no more than -65 dBW or that on any other
frequency more than -105 dBW when:
a. No connection is made to TP-31 on the transceiver
service connector or an external resistance of 50,000
ohms or more is connected between TP-31 and ground
or,
b. A positive potential of 22 volts or more (31 volts
max.) is applied on pin TP-31 from an external source.
The transmitter should be energized when:
c. An external resistance of 60 ohms or less is connected
between pin TP-31 and ground or,
d. A positive potential between 0 and +3 volts is applied
to TP-31 from an external source. c-1
NOTE: Although remote keying devices are not expected
to cause negative voltages to be applied to TP-31,
manufacturers are encouraged to ensure that the
transceiver will not be damaged in the event that
such voltages up to -35 Vdc in magnitude are
inadvertently applied or appear on TP-31 in fault
situations.
COMMENTARY
The microphone input and transmitter keying
provisions shown in Attachment 7 are designed to
provide a single-point audio/PTT ground at the
operating station when the transmitter is keyed. To
enable this to be done with a conventional “three-
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 11

3.0 TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN (cont’d)

wire” microphone, transceiver connector pin TP-31
shares the functions of the microphone audio return and
the PTT keyline. Although a twisted shielded pair of
wires is used to connect the microphone audio output
to the transceiver in order to minimize the pick-up of
electromagnetic interference, any ac ripple present on
the PTT supply is conducted directly to the modulator.
The supply should therefore, be carefully filtered.
Also, to prevent dual audio grounds the impedance
between TP-31 and ground should be high compared to
the microphone load impedance of 150 ohms. 1500
ohms is suggested as the minimum value. This higher
impedance can help in the filtering of the keyline
current and in the suppression of transients impressed
on the keyline. It is not uncommon for transients of
amplitudes of 100 volts or greater to appear on the
keyline in aircraft installations and they must not be
permitted to interfere with the normal keying of the
transmitter.
The PTT function is to be employed in both the voice
and data link applications of the transceiver. Further
c-1 guidance related to transmitter keying for data link can
be found in Section 7.4 of this Characteristic.
The above transmitter “turn-on” voltage and resistance
limits apply at TP-31 with the transceiver installed in
the aircraft and the supply voltage at its lower (-20%)
limit. Designers of remote keying devices (microphone
PTT switches, data link keying circuits, etc.) should be
aware that the voltage drop along the wire connecting
their device to the transceiver can be significant.
Values in excess of 2 volts have been reported, for
example, for the microphone PTT line in some wide-
bodied aircraft. To ensure that the transmitter is
activated when desired, it is necessary for keying
devices to present “turn-on” resistances or voltages of
rather less than the values quoted above, 50 ohms and
1 volt being suggested as maxima. Also, the warning
in the first paragraph of this commentary concerning
the introduction of ripple on to the keyline applies
equally to these devices.
manufacturer should determine what to provide for test
purposes.
Several airlines have noted that the recent practice of
providing a test meter suitable for checking standing-wave-
ratio directly and, thus the output power to the antenna has
proved very useful for maintenance purposes. Perhaps, if
this feature could be incorporated there would be more
universal interest in seeing a test meter provided than if it
were simply a “plate and grid current” indicator.
3.24 Microphone and Headphone Jacks on R/T Front
Panel
Although it has been the past practice for transceivers to
include microphone and headphone jacks for maintenance
purposes, the consensus of the industry today is that most
airframe installations have a separate jack box reasonably
near the equipment rack and, thus such jacks on the front
panel of the equipment are not needed.
3.25 Provisions for Automatic Test Equipment
The Transceiver Unit should be provided with an auxiliary
rear connector to which are brought those internal circuit
functions deemed appropriate by the equipment
manufacturer to facilitate maintenance by Automatic Test
Equipment. This connector should be provided with a
suitable protective cover to reduce possibility of connector
damage, contamination, etc., while the equipment is not in
the maintenance shop.

3.22 Muting Relay

Provisions should be included within the transceiver for an
extra single-pole-double-throw relay contact on the
microphone push-to-talk relay with all three leads brought
out to separate pins identified as “muting relay”. The
contacts of the relay are identified as “normally open”,
“arm” and “normally closed”, with, of course, the “normally
closed”, contacts being “that way” when the microphone
push-to-talk button is not energized. The Standard
Interwiring of Attachment 2 shows these three leads routed
for such use as the customer may wish to make of them.
There is no standard way in which they will be employed.
3.23 Test Meter and Switch Provisions
The consensus of the users is that there is no requirement
for a test meter on the front panel of the transceiver.
However, a number of user’s desire a test meter switch and
a jack for a standard 1 milliampere meter for maintenance
purposes. Other users have expressed interest in a multi-pin
connector on the front panel of the equipment. However,
this appears to be a minority which would not be sufficient
to justify such special provisions. This Equipment
Characteristic is not stating whether the test meter switch
and jack should or should not be provided, merely that
some users regard them as desirable features. Each
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 12
4.0 TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN
FOR THE 8.33 kHz CHANNEL-SPACED MODE OF OPERATION
4.1 Frequency Range and Channeling
The transceiver should be capable of operating on 2,280
channels spaced 8.33 kHz apart in the internationally
c-9 allocated band 117.975 to 137.000 MHz. There is a 12.5
kHz guard band on each end of the allocated band.
Therefore, the lowest assignable channel is centered on
117.99166 MHz and the highest assignable channel is
centered on 136.9833 MHz. Channel changing time should
not exceed 60 ms. A table of the Frequency-Channel
Pairing Plan is provided in Attachment 11 for the reader’s
convenience.
COMMENTARY
c-8 The channel naming used is based on the frequency-
channel pairing plan defined in ICAO Annex 10 to the
convention on International Civil Aviation
“International Standards and Recommended Practices,
Aeronautical Telecommunications” which allows
unique identification of the 8.33 kHz channels. ICAO
Annex 10 has precedence over Attachment 11 in this
Characteristic.
COMMENTARY
For human factors reasons, the tuning control panel
may limit the lowest selectable channel name to
118.000 and extend the highest selectable channel
name to 136.990.
The emergency voice frequency (121.500 MHz), the
c-9 auxiliary Search and Rescue (SAR) frequency (123.100
MHz), and the data link channels will be used with a 25
kHz channel spacing.
COMMENTARY
Frequency Management Policy regarding the use of 8.33
kHz channel assignments within the internationally
allocated band may vary from country to country.
Implementors should consult the local regulatory
authorities, in the regions of airspace of interest,
pertaining to the authorized use for voice and/or data
operations.
4.2 Frequency Selection
The transceiver should employ the standard two-out-of-five
frequency selection system described in ARINC
Specification 410, with the additional frequency selection
system described in Attachment 11 for 8.33 kHz channel
spaced frequencies. Specification 410 should be followed
in explicit detail with respect to diode isolation for each
lead, current limits on each lead, voltage limits on control
leads, and protection against reduced or interrupted power
c-8 supply voltage during the frequency change cycle. In
addition, the receiver audio outputs should be muted and
the keying of the transmitter inhibited during channel
changing.
In the event that a control panel is employed for the
transceiver on which frequencies outside the range 118.000
to 136.9917 MHz can be selected and such a selection is
made, no damage to the transceiver should occur. The
invalid selection, however, should cause the receiver audio
outputs to be inhibited and prevent the transmitter from
being keyed.
COMMENTARY
The control panel should be able to control and display c-8
the channel name with at least six digits. When the
control panel is operating in a mode which is capable
of displaying 8.33 kHz channels, like 118.005, it
should also display the 25 kHz channels, like 118.000,
by scrolling through both the 8.33 and 25 kHz spaced
channels as shown in Attachment 11.
c-9
4.2.1 Control Panel Programming
When BP23 is internally grounded the transceiver is
capable of operating in the combined 8.33/25 kHz mode,
and when left open it is capable of operating in the 25 kHz
mode only.
COMMENTARY
The control panel programming feature is optional.
When TP20 is grounded, the control panel tunes 8.33
and 25 kHz spaced channels, and when left open it
tunes 25 kHz spaced channels only.
4.3.1 Selectivity
The nose passband and the stability of the receiver should
be such that when a carrier modulated 30% at 1,000 Hz is
applied on any assigned carrier frequency there is no more
than 6 dB attenuation when it is moved to ± 2.780 kHz from
its assigned frequency.
The skirt selectivity should be such that at least 60 dB of
attenuation results when the modulated carrier departs
±7.365 kHz or more from its assigned frequency. c-8
NOTE: The nose passband is defined in order to receive
the full speech bandwidth (± 2.5 kHz). This
value is increased by the ground frequency
tolerance (± 1 ppm) plus the Doppler effect (±
140 Hz).
COMMENTARY
Skirt selectivity is defined at the minimum separation
between the adjacent and wanted channel), i.e., at the
maximum airborne transmitter frequency tolerance (±
5 ppm as defined in paragraph 3.17) plus the Doppler
effect (air/air communication being the worst
operational case for Adjacent Channel Interference).
The equipment manufacturer may choose the stability
figure for the receiver. However, the stability figure
may be dictated by the stability specified for the
transmitter elsewhere in this Characteristic. It should
be evident that the preceding specification sets forth
the minimum nose bandwidth and the maximum 60 dB
skirt bandwidth for the receiver. Obviously, a wider-
than-minimum nose bandwidth and/or a narrower-
than-maximum skirt bandwidth are acceptable to the
airlines in actual practice. The manufacturer is free to
trade these numbers with stability as seen fit.
--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 13

4.0 TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN

FOR THE 8.33 kHz CHANNEL-SPACED MODE OF OPERATION (cont’d)

