Cheap Headsets

[Louis Moore]

After reading through the headset post on the site thought I might start a new thread aout my own headset experience. I have flown with a set of David Clarks H10-13.4's for years and they have been a fantastic piece of equipment all told. Comfortable, clear and no worries for flying hours on end.

 

The issues I have had is

 

1: my wife gets air sick which believe it or not is actually due to the weight and clamping pressure of headsets on her head

 

2: aircraft headsets are two bulky to fit in the Auster without me hitting my head!

 

To fix both issues you would need a nice set of Bose, Light speed etc... for a bit over $1000, I thought there has to be a better way around this! Now I will be the first to admit that I have not the most agile mind when it comes to electronics but armed with google, a soldering iron, multimeter and some bits and pieces I have nutted a process out that anyone can do at home, if there like me and have more time than money!

 

It's a long article I have written, but I tested the headsets today (without the amplifier system installed, will be testing that tomorrow) and the noise cancelling worked A1, they were really quiet, super light weight and very clear PLUS it cost a total of $140.00 (although it did take a LONG time to figure out and has a few down sides! i.e take 2 batteries to run both ANR and Amp)

 

 

 

 

 

This is a set of standard noise cancelling headsets for music that I have adapted a aviation microphone and set of headset leads onto. There are a few issues to get past but the results so far have been really worthwhile, they work really well and for a fraction of the cost of brand ANR's! (Reduction in noise is not as smooth as a more expensive brand, gives things a little bit of a fizzle sound, but otherwise loud and clear)

 

I bought a set of TDK noise cancelling headphones on special for $19 from dick smiths (normally there about $50 or so from JB Hi-Fi or Dick Smiths). Then I bought

 

1: Aviation Microphone (P/N PA-7B $25.00)

 

2: Aviation Microphone Half Boom/Half Wire Headset adapter (P/N MB-MF $19.50)

 

3: Headset attachment point (P/N MBP $11.90)

 

4: Mono/Stereo Headset Leads Twin GA Plugs (P/N HSL-SC $25.00)

 

I got this stuff from http://www.pilotcommunications.com.au/ it is fairly specialised and they had an easy order system and where also the cheapest!

 

5: Miniature Audio Output Transformer (P/N 273-1380 $4.00)

 

This is a radio shack item that I got off Ebay (Searched the P/N) It is THE MOST IMPORTANT PART as it is what changes the impedance, or something or other, of the headset!

 

6: Electrical Project Junction Box (121x56x42 $7.00)

 

Also off Ebay

 

7: DIY Cmoy Hi-Hi Headphone Amplifier Kit ($19.00)

 

Ebay again, not a necessary item but I wanted to be able to amplifie the headsets volume because I am told by my wife I am deaf!

 

8: About a meter of 2 core shielded wire from Dick Smiths (About $4.00)

 

PROCEDURE

 

I pulled the TDK headset apart, drilled a hole in the side and fitted the microphone, boom and attachment to them, secured it and put the headphones back together. I should point out a down side is you can not swivel the microphone on the side of the headset without loosening the attach screw due to the shape of the ear cup (I would seggest glueing the inside nut to prevent loosening). So spend some time lining it up right now and make sure you get the semi boom type mic boom to do later adjustments with that! (I also took out the in line volume control on the headset line as I was planning on fitting the amp at a later stage, not necessary but just neatened up the cords line!) Make sure you fit this in an area clear of the circuit board.

 

 

 

 

I then soldered to the microphone lead (at the boom) the 2 core shielded wire to extend it down to the junction box at the end of the head phone cord (wire colours are all the same so this should be easy! i.e Red to Red - White to White - Shield to Shield). FIT ALL HEAT SHRINKS PRIOR TO SOLDERING!!!!!!

 

Now for the hard bit, I snipped the little TRS plug that goes into your Ipod, PC, Mp3 Player off the cord of the headset line. I drilled 2 holes in the top of junction box to thread the cord wires through (one for the headphone line and one for the microphone line), I tied them off on the inside of the box with cables ties to stop them being pulled on. I drilled a hole on the bottom of the box to thread the twin GA plug wire through, and tied it off with a cable tie. FIT ALL HEAT SHRINKS PRIOR TO SOLDERING!!!!!!

 

Then I soldered them together as follows (this will only work if you buy the same gear as me, you will need to do your own multi metering to figure it out if you get different gear! Mostly for the headphones and finding what colour wire is what earphone and which one is earth)

 

WITHOUT AMP INSTALLED

 

Headphone Wires to Audio Transformer

 

*Red and Green Headphone Wires go to Red wire on Audio Transformer

 

*Gold Headphone Wire goes to White Wire on Audio Transformer

 

Audio Transformer To Twin GA Plug Wires

 

*Blue Wire on Audio Transformer to Green and Yellow wires on GA lead

 

*Black wire on Audio Transformer to Black wire on GA Lead

 

Microphone Leads

 

*Red wire on mic To Red wire on GA lead

 

*White wire on Mic To White wire on GA Lead

 

*Shield on mic To Shield on GA Lead.

