FlyCom Helmet

[Tyger]

The biggest issue I have with headsets is not ambient noise getting past the earpieces, but any back-seat passenger's mike picking up a LOT of wind and engine noise (especially on takeoff), thus activating the intercom. I have tried various mike covers, but usually I have to turn intercom squelch WAY up to prevent this. I am thinking about getting a third headset – right now I just have two – the one I normally use for myself is a lot better in this regard than the cheaper one I had designated for passengers.

 

[Abid]

The biggest issue I have with headsets is not ambient noise getting past the earpieces, but any back-seat passenger's mike picking up a LOT of wind and engine noise (especially on takeoff), thus activating the intercom. I have tried various mike covers, but usually I have to turn intercom squelch WAY up to prevent this. I am thinking about getting a third headset – right now I just have two – the one I normally use for myself is a lot better in this regard than the cheaper one I had designated for passengers.

Tyger
Can you tell me what headsets and intercom and radio are in your gyro.

 

[Sv.grainne]

Tyger, I would stop using the voice actuation for the intercomm and add a PTT feature.

 

[Tyger]

Fara: Trig TY91radio/intercom. My main headset is a Sigtronics S-45. I got a leather cover on that mic and it works pretty well.
My passenger headset is just a cheap ASA I bought from an FBO when I was in a pinch. Its mic also has a leather cover, but it still picks up a ton of engine noise in the back seat. One of my past solutions has been to give the passenger my headset.
I'm thinking about upgrading to a better headset, thus my interest in this thread.

Bobby: I tried getting an aftermarket PTT switch to put between the jacks and the 'phones. I don't know if I bought the wrong thing, but I could not get it to work properly. Last time I was at KFRG I had a real problem hearing the tower on takeoff because of all the noise; I finally got my passenger just to unplug his mic jack.

 

[schmoe90]

One of the guys I fly with has a Sky Cowboy helmet (https://www.skycowboysupplyco.com/product-page/scsc-pilot-helmet-package-without-headset) with a Lightspeed and a longer face shield - it solves the wind noise through the passenger's mic problem.

I've just built one of those with a David Clark and the shorter face shield (girlfriend didn't like the long one) but I haven't flown with it yet.

The big thing is being able to adjust the helmet to fit - my older helmet is slightly too big for her so she can't hear me as well.

I'm using ANR headsets just because they're usually better headsets - I often forget to turn mine on

 

[Sv.grainne]

Suspect the wiring for the radio is not correct. The Trig has individual PTT lines for the radio and the intercom. If you are using vox for the intercom then it would be easy to insert a switch into the passenger mic connector so that audio from the backseat is disabled unless a button is pushed.

 

[Tyger]

Maybe you can suggest a switch that you think would work? The one I tried didn't, and their "support" never returned my calls.

 

[Abid]

Has anyone tried using Clarity Aloft with their gyroplane (open and enclosed). I got a couple and I am going to try it with MGL V6 radio/com soon as soon as weather here improves. I tried it in a J3 Cub a few days ago with window open with an intercom (Sigtronics I think) and it worked quite well.
ANR in general works on lower frequencies like to 110 Hz and in some cases to 150 Hz. A bunch of noise in open cockpit would not necessarily fit that bill and the frequency changes quickly so ANR falls behind and starts to make things worse sometimes. If they could make the ANR circuit more broad range, it would be nice

 

[Sv.grainne]

Maybe you can suggest a switch that you think would work? The one I tried didn't, and their "support" never returned my calls.

Tyger, I can fabricate a small inline switch, plug the smaller mic cord into the small switch box and plug the pigtail into Gyro backseat mic connector. Rear seat mic audio only when passenger presses switch. Will take me a few days to round up parts.

 

[Tyger]

Gee, that's awfully nice of you. Or just tell me what parts and maybe I can get my EE son to do that for me for Xmas.

 

[Sv.grainne]

Cord will be here the 24 and still need to look thru my parts for the 3 wire mic connector and switch. Got these last year to solve a similar problem but didn't have to use them.

 

[Sv.grainne]

I have everything I need except a 3 pin Mic jack. Should have that Tuesday and will take a few minutes to put it all together. Send me a mailing address and will mail to you when complete.

[email protected]

 

[Sv.grainne]

Tyler:

Here's a picture of the switch. It has the wrong connector on the top left end but this should give you an idea. Red button is the mic enable button.

 

[Tyger]

Sweet!

 

[Sv.grainne]

Connector got here this afternoon. Switch is finished and will mail tomorrow.

 

[loftus]

Maybe you can suggest a switch that you think would work? The one I tried didn't, and their "support" never returned my calls.

It's been a few years since I did it on my MTO, but I recall having to rewire the PTT switch so that it basically just turned the mike on and off without actually activating the radio. Worked perfectly after I sorted that out.

 

[Abid]

It's been a few years since I did it on my MTO, but I recall having to rewire the PTT switch so that it basically just turned the mike on and off without actually activating the radio. Worked perfectly after I sorted that out.

The thing is proprietary purpose built systems like MicroAvionics and Flycom deal with that high revving engine noise through the mike all by themselves whereas the GA stuff seem to freak out at engines above 4500 RPM specially from the back seat. Why is that. Its got to be a difference in the mikes

 

[Sv.grainne]

The switch box I made just does that. Cuts out the live mic in the back seat when intercom is set to vox. You have to push the red button to talk to the front seat. Lots of other mods possible, just depends on the machine. Easy to do though.

 

[Abid]

The switch box I made just does that. Cuts out the live mic in the back seat when intercom is set to vox. You have to push the red button to talk to the front seat. Lots of other mods possible, just depends on the machine. Easy to do though.

Yeah but that is not an ideal solution. Flycom and MicroAvionics coming from the Rotax/open cockpit world generally need none of that. Their mikes don't behave like GA mikes and you don't need to push anything to just talk on the intercom

 

[Tyger]

I'm not a big fan of integrated helmet/headsets like Flycom, but I might be persuaded to try a MicroAvionics headset at some point, if you really do think their mics are that much better for open cockpits.