For purposes of illustration, Attachment 9 depicts the 4.3.3 Squelch Provision

selectivity characteristics of a typical receiver based
on an assumed receiver stability of ± 5 ppm. However,
the stability figure suggested for the receiver in Manufacturers are encouraged to provide the best possible
Attachment 9 is not part of the specification material squelch system; i.e., one that can distinguish between
contained in this Characteristic. Also, Section 3.5 communications signals and the usual types of interference
does not include allowances for a non-symmetrical and receiver background noise which can obscure such
pass-band or other design problems. These signals. Sophisticated squelch systems which automatically
deficiencies in actual receivers must be considered adjust the squelch threshold to match the masking level of
within the limits set forth in Section 3.5. the noise are highly desirable so that the user can take full
advantage of the highest possible sensitivity capability in
It should also be noted that the receiver local oscillator the receiver when the aircraft is away from ground
phase noise should be sufficiently low to avoid any generated noise conditions, but which will also
degradation of the receiver capability to reject off-channel automatically adjust the sensitivity level of the receiver
signals. A phase noise level better than - 114 dBc/Hz is when flying over industrial areas where heavy noise levels
necessary to comply with a 60 dB adjacent channel exist. The desire is that the squelch be capable of tripping
rejection. open whenever a readable signal is present, yet remain
closed whenever a signal is below the noise level. The
4.3.2 Cross Modulation receiver squelch should open when signals are received
from multiple stations.
The undesired cross modulation product should be down at
least 10 dB with respect to the audio output when the COMMENTARY
desired signal is modulated 50% under the following
conditions: No offset carrier network is foreseen to be used in the
8.33 kHz environment.
Undesired Signal Minimum Desired Signal
Frequency Undesired Level 4.3.4 SELCAL Audio Output Provisions
Signal Level Unmodulated
Modulated (Hard ΤV) There is no output circuit provided exclusively for
50% (Hard SELCAL. The data link audio output should be employed
ΤV) for SELCAL applications.
c-8 ± 8.33 kHz 10,000 10
± 25 kHz 10,000 10 4.3.4.1 Data Link Audio Output
± 50 kHz 20,000 10 An output circuit isolated from ground and having a source
± 100 kHz 60,000 10 impedance of 100 ohms should be provided, which, when
± 500 kHz 100,000 10 operated into an (essentially) open circuit exhibits a c-8
frequency response within ± 6 dB of 1,000 Hz reference
± 1 MHz 200,000 10 from 300 Hz to 2.5 kHz. Furthermore, over the frequency
range of 312 Hz to 1,200 Hz there should be no more than 3
With the simultaneous application to the input of the dB difference between the responses at any two frequencies
receiver of a 30% modulated off-resonance signal with an within this range.
unmodulated desired signal, the audio output produced by
the undesired signal should not exceed -10 dB with
reference to the output produced by the desired signal only This output should supply an open circuit voltage of 0.5
(when modulated 30%) under the conditions specified volts RMS with an input signal of 1,000 microvolts
below. With the desired signal level varied from 3 V to 0.l modulated 30% at 1,000 Hz. This output should not pass
V, and the audio gain adjusted in each case of 100 mW through the noise limiter nor should it be affected by the
output, the receiver should meet the above specification squelch circuits (operation of the squelch to shut off the
with the following undesired signals: aural output of the receiver should not shut off the data link
output circuit). A service adjustment should be provided to
Undesired Signal Level Off Resonance adjust the level of this output, however the setting of this
control should not affect the impedance or frequency
0.06 volts 0.1 MHz characteristics of this output circuit.
0.3 volts 0.5 MHz
0.6 volts 1.0 MHz Note that this output is different from, but compatible with
1.2 volts 2.0 MHz the cathode follower or emitter follower output with the
“low” side grounded to the R/T chassis which was specified
in ARINC Characteristic 520A. The isolated and low
impedance output specified herein is to provide noise
isolation and allow SELCAL equipment to also parallel this
same output.
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 14
4.0 TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN
FOR THE 8.33 kHz CHANNEL-SPACED MODE OF OPERATION (cont’d)
4.3.4.2 Receiver Phase Inversion
There should be no phase inversion through the receiver.
When the received carrier envelope exhibits maximum
peak-to-peak amplitude, the audio output on pins TP-15 and
TP-16 should be such that TP-15 takes on its maximum
positive value with respect to TP-16.
4.3.4.3 Differential Phase Delay
The differential delay through the receiver to audio
frequencies (f) from 600 Hz to 2.5 kHz should be less than
1/10f seconds.
4.3.4.4 AGC Attack Time
The audio output should reach 90% of its steady state value
within 40 milliseconds after the step application of a 1,000
ΤV 30% 1,000 Hz modulated rf signal to the receiver input.
4.3.4.5 AGC Decay Time
The audio output should reach 90% of its steady state value
within 50 milliseconds after the receiver rf input of 1,000
ΤV, modulated 30% with 1,000 Hz is step reduced to 10
ΤV.
c-8 4.4 Transmitter Design
4.4.1 Frequency Stability
The transmitter carrier frequency should not deviate from
the assigned carrier frequency of any selected channel by
more than ± 0.0005% under the following conditions taken
one at a time.
a. the dc input voltages vary from 24 V to 29 V.
b. the ambient temperature is varied from -55o C to + 71o
C and internal warm up (not to exceed 5 minutes) has
been attained.
c. the humidity is varied from 10% to 95% at 50o C.
d. the pressure is varied from sea level to that equivalent
of an altitude of 40,000 feet (the equipment should not
require pressurization).
The transmitter output carrier frequency should not deviate
from the assigned carrier frequency on any channel by more
than ±0.0005% when the ambient temperature is varied
from -50o to +71o and without internal warm up. This
applies to all operational conditions.
The transmitter frequency should not deviate from the
assigned carrier frequency by more than ±0.0005% when
any other environmental characteristic or other situations
develop which might, in the opinion of the manufacturer or
other airline customer, exist in actual service.
4.4.2 Transmitter Microphone Provisions and Frequency
Response
The specification material in this section applies to the
audio input channel for voice communications. The
parameters of an additional audio input channel for Data
Link use are specified in Section 7.2 of this Characteristic.
4.4.2.1 Microphone Input Provisions
The microphone audio input should present an ac load
impedance across pins TP-30 and TP-31 of 150 ohms
(nominal). It should also provide a microphone excitation
supply in the form of an open circuit voltage on TP-30 of
16 Vdc (nominal). The dc source impedance of this supply
should be 400 ± 50 ohms. With a sine wave applied to the
microphone audio input of 0.25 volts RMS, 1,000 Hz, the
modulator should be capable of modulating the rf carrier
100%. A service adjustment should be provided to permit a
higher level microphone signal input to be accommodated,
if desired.
NOTE: The reader should consult ARINC Characteristic
538A, “Hand-Held Microphone”, for further
information on microphone characteristics.
4.4.2.2 Frequency Response, Signal Conditioning and c-8
Speech Processing
4.4.2.2.1 Frequency Response
The transmitter modulation response should be flat within 6
dB from 300 Hz to 2,500 Hz. A sharp cut-off in response
below 300 Hz and above 2,500 Hz is required. Frequencies
above 3,200 Hz should be attenuated at least 50 dB.
4.4.2.2.2 Speech Processing
It is desirable that some form of clipping or speech
processing be included in the microphone input circuits. It
should provide sufficient extra gain to allow at least 10 dB
(preferably 20 dB) of such speech processing, still meeting
the microphone input level requirements. Service
adjustment provisions should be included to allow setting
the speech processing or clipping to the desired amount.
4.4.2.3 Distortion
The transmitter distortion should be consistent with the
required transmitter occupied spectrum.
4.4.2.4 Transmitter Occupied Spectrum
The transmitted spectrum should not exceed the limits
shown in Attachment 10 when the transmitter is modulated
by any frequency between 300 Hz and 10 kHz, the input
level being adjusted to provide 90% modulation at 1,000
Hz.
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 15

4.0 TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN

FOR THE 8.33 kHz CHANNEL-SPACED MODE OF OPERATION (cont’d)

4.4.3 Data Input

c-8
Data inputs are not allowed when using the 8.33 kHz mode.
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 16
5.0 CONTROL PANEL DESIGN
SPECIAL NOTE
This Section of the Characteristic sets forth the
characteristics of a “standard control panel” which will
utilize a specific form factor and connector, as it would be
employed by those customers who would normally
purchase a “standard control panel” rather than design their
own version of an integrated custom built control panel.
Manufacturers should recognize that some airlines
customarily design special custom built control panels
under those circumstances where a new fleet of aircraft is
being procured and where special requirements dictate such
designs, or in retrofit installations where space does not
permit use of the “standard control panel” specified herein.
Such departures from the specifications of this Section will
be the customer’s option and will be the subject of specific
negotiations between the customer and the manufacturer.
c-8 5.1 General Configuration
Although individual customers will desire various knob and
switch configuration on their panels, the “Standard Control
Panel”, for purposes of this Characteristic, will conform to
the form factor of Section 2.1.2 and Attachment 1-2. It
comprises a single VHF COMM frequency display,
essentially in the center, with two selector knobs, on each
side.
c-8 5.2 Frequency Selection and Display
The frequency selector should extend through the range
118.000 through 136.990 MHz. Suitable switch wafers or
c-9 electronic circuits, conforming to the requirements of
ARINC Specification 410, to cover this frequency range
c-8 in 25 kHz or 8.33 kHz increments should be provided.
Most users have stated a preference for a horizontal
frequency display, rather than a vertical display. All users
desire nothing smaller than ¼ inch numerals and would
prefer the largest numbers practicable. Normally, the
0.005 MHz digit will not be displayed for 25 kHz
operation.
The frequency displayed in dual-channel mode should be
the receive frequency. Frequency offset occurs within the
R/T only.
5.3 Connector Types
c-8
The “Standard Control Panel” should utilize two 37 pin
MIL-PRF-24308 type connectors (or commercial
equivalent) positioned on the vertical center line of the unit.
The connector mounting panel should be 4.000 inches from
the rear face of the front panel, as shown in Attachment 1-2.
Index pin code X02 should be used for this unit instead of
the index pin code specified in Appendix II of ARINC
Report No. 306. Attachment 1-2 also provides, for
reference purposes, a drawing of a mating connector
backplate suitable for use in a “Standard Control Panel”
installation.
NOTE: Some users have stated preferences for the use of
pendant connectors for their control panels rather
than the 37 pin MIL-PRF-24308 type connectors
c-8 (or commercial equivalent), and many such units
have been delivered. The Standard Interwiring
for the transceiver shown in Attachment 2 and
--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
the control panel wiring diagrams of Attachment
6 assume, however, that the 37 pin MIL-PRF-
24308 type connectors (or commercial
equivalent) are employed. c-8
5.4 Volume Control
A audio volume control may or may not be desired by the
individual customer. Provisions should be included in the
“Standard Control Panel”, utilizing a 500 ohm
potentiometer connected to the audio output from the
receiver unit, to attenuate the audio output prior to feeding
the audio distribution system in the aircraft. Some users
may desire the transmitter sidetone to be coupled through
the same audio volume control while others may choose to
make the sidetone level independent of volume control
setting. It will be the manufacturer’s choice as to whether
this audio volume control is a concentric knob on the
frequency selector(s) or a separate control. Provisions
should be made for leaving the volume control off of the
panel in the event that the customer does not desire it.
5.5 Master Off-On Control c-8
Some customers will desire a master off-on switch for
controlling primary power to the VHF transceiver. This
should consist of a single pair of contacts, arranged either as
a separate switch or ganged with the audio volume control,
as the customer may choose, to energize the airframe-
mounted switching function described in Section 2.5 of this
Characteristic.
5.6 Integral Lighting c-8
Integral control panel lighting should be provided utilizing
26 Vac power, or 26 Vdc power if special circumstances
should dictate a customer’s choice of this power. The
control panel lighting circuit should be isolated from ground
and other circuitry within the control panel. The control of
these lights will be dictated by the user’s requirements and
the controlling power circuits will be external, in most
cases, from the radio control panel. The lighting should
properly illuminate the control marking and the positions of
all controls. Provisions should be made for either red or
white lighting at the user’s option. The airline customers
prefer internal lighting of the frequency selector drums or
discs instead of surface lighting.
NOTE: The requirement for 26 Vac or 26 Vdc to be used
for panel lamp supplies is inherited from ARINC
Characteristic 546. At the time this
Characteristic was written it was thought
desirable to arrange things such that one lamp
type could be used with either ac or dc supplies.
It is recognized, however, that few, if any,
aircraft installations utilize 26 volts (either ac or
dc) for panel lamp operation and that the present
standard is 5 Vac. (27.5 Vdc is also used on
some older aircraft).
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 17

5.0 CONTROL PANEL DESIGN (cont’d)

c-8 5.6 Integral Lighting (cont’d)

For these reasons pin assignments on the

“Standard Control Panel” connector have been
made (see Attachment 2) to accommodate either
ac or dc panel lamp operation as co-ordinated
between operator, airframe manufacturer and
equipment manufacturer. If 5 Vac operation is
desired, pins TP36 and TP37 will be used (TP36
hot). If 27.5 Vdc or 26 Vac operation is desired,
pins BP25 and TP37 will be used (BP25 positive
or hot).
c-8 5.7 Control Function Transfer Switch

Although some customers may require means for

transferring control functions from one receiver to another
or for handling pre-set frequency selections, no such
provisions are stated herein for the “Standard Control
Panel”. Such functions should be custom designed, in
accordance with the standards of ARINC Specification No.
410, to meet the specific requirement of the customer.
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 18

6.0 ANTENNAS

c-8 6.1 General

This Characteristic does not specify a “standard” antenna

for the VHF Communications transceiver. For reference
purposes, however, Attachment 1-3 shows a typical non-
flush antenna and its mounting details. Whether an antenna
of this type is used, or one of the flush-mounted, “airframe
integrated” types frequently offered by airframe
manufacturers is employed instead, it should be designed
to match 52 ohms and exhibit a standing wave ratio of less
than 1.5:1 over the operating frequency range of the
transceiver. The antenna should be essentially vertically
polarized and omnidirectional to the maximum degree
practicable.

c-8 6.2 Antenna Considerations for Multiple Systems

Operations

The installation designer should note that, to permit

multiple VHF transceivers to be used simultaneously on
the same aircraft, it is necessary to provide adequate space
isolation between the antennas of each unit to ensure that
the use of one transmitter does not interfere with reception
on another receiver. A minimum of 50 dB of space
isolation should be provided between antennas mounted on
opposite sides (top and bottom) of the fuselage. A
minimum of 35 dB of space isolation should be provided
between antennas mounted on the same side of the
fuselage. Any steps which can be taken to provide further
isolation in new aircraft and antenna designs is
encouraged.

