headsets

[Karenessex]

Hi all

Could someone let me know the technical term for a headset with a mouth/face microphone.

I think they are quite old. The microphone bit is very large and hangs from the headset, so you would have to hold it to your mouth if you needed to speak.

It could be they are not Aviation, but maybe Navigation/ships.

Any help to point me in the right direction would be great.

Thanks
Karen

[forget]

Can you post a photograph?

[primreamer]

karenessex,
I know exactly the type of headset you are referring to. Many years ago they were issued to us as standard for doing aircraft push-backs, ground runs etc. I don't recall there being any particular technical term for them and although its quite possible they were used in other industries they seemed to be in pretty widespread use by many airlines. Manufacturers name escapes me too.
You might have trouble tracking one down now as they have been replaced by a more modern looking headset with a boom mike instead of the handheld mouthpiece. The new ones are much lighter for the wearer, easier and cheaper to repair and you don't have the potential danger of the mouthpiece dangling around tugs, towbars, moving aircraft parts etc. One advantage they did have however was that with the mouthpiece pressed to the face there was very little background noise introduced when communicating with the flight deck giving much clearer comms.

[Flap40]

Do you mean something like this?
http://www.davidclark.com/images/h3313.gif

[Karenessex]

Thank you for all your replies.

Yes the picture is almost spot on. Thank you flap.

Thank you prim for the information.

I have found 2 old ones in a shed of a house I just bought. I wondered what on earth they were. The house did belong to a retired naval commander, so i did think that it was something to do with aircrafts or the seas.

Just wondered if they had a particular name.

Thank you very much

Karen

[forget]

See
http://www.davidclark.com/HeadsetPgs/h3312.htm

[TwoDeadDogs]

Hi there
Is it the kind of headset, with a mouthpiece fitted to a chest-piece, that naval personnel used? I think they were used as gunner's/gunlayers' communication devices.The USN also had an oversized helmet to fit on top of a headset, which was known as a telephone talker's helmet.
regards
GttC

[Karenessex]

Hi

There isnt a chest piece attached.
Well if there was , there isnt now!

The mouthpeice has a strap on either side, I did wonder where that attached to. Maybe it was the helmet like you have suggested.

They are fairly old. The chap in question retired from the navy in the late fifties, so I presumee they date from around then, unless he acquired them after.
But then again there was also a retired guy from the RAF living at the house, so maybe they were his.

Thanks guys, you have been a great help.
Its nice to be able to piece a jigsaw together, but also sad knowing this people have now gone.

Karen

[Kiltie]

The headset pictured is still in use at Aberdeen with our pushback crews. I must concur that the speech clarity is much clearer than that of a standard boom mike which picks up so much engine noise.