Handheld radio linked thru a lightspeed Sierra headset?

Jeanie

Jeanie

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Jeanie
I have a Sierra headset and it has an input jack for music etc. Would it be possible to link a handheld radio to it?
 
Does the Sierra have Bluetooth capabilities and what handheld are you using ?
 
I believe it does and I haven't purchased one yet.
 
Yes I can , BUT the Bluetooth in the headset has to be AD2P capable ( most of your blutooth units that stream music are) and you have to find the blutooth add on module that will work with the handheld you are using.

Mine was simple since the handheld I use is a commercial Motorola , so it worked easily. The tricky part maybe finding one ( from the link I posted) that is compatible with radio you will use.

The commercial version of the radio may or may not have the same pinouts as the aviation model speaker/mic jack.

For example, Yaesu Vertex has an amateur or Ham line , commercial AND aviation line. Some of the radios are very similar but have slight differences.
The same goes for ICOM. The trick would be to see if something they have would work. I would email them, talk to their tech guys and see.

There may be other options out there and manufacturers making similar blutooth dongles , but I went with them since I know it works in MY application. What type of radio are you going to use , and maybe I can dig up more info.
 
Well I looked at the specs on the Sierra and it won't stream music blutooth but it will do phone blutooth.
I don't have a radio yet to use. Just starting to explore the possibilities. I might call lightspeed too and see what they say.
Thanks!
 
If aviation handheld radios could be paired with aviation headsets and an external PTT button, it would wipe out the cottage industry which currently supplies crappy external adapters to match aviation stuff to consumer-spec stuff.

Boy. Would that be nice.
 
PW_Plack said:
If aviation handheld radios could be paired with aviation headsets and an external PTT button, it would wipe out the cottage industry which currently supplies crappy external adapters to match aviation stuff to consumer-spec stuff.

Boy. Would that be nice.
Click to expand...

I'm confused. My icom A22 came with an adapter that I can plug my LS or DC or other aviation headset into, and it works just fine, and included an external PTT.

Or are you talking about non-aviation radios?
 
Jeanie lots of the handheld aviation radio makers realize that the radio may be used instead of a panel mount in ultralight or E-AB airplanes, so they usually are designed to work with standard aviation headsets by way of an adapter made by the manufacturer. If you've already got an aviation handheld, check with the manufacturer for an adapter for a headset. I'd be surprised if one wasn't available.

I'm still not clear on what you're trying to do though.
 
Maybe I misunderstood the original question .


Are you looking to use a handheld in addition to the panel radio at the same time , or looking to use a handheld in a plane with no on board radio .


If it is to use with a plane with no radio , most of your handhelds will have an adapter available that will use a standard GA headset .
 
Jeanie said:
I have a Sierra headset and it has an input jack for music etc. Would it be possible to link a handheld radio to it?
Click to expand...

Not through that jack, you get an adapter plug set to plug your regular jacks into.
 
I might be going on a trip with a friend and will need a second radio to communicate between us.
 
PW_Plack said:
If aviation handheld radios could be paired with aviation headsets and an external PTT button, it would wipe out the cottage industry which currently supplies crappy external adapters to match aviation stuff to consumer-spec stuff.

Boy. Would that be nice.
Click to expand...

No adaptation required for her except some plugs and wires, the impedance in most the headsets and radios are compatible.
 
Jeanie said:
I might be going on a trip with a friend and will need a second radio to communicate between us.
Click to expand...
OK, are you saying you want to have your headset switchable between a panel-mount radio and the handheld? Short of unplugging from the "airplane" and plugging into the "handheld" that's not going to work well.

Sorry, I guess I don't yet quite understand what it is you're trying to accomplish.
 
I'll try to explain it better.
I have a radio in the plane on which I can only hear one freq. at a time, it has an active field and a standby. I want to be able to communicate with my friend and monitor ATC at the same time so I need what is essentially a second radio but don't want to put a second radio in the plane for just this trip. I thought I could get a handheld and rig it so I can use it as the between us radio while using the aircraft panel mount radios for the normal ops.

My friend who is a ham radio, electronics geek,just explained to me that with a handheld it's either that or the plane can't work together unless it's patched into the intercom. So, I guess figuring that out is next.
 
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Jeanie said:
I'll try to explain it better.
I have a radio in the plane on which I can only hear one freq. at a time, it has an active field and a standby. I want to be able to communicate with my friend and monitor ATC at the same time so I need what is essentially a second radio but don't want to put a second radio in the plane for just this trip. I thought I could get a handheld and rig it so I can use it as the between us radio while using the aircraft panel mount radios for the normal ops.

My friend who is a ham radio, electronics geek,just explained to me that with a handheld it's either that or the plane can't work together unless it's patched into the intercom. So, I guess figuring that out is next.
Click to expand...

You're flipping frequencies on the radio to do that, however, if you have an audio panel, you can get your handheld to run through that as a second radio.
 
Yeah, we're gonna see if we can run the handheld thru the planes audio system.

I need to be able to listen to two freqs. at the same time.
 
Jeanie said:
I'll try to explain it better.
I have a radio in the plane on which I can only hear one freq. at a time, it has an active field and a standby. I want to be able to communicate with my friend and monitor ATC at the same time so I need what is essentially a second radio but don't want to put a second radio in the plane for just this trip. I thought I could get a handheld and rig it so I can use it as the between us radio while using the aircraft panel mount radios for the normal ops.