--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---

7.0 PROVISIONS FOR DATA TRANSMISSION AND RECEPTION
c-8 7.1 Background of the Problem
The reasons why a consideration of data link operation is
given such a prominent place in this ARINC Characteristic
(as well as in other ARINC Characteristics covering
communication equipment) can be understood only from a
review of the long and sordid past history of data
communications systems.
The first consolidated airline Industry activity aiming at
provisions for data link communications was in 1947 with
the beginning of the technical coordination of what was to
be the ARINC Characteristic 520 several years later. The
emphasis which the airline Industry placed on the data link
system (then known as the Private Line) was shown by a
resolution of the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee
on November 1, 1949, endorsing consideration of the
Private Line requirement in the development of VHF
communications equipment specifications. On May 2,
1950, a draft ARINC Characteristic 520 was reviewed and a
representative of the Air Navigation Development Board
(predecessor of the Airways Modernization Board which in
turn was a predecessor of the Federal Aviation Agency)
stated that the whole system, “was very indefinite”! Thus,
AEEC and the airline industry held up the Characteristic for
the new VHF communications equipment, meanwhile
providing expansion of the existing war surplus VHF
communications equipment to provide 50 channels to serve
until the new equipment could be developed.
Even though the Air Navigation Development Board was
“studying the private line”, on October 11, 1950 AEEC
adopted the following motion, that the “VHF
Communications Equipment Characteristic be withheld
until the pertinent portion of the private line system is
finalized in order to include those requirements in the
Characteristic”. But finally on July 10, 1951 progress had
to move ahead and AEEC approved the new VHF
Equipment Characteristic 520 including only certain
features of compatibility with the private line because it was
still stated by the ANDB as being “nebulous”.
It remained “nebulous” for several years (this is the
understatement of the century!) but on February 5, 1953, a
new AEEC VHF Study Subcommittee was established to
bring the Characteristic 520 up-to-date with provisions for
the private line (which by this time had been renamed the
Air Traffic Control Signaling System, ATCSS). This
activity resulted, on October 8, 1953, in AEEC endorsing
the concept of complete provisions for the Air Traffic
Control Signaling System in the VHF communications
equipment, utilizing 6 MHz frequency spacing and full
duplex capabilities. This was reissued as ARINC
Characteristic 520A in June of 1954.
Then, 7 years later in 1960, with the coordination of
ARINC Characteristic 533 covering an airborne HF
SSB/AM System, it was natural that the airline Industry
would place utmost emphasis on the needs for data
transmission in the SSB equipment to be developed for
airline use, in the belief that data link communications
would become important. That HF SSB Equipment
Characteristic recognized the decisions made only a few
short years previously in ICAO with respect to a voice only
SSB System, which had noted the possibility of needing an
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 19
entirely different or at least a modified, SSB System,
framework to accommodate data. The airline Industry
chose, with the publication of ARINC Characteristic 533,
dated February 15, 1960, to establish the likely airborne
equipment needs to accommodate what was the opinion of
the airline Industry of the likely data systems of the future.
Recognizing the many problems of data link operation, the
Industry felt it would be absolutely necessary to make
provisions for exact frequency synchronism in an HF SSB
system and the industry would not accept suppressed carrier
SSB operation without provisions for floating carrier and
automatic frequency control operation. Although
laboratory tests were made of equipment having such
capabilities in accordance with ARINC Characteristic 533,
production equipment did not appear because of the
necessity of including the AFC provisions in a separate
accessory unit which was not considered too satisfactory by
most of the users.
A further consideration of the data link as it might apply to
VHF communications was then made in 1961 when with
the publication of ARINC Characteristic 546, “Airborne
VHF Communications Transceiver System” dated October
1, 1961. The data link subject had to be reconsidered as it
applied to VHF communications equipment, and Chapter 8
of that Characteristic once again reiterated the need for
provisions for data link capability in the VHF equipment
and include the keying provisions which had been originally
developed for the earlier Characteristic 520 and again
updated with the issue of Characteristic 533 for the HF SSB
equipment in 1960. However, by this time there was being
shown less and less enthusiasm by the FAA for data link
applications on VHF and thus, although provisions were
made in the communications equipment, there was still
strong question whether such a data link system would ever
actually materialize. Government and non-government
meetings were still being held on the “private line” (which
had been renamed so many times everyone almost lost
track!) and was being called the Automatic Ground-Air-
Communications System (AGACS) but in 1961 was simply
referred to as the “Data Link” (although some people added
the extra prefix often used ahead of the word “Yankee”).
Thus, in 1961 after 14 years of deliberation over the data
link the Industry was becoming somewhat pessimistic about
its possibilities! Yet because of a known need for expanded
communications facilities in the future, the airline Industry
felt that communications equipment must continue to
provide the best possible provisions for a future data link
even though the type of data link and its characteristic were
far from clear.
With the emphasis placed again on Data Link Systems by
RTCA’s Special Committee SC-100 and subsequently by
RTCA Special Committee SC-110 and 111 in 1963, 1964
and early in 1965, it had appeared that interest in data links
was running somewhat higher than usual and enthusiasm
again began to develop for possible application of a data
link either to VHF or to HF or to at least “something”! But,
in the Fall of 1964, with the apparent need for an
international agreement on system parameters for HF SSB,
the airline Industry found it necessary to come to grips
with the basic questions of what provision should be made
in the SSB equipment for data link capabilities and what
provisions should be dispensed with.
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 20
7.0 PROVISIONS FOR DATA TRANSMISSION AND RECEPTION (cont’d)
7.1 Background of the Problem (cont’d)
Industry meetings in Brussels in October, 1964, and in
Washington, D.C. in January 1965, resulted in agreement to
accept a suppressed carrier SSB System based on the
knowledge and conclusions of RTCA Special Committee
SC-100 as supplemented by the work of SC-110 and SC-
111. This had indicated that a suitable data link system
could evolve capable of operating with the frequency
translation error produced on a suppressed carrier system,
even when used on a supersonic transport flying as fast as
Mach 3 and with an operating frequency as high as 15
MHz. With this change in the data link concept it was
possible to eliminate many of the complications of the
original Characteristic 533, thus simplifying the equipment
and providing partial justification for a new ARINC
Characteristic 533A, describing the modernized and
updated, as well as simplified, HF SSB equipment.
In the Spring of 1965, the Industry view of the status of any
and all data links whether for VHF, HF or most other likely
applications could best be described as one of “highly
dynamic apathy”, with the opinion of most people tending
to lie about half-way between a “to-heck-with it all” attitude
and a realization that data link in some form or another
would probably materialize sometime “in the future”.
This opinion probably had not changed when, in 1968,
another AEEC Subcommittee started work on data link.
After four years of determined and patient effort, however,
this Subcommittee, in conjunction with ARINC, had
essentially completed the definition of a universal system
founded on the work of RTCA Special Committee 110/111.
As of the publication date of this Characteristic, initial
implementation of the ground facilities of this system is
under way and the Subcommittee is making rapid progress
towards the completion of an ARINC Characteristic for the
airborne hardware.
Thus, the following Sections of this Characteristic set forth
the data link provisions to be incorporated in the ARINC
566A VHF transceiver. The material is essentially that
developed originally for Characteristic 502A, updated for
Characteristic 533, updated again for Characteristic 546,
updated yet again for Characteristic 533A and modified to
reflect the recommendations of RTCA SC 110/111 for
Characteristic 566. New in this document are specifications
c-1 for transceiver turn-around time and transmitter and
receiver differential delay.
c-8 7.2 Data Link Audio Input to the Transmitter
A pair of transmitter audio input leads, labeled hot and cold,
should be provided, isolated from ground and from other
c-1 internal circuitry for dc, having an input impedance of 600
ohms. With a 1000 Hz sine wave applied to these audio
input leads at a level of 0 dBm, the transmitter should be
fully modulated. A service adjustment should be provided
to control the modulation level independent of service
adjustments for microphone audio specified elsewhere in
this Characteristic. No wave-form processing should be
provided on this input circuit. Modulation limiting,
however, (as specified in Section 3.21.2 for the microphone
input circuits), should be provided so that with the service
c-1 adjustment set initially, the input signal can be increased to
a level at least 10 dBm and preferably 20 dBm without the
transmitter exceeding 90% modulation.
c-1
The overall frequency response (measured from the data
link audio input) should be flat within 6 dB for any two
frequencies throughout the range of 1000 Hz to 10,000 Hz. c-1
Transmitter distortion as specified in Section 3.21.2.3
should also apply with data link signals applied as herein
stated with up to 90% modulation. c-1
NOTE 1: SPECIAL ADVICE TO WOULD-BE DATA
LINK INVENTORS) - It should be noted that
previous ARINC Characteristics 520A and 546
covering VHF communications equipment and
the previous Equipment Characteristic 533
covering HF single sideband equipment have
required a 100 ohm data input circuit although
the practice of some equipment manufacturers
has been to employ a standard 600 ohm input
transformer for this purpose, possibly loading it
with a resistor to obtain the specified 100 ohm
input impedance. The consensus of the Industry
now is for the use of 600 ohm inputs for data
link service and an input level of 0 dBm rather
than the 1.0 volt level established previously for
the 100 ohm input. c-1
NOTE 2: Again it must be stated categorically that the
foregoing input levels established herein are
design figures rather than actual adjustment
figures. Although the present ARINC Report
412, “Audio Systems”, does not establish
specific adjustment inputs for a future data link
system, the actual adjustment levels may, at a
later date, have to be changed somewhat from
those shown herein as the design levels. The set
manufacturer and user should keep this in mind
and make certain that the equipment is capable
of accommodating the levels established herein,
but with sufficient service adjustment range that
it can accommodate operation with higher input
signal levels in an actual operating environment
if the users choose to adopt a different input
standard adjustment from that set forth herein.
7.2.1 Transmitter Phase Inversion
There should be no phase inversion through the transmitter.
When the data link audio input applied at pins TP-26 and c-1
TP-27 is such that TP-26 takes on its maximum positive
value with respect to TP-27, the RF carrier envelope should
exhibit maximum peak-to-peak amplitude. (See
Commentary following Section 7.3.1.) c-8
7.3 Data Link Audio Output c-8
An output circuit isolated from ground and having a source
impedance of 100 ohms should be provided, which, when
operated into an (essentially) open circuit exhibits a
frequency response within ±6 dB of 1,000 Hz reference
from 300 Hz to 11 kHz (or greater). Furthermore, over the
frequency range of 312 Hz to 1,200 Hz there should be no
more than 3 dB difference between the responses at any two
frequencies within this range.

