Intercom audio feed

[Aucky]

Hi All, Does anyone know of UK source for the headset connectors with a 3.5mm feed for recording cockpit audio?

I have found a few US sources such as Aviation Headset CD, MP3, IPOD & Video Adapters but would rather not wait all that time for delivery, especially incase there is a compatibility issue, which brings me to the question - do most US helicopters in the UK (bell, robinson etc...) typically use UK or US style Nato plugs??

Cheers
Aucky

p.s. i'm aware that the photographed product is a standard jack plug rather than a Nato helicopter plug, but I believe that is just a misrepresentation of the described product, as there is another model at $10 less with an identical product photo for fixed wing...

[nodrama]

Have you tried Headset Services Ltd? They have an on-line picture catalogue.

If a US aircraft wasn't specifically spec'd for a UK customer requesting UK NATO sockets, or hasn't been modified for UK NATO plug use.....it will be US NATO. So the answer is...some are, some aren't.

[Aucky]

Thanks for your input, unfortunately I can't find the correct adaptor on the website, but have sent them an email to double check.
Aucky

[nodrama]

In my experience, they are usually pretty helpful and will accommodate your needs if they can.

[Pandalet]

I'm not entirely clear what you're looking for; do you want a complete solution to allow you to record cockpit audio (ie. a black box that gives you a line out) or do you just want a source of the plugs (ie. you're building your own)?

If it's just the plugs and sockets, I have the various part numbers and (UK-based) supplier details somewhere.

[Aucky]

Pandalet - I am making my own, very simply.... I just want the connector to tap off a mini jack (3.5mm) feed to plug into a portable dictaphone. So I need a headset connector with a mini jack audio output coming from it, like the one shown in the link in my initial post . Any suggestions? Any details would be a great help.

Cheers, Aucky

[Gomer Pylot]

I always just made my own, by making up an extension cable, standard NATO plug on one end, NATO jack on the other, and a stereo jack soldered to the speaker pins, using a small short cable coming out the back with the main extension cable. In short, I just wired in a small cable in parallel, with the left and right wires together, giving mono and not stereo, since the output is mono. Commercial devices for this will work, but are much more expensive. If you have absolutely no soldering skills, then you may have to pay for the commercial device.

[Aucky]

Hi Gomer, yeah I had though of that too, am happy to do it but wasn't sure where I can get the NATO plugs, and whether to buy US or UK (flying mostly robbies and jetbangers in the uk), and whether there is a resistor in commercial ones to alter the impedance suitable for a mic line in on a recorder? If you can point me in the right direction I'd be grateful

I assume it's pretty easy to find a diagram of which connector in the plug is for ring, tip (& one more?)

Cheers, Aucky

[Gomer Pylot]

An ohmmeter will show you for sure which pin is which. That's by far the most reliable, but the standard is for tip and second ring to be mike, base and first ring are speaker. You don't need to worry about the impedance, you'll get adequate volume, and changing the impedance is more trouble than it's worth. It takes more than a reisistor to do it.

[Flying Bull]

Hi Aucky,

I´ve a Sony Ericsson Mobile Phone. Delivered with it was a headset with mircophone for hands free telephone use.
Something like this
I just put the microphone under the headset and use the recording fuction of the phone...
Works quite good - you just have to find a comfortable position for the mic.

Bye the way, if you also use the in ear piece, you can make phonecalls ;-)

Greetings Flying Bull

[Pandalet]

Aucky,

The US NATO plug (as used in Mr Robinson's finest) is the U-174/U, which I believe is the same as the TP-101 (and TP-102 and TP-120). A convenient line-up of Nexus products can be found here: Pambry Electronics Audio Electronics Specialist and I believe there is a list of retail distributors in there somewhere too.

If you need the Bose ANR panel-mount plugs, these are 6-pin keyed jobbies, made by Redel and available from Lemo UK. The part numbers I used last were PAG.M0.6NL.AC52NZ (plug), GMA.1B.040.DN (strain relief gland), PLG.M0.6GL.LG (socket).

FWIW, the GA plugs (as used in most fixed wings) are a standard 1/4" mono for the audio (stereo in some cases) and a 0.206" diameter version for the mic (p/n PJ-068) - Switchcraft make a socket that works for this (p/n M641/5-1) which can be had from Farnell (among other places).

Standard audio minijacks can be had from just about anywhere - wherever you get the other bits from should have them. If you're really struggling to find the requisite plugs, give HSL ( Headset Services Limited - Contact Details ) a ring; they will charge you rather more than getting the bits from Farnell, RS, etc, but they're really helpful and they can send you the right part from a vague description. Ask to speak to an engineer if you go this route.

[Dynamic Roller]

Another option?

Consider also this simple audio splitter: Smartphone Digital Audio Adapter for Helicopters - MyPilotStore.com

Since I normally use a fixed wing headset, I connect a fixed-to-heli adapter for heli flights, and use the fixed wing audio splitter: Smartphone Digital Audio Adapter for Airplanes - MyPilotStore.com

Connecting this to a digital audio recorder with 3.5mm audio input gives me very clear audio.

DR

[Ready2Fly]

Why not buying a cheap mic with 3.5mm jack, put it into a headset and tape it together if necessary ... the mic hears the same than you. Works perfect even with a non ANR headset like a David Clark

[misterbonkers]

They are easy enough to make yourself.

The components are easy and cheap enough to buy and the wiring diagram has been posted on PPRUNE before.

You can pick up a UK NATO Jack or US Jack for about £15. The 3.5mm socket from Maplins (circa £1). Or raid an old headset and cut-off the jack (keep plenty of wire). A multi-meter will help you find which wire is which.

If you are recording a feed the solder up to the speaker side of things. If you're wanting to play an MP3 player into the intercom then solder up to the mic feed.

I wired mine up so we could play Ride of the Valkyries through the SkyShout speaker system

If you're looking to record intercom for a film shoot then the other trick is to get the filmcrew to place one of their mics between the earcups of one of your headsets and gaffer tape them together to block out external noise.

Simples!