Sporty’s PJ2 GPS Simplifies Backup Radio and Navigation

Sporty’s Pilot Shop got its start in 1961 when founder Hal Shevers sold handheld aviation scanner radios from the trunk of his Studebaker. Since then, Sporty’s has expanded into a huge source of aviation products, including its own branded handheld radios, now the PJ2 series. The latest version is the $399 PJ2 GPS, which carries on a core feature: receptacles for standard PJ headset jacks with no need for a separate adapter. The GPS version adds a large display, GPS connectivity to ForeFlight, and emergency GPS navigation.

I’ve used other handheld aviation radios, and my experience has been that I have to break out the manual to figure out something as simple as typing in a new frequency. With the PJ2 GPS, just enter the frequency on the keyboard at any point in the display menus, and up it pops in the active frequency spot. Make sure, however, to type in every number, including zeros; otherwise, it won’t recognize the frequency. The PJ2 GPS can store up to 100 frequencies, each with up to eight alphanumeric character labels, and these are easily recalled by pressing the “recall” key.

When flying airplanes with normal avionics regularly, I might pull out the handheld once every few months, and the last thing I need is to have to look up how to input a new frequency. With the PJ2 GPS, there’s no memorizing or looking up steps, and I can quickly get it to work.

Built into the PJ2 GPS is a two-place intercom, and two pilots can connect their headsets to the handheld using a PJ splitter cable ($50 from Sporty’s). There is a caution with this setup; with the splitter cable, radio transmission can be compromised, so don’t expect the best performance with two headsets attached. I did test this while departing from Oshkosh after EAA AirVenture this year, and with two headsets plugged in, I wasn’t able to contact clearance delivery.

Another caution: to use the intercom, it’s necessary to switch it on; it isn’t automatic. To turn on the intercom, press the menu button, scroll down, and select the intercom.

The benefit of having the intercom in the handheld is apparent in an airplane without an electrical system, like the 1938 Piper J-3 Cub that I fly. Our current setup—and one that I see in many airplanes without an electrical system—is a portable intercom connected to the handheld radio. This makes for more wires in the cockpit and stuff that has to be mounted temporarily with Velcro and rubber bands. With the PJ2 GPS, just find a place to put the radio, plug two headsets into the splitter cable, switch on the intercom, and you’re good to go.

The radio does need to be handy to reach, however, because you can’t plug in a push-to-talk switch (it won’t work). So you do need to be able to access the side push-to-talk button on the PJ2 GPS. In the Cub, putting it in the front (passenger) seat’s seat-back pocket proved to be convenient for reaching the side switch, and during some recent flights with passengers, we were able to communicate clearly with each other. However, when I tried to tap into the PJ2 audio with an adapter cable that connects a headset to a GoPro camera, the intercom audio was difficult to hear. 

The PJ2 GPS’s 6 watts of transmitting power delivers clear radio transmissions. When I checked with local pilots while flying the Cub, they could hear my transmissions just fine. We’ve had to reduce power to make ourselves heard with our other handheld.

The navigation feature doesn’t include a database, so you have to input the lat/long position of desired locations. I use ForeFlight’s airport info tab to look up the lat/long position and then add airports to the PJ2 GPS database, which can hold up to 100 waypoints that can be labeled with up to three alphanumeric characters. Once entered, it’s easy to pick one from the list and navigate to it.

The navigation feature shows the desired track, actual track, and groundspeed, and Sporty’s calls this emergency navigation. Recently, Sporty’s added the ability to pair the PJ2 GPS with ForeFlight, so you can navigate with ForeFlight’s moving map using the handheld’s GPS information, a great backup in case of a portable ADS-B In failure or even a problem with the avionics nav system.

Another useful feature is Bluetooth connectivity, which can be used for headsets with that capability. A better use of Bluetooth is connecting headphones or Apple AirPods and using the radio as a scanner. I found that I had to put my AirPods into pairing mode to connect to the PJ2 GPS. 

It took me a minute to figure out why Sporty’s includes two belt clips with the PJ2 GPS, but that’s because the clips attach to each of the battery packs, one with the rechargeable lithium-ion battery and the other holding six AA alkaline batteries. The PJ2 GPS can also be powered by a USB-C input, which will charge the battery if providing more than 2.4 amps.

Other handy PJ2 GPS features include automatic noise limitation for transmitting (this can be switched off), NOAA weather band frequencies, 121.5 emergency frequency button, 3.5-mm earphone jack, frequency flip-flop button, and night mode for the display.