7.0 PROVISIONS FOR DATA TRANSMISSION AND RECEPTION (cont’d)
NOTE 1: This special response characteristic is to
accommodate SELCAL which may be operated
from this output.
NOTE 2: The upper limit of audio response of the second
detector and output circuit should be at least 11
kHz to permit the possible use of off-set carrier
single-sideband transmission of data link signals,
which would permit greater bandwidth at the
expense of signal-to-noise ratio, if this were later
found to be desirable.
This output should supply an open circuit voltage of 0.5
volts RMS with an input signal of 1,000 microvolts
modulated 30% at 1,000 Hz. This output should not pass
through the noise limiter nor should it be affected by the
squelch circuits (operation of the squelch to shut off the
aural output of the receiver should not shut off the data link
output circuit). A service adjustment should be provided to
adjust the level of this output, however the setting of this
control should not affect the impedance or frequency
characteristics of this output circuit.
Note that this output is different from, but compatible with
the cathode follower or emitter follower output with the
“low” side grounded to the R/T chassis which was specified
in ARINC Characteristic 520A. The isolated and low
impedance output specified herein is to provide noise
isolation and allow SELCAL equipment to also parallel this
same output.
NOTE: It will be recalled that the very early ARINC
Characteristic Nos. 520A and 533 covering
VHF Communications equipment and HF
Communications equipment, respectively,
specified a 1,000 ohm data link output
impedance for the reason that Vacuum tubes
were very much in vogue at that time and the
1,000 ohm impedance was the lowest
practicable value which could be obtained from
a single triode cathode follower without the
necessity for an output transformer. Inasmuch as
the data link equipment would have been
designed to have infinite impedance input, such
an arrangement was considered quite acceptable
in that time period. However, with the advent of
semiconductors, which would require a
somewhat lower input impedance for a data link
system than heretofore expected, and with a
number of cases of noise troubles in audio
circuitry coupled around aircraft at low voltages
with common ground circuits, it became
desirable to isolate the data link output from dc
ground by means of an output transformer and it
also became necessary to establish either the
generator impedance of the data link output at a
low value or the data link input impedance at a
fixed value and at rather high level. Thus, with
ARINC Characteristic 546 of 1961, the change
was made to a 100 ohm data link output circuit,
maintaining the same 0.5 volt output level, for
compatibility with previous equipments.
Inasmuch as the major utility of the data link
output on either the VHF Communications or
the HF communications equipment is for
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 21
feeding SELCAL equipment, it was absolutely
imperative that no change in the output
characteristics be made which would cause
consternation to those users now equipped with
SELCAL operating from existing VHF or HF
equipment. Thus, the open circuit voltage was
kept as previously specified and the generator
impedance of the output circuit was simply
dropped to 100 ohms so that existing SELCAL
equipment of the vacuum tube variety could still
operate with no voltage level changes, and yet
newer SELCAL equipments having lower
impedance inputs could be operated with the
newer communications equipment (but not with
the older communications equipment) where the
customer recognizes the problem of interface.
7.3.1 Receiver Phase Inversion c-8
There should be no phase inversion through the receiver.
When the received carrier envelope exhibits maximum
peak-to-peak amplitude, the audio output on pins TP-15 and
TP-16 should be such that TP-15 takes on its maximum
positive value with respect to TP-16.
COMMENTARY
c-1
While phase inversion through airborne transmitters
and receivers may be of little consequence in data link
systems in which “pre-key” transmissions allow
correct phase referencing to be established in the data
link hardware prior to message transfer, possible
future needs for more efficient conduct of
communications might result in a significant cut-back
of such “overhead”. It is in anticipation of such an
event that this document calls for the 566A transceiver
to keep data inputs and outputs in phase.
7.4 Data Link Keying
An external data link system employed in conjunction with
the transceiver will demand the use of the transmitter by
simultaneously grounding both the microphone “press-to- c-1
talk” lead (TP-31) and the data link keying lead (TP-29). As
soon as transmission is desired (see Section 7.4.1), the data
link may “key” it by removing the ground on TP-29. The c-8
RF envelope rise time, measured from the time at which the
ground on TP-29 is removed, should not excced 1.5 c-1
milliseconds.
At the conclusion of a transmission, the data link will
simultaneously remove the ground from TP-31 and
relinquish control of the binary state of TP-29, leaving it in
the open circuit (full key down) condition. The transceiver
will return to the receive mode and remain therein until
either the grounding of TP-31 alone indicates impending
voice use of the transmitter, or the simultaneous grounding
of this pin and TP-29 indicates the impending transmission
of another digital message.
NOTE 1: In the single-channel two-way alternate mode of
data link operation, the transmitter may be
keyed by the grounding of TP-31 alone, TP-29
being left open-circuit at all times. In other data
link system operating disciplines, however, the
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 22
7.0 PROVISIONS FOR DATA TRANSMISSION AND RECEPTION (cont’d)
more complex keying arrangement described
above may be needed.
NOTE 2: The use of the terms “ground” and “open-
c-1 circuit” in the above paragraph to denote the
actions of keying and inhibiting the transmitter
is not intended to preclude the use of “voltage”
keying as describe in Sections 3.21.3 for TP-31
and 7.4.4/5 for TP-29.
c-8
7.4.1 Receive-to-Transmit Turn-Around
The transmitter should be connected to the transceiver
antenna terminal and capable of delivering at least 90% of
its rated output power not later than 50 milliseconds after a
ground is applied to the “press-to-talk” lead (TP-31).
COMMENTARY
In single-channel two-way alternate data link
operations, RF channel utilization efficiency is
enhanced as the time taken by the airborne transceiver
to change from the receive mode to the transmit mode
tends to zero. In the various dual-channel modes of
data link operation, however, the shortness of this time
is not so significant as the precision with which it is
controlled. For the transceiver to be optimally useful
in all possible data link applications, therefore,
receive-to-transmit change-over time should be both
short and repeatable within close tolerances.
Although the validity of this philosophy was
acknowledged at the time Supplement 1 to this
c-1 Characteristic was prepared, other constraints
prevented a consensus from being reached on a tighter
receive-to-transmit turnaround time specification than
that given above. Manufacturers contemplating new
566A transceiver designs should be aware that as data
link utilization increases, the 50 millisecond (max)
figure may have to be revised. Maximum life for their
new designs will follow from enlightened anticipation
of this occurrence.
c-8 7.4.2 Transmit-to-Receive Turn-Around
The receive audio output voltage should be within 90% of
its steady state value not later than 50 milliseconds after the
transmitter keying ground is removed from the “press-to-
c-1 talk” lead (TP-31) and a step-function RF input of 1000
microvolts amplitude is applied to the transceiver antenna
terminal.
c-8 7.4.3 Operating Voltages
The potential on TP-29 measured on open circuit should be
c-1 within the range of 16 to 32 volts positive with respect to
ground.
c-8 7.4.4 Full Key Up Condition
The transmitter should be de-energized (output of the
transmitter on the carrier frequency reduced to at least
minus 65 dBW and transmitter output on any other
frequency reduced to a least minus 105 dBW) when:
--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
a. An external resistance of 1,000 ohms or less is
connected between TP-29 and ground, or
b. A potential between 0 and +2 volts is applied to TP-29
from an external source.
NOTE: Although the keying circuits of the data link are
not expected to cause voltages of negative
polarity to be applied to TP-29, manufacturers c-1
are encouraged to ensure that the transceiver will
not be damaged should such voltages of up to -35
Vdc in magnitude be inadvertently applied or
appear on TP-29 in fault situations.
7.4.5 Full Key Down Condition c-8
The transmitter should be energized (full key down
condition) when:
a. No connection is made to TP-29 or an external
impedance is connected between TP-29 and ground of
200,000 ohms or greater, or
b. An externally applied potential on TP-29 rises from c-1
the “key-up” value specified in Section 7.4.4 to a c-8
positive value approximately equivalent to the normal
open circuit potential on this pin specified in Section c-1
7.4.3. c-8
NOTE: See Section 3.21.3 of this Characteristic for the
switching conditions associated with the “press- c-1
to-talk” function.
7.4.6 Duty Cycle c-8
The transmitter should be designed to permit continuous
operation of the equipment with the power circuits
energized and in the key down position without overloading
any component. The circuits and components of the
transmitter should not be harmed by continuous application
of a dc voltage to TP-29 (from external equipment) ranging
from +16 to +50 volts peak or by negative voltages to the
extent indicated by the Note following Section 7.4.4. c-1
c-8
7.5 AGC Characteristics
c-8
7.5.1 AGC Attack
In addition to performing as indicated in Section 3.9 of this
Characteristic, the AGC system should ensure that the data c-1
link audio output voltage is brought to within 90% of the
steady state level specified in Section 7.3 no later than 10 c-8
milliseconds after the application of a step-function rf input c-1
of 1000 microvolts amplitude.
7.5.2 AGC Decay c-8
The data link audio output voltage should be within 90% of
the steady state level no later than 20 milliseconds after the
amplitude of the rf input signal is changed from 1000
microvolts to 10 microvolts.
c-1
COMMENTARY
AGC decay characteristics are specified to ensure that
in single channel simplex data link operations the
receiver is capable of receiving a wanted signal from a
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 23

7.0 PROVISIONS FOR DATA TRANSMISSION AND RECEPTION (cont’d)

distant ground station immediately following the

cessation of a downlink transmission from a nearby
aircraft.

c-1 Note that separate AGC attack/decay times are not

specified for the voice communications application of
the radio. It is believed that the characteristics
specified above will ensure acceptable performance in
both the voice and data modes of operation and that
switched selection of different characteristics for the
modes is unnecessary.

7.6 Differential Delay

c-8
7.6.1 Receiver Delay

The differential delay to audio frequencies (f) from 600 Hz

to 6.6 kHz should be less than 1/(10f) seconds.
c-8 7.6.2 Transmitter Delay

The differential delay to audio frequencies (f) from 600 Hz

to 6.6 kHz should be less than 1/(10f) seconds.

COMMENTARY

When the transceiver is used for data

transmission and reception, the bit error rate of
the data link is dependent on a number of factors
inter-related in a complex fashion. Disturbance of
the detection process by differential delay
introduced across the base-band of the system is
one of these factors. The differential delay limits
specified above are intended to permit the
ARINC 566A transceiver to support a data link
bit rate of at least 4800 bits/seconds at an
acceptable bit error rate, on the assumption that
this bit rate will be achieved using 2400 Hz and
4800 Hz tone frequencies and audio minimum
shift keying (AMSK). It may be noted that
c-1 factors other than differential delay would have to
be considered before the radio could be cleared
for use at still higher bit rates, including, in all
probability, the continued use of AMSK.

Differential delay occurs in the ground-based

radio elements of data link systems as well as in
the airborne elements. The above specifications
assume that 80% of the total permissible link
delay may be introduced by the airborne
elements. The ground elements are thus
constrained to introduce no more than the
remaining 20% if the permissible bit error rate is
not to be exceeded.
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 24

ATTACHMENT 1-1
TRANSCEIVER UNIT CONNECTOR LOCATION
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 25

ATTACHMENT 1-2
STANDARD CONTROL PANEL
OUTLINE DRAWING

*Least significant digit in 25 kHz channel designators (5 in the case illustrated above) may or may not be displayed.

NOTE: Front panel will mount additional switches as necessary.

ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 26
ATTACHMENT 1-2 (cont’d)
CONTROL PANEL MOUNTING PLATE ASSEMBLY
--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 27

ATTACHMENT 1-3
TYPICAL VHF COMMUNICATIONS ANTENNA
--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 30
ATTACHMENT 2 (cont’d)
NOTES APPLICABLE TO THE STANDARD INTERWIRING
1. Double Pins for Transceiver Unit Power Input and
Ground Leads
The 27.5 Vdc input and ground leads employ
paralleled connector pins on the Transceiver Unit
to increase the current carrying capacity. The
installation designer must assure the length of lead
to each of the paralleled pins is approximately
equal so that the best distribution of currents will
be effected. It is not necessary that separate leads
be run from each of the parallel pins through the
master distribution panel or the common aircraft
ground but instead the pins can be paralleled at the
back of the equipment rack if the installer so
desires.
2. Transceiver Unit Master Power Circuits and
On/Off Control
A standard 10 amp circuit breaker is to be
employed in the main power lead to the
Transceiver Unit. If the user so desires, the
primary power may be interrupted by an airframe-
mounted relay controlled by an on/off switch on the
control panel. Section 2.5 of this Characteristic
refers.
3. Muting Relay
There are special contacts provided which the
customer will use as he sees fit as explained in
Section 3.22. Some users utilize the muting relay
contacts within the set to transfer the audio system
from “receiver output” to “side-tone output” when
the transmitter push-to-talk is energized.
4. Remote Frequency Readout Indicator
Not all customers are expected to employ the
Remote Frequency Readout Indicator (RFRI) and
in fact it is unlikely that any customer will employ
it until such time as more sophisticated control
panel switching is to be implemented. RFRI
circuitry and performance requirements are
established in ARINC Specification 410.
5. Transmitter Frequency Offset
The Standard Interwiring provides a wire
designated “transmitter frequency offset” which,
when grounded in the control unit, allows double
channel operation as set forth in Section 3.3.
6. Audio Output and Sidetone Circuitry
The Standard Interwiring does not show where the
audio output and audio volume control and
sidetone circuitry will be connected in the aircraft
wiring. Inasmuch as audio and sidetone outputs are
both extremely low impedance sources they cannot
be directly paralleled without interaction, the
degree of which depends upon the specific
characteristics of each Transceiver Unit. Thus,
either an attenuator must be provided to insert a
standard series impedance or some other form of
mixing device must be employed (use is sometimes
made of the muting relay as explained in Note 3
above). The exact sidetone audio output
connections in the aircraft interwiring are the
prerogative of the customer and the installation
designer.
7. Squelch Disable
The squelch disable, if used, might be a push
button at some aircraft location other than the
Control Unit if the customer so desires. When the
squelch disable switch on the “Standard Control
Panel” is employed it will be necessary to connect
the switch return pin (BP29) to the dc ground for
the system.
8. Pins Reserved for 546/566 Functions
The airlines have desired the ability to install the
ARINC 566A transceiver in aircraft already wired
in accordance with ARINC Characteristics 546 and
566. This is possible using the Standard
Interwiring of this Attachment to establish
connector pin assignments for the transceiver, with
the following provision: pins reserved for Serial
Digital Tuning (see Note 14) are not used in
conflict with assignments made in ARINC 566. The c-5
Serial Digital Tuning made may be utilized in those
aircraft installations which have not provided
wiring for a “Modulation Adapter/ Modem”, for
which the pin designations are defined in ARINC
566, Attachments 1 and 2. The “Modulation
Adapter/Modem” was to be used in conjunction
with SATCOM or enhance Extended Range
operation.
9. Not Used c-8
10. Data Link Audio Input Center Tap
As it is not anticipated that the data link audio input
center tap will be used, no wire is shown
connecting TP-28 to the data link. The pin
assignment is retained (with “reserved” status,
however) for the sake of compatibility with
Characteristics 546 and 566.
11. “10 MHz” Frequency Selection
These wires may be omitted in installations in
which the capability to select frequencies outside
the normal operating range of the transceiver is not
required. Section 3.1 of this Characteristic refers.
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 31

ATTACHMENT 2 (cont’d)
NOTES APPLICABLE TO THE STANDARD INTERWIRING
c-8
12. Suggested Spare Wires wire must be capped and stowed at the ACARS MU
connector.
TP-7 and TP-25 are assigned as Suggested Spares
in Characteristics 546 and 566 and shown wired to
the “aircraft junction box”. In this Characteristic
TP-7 has been designated as a future spare (see
note 13 regarding TP-25) and neither pin shown
connected to anything. This is to acknowledge that
most modern installations do not incorporate
junction boxes of the types foreseen in the 546 and
566 documents and thus there is no place for the
other end of the wire to go.
13. “Four-Wire” Microphones
A number of airlines have expressed the desire to
use “four-wire” microphones with the ARINC
566A transceiver. Such microphones provide
entirely independent circuits for the audio return
and “press-to-talk” switching functions, i.e., they
do not combine the two functions on to one wire as
for the more conventional “three-wire”
microphones employed with ARINC 546 and 566
transceivers. Although the interchangeable use of
the radio with both types of microphone is possible
if special provisions are made in the airframe, the
Industry determined that such provisions should not
be specified in this ARINC Characteristic.
Guidance on how a “four-wire” microphone
interface may be established, however, is provided
in Attachment 7.

