Heaset repair

Daniel L

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Daniel
With the purchase of Ms. Thang came inheritence of a variety of aviation related gear. One of which is a pile of old headsets that were discarded for one defect or another. The best of this example is a Flightcom Blackhawk Model 5DX.

I flew one day with my A&P who wore it and the only defect I could detect was intermittent output while speaking on the open intercom. When he spoke with the controllers it was fine. So it seems the limitation is ilimited to intercom speak. Once the mic button is pressed the defect is gone.

I'd like to take a stab at repairing this set and make it a back-seat pair. Opinions? Worth the effort? If it yields nothing I may a learn a bit about these headsets. If it yields a repaired headset then great; either way I learn something.

Otherwise the pair seems to be in great shape and it would be a shame to let them go to waste.

Thanks,

D20190523_214709.jpg20190523_214813.jpg

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk
 
Might not be anything wrong with it, sounds like the mic is just not breaking the intercom squelch. Talk louder and put the mic closer to your mouth.
 
I have a set that just went dead one day, some rainy day in just gunna crack or open- figure I can’t break it worse... might be a simple solar connection broke... but I figure if it’s already broke why not give it a shot?
 
Go for it. The next time I have to fix one of my Softcomm C-90s I'll probably have to mess with it myself.
 
Is there a gain potentiometer under those mic screws that you can access? Maybe worth opening up to check and turn it 1/8 at a time until you get what you need.

Or maybe intercom squelch is set too high?
 
I have a set that just went dead one day, some rainy day in just gunna crack or open- figure I can’t break it worse... might be a simple solar connection broke... but I figure if it’s already broke why not give it a shot?

Depending on the manufacturer, could be a mistake... I know D/C will fix almost anything for little or no charge. If you crack it open all that goes out the door... Contact the manufacturer first. You might be surprised...
 
Does it work correctly plugged in to any of the other jacks?
 
Depending on the manufacturer, could be a mistake... I know D/C will fix almost anything for little or no charge. If you crack it open all that goes out the door... Contact the manufacturer first. You might be surprised...

Oh this one is a backseat cheapy I bought used from eBay 15 years ago...
 
But is it ACTUALLY broken or does it work in the other seat positions?
 
I have replaced a speaker, cord and a microphone on my ANR headset. These things aren't rocket surgery....

(and I have won a couple Darwin awards....)
 
Does it work correctly plugged in to any of the other jacks?
it acts the same no matter where i plug it in or squelch setting. i gave him a set i know works and it worked perfectly. im going to open the mic and see if it can be adjusted but first will call the manufacturer.

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especially when "What's the worst that could happen? It's already broke!"

This is much of my life’s philosophy I’ve fixed all sorts of crap I didn’t know a thing about... just use a critical eye n go slow and/or the google...
 
This is much of my life’s philosophy I’ve fixed all sorts of crap I didn’t know a thing about... just use a critical eye n go slow and/or the google...
It turns out this set is really really really basic.

Other than a cheap mic and a cheap speaker and some foam, there's nothing more to it. You can still buy one new for $189 which, going by the build quality, is way overpriced.

I tested it today, the right speaker doesn't even work. I can't find a part number for it to buy as a component so I may just junk it.

The manufacturer only sells pads and mic shields for the thing. Going to waste basket. I will be searching now for a good used set on ebay or craigslist.

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I tested it today, the right speaker doesn't even work. I can't find a part number for it to buy as a component so I may just junk it.

That's what happens when you have it set to Stereo and use it with a mono audio panel.
 
That's what happens when you have it set to Stereo and use it with a mono audio panel.
Yeah I thought the same thing but it acts that way even in mono mode. I do have a mono audio panel.

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I believe the ANR kit comes with speakers.

http://headsetsinc.com/ANR_kits.html

Also, you said you got a pile of headsets. Any way to mix and match parts Frankenstein style?
Funny you mention that. I brought the headsets home thinking of doing just that since they're all the same brand.

Some seem to have been decommissioned due to lack of an ear pad. Pictures attached. I was going to clean them and test. If they work but just need new pads, I may just use them instead.20190525_230106.jpg20190525_230113.jpg

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I believe the problem has been identified. I opened up the volume side on the headset and the first thing I noticed was a wire disconnected from the breadboard. So now I need to figure out which pin to reattach it to. I have a magnifying glass. Maybe the cleanest one is it.

The headset took some damage because there are plastic bits broken off that began rattling around after I removed the foam. So it could've happened at that time.20190526_000515.jpg

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Once I put the bread board into its position, the loose connector (based on the angle it was bent) naturally fell in place in the third pin. I noticed that it slid in really loosely so I crimped it down a bit. It fit perfectly.

So I'll be testing it tomorrow.

Now I have these two cheapies to consider as well.

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Yeah I thought the same thing but it acts that way even in mono mode. I do have a mono audio panel.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

Got it. Thanks for the follow up. Just wanted to make sure you weren't throwing out an innocent headset. If you're patient you can find some surprising deals on eBay.
 
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