 

MAKE SURE THE SWITCH ON THE Y SECTION OF THE GA PLUG IS SET TO M FOR MONO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

PROCEDURE WITH AMP

 

After following the instructions for the Cmos amp kit I measured up and drilled off my junction box to fit it in place. I built the Amp kit but left the input and output sockets (where you would plug your Ipod in and Your headsets, you could leave the input on if you wanted as it would give you the option of changing the headphone over at a later stage with relative ease, as I have mounted a microphone to the side of mine, I did not bother!) off the circuit board. I wired my Headphone wires in and the Audio transformer directly into the board. The wires from the audio transformer to the GA leads and Microphone to the GA leads remain the same. It is hard to explain the wiring on the circuit board of the amp but if anyone is interested let me know and I will draw it out as that will be far simpler.

 

 

 

 

Enjoy your $140 set of ANR ($200 if you do not bag a bargain like me with the dick smiths sales, or a lot cheaper if your not looking for ANR and just by some crappy generic pair!) headsets that work just like an ordinary pair of headphone ........ at least so far! Will post back when I have tested the Amp System out Tomorrow!!!!

 

If any one wants more info on how this is done, some badly hand drawn wiring diagrams etc... let me know. So far I can say it is worth the time investment for nutting this all out! From scratch with this info I would think you could put one together

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Powerin]

FIT ALL HEAT SHRINKS PRIOR TO SOLDERING!!!!!!FIT ALL HEAT SHRINKS PRIOR TO SOLDERING!!!!!!

LOL! My speciality. Also not putting the plastic collars for plugs on to wire leads before soldering the plugs on to them.

Thanks for that Louis, might have to try that.

 

 

[Louis Moore]

LOL! My speciality. Also not putting the plastic collars for plugs on to wire leads before soldering the plugs on to them.Thanks for that Louis, might have to try that.

Powerin, it is in there twice because thats how many times I did the soldering and then went "Bugger"

 

 

[Guest Howard Hughes]

Can I do that to a pair of 'Dr Dre's'?

 

I'd be the coolest pilot on the block then!

 

 

[Louis Moore]

Can I do that to a pair of 'Dr Dre's'?I'd be the coolest pilot on the block then!

It's actually not as silly as it sounds, I considered getting some of the beats headphones because even though there not noise cancelling their passive noise reduction is really fantastic and there still very lightweight, low clamping pressure and fairly slim line. But at about $400 a pop you're better off buying an actual aviation headset!

 

Still I have enough stuff for another set and I plan on making them something like that

 

 

[Sapphire]

[

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very versatile. It is equally at home on your prop as on your head.

 

 

[davebutler]

Hi Louis,

 

I like your thinking! For more info look on this type of gear try this site: http://www.rst-engr.com/

 

It is run by Jim Weir, a regular writer in Homebuilt Aircraft. He has kit for a home brew headset and a 2 or 4 place intercom but also has the schematics on his site for those handy with a soldering iron. Over the years I have used some of circuits. Can also recommend Pilot Communications for those hard to get bits & pieces.

 

Cheers

 

Dave B.

 

 

[JimG]

Hi Dave, I just checked out that web site and I couldn't find those items you mentioned. Is it a case of sending him an email or is there a link to it elsewhere that you know of.?

 

Cheers

 

JimG

 

 

[skeptic36]

Hi Dave, I just checked out that web site and I couldn't find those items you mentioned. Is it a case of sending him an email or is there a link to it elsewhere that you know of.?Cheers

 

JimG

Click on site map and it all comes up

 

 

[JimG]

Thanks skeptic36, some interesting stuff there.

 

Cheers

 

 

[ExJourno]

Too much to read Louis. But now I understand what you were going laying all over the tarmac with the camera on Saturday... and here I was thinking you were just trying to be artistic with the setting.

 

Didn't you make another set? The set I wore?

 

PS... these headsets did actually work. Well.

 

 

[Louis Moore]

Too much to read Louis. But now I understand what you were going laying all over the tarmac with the camera on Saturday... and here I was thinking you were just trying to be artistic with the setting.Didn't you make another set? The set I wore?

 

PS... these headsets did actually work. Well.

I am not very artistic Adam but I had try after all the work I went to.

 

The other set was a called Peltors, There standard aviation ones, I did not make them!

 

 

[ExJourno]

I am not very artistic Adam but I had try after all the work I went to.The other set was a called Peltors, There standard aviation ones, I did not make them!

Oh... I no longer feel special that I got to wear them. Good thing I didn't say anything about them working better then hey!

 

 

[davebutler]

Hi Jim,

 

Years ago before intercoms were so freely available and cheap I made up 1 of his intercoms for our club A/C and it worked really well. I also used his mic circuit to convert some of those old Telex carbon mics and headsets to dynamic.