NOTE: Some airlines have stated a preference for

configuring their radios such that a four-wire
microphone interface can be achieved without
recourse to the airframe-mounted relay shown in
Figure (ii) of Attachment 7. Pin TP-25 on the
transceiver service connector has therefore been
reserved for these airlines to use as the termination
for the four-wire microphone PTT return in such
configurations.
14. Serial Digital Tuning (Optional)

Pins TP18, 21, 22, 23, 33, 34, 37, and 38 have been
c-5 reserved for the optional use of Serial Digital
Tuning of the transceiver in accordance with
ARINC Specification 429 and ARINC
Characteristic 720.
15. 8.33 kHz Program
This function is provided on the existing 0.01 MHz
Freq. Select E wire to avoid adding wires to
c-8 existing installations when converting from 25 kHz
mode to the combined 8.33/25 kHz mode. See
Section 4.2.1 Control Panel Programming. If the
0.01 MHz Frequency Select E wire was also
connected to an ACARS MU that is only capable
of tuning 25 kHz spaced frequencies, then this

--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 32

ATTACHMENT 3
RECEIVER SELECTIVITY
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 33

ATTACHMENT 4
ENVIRONMENTAL TEST CATEGORIES

The following RTCA DO-138 categories apply to the environmental specification of the ARINC 566A VHF
transceiver.

DO-138 UNIT LOCATION

ENVIRONMENT Section Electronics Cockpit
Rack
Temperature and Altitude 4 CAT G CAT G
Humidity 5 CAT A CAT A
Shock 6
Vibration 7 CAT O* CAT K*
Power Input 9
Conducted Voltage Transient 10
Audio Frequency Conducted Susceptability 11
Audio Frequency Magnetic Field Susceptability 12
Radio Frequency Susceptability (Radiated and Conducted) 13 CAT A CAT A
Explosion 14 CAT X CAT X
Waterproofness 15 CAT X CAT X
Hydraulic Fluid 16 CAT X CAT X
Sand and Dust 17 CAT X CAT X
Fungus 18 CAT X CAT X
Salt Spray 19 CAT X CAT X
Spurious Radio Frequency Emission Appendix A CAT A CAT A

* The use of alternative categories may be necessary if the installation is to be made in other than turbine-powered
fixed-wing aircraft. Refer to RTCA DO-138 directly.
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 34

ATTACHMENT 5
FREQUENCY SELECTOR TWO-OUT-OF-FIVE-CODE

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
A X X X X
B X X X X
C X X X X
D X X X X
E X X X X

--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 35

ATTACHMENT 6
STANDARD VHF NAV/COM CONTROL PANEL WIRING

Sheet 1 of 2
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 36

ATTACHMENT 6 (cont’d)
STANDARD VHF NAV/COM CONTROL PANEL WIRING

Sheet 2 of 2
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 37

ATTACHMENT 7
MICROPHONE AND DATA INPUTS AND OUTPUTS
(Standard Three-Wire Microphone Interface)
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 38

ATTACHMENT 7 (cont’d)
MICROPHONE AND DATA INPUTS AND OUTPUTS
(Possible “Four-Wire” Microphone Interface)

* See Note 13 on page 31 for information on the role of pin TP-25 in a “four-wire” microphone interface.
** External Relay switches audio ground to TP-31 when Mic PTT switch is closed.

Figure (ii)

--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---

ATTACHMENT 7 (cont’d)
MICROPHONE AND DATA INPUTS AND OUTPUTS
EXPLANATORY NOTES
Historical Background
The microphone interface circuitry specified for the
VHF transceiver originally in ARINC Characteristic
546 was designed to permit multiple microphones to
be used with the radio (one-at-a-time) with the
minimum of problems due to electrical interference,
noise pick-up and ground loops. It demanded careful
attention to detail in the design of both the equipment
and the aircraft installation. The following extract
(edited) from Project Paper 412, “Audio Systems”,
explains why.
“All installations should employ a twisted and
shielded pair for the microphone “audio” and
“return” circuits in order to realize the noise
rejection capability of the radio. It will be noted
that the circuitry wired to TP-30 on the radio is
straightforward and should be considered “audio
high”. In contrast, the circuitry on TP-31 is
somewhat more sophisticated because it provides
the dual functions of “audio low” (or return) and
transmitter keying. The following features of the
radio are essential to the proper operation of the
audio input and transmitter keying functions
when it is installed in the aircraft:
a. The keying relay must be operated from an
extremely well-filtered (no ripple or noise!)
dc supply in order to prevent noise from
appearing in series with the audio signal
across the common impedance provided by
the radio and the aircraft interwiring
connected to TP-31.
b. There must be no audio ground within the
equipment, i.e., the circuits that filter the
keying relay supply must not serve as an
audio frequency ground within the
equipment. This means that the impedance
of the keying relay and the microphone
excitation series resistors must be
sufficiently high throughout the range of
audio frequencies involved to prevent a
coupling path through the noise filter to the
equipment chassis or ground.
c. It is essential that the ground provided by the
microphone PTT switch (identified as MIC
JACK GROUND) in the diagrams of this
Attachment be the sole audio frequency
ground in the entire audio input circuitry at
any given instant. This recognizes that in
most installations different, but single point,
grounds will be provided depending on
which flight crew station microphone is in
use. It should be noted that system ground
loops will result from multiple grounds if the
microphones at two or more stations are
--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 39
used to operate the same radio at the same
time.
d. A suitable audio by-pass or coupling circuit
must be provided between TP-31 and the
low side of the audio input circuit or
transformer.
“Equipment designs which offer the above
features complement the use of a twisted and
shielded pair of wires for the aircraft interwiring
to TP-30 and TP-31. Such usage will provide an
optimum degree of protection from both
electromagnetic and electrostatic RFI. The
circuit also provides all of the advantages of
using a single-point ground audio system, even
though that single point is moved around the
cockpit as different microphones are employed”.
Microphone Ground Location
Project Paper 412 goes on to discuss the
compromises involved in choosing the locations of
the audio grounds once the “obvious” single location
(within the transceiver) has been rejected because the
transmitter would be keyed all the time! It ultimately
concludes that the best practical locations are, as they
always have been, REALLY GOOD BASIC
STRUCTURE GROUNDS as close to the
microphone jacks as it is possible to get.
ARINC 566A Transceiver/Microphone Interface
The ARINC 566A transceiver, which is intended to
function in installations designed for ARINC 546 and
566 transceivers as well as those based on this
Characteristic, employs the same microphone
interface as these earlier receivers. It is shown
diagramatically in figure (i) of this Attachment and
conforms to the design principles described above.
Because the microphone has three terminals (two for
the audio and one for the PTT switch ground) it has
become known as the “three wire” microphone.
Figure (i) therefore describes the “standard three-wire
microphone interface”.
Note that the diagram shows that the transmitter can
also be keyed by a data link. Either resistive or
voltage switching can be used by the data link for this
purpose, provided the signal standards set forth in
Section 3.21.3 of this Characteristic are observed. It
is, of course, vital that the data link designer and the
installation designer take all possible precautions to
preclude noise and ripple from appearing on the data
link keyline.
A “Four-Wire” Microphone Interface
That the foregoing scheme has been, and for the most
part still is, successful cannot be denied.
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 40

ATTACHMENT 7 (cont’d)
MICROPHONE AND DATA INPUTS AND OUTPUTS
EXPLANATORY NOTES (cont’d)

A “Four-Wire” Microphone Interface (cont’d)
Recently, however, some airlines have reported
difficulties in controlling noise pick-up on the keying
circuits of their transceivers. Reasons for this
apparently include, (a) increased problems of
maintaining adequate audio ground throughout the
system due to the proliferation of keying stations in
modern aircraft, (b) increased susceptibility to
interference pick-up of the very long microphone/
radio interconnections in large aircraft and (c) the
appearance of other on-board systems (such as flight
recorders) that satisfy their interest in whether or not
the transmitter is keyed by “observing” the binary
state of the keyline.
In order to overcome these problems, these airlines
proposed abandoning the single-point movable
audio/keying ground concept and replacing it with
one that, in theory at least, placed the audio ground
inside the radio, leaving only the keying ground at the
microphone station. To make this work they
proposed adding a single wire to the twisted and
shielded pair connecting each microphone to the
radio and dedicating it to the keying function. The
two-pole switch at each microphone station would
have only one side of one pole connected to local
ground. The other side of this pole would have
connected to it the new single wire. The other pole of
the switch would be connected in series with the
audio return from the microphone.
566A radio should be identical philosophically to its
predecessors in the audio input/transmitter keying
area.
Those airlines that wish to employ ”four wire”
microphones can, at their own option, (i) install the
extra wire and (ii) either locate a relay in the radio
rack to connect TP-31 to a local ground when the
PTT switch at a microphone station is closed, or
modify their radios to provide this switching function
internally, using the TP-25 for the PTT return. Figure
(ii) of this Attachment shows the first of these
alternatives diagrammatically. Using this approach
the only circuit to ground involving the keyline is that
containing the relay coil. Thus, any interference or
noise picked up on the keyline will not be conducted
into the radio. Also, the use of the relay by keying
devices other than microphones and the addition of
poles to it for use by “observing” devices (such as the
aforementioned flight data recorders) can further
assist in isolating potential sources of noise from the
radio.
That the foregoing can be done, however, does not
release transceiver designers and airframe installation
designers from their responsibility to observe most
faithfully the principals outlined in the first part of
these notes. Only in this way will the incidence of
problems of the type that led to the “four wire”
interface proposal be minimized.

At the radio, of course, a connector pin would have to

be assigned for the termination of the new PTT wire
and certain modifications to the transmitter keying
and audio input circuitry introduced. It was at this
point that the proposal locked horns with the principle
of 566A/566/546 generation interchangeability
mentioned earlier. Obviously, if the 566A radio and
its interwiring differed from the previous radios and
their (common) interwiring in this area, generation
interchangeability would be lost.
Neither the airlines proposing the “four-wire”
microphone interface (made up of the three original
microphone terminals plus one more for the new PTT
wire) nor the rest of the Industry wanted this to
happen. Accordingly, during the preparation of
Supplement 1 to the Characteristic, many man-hours
were spent looking for a way to circumvent it.
However, to do so and at the same time get the audio
ground into the transceiver proved impossible.
The Final Solution

As indicated in Note 13 to Attachment 2 of this

Characteristic, the Industry determined that
provisions for the “four-wire” microphone should not
be standardized in this Characteristic, i.e., the
 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 41

ATTACHMENT 8*
TEST PROCEDURES FOR
DESENSITIZATION AND INTERFERENCE REJECTION

For bench measurement purposes, the application to VHF COMM receivers of simulated FM sound broadcasting
signals with levels corresponding to the criteria in paragraphs 3.12.5 and 3.12.6 should not cause:
a. a reduction in the audio Signal plus Noise-to-Noise ratio (S+N)/N of 6 dB or less with a wanted signal of 40
microvolts per meter across the VHF COMM receiver input. (It should be noted that Annex 10 specifies a
wanted signal strength of 75 microvolts per meter for VHF COMM, and this value should be satisfied “on a
high percentage of occasions” (Annex 10, Volume I, Part I, paragraph 4.7.2.1). In practice there are a
significant number of occasions when VHF communications take place when the field strength is below 75
microvolts per meter, and therefore 40 microvolts per meter is considered appropriate); and
b. more than 5 dB (equivalent rf) increase in AGC voltage or an audio Interference plus Noise-to-Noise ratio
(I+N)/N of greater than 6 dB, with no wanted signal present.

*This Attachment added by Supplement 7.

 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 44

ATTACHMENT 11
c-9 FREQUENCY-CHANNEL PAIRING PLAN

ARINC 566A ENCODING FOR 8.33/25 kHz SPACING

The tuning algorithm for 8.33/25 kHz frequency selection uses the existing “two-out-of-five” selection wires to
encode both the 8.33 and 25 kHz spaced frequencies. The additional channel combinations required to cover the
8.33 kHz spaced frequencies are accomplished by using the 0.01 MHz Frequency Select wires (A, B, C, and D) in a
binary format. The twelve new 8.33 kHz channel combinations are overlaid over the four existing 25 kHz channel
c-8 combinations in a manner such that the original 25 kHz combinations are preserved. The table below describes the
encoding scheme.

