Cheap secondhand backup headset
 

Does anyone have any idea where I can find a cheap secondhand backup headset; preferably one that's fairly comfortable and not an ancient relic?

I feel a little reluctant to pay so much for a piece of equipment that (hopefully!) won't get used very often... any ideas?

Thanks,
AB :)

Well, there ARE sites around where you will see such things advertised....
eg

<a href="http://www.thehanger.co.uk" target="_blank">www.thehanger.co.uk</a>
<a href="http://www.aerojumble.co.uk" target="_blank">www.aerojumble.co.uk</a>

or check out other useful links via my website <a href="http://www.lutonminor.co.uk" target="_blank">www.lutonminor.co.uk</a> (the useful links page funnily enough...)

or possibly someone here has such a thing - but buyer beware .........

Main issue could be compatibility with your nice shiny new David Clark (or whatever you've got) ..... try before you buy to make sure they work ok in the aircraft that you fly.... or get a guarantee from the seller that they'll take them back if not compatible.

Also, the weakest & expensive links are the connections to the mic jack plug - it's a specialist size & is a relative fortune to replace (£30 I think), plus mic leads and connectors often get torn and stressed because they're moved around a lot.

Example on the compatibility thing - I had (still have) 2 Softcomm headsets bought from Mendelssons over 10 years ago for £99 ea. They work fine together. And in most aircraft they will mix and match with DCs. But in a Jodel I co-owned they wouldnt - just got a screech every time either of us tried to txmit.

They're still my only headsets by the way and in my view are more comfortable than all the DCs that I've tried. DCs tend to give me a headache after about an hour, but that's just the funny shape of my head......

On balance, I'd recommend you get a new, matching headset. For the extra money, you'll get some sort of guarantee, compatibility, assurance that all the connectors and fragile bits are ok, a backup should your own one go u/s on you and your passengers will feel good wearing a "real" headset like you !

The hanger is the hangar: <a href="http://www.thehangar.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.thehangar.co.uk/</a>

Andy

woops sorry! One day I'll git mie spolling rite.

I got a set from Marv Goldens in San Diego for $80.They will mail them to the UK.

They're OK for a passenger and I've had to resort to using them when my Peltors went US.

As to compatibility etc I've never had a problem but you do seem to get what you pay for. The Marv Golden set are about 70% the quality of the peltors.

Has anyone else noticed that compatibility is only generally an issue when a set of Dave Clarks is in the equation.

Try Harry Mendelssohn on 0131 447 7777. I use their HM-40 headsets (£79 +VAT) and they've survived 5 years of use and abuse and still work fine. They are also compatable with DC's, Peltors etc.

I'm another satisfied user of the Harry Mendlessohn HM-40 headset. Inexpensive (relative term) they may be, but I've used a pair for practically every flight since late 1995. I find them more comfortable than more expensive headsets. I use the cloth covers they came with. Also, because they are black, and most other peoples are green or white, its easy to spot your own set.
Very helpful company and a good value for money product.

Thanks everyone! I'm checking out all those leads! Has anyone got the DC 10-40? I've seen a cheap pair advertised, but I'm not sure how comfortable/heavy/etc they are.

AB :)

DC10-40's are nice headsets, IMHO. Bit heavier than the -13.4's, but certainly not too heavy. Very comfortable, especially with the gel ear seals.

My DC 10-40s were second hand and after a bit of adjustment they are now very comfortable. They should last a lifetime as well, they only had a few thousand hours on them when I bought them <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

--Mik

Excellent news! I'm told each set is about 50 hours old! I'm buying them as a pair, it'll be nice to have a spare set that's as good as my primary ones. I've looked up gel ear seals on AFE, and they fit the 10-40 fine, so I'll grab some of those as well. Anyway, thanks to everyone for their advice, now I just hope I'm DC compatible...

:)
AB

[ 18 January 2002: Message edited by: AeroBatfink ]</p>

Why bother with the expence of a backup headset after all it costs nothing to brush up on the light signals and signals square from the air law books and fly without radio if the headset fails.

I'd rather bother with the expense of having a secondary headset because I feel it's safer to be in radio contact with ATC and other aircraft around you, than not to. Additionally, a look through the AIPs reveals that light signals aren't even provided at a number of aerodromes, and that system wouldn't be much use if I had an engine failure in the middle of the Irish Sea, for example. My view is that if the technology is available, I may as well take advantage of it (notice that I'm not saying to the exclusion of all other methods).

I'd also like a headset for my passenger to use.

Thanks for the reminder though!

AB

I spashed out and bought the Bose Aviation X, "oh yeah baby" sums it up.... .FT

OK so you are going to buy another headset so buy the cheapest and that is a david clark......and what do i base this statment on ,well in 22 years of GA flying I,v had 4 headsets three in the first ten years all of which failed then 12 years ago i got the DC and it is still going strong.

I think that the story with headsets is "buy cheap buy twice".

Pprune comes through yet again!!

I looked at all the advice, checked out TheHangar.co.uk, and am know the proud owner of twin pristine pairs of David Clark 10-40s, with gel ear seals and about 100 hours on each set, at £250 for both headsets. So now I've got a DC headset and a spare DC, for slightly less than the price I would have paid for one DC headset new. Bargain!

Thanks for all the help!

:) . .AB