GA Headsets

[Lyndon]

Could someone please tell me the size of the plugs used on GA fixed wing
headsets, and which one is used for the headphones and which for the
microphone? I should be able to use google for this one, but can't see it
anywhere.

[Ross Younger]

Post by Lyndon
Could someone please tell me the size of the plugs used on GA fixed wing
headsets, and which one is used for the headphones and which for the
microphone?

The headphones are historically the PJ-055 or M-642/4-1 jack plug,
which is a quarter-inch (6.35mm) in diameter. (NB that some headsets
and intercoms are capable of stereo, some not. One sees quite a lot of
kit these days using standard 6.35mm audio jacks.)

The microphone is a PJ-068B or M-642/5-1 plug, which is 0.206" or about
5.23mm in diameter.

Cheers,


Ross

[Lyndon]

Post by Ross Younger

Post by Lyndon
Could someone please tell me the size of the plugs used on GA fixed wing
headsets, and which one is used for the headphones and which for the
microphone?

The headphones are historically the PJ-055 or M-642/4-1 jack plug,
which is a quarter-inch (6.35mm) in diameter. (NB that some headsets
and intercoms are capable of stereo, some not. One sees quite a lot of
kit these days using standard 6.35mm audio jacks.)
The microphone is a PJ-068B or M-642/5-1 plug, which is 0.206" or about
5.23mm in diameter.

Thanks Ross. If a headset is stereo what are the implications of that? Isn't
the same information always presented to both sides? This could be
significant because I am completely deaf in my left ear.

[D]

Some headsets, especially ANR ones, allow different volumes to be played in
each ear because they have sockets to take car phones and MP3 players. yes,
I know, but thats how it is.

David

Post by Lyndon

Post by Ross Younger

Post by Lyndon
Could someone please tell me the size of the plugs used on GA fixed wing
headsets, and which one is used for the headphones and which for the
microphone?

The headphones are historically the PJ-055 or M-642/4-1 jack plug,
which is a quarter-inch (6.35mm) in diameter. (NB that some headsets
and intercoms are capable of stereo, some not. One sees quite a lot of
kit these days using standard 6.35mm audio jacks.)
The microphone is a PJ-068B or M-642/5-1 plug, which is 0.206" or about
5.23mm in diameter.

Thanks Ross. If a headset is stereo what are the implications of that?
Isn't the same information always presented to both sides? This could be
significant because I am completely deaf in my left ear.
--
Lyndon

[Peter]

Post by D
Some headsets, especially ANR ones, allow different volumes to be played in
each ear because they have sockets to take car phones and MP3 players. yes,
I know, but thats how it is.

I have an aircraft intercom with "music input". I've never used it but
apparently you can plug an Ipod etc (anything with a 3.5mm audio jack
output, and headset output level) into it, and it automatically cuts
the music when ATC calls you up.

It's not really useful in the UK or Europe because there is a lot of
ATC interaction; even on long IFR flights one is talking to somebody
every 5-10 mins. I'd imagine that in say Africa you might be flying
for hours non-radio.

Of course in UK Class G you can fly non-radio, so you could just
listen to music while flying :) I fly non-radio in Class G unless I
can get a radar service.

[Ross Younger]

Post by Lyndon
If a headset is stereo what are the implications of that? Isn't
the same information always presented to both sides? This could be
significant because I am completely deaf in my left ear.

Radios and intercoms are by their very nature mono, so the answer is
yes - same signal to both sides, at least as far as what's important to
the flight.

Stereo signals normally only come into play if you have a way to
connect a portable audio source (CD, iPod, DVD player, etc) - either
into the aircraft intercom, some models of which have a port for this,
or standalone where (e.g.) your passenger wants to listen to their
music through a headset but not via the aircraft wiring. I'd hazard a
guess that most club aircraft have only mono wiring. Stereo headsets
usually have a selector switch so they work correctly when plugged into
mono aircraft.


Ross

[Peter]

Post by Ross Younger
Stereo headsets
usually have a selector switch so they work correctly when plugged into
mono aircraft.

Funny that, my Bose headsets have a mono/stereo switch but only on a
pre-2000 model. After that they are fixed to stereo only.

[Ross Younger]

Post by Peter
Funny that, my Bose headsets have a mono/stereo switch but only on a
pre-2000 model. After that they are fixed to stereo only.

Given that it's Bose, I'd hazard a guess that they'd auto-detect that
you'd connected them to a mono jack?


Ross

[Peter]

Post by Lyndon
Thanks Ross. If a headset is stereo what are the implications of that? Isn't
the same information always presented to both sides? This could be
significant because I am completely deaf in my left ear.

Aviation headsets are stereo but you can ignore that; all sound in the
aircraft context will go equally into both ears.

The only situation where this isn't so is if you go for an ATC job.
The IFR controllers have internal comms in one ear and air comms into
the other ear. But they need a JAA Class 1 medical anyway, which you
can't get with one duff ear.

[Lyndon]

Post by Peter

Post by Lyndon
Thanks Ross. If a headset is stereo what are the implications of that? Isn't
the same information always presented to both sides? This could be
significant because I am completely deaf in my left ear.

Aviation headsets are stereo but you can ignore that; all sound in the
aircraft context will go equally into both ears.
The only situation where this isn't so is if you go for an ATC job.
The IFR controllers have internal comms in one ear and air comms into
the other ear. But they need a JAA Class 1 medical anyway, which you
can't get with one duff ear.

Thank you Peter. Just checking that the radio traffic wasn't being played in
my deaf ear. That would have explained a lot!

[Mike Cawood, HND BIT]

Post by Lyndon
Could someone please tell me the size of the plugs used on GA fixed wing
headsets, and which one is used for the headphones and which for the
microphone? I should be able to use google for this one, but can't see it
anywhere.
--
Lyndon

http://www.airsupply.co.uk/acatalog/Air_Supply_Aviation_Communications_5.html

Mike.