Frequency Channel Spacing Channel 0.01 MHz Frequency Select Wires

(MHz) (kHz) Name
A B C D E*
118.0000 25 118.000 X
118.0000 8.33 118.005 X X X
118.0083 8.33 118.010 X X
c-9 118.0167 8.33 118.015 X X X X
118.0250 25 118.025 X X
c-8 118.0250 8.33 118.030 X X
118.0333 8.33 118.035 X X X
c-9 118.0417 8.33 118.040 X X
118.0500 25 118.050 X X
c-8 118.0500 8.33 118.055 X X X
118.0583 8.33 118.060 X
c-9 118.0667 8.33 118.065
118.0750 25 118.075 X
c-8 118.0750 8.33 118.080 X X
118.0833 8.33 118.085 X X X
c-9 118.0917 8.33 118.090 X
c-8 118.1000 25 118.100 X
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
136.9750 25 136.975 X
c-9
136.9750 8.33 136.980 X X
136.9833 8.33 136.985 X X X
136.9917 8.33 136.990 X
X REPRESENTS A GROUNDED DISCRETE

NOTES: 1) All other frequency select wires are maintained with present 2 x 5 code.
* 2) The 0.01 MHz Frequency Select E wire is read by the control to determine if the transceiver is
8.33 kHz capable.
3) Information contained in the first three columns of the above table is provided for the reader’s
convenience. Amendment 72 to ICAO Annex 10, Volume V, Table 4.1 (bis) to the convention on
International Civil Aviation “International Standards and Recommended Practices, Aeronautical
Telecommunications” has precedence.
c-9
4) The emergency voice frequency (121.500 MHz), the auxiliary Search and Rescue (SAR) frequency
(123.100 MHz), and the data link channel, will be used with a 25 kHz channel spacing.
 AERONAUTICAL RADIO, INC.
2551 Riva Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

SUPPLEMENT 1

TO

ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A

MARK 3 VHF COMMUNICATIONS TRANSCEIVER

Published: April 19, 1973

Prepared by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee

Approved by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (by mail vote) : April 6th 1973.
SUPPLEMENT 1 TO CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 2
A. PURPOSE OF THIS SUPPLEMENT
This Supplement expands and updates Section 6 of
Characteristic 566A, wherein are specified tranceiver
parameters related to data transmission. Consequential
changes arising elsewhere in the Characteristic are also
introduced and voltage and resistance limits for the
“press-to-talk” switching function are specified. In
addition, certain audio input and output characteristics
have been revised to reflect modern practices.
B. ORGANIZATION OF THIS SUPPLEMENT
The first part of this document, printed on buff-colored
paper, is the Supplement itself. It contains descriptions of
the changes introduced into the Characteristic and, where
appropriate, extracts from the original text for
comparison purposes. The second part consists of
replacement white pages for the Characteristic, modified
as required by the Supplement. The modified and added
material on each replacement page is identified in the
margin by a “c-1” indicator.
Existing copies of Characteristic 566A may be updated
by simply inserting the replacement white pages where
necessary and destroying the pages they displace. The
buff-colored Supplement should be inserted inside the
rear cover of the Characteristic.
When it becomes necessary to reprint the Characteristic,
the revised white pages will, of course, be used. The
Characteristic number on the gray cover will also have
added to it the “dash number” corresponding to the latest
Supplement so integrated. To enable the development of
the Characteristic to be followed, each Supplement will
be included, printed on buff-colored paper and located in
the back of the document. Characteristics reprinted in this
way will thus provide a complete and current
specification in the white pages and a historical record of
development in the buff pages. Copies of such reprinted
Characteristics may be purchased from ARINC as noted
in the current Document List.
C. CHANGES TO CHARACTERISTIC 566A
INTRODUCED BY THIS SUPPLEMENT
This section presents a complete tabulation of the
changes and additions to the Characteristic introduced by
this Supplement. Each change or addition is identified
either by the section number and title currently employed
in the Characteristic or by the section number and title
that will be employed when the supplement is eventually
incorporated. In each case there is included a brief
description of the addition or change and, for other than
only very minor revisions, any text originally contained in
the Characteristic is reproduced for reference. For those
changes that are either too complex to be readily
described or involve extensive revisions to attachments,
the original page appears in this section marked
OBSOLETE - DO NOT USE. A replacement white page
for each of these pages is included in the second part of
this document, as noted in B above. In this way an
accurate record of the development of the Characteristic
is preserved.
2.5 Power Control Circuitry
Commentary added to advise manufacturers how to
ensure operation of the 566A transceiver in 546/566
installations designed for (a) operational use of the on/off
relay in the older radios and (b) operational non-use of
the relay.
3.8.1 Gain
Receiver load resistance value changed from 200 ohms to
600 ohms to reflect modern practice.
3.14 Receiver Recovery
Final sentence of commentary revised to direct reader to
Section 6.5.2 of the Characteristic for the specification of
receiver recovery needs related to data link.
3.21.1 Microphone Input Provisions
Section revised to bring transmitter microphone input
provisions into line with microphone output
characteristics specified in ARINC Characteristic 538A,
“Hand-Held Microphone”.
3.21.3 Transmitter Energizing (“Press-to-Talk”)
New Section added by this Supplement.
6.1 Background of the Problem
New sentence added to penultimate paragraph. Final
paragraph deleted in its entirety.
6.2 Data Link Audio Input to the Transmitter
Section revised to specify input level of 0 dBm and input
resistance of 600 ohms. All references to 100 ohm input
resistance deleted. Lower limit of specified frequency
response raised from 300 to 1000 Hz.
6.2.1 Transmitter Phase Inversion
New Section added by this Supplement.
6.3.1 Receiver Phase Inversion
New Section added by this Supplement.
6.4 Data Link Keying
Section revised completely.
ORIGINAL TEXT FOLLOWS:
6.4 Data Link Keying
To permit operation of the transmitter in conjunction with
a separate data link unit, the transmitter should include
suitable electronic keying provisions, or equivalent,
which will permit rapidly keying, by external means, the
transmitter with or without modulation such that the RF
envelope rise time (measured from the time the keying
pulse is applied) is not greater than 1.5 milliseconds.
When data link operation is employed, the separate
data link
 SUPPLEMENT 1 TO CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 3

equipment will provide a “pre-trigger” signal which will

ground the microphone push-to-talk lead (pin TP-31) and Program Pin Program Pin Transceiver turn-
simultaneously “ground” the data link keying lead A B around time
(identified as “key” on pin TP-29) of the transmitter. The (TP7) (TP25) m.sec.
“pre-trigger” signal will precede the keying impulse by at
least one second in order to permit the transmitter Open Circuit Open Circuit 250 ± 50
energizing circuits to become energized. After the one Ground Ground 60 ± 20
second interval has elapsed, the transmitter can be keyed Open Circuit Ground 15 ± 5
by the external data link signalling equipment causing the Ground Open Circuit 1 ± 0.25
ground on the data link keying lead (TP-29) of the
transmitter to be opened to key the transmitter. The 6.4.1 Receive-to-Transmit Turn-around
grounding and ungrounding of TP-29 on the transmitter
can be accomplished by the external data link equipment New Section added by this Supplement.
utilizing either a high speed relay or possibly an
electronic keying tube or transistor which would either 6.4.2 Transmit-to-Receive Turn-around
change the impedance from TP-29 to ground by the
necessary amount or actually apply suitable potentials to New Section added by this Supplement.
TP-29 from a low impedance source which would
energize or de-energize the transmitter. Inasmuch as the 6.4.3 Operating Voltages
electronic methods of keying the transmitter have not yet
been developed, it is necessary that standardized This is Section 6.4.1 from Characteristic 566A re-
impedance and voltage conditions be agreed upon for the numbered and with the final sentence deleted.
transmitter. The following subparagraphs set forth
standards which are believed to be sufficiently flexible to ORIGINAL TEXT FOLLOWS:
permit a wide variety of electronic keying systems to be
employed in the data link equipment but which will 6.4.1 Operating Voltages
assure that all such equipment will properly key either the
ARINC Characteristic No. 520A VHF set or this ARINC The potential on TP-29 measured on open circuit should
Characteristic No. 566A VHF set. be within the range of 16 to 32 volts positive with respect
to ground. This is to permit the potential
COMMENTARY on TP-29 to be employed as plate supply for an ATCSS
keying circuit in the ATCSS equipment if so desired.
In the interests of reducing receive-to transmit
turn-around time (thus reducing system time 6.4.4 Full Key Up Condition
overhead and allowing an increase in
information transfer rate), the one second This is Section 6.4.2 from Characteristic 566A re-
mentioned above for energizing the transmitter numbered.
should be reduced. Ideally, some “near-zero”
time would be optimum. Manufacturers are 6.4.5 Full Key Down Condition
encouraged to minimise transmitter turn-on time
to the extent permitted by the state-of-the-art, This is Section 6.4.3 from Characteristic 566A re-
within the constraints imposed by the need for numbered. Note added referencing Section 3.21.3 for
overall simplicity and cost-effectiveness for the “press-to-talk” switching details.
transceiver.
6.4.6 Duty Cycle
NOTE: The AEEC Data Link Subcommittee’s Project
Paper (No. 586) for a universal air-ground data This is Section 6.4.4 from Characteristic 566A re-
link system proposes that future generations of numbered.
VHF transceivers, of which the 566A would be
the first, should provide an encoded indication 6.5 AGC Characteristics
of receive-to-transmit turn-around time to the
data link. The use of two program pins on the Original Section deleted and replaced with new Sections
transceiver is envisaged, connected to ground 6.5.1 and 6.5.2.
within the unit or left open circuit in
combinations representing different ranges of ORIGINAL TEXT FOLLOWS:
turn-around time. These pins would be
connected to the data link via the inter-systems 6.5 AGC Characteristics
wiring.
When single channel simplex data systems are employed,
the capacity of the system is dependent upon the time to
To support this concept, two pins on the 566A synchronize or “lock up” on the incoming message. If the
service connector, TP7 and TP25 have been system is to operate satisfactorily with aircraft in a low
assigned to this program function. The signal area, but with other aircraft closely adjacent, the
following table shows how they should be AGC characteristics of the airborne receiver can become
connected within the transceiver to effect the quite important. Either longer carrier transmissions must
desired encoding. be effected prior to transmitting data, or a longer
synchronizing transmission must be made
from the
--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
SUPPLEMENT 1 TO CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 4

6.5 AGC Characteristics (cont’d) ATTACHMENT 7 MICROPHONE AND DATA

INPUTS and OUTPUTS
ground, or a fast acting AGC must be provided in the air.
Added by this Supplement.
Therefore, an AGC attack time of approximately 5
milliseconds and an AGC decay time of approximately
10-15 milliseconds are strongly encouraged as the
nominal figures, based on presently known system
requirements. This AGC characteristic is based on the
expectation that a bit rate of the order of 1,200 bits per
second or greater may be established as standard.
6.6 Differential Delay
Section 6.6 is revised completely. Subsections 6.6.1 and
6.6.2 specify receiver and transmitter delay respectively.
ORIGINAL TEXT FOLLOWS:
6.6 Differential Phase Delay
When the transceiver is used for data transmission and
reception, the bit error rate of the data link can be
dependent on a number of factors interrelated in a
complex fashion. Disturbance of the detection process by
differential phase delay introduced across the baseband of
the system (6.4 kHz) can occur, giving rise to bit errors.

While the desired differential phase delay characteristic

cannot yet be specified, receiver designers should pay
careful attention to the factors affecting it. A total phase
change of less than 2° across the 6.4 kHz baseband might
be regarded as an initial design goal.

ATTACHMENT 1-1 TRANSCEIVER UNIT

CONNECTOR LOCATIONS

Lower Boundary of anticipated area of ATE connector

location moved to 3.50 inches from the tranceiver base.

Error in tolerance of overall width of unit corrected.

ATTACHMENT 2 STANDARD INTERWIRING

TP5/TP6 “* note” added

TP-7 re-assigned from “Turn-around Program A”

function to “Future Spare”.
TP-25 re-assigned from “Turn-around Program B”
function to “Mic. Audio Return (Reserved).”