 

Cheers

 

Dave B.

 

 

[boingk]

Very nice writeup Louis, very nice indeed! I particularly like the electrical ingenuity... can only imagine how it felt to put them on and give the first call with them, knowing you had made them.

 

For a low cost headset (non-ANR, 29dB PNR) I would personally recommend the Rugged Air RA-900, a set of which I've recently bought as my first headset. Its very comfortable, light and has minimal clamping pressure. The flight schools Clarks/Airtronics all made me want to throw them out the window somewhere between the 1 and 2 hour mark... the RA900's seem to be infinitely comfortable by that measure! They've got very nice padding and great noise reduction. As a plus they've got a full-flex boom, push-to-talk button and 3.5mm jack-in for music. Clarity is excellent, and did I mention they're comfortable??

 

Best part was that they were less than AU$180 after shipping direct from the states. Search for the seller 'ruggedradios' on eBay and you'll find them.

 

Cheers - Enoch

 

 

[Sapphire]

Very nice writeup Louis, very nice indeed! I particularly like the electrical ingenuity... can only imagine how it felt to put them on and give the first call with them, knowing you had made them.For a low cost headset (non-ANR, 29dB PNR) I would personally recommend the Rugged Air RA-900, a set of which I've recently bought as my first headset. Its very comfortable, light and has minimal clamping pressure. The flight schools Clarks/Airtronics all made me want to throw them out the window somewhere between the 1 and 2 hour mark... the RA900's seem to be infinitely comfortable by that measure! They've got very nice padding and great noise reduction. As a plus they've got a full-flex boom, push-to-talk button and 3.5mm jack-in for music. Clarity is excellent, and did I mention they're comfortable??

 

Best part was that they were less than AU$180 after shipping direct from the states. Search for the seller 'ruggedradios' on eBay and you'll find them.

 

Cheers - Enoch

 

Very nice writeup Louis, very nice indeed! I particularly like the electrical ingenuity... can only imagine how it felt to put them on and give the first call with them, knowing you had made them.For a low cost headset (non-ANR, 29dB PNR) I would personally recommend the Rugged Air RA-900, a set of which I've recently bought as my first headset. Its very comfortable, light and has minimal clamping pressure. The flight schools Clarks/Airtronics all made me want to throw them out the window somewhere between the 1 and 2 hour mark... the RA900's seem to be infinitely comfortable by that measure! They've got very nice padding and great noise reduction. As a plus they've got a full-flex boom, push-to-talk button and 3.5mm jack-in for music. Clarity is excellent, and did I mention they're comfortable??

 

Best part was that they were less than AU$180 after shipping direct from the states. Search for the seller 'ruggedradios' on eBay and you'll find them.

 

Cheers - Enoch

 

 

Boingk, Id like to get that headset as I will be going to Oshkosh this July [save the postage] It has a push to talk buttton on the dome. Do you put your hand to your head every time you want to talk? Never had one of them. Normally you have a push to talk button on the stick which works after you plug your set in.

 

 

[boingk]

Sapphire - I currently fly things set up for stick-mounted PTT (C150 / Gazelle) but the headset PTT would be fine for regular use. It is on the righthand side and is easily accesible. The button itself is both large and easy to press. If you control the stick with your left hand and throttle with right then there are very few situations when you'd need to pick between radio and throttle modulation.

 

If you're curious about the audio jack-in then it also works very well. It lets you have the tunes at an easy listening background level and no more (have tried both my phone and iPod with similar results). Traffic is easily heard above it at all regular radio volume settings.

 

On the price, apparently the RRP is US$250, and the eBay store is the manufacturer direct for all stock including excess units and refurbed demo models. I am unsure whether you'd be able to pick one up cheaper than AU$180 equivalent instore.

 

Cheers - Enoch

 

EDIT: I reread your post... and think that you are asking 'do I have to use the headset PTT all the time?' If so then the answer is no, you can use the standard PTT button fitted in your aircraft.

 

 

[Sapphire]

So there is an overide for your headset PTT? US ebay prices are $125 USD plus $11 postage to Oshkosh. However they invite offers on ebay. If they are selling slow, a $50 bid might be accepted.[ these smilies are a bit addictive]

 

 

[boingk]

Yeah I got mine on offer, $15 under what they were asking. The way eBay works with that sort of thing is that sellers preset a range that will be accepted automatically, and any bids below that are rejected.

 

The headset PTT is for use on very basic systems (ie no external PTT) or for convenience I believe. I treat it as a 'backup' system. You do not have to 'override' the system, just use the regular PTT as you always have. Very simple.

 

Cheers - boingk

 

 

[RickH]

I've been browsing Louis and just read your article. Top marks too you. I'm going to follow your advise and use this to fit out my favorite M/cycle Helmet which I've always wanted to be able to use in my plane.

 

RickH