TP 30 re-labeled from “Carbon Mic” to “Mic Audio Hi”

TP 31 re-labeled from “Push-to-talk” to “4-wire Mic PTT
Return (Reserved)”
NOTES APPLICABLE TO THE STANDARD
INTERWIRING

Note 9 Deleted
Notes 12 and 13 Added

--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
 AERONAUTICAL RADIO, INC.
2551 Riva Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

SUPPLEMENT 2

TO

ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A

MARK 3 VHF COMMUNICATIONS TRANSCEIVER

Published: November 16, 1973

Prepared by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee

Approved by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee: November 7, 1973

--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
SUPPLEMENT 2 TO ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 2

A. PURPOSE OF THIS SUPPLEMENT ATTACHMENT 2 (cont’d) NOTES APPLICABLE TO

THE STANDARD INTERWIRING
This Supplement incorporates into ARINC
Characteristic 566A-1 guidance material on the use of Note 13 - “Four-Wire” Microphones
“four-wire” microphones with the VHF
Communications Transceiver. Note amended to direct readers to Attachment 7 for
schematic representation of “four-wire” microphone
NOTE: Supplement No. 1 to ARINC Characteristic interface.
566A was published on April 19th, 1973 with
AEEC letter No. N73-061/VHFC-04. The use ORIGINAL TEXT FOLLOWS
of the Characteristic number 566A-1 in this
Supplement implies that its amendments affect 13. “Four-Wire” Microphones
Characteristic 566A with Supplement No. 1
incorporated. A number of airlines have expressed the desire to use
“four-wire microphones with the ARINC 566A
B. ORGANIZATION OF THIS SUPPLEMENT transceiver. Such microphones provide entirely
independent circuits for the audio return and “press-to-
The first part of this document, printed on buff-colored talk” switching functions, i.e., they do not combine the
paper, is the Supplement itself. It contains descriptions two functions on to one wire as do the more
of the changes introduced into the Characteristic and, conventional “three-wire” microphones employed with
where appropriate, extracts from the original text for ARINC 546 and 566 transceivers. Although the
comparison purposes. The second part consists of interchangeable use of the radio with both types of
replacement white pages for the Characteristic, modified microphone is possible if special provisions are made in
as required by the Supplement. The modified and added the radio and in the airframe, the Industry determined
material on each replacement page is identified in the that such provisions should not be specified in this
margin by a “c-2” indicator. ARINC Characteristic.
Existing copies of Characteristic 566A may be updated In order not to preclude the establishment of a “four-
by simply inserting the replacement white pages where wire” interface by those airlines who want to use such
necessary and destroying the pages they displace. The microphones in spite of this, however, the Industry
buff-colored Supplement should be inserted inside the reserved pin TP-25 for the connection of a “four-wire”
rear cover of the Characteristic. microphone PTT return to the radio. Individual airlines
who wish to do so can thus negotiate with their
When it becomes necessary to reprint the Characteristic, equipment suppliers for suitably configured radios and
the revised white pages will, of course, be used. The with their airframe suppliers for the necessary airframe
Characteristic number on the gray cover will also have provisions, based on the use of this pin for this purpose.
added to it the “dash number” corresponding to the latest
Supplement so integrated. To enable the development ATTACHMENT 7 - MICROPHONE AND DATA
of the Characteristic to be followed, each Supplement INPUTS and OUTPUTS
will be included, printed on buff-colored paper and
located in the back of the document. Characteristics New diagram added to show “four-wire” microphone
reprinted in this way will thus provide a complete and interface achieved through the use of an external relay.
current specification in the white pages and a historical Explanatory notes added.
record of development in the buff pages. Copies of such
reprinted Characteristics may be purchased from
ARINC as noted in the current Document List.
C. CHANGES TO CHARACTERISTIC 566A-1
INTRODUCED BY THIS SUPPLEMENT
This section presents a complete tabulation of the
changes and additions to the Characteristic introduced
by this Supplement. Each change or addition is
identified either by the section number and title currently
employed in the Characteristic or by the section number
and title that will be employed when the supplement is
eventually incorporated. In each case there is included a
brief description of the addition or change and, for other
than only very minor revisions, any text originally
contained in the Characteristic is reproduced for
reference. For those changes that are either too complex
to be readily described or involve extensive revisions to
attachments, the original page appears in this section
marked OBSOLETE - DO NOT USE. A replacement
white page for each of these pages is included in the
second part of this document, as noted in B above. In
this way an accurate record of the development of the
Characteristic is preserved.
 AERONAUTICAL RADIO, INC.
2551 Riva Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

SUPPLEMENT 3

TO

ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A

MARK 3 VHF COMMUNICATIONS TRANSCEIVER

Published: October 11, 1973

Prepared by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee

Approved by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (by mail): September 30, 1973

--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
SUPPLEMENT 3 TO ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 2

A. PURPOSE OF THIS SUPPLEMENT

This Supplement revises the receiver selectivity
specification material in ARINC Characteristic 566A.
The revision more closely relates airline needs in this
area to the recently confirmed ICAO Standards and
Recommend Practices for the 25 kHz channel-spaced
VHF Communications System.
Skirt selectivity at 60 dB attenuation changed from ±
15 kHz to ± 17 kHz. Specification of bandwidth at 100
dB attenuation deleted. Commentary revised.
ORIGINAL TEXT FOLLOWS:
3.5 Receiver Selectivity

B. ORGANIZATION OF THIS SUPPLEMENT
The first part of this document, printed on buff-colored
paper, is the Supplement itself. It contains descriptions
of the changes introduced into the Characteristic and,
where appropriate, extracts from the original text for
comparison purposes. The second part consists of
replacement white pages for the Characteristic, modified
as required by the Supplement. The modified and added
material on each replacement page is identified in the
margin by a “c-3” indicator.
Existing copies of Characteristic 566A may be updated
by simply inserting the replacement white pages where
necessary and destroying the pages they displace. The
buff-colored Supplement should be inserted inside the
rear cover of the Characteristic.
When it becomes necessary to reprint the Characteristic,
the revised white pages will, of course, be used. The
Characteristic number on the gray cover will also have
added to it the “dash number” corresponding to the latest
Supplement so integrated. To enable the development of
the Characteristic to be followed, each Supplement will
be included, printed on buff-colored paper and located
in the back of the document. Characteristics reprinted in
this way will provide a complete and current
specification in the white pages and a historical record of
development in the buff pages. Copies of such reprinted
Characteristics may be purchased from ARINC as noted
in the current Document List.
C. CHANGES TO CHARACTERISTIC 566A
INTRODUCED BY THIS SUPPLEMENT
The nose passband and the stability of the receiver
should be such that there is no more than 6 dB
attenuation of a carrier amplitude modulated 30% at
1000 Hz and removed ± 8 kHz from its assigned
frequency when compared to the response at that
assigned frequency.
The skirt selectivity should be such that at least 60 dB of
attenuation results when the carrier departs ± 15 kHz or
more from its assigned frequency and 100 dB of
attenuation results when the carrier departs ± 18.5 kHz
from its assigned frequency.
COMMENTARY
Receiver Stability and its Relation to Selectivity
It is the equipment manufacturer’s option to choose the
stability figure for the receiver, even though it may to
some extent be dictated by the stability specified for the
transmitter elsewhere in this Characteristic. He must
also select the proper relation between receiver stability
and IF shape factor. It should be evident that the
foregoing specification sets forth the minimum nose
bandwidth and the maximum skirt bandwidth. Thus, if a
manufacturer chooses a more difficult shape factor, he is
permitted a lesser receiver stability. If, on the other
hand, he chooses a less difficult shape factor, he will
have to provide a more stable receiver in order to meet
the specification.
ATTACHMENT 3 RECEIVER SELECTIVITY
Revised completely.

This section presents a complete tabulation of the

changes and additions to the Characteristic introduced
by this Supplement. Each change or addition is
identified either by the section number and title currently
employed in the Characteristic or by the section number
and title that will be employed when the supplement is
eventually incorporated. In each case there is included a
brief description of the addition or change and, for other
than only very minor revisions, any text originally
contained in the Characteristic is reproduced for
reference.

For those changes that are either too complex to be

readily described or involve extensive revisions to
attachments, the original page appears in this section
marked OBSOLETE - DO NOT USE. A replacement
white page for each of these pages is included in the
second part of this document, as noted in B above. In
this way an accurate record of the development of the
Characteristic is preserved.

3.5 Receiver Selectivity

--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
 AERONAUTICAL RADIO, INC.
2551 Riva Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

SUPPLEMENT 4
TO

ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A

MARK 3 VHF COMMUNICATIONS TRANSCEIVER

Published: November 5, 1973

Prepared by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee

Adopted by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee: November 1, 1973
SUPPLEMENT 4 TO ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 2

A. PURPOSE OF THIS SUPPLEMENT

This Supplement adds a new Appendix to the
Characteristic. The Appendix contains the Federal
Communications Commission’s Report and Order
concerning the amendment of its rules to provide 25 kHz
channel spacing in the Aeronautical Mobile band.
B. UPDATING THE CHARACTERISTIC
The new Appendix (No. 2) will be found in the white
pages following this buff introductory page. It should be
inserted into existing copies of Characteristic 566A
following Appendix 1. The buff page should be inserted
at the back of the Characteristic, following the buff pages
of Supplements one through three.
 AERONAUTICAL RADIO, INC.
2551 Riva Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

SUPPLEMENT 5

TO

ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A

MARK 3 VHF COMMUNICATIONS TRANSCEIVER

Published: November 4, 1982

Prepared by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee

Adopted by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee: September 24, 1982

 SUPPLEMENT 5 TO ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 2

A. PURPOSE OF THIS SUPPLEMENT ATTACHMENT 2 - NOTES APPLICABLE TO THE

This Supplement provides for the optional use of eight
(8) pins for serial digital tuning of the VHF tranceiver
using an ARINC 429 Digital Data Bus.
B. ORGANIZATION OF THIS SUPPLEMENT
The first part of this document, printed on buff-colored
paper, contains descriptions of the changes introduced
into the Characteristic by this Supplement, and, where
appropriate, extracts from the original text for
comparison purposes. The second part consists of
replacement white pages for the Characteristic,
modified to reflect these changes. The modified and
added material on each replacement page is identified
with “c-5” symbols in the margins. Existing copies of
Characteristic 566A may be updated by simply
inserting the replacement white pages where necessary
and destroying the pages they replace. The buff-
colored pages should be inserted inside the rear cover
of the Characteristic.
C. CHANGES TO CHARACTERISTIC 566A
INTRODUCED BY THIS SUPPLEMENT
This section presents a complete tabulation of the
changes and additions to the Characteristic introduced
by this Supplement. Each change or addition is
identified by the section number and title currently
employed in the Characteristic or by the section
number and title that will be employed when the
Supplement is eventually incorporated. In each case
there is included a brief description of the addition or
change and, for other than very minor revisions, any
text originally contained in the Characteristic is
reproduced for reference.
STANDARD INTERWIRING
Note 8. Pins Reserved for 546/566 Functions.
Although the airlines had initially desired the ability to
install the ARINC 566A transceiver in aircraft wired in
accordance with ARINC 546 and 566, this Supplement
may modify that somewhat. The pins selected for
optional serial digital tuning are currently assigned to the
“FM or Alternate Modulation Mode” (see Note 9,
Attachment Zero to ARINC 566) to be used for
SATCOM or an enhanced Extended Range operation.
It is believed that in most installations these pins are
currently unterminated. They were originally to be
routed to a “Modulation Adapter/Modem” unit, never
defined in an ARINC Characteristic.
Original Text Follows:
8. Pins Reserved for 546/566 Functions
The airlines desire to install the ARINC 566A
transceiver in aircraft already wired in accordance
with ARINC Characteristics 546 and 566. This is
possible using the Standard Interwiring of this
attachment to establish connector pin assignments
for the transceiver. It is imperative, however, that
the pins labelled “Reserved for 546/566 function”
are not usurped for equipment manufacturers for
any purpose whatsoever, otherwise this capability
will be lost.
Note 14. Serial Digital Tuning (Optional) (Added)
Note added to provide pins for optional serial digital tuning
of the transceiver.

ATTACHMENT 2 - STANDARD INTERWIRING

Change assignment of following pins for optional

serial digital tuning.

Pin Current Assignment New Assignment (Reserved Status)

TP18 Reserved for 566 Function (Alternate Data Selection Discrete

Modulation Mode)
TP21 " SDI Code Input
TP22 " SDI Code Input
TP23 " SDI Ground
TP33 " Freq./Funct. A
TP34 " Sel.Data I/P Port A B
TP37 " Freq./Funct. A
TP38 " Sel. Data I/P Port B B
 AERONAUTICAL RADIO, INC.
2551 Riva Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

SUPPLEMENT 6

TO

ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A

MARK 3 VHF COMMUNICATIONS TRANSCEIVER

Published: December 22, 1982

Prepared by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee

Adopted by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee: November 4, 1982

 SUPPLEMENT 6 TO ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 2
A. PURPOSE OF THIS SUPPLEMENT
This Supplement revises the upper frequency limit of
the VHF Communications Transceiver to 137.000
MHz.
B. ORGANIZATION OF THIS SUPPLEMENT
The first part of this document, printed on buff-
colored paper, contains descriptions of the changes
introduced into the Characteristic by this
Supplement, and, where appropriate, extracts from
the original text for comparison purposes. The
second part consists of replacement white pages for
the Characteristic, modified to reflect these changes.
The modified and added material on each
replacement page is identified with “c-6” symbols in
the margins. Existing copies of Characteristic 566A
may be updated by simply inserting the replacement
white pages where necessary and destroying the
pages they replace. The buff-colored pages should
be inserted inside the rear cover of the Characteristic.

C. CHANGES TO CHARACTERISTIC 566A

INTRODUCED BY THIS SUPPLEMENT
This section presents a complete tabulation of the
changes and additions to the Characteristic
introduced by this Supplement. Each change or
addition is identified by the section number and title
currently employed in the Characteristic or by the
section number and title that will be employed when
the Supplement is eventually incorporated. In each
case there is included a brief description of the
addition or change and, for other than very minor
revisions, any text originally contained in the
Characteristic is reproduced for reference.

3.1 Frequency Range and Channelling

Revise number of available channels to 760 and

upper frequency limit to 137.000 MHz. Commentary
added.

ORIGINAL TEXT FOLLOWS:

3.1 Frequency Range and Channelling

The transceiver should operate on a total of 720 channels

spaced 25 kHz apart in the band 118.000 to 135.975
MHz. Channel changing time should not exceed 60
milliseconds.
NOTE: Although this Characteristic indicates no
necessity to provide frequency coverage below
118 MHz or above 136 MHz, channel
selection wires for such coverage are shown in
the Standard Interwiring of Attachment 2. The
user may decide whether or not to include
these wires in a given installation.

--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
 AERONAUTICAL RADIO, INC.
2551 Riva Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

SUPPLEMENT 7

TO

ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A

MARK 3 VHF COMMUNICATIONS TRANSCEIVER

Published: April 30, 1985

Prepared by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee

Adopted by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee: October 13, 1983

--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
SUPPLEMENT 7 TO ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 2

A. PURPOSE OF THIS SUPPLEMENT

This Supplement expands the discussion of
desensitization and interference rejection to include
FM broadcast signals.
B. ORGANIZATION OF THIS SUPPLEMENT
This first part of this document, printed on buff-
colored paper, contains descriptions of the changes
introduced into the Characteristic by this
Supplement. The second part consists of pages for
the Characteristic to reflect these changes. The
added material on each page is identified with “c-7”
symbols in the margins. Existing copies of
Characteristic 566A may be updated by simply
inserting the pages where necessary. The buff-
colored pages should be inserted inside the rear
cover of the Characteristic.
C. CHANGES TO CHARACTERISTIC 566A
INTRODUCED BY THIS SUPPLEMENT

This section presents a complete tabulation of the

changes and additions to the Characteristic
introduced by this Supplement. Each change or
addition is identified by the section number and title
currently employed in the Characteristic or by the
section number and title that will be employed when
the Supplement is eventually incorporated. In each
case there is included a brief description of the
addition or change and, for other than very minor
revisions, any text originally contained in the
Characteristic is reproduced for reference.

3.12.5 Out-of-Band FM Broadcast Intermodulation

Interference

Section added to define minimum receiver interference

rejection performance in the presence of high power FM
broadcast transmissions.

3.12.6 Out-of-Band FM Broadcast Desensitization

Interference
Section added to define receiver desensitization qualities
in the presence of FM Broadcast transmissions.
ATTACHMENT 8 ASSUMED TEST PROCEDURES,
DESENSITIZATION AND INTERFERENCE
REJECTION
Attachment added to reflect recommendations of the
ICAO HIRSG.
 Copyright© 1996 by
AERONAUTICAL RADIO, INC.
2551 Riva Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21401-7465 USA

SUPPLEMENT 8
TO

ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A©

MARK 3 VHF COMMUNICATION TRANSCEIVER

Published: September 6, 1996

Prepared by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee

Adopted by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee: June 12, 1996

--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
SUPPLEMENT 8 TO ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 2
A. PURPOSE OF THIS SUPPLEMENT
This Supplement introduces a new section for the
description of an optional 8.33 kHz channel spaced
DSB-AM VHF voice communications system. The
8.33 kHz channel-spaced mode of operation for voice
communications, if implemented concurrently with the
25 kHz channel-spaced modes of operation, would
require dual-bandwidth receivers to ensure inter-
operability of the airborne transceivers with the current
(25 kHz) and proposed European narrowband (8.33
kHz) VHF voice communications systems. The
narrowband mode of operation is limited to voice
communications.
B. ORGANIZATION OF THIS SUPPLEMENT
The first part of this document, printed on buff-colored
paper, contains descriptions of changes introduced into
Characteristic 566A by Supplement 8. The second part
of this document consists of replacement white pages
for Characteristic 566A modified to reflect the
changes. The modified and added material on each
replacement page is identified by a "c-8" symbol in the
margin. Existing copies of ARINC Characteristic
566A may be updated by simply inserting the
replacement white pages where necessary and
discarding the pages they replace. The buff-colored
pages are inserted inside the rear cover of the
Characteristic.
C. CHANGES TO ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A
INTRODUCED BY THIS SUPPLEMENT
This section presents a complete tabulation of the
changes and additions to Characteristic 566A
introduced by Supplement 8. Each change or addition
is defined by the section number and the title currently
employed in Characteristic 566A. In each case a brief
description of the change or addition is included.
1.1 Purpose of This Characteristic
Text and commentary was added to indicate that Section
3.0 applies to the 25 kHz channel-spaced voice and data
modes of operation and that Section 4.0 applies to an
optional 8.33 kHz channel-spaced voice mode of operation.
1.2.2 Control Panel
A reference to the appropriate section was corrected, and a
reference to the new Attachment 11 was added for 8.33 kHz
channel-spaced frequencies.
1.2.4 Antenna
A reference to the appropriate section was corrected.
2.1.2 Control Panel
A reference to the appropriate section was corrected. Depth
of control panel was changed from not to exceed 4.00
inches to not to exceed 5.00 inches.
2.4 Primary Power Input
--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
Added a reference to an electronic control panel utilizing
27.5 Vdc primary power.
2.6 Control Panel Wiring
A reference to the appropriate sections was corrected, and a
reference to the new Appendix 3 was added for 8.33 kHz
channel-spaced frequencies.
4.0 TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN FOR THE 8.33
KHZ CHANNEL-SPACED MODE OF
OPERATION
A new section was added to define the transceiver
characteristics of an optional 8.33 kHz channel-spaced
voice mode of operation. The 8.33 kHz channel-spaced
mode of operation for voice communications, if
implemented concurrently with the 25 kHz channel-spaced
modes of operation, would require dual-bandwidth
receivers to ensure inter-operability of the airborne
transceivers with the current (25 kHz) and proposed
European narrowband (8.33 kHz) VHF voice
communications systems. The narrowband mode of
operation is limited to voice communications. The
characteristics specified for the 8.33 kHz channel-spaced
mode of operation are mainly the channeling, the frequency
selection, the selectivity, the frequency stability, the
frequency response, and the transmitter occupied spectrum.
5.0 CONTROL PANEL DESIGN
This section was formerly Section 4.0 and was renumbered
when the new Section 4.0 Transceiver Unit Design for the
8.33 kHz Channel-Spaced Mode of Operation was
introduced. Text was added to allow for an optional 8.33
kHz channel-spaced voice mode of operation.
5.3 CONNECTOR TYPES
Replaced references to "Cannon type DC37P connectors"
with "37 pin MIL-PRF-24308" type connectors (or
commercial equivalent).
6.0 ANTENNAS
This section was formerly Section 5.0 and was renumbered
when the new Section 4.0 Transceiver Unit Design for the
8.33 kHz Channel-Spaced Mode of Operation was
introduced.
7.0 PROVISIONS FOR DATA TRANSMISSION AND
RECEPTION
This section was formerly Section 6.0 and was renumbered
when the new Section 4.0 Transceiver Unit Design for the
8.33 kHz Channel-Spaced Mode of Operation was
introduced.
ATTACHMENT 2 STANDARD INTERWIRING
BP23 on transceiver was changed from "0.01 MHz Freq.
Select E" to "0.01 MHz Freq. Select E/ 8.33 kHz Program"
 SUPPLEMENT 8 TO ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 3

and a new note 15 was added to refer to Section 4.2.1. A

reference to the control panel pin "TP57" was corrected to
"TP37". "TP34" on control panel was assigned as a 27.5
Vdc power input. Typographical errors in the Standard
Interwiring notes were corrected and Note 9 was changed to
not used.

ATTACHMENT 9 RECEIVER SELECTIVITY

This is a new attachment containing the receiver selectivity

for the 8.33 kHz channel-spaced mode of operation
referenced in Section 4.0.

ATTACHMENT 10 TRANSMITTER SPECTRUM

MASK

This is a new attachment containing the Transmitter

occupied spectrum for the 8.33 kHz channel-spaced mode
of operation referenced in Section 4.0.

ATTACHMENT 11 COMBINED 8.33/25 kHz

FREQUENCY SELECTION

This is a new attachment containing the frequency selection

coding algorithm for the 8.33/25 kHz mode of operation
referenced in Section 2.6 and Section 4.2.

APPENDIX 3 - FREQUENCY-CHANNEL PAIRING

PLAN

This is a new appendix containing the frequency-channel

pairing plan referenced in Section 4.2.

--```,,`,,,,````,`,``,``,`,`,`,,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
 Copyright © 1998 by
AERONAUTICAL RADIO, INC.
2551 Riva Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21401-7465 USA

SUPPLEMENT 9
TO
ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A©
MARK 3 AIRBORNE VHF COMMUNICATIONS TRANSCEIVER

Published : January 30, 1998

Prepared by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee

Adopted by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee: October 14, 1997
SUPPLEMENT 9 TO ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 2

A. PURPOSE OF THIS SUPPLEMENT ATTACHMENT 11 - FREQUENCY CHANNEL

This Supplement updates Frequency Range and
Channeling specifications based on Amendment 72 to
ICAO Annex 10, Volume V, Table 4.1 (bis) to the
convention on International Civil Aviation
"International Standards and Recommended Practices,
Aeronautical Telecommunications". The SARPs were
adopted by the Council on 12 March 1997 and become
applicable on 4 November 1997.
B. ORGANIZATION OF THIS SUPPLEMENT
The first part of this document, printed on buff-colored
paper contains a list of changes introduced into
Characteristic 566A by Supplement 9. The second part
consists of replacement white pages for Characteristic
566A, modified to reflect the changes. The modified
and added material on each page is identified by a c-9
in the margins. Existing copies of ARINC
Characteristic 566A may be updated by simply
inserting the replacement white pages where necessary
and discarding the pages they replace. The buff-
colored pages are inserted inside the rear cover of the
Characteristic.
PAIRING PLAN
The Attachment title was changed from “Combined 8.33/25
kHz Frequency Selection” to “Frequency Channel Pairing
Plan”. The table was revised to be consistent with
Amendment 72 to ICAO Annex 10, Volume V, Table 4.1
(bis) to the convention on International Civil Aviation
“International Standards and Recommended Practices,
Aeronautical Telecommunications”. The SARPs were
adopted by the Council on 12 March 1997 and become
applicable on 4 November 1997.
APPENDIX 1 - EXCERPTS FROM INTERNATIONAL
STANDARDS AND RECOMENDED PRACTICES
AERONAUTICAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS ANNEX
10
Deleted.
APPENDIX 2 - FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION REPORT AND ORDER REGARDING
AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (R) VHF BAND
Deleted.

C. CHANGES TO ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A APPENDIX 3 - FREQUENCY CHANNEL PAIRING

INTRODUCED BY THIS SUPPLEMENT PLAN
This section presents a complete tabulation of the Deleted and incorporated into Attachment 11.
changes and additions to Characteristic 566A
introduced by Supplement 9. Each change or addition
is defined by the section number and the title currently
employed in Characteristic 566A. In each case a brief
description of the change or addition is included.

1.5 System Parameters

Removed references to Appendix 1 and ICAO's 7th Air

Navigation Conference.

3.1 Frequency Range and Channeling

Added clarification of internationally allocated band, guard

band, lowest, and highest assignable frequencies. Added
commentary with new text regarding regional frequency
management policy.
4.1 Frequency Range and Channeling
Added clarification of internationally allocated band, guard
band, lowest, and highest assignable frequencies. Added
commentary regarding basis for frequency channel pairing
plan. Added text regarding emergency voice frequency,
Search and Rescue (SAR) frequency, and data link channel
use with 25 kHz channel spacing. Added commentary
regarding regional frequency management policy. Added
commentary outlining human factors limitations on lowest
and highest selectable channel names.

4.2 Frequency Selection

Changed a reference.
5.2 Frequency Selection and Display

Changed “136.975” to “136.990”.