My friend who is a ham radio, electronics geek,just explained to me that with a handheld it's either that or the plane can't work together unless it's patched into the intercom. So, I guess figuring that out is next.
Click to expand...

Then my option probably wouldn't be worth it for one single trip.
 
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Jeanie said:
Yeah, we're gonna see if we can run the handheld thru the planes audio system.

I need to be able to listen to two freqs. at the same time.
Click to expand...


I have seen more than one plane with an antenna and audio lead to plug a handheld through the audio panel.

You could just bluetooth your phone though and call your friend, but out in your area that may be spotty.
 
Talk to an avionics tech to have the handheld connected to your audio panel, as Henning suggests. If you want to do it "right", have him install an antenna on the airplane, and bring three connectors to the instrument panel - two audio connectors for mic and speaker connections and one BNC for the antenna, and then you can just plug in your handheld anytime you need COM2. That's gonna cost some bucks however. Here's an alternative:

Get a couple of FRS radios, with one of them having an in-ear headset/microphone. put in the earpiece, then put your regular headset over it. Talk to your friend on the FRS, and ATC on the headset and com radio.
 
TMetzinger said:
Talk to an avionics tech to have the handheld connected to your audio panel, as Henning suggests. If you want to do it "right", have him install an antenna on the airplane, and bring three connectors to the instrument panel - two audio connectors for mic and speaker connections and one BNC for the antenna, and then you can just plug in your handheld anytime you need COM2. That's gonna cost some bucks however. Here's an alternative:

Get a couple of FRS radios, with one of them having an in-ear headset/microphone. put in the earpiece, then put your regular headset over it. Talk to your friend on the FRS, and ATC on the headset and com radio.
Click to expand...


When I flew pipeline one company had a jury rigged radio crap set for us to use, what a PITA accident waiting to happen that was, I never used the damned set, I'd just call them.
 
Well we will have to consider our choices. We are going from here to smiley creek Idaho and yes the coverage will be spotty in areas.
Might decide to use the 152 instead of the decathlon which will be slower :) but the radios and desk availability makes it a good choice.
Decisions decisions
 
Get a pair of small whiteboards and dry-erase markers, and just hold up signs to each other!

i.e.


*************************************
*...................................*
*.GOTTA PEE!........................*
*.LAND AT NEXT AIRPORT!.............*
*...................................*
*************************************
 
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Jeanie said:
Well we will have to consider our choices. We are going from here to smiley creek Idaho and yes the coverage will be spotty in areas.
Might decide to use the 152 instead of the decathlon which will be slower :) but the radios and desk availability makes it a good choice.
Decisions decisions
Click to expand...
I see no reason why a BT connection between a compatible headset and handheld radio wouldn't perform the function you desire. A BT connected handheld should behave the same as a BT connected cellphone, something I've used with a Lightspeed Zulu several times. There is a button on the Zulu that enables a muting function which lowers the volume on the BT attached device whenever there is audio coming from the radio the headset is wired to and the microphone will only work if the mic plug is connected to a powered radio or audio panel.
 
gismo said:
I see no reason why a BT connection between a compatible headset and handheld radio wouldn't perform the function you desire. A BT connected handheld should behave the same as a BT connected cellphone, something I've used with a Lightspeed Zulu several times. There is a button on the Zulu that enables a muting function which lowers the volume on the BT attached device whenever there is audio coming from the radio the headset is wired to and the microphone will only work if the mic plug is connected to a powered radio or audio panel.
Click to expand...

They have BT handhelds now? cool.
 
No bt handhelds yet. They have interfaces for commercial and amatuer, but getting one to match an aviation one may be difficult.
 
TMetzinger said:
I'm confused. My icom A22 came with an adapter that I can plug my LS or DC or other aviation headset into, and it works just fine, and included an external PTT.

Or are you talking about non-aviation radios?
Click to expand...

Have you actually used it in flight, and got a radio check?

Unless Icom has changed things recently, its handheld radios are set up for low-impedance headsets (typically 8-32 ohms) typically used by the ultralight folks, instead of the aviation standard of 300-600 ohms.

On the mic side, there's a similar mismatch.

The adapters Icom has sold in the past matched the plug contacts and diameters, but not the impedances and levels.

If you're using a headset with ANR, it may be more tolerant of mismatches, since the headphones are being fed through an additional stage of amplification. Try the headset without a battery, and you may find unacceptably low volume from the handheld.

The Sporty's handheld, which I believe is made by JRC, is the only one I know of that comes set up with aviation-standard levels and impedances.
 
PW_Plack said:
Have you actually used it in flight, and got a radio check?

Unless Icom has changed things recently, its handheld radios are set up for low-impedance headsets (typically 8-32 ohms) typically used by the ultralight folks, instead of the aviation standard of 300-600 ohms.

On the mic side, there's a similar mismatch.

The adapters Icom has sold in the past matched the plug contacts and diameters, but not the impedances and levels.

If you're using a headset with ANR, it may be more tolerant of mismatches, since the headphones are being fed through an additional stage of amplification. Try the headset without a battery, and you may find unacceptably low volume from the handheld.

The Sporty's handheld, which I believe is made by JRC, is the only one I know of that comes set up with aviation-standard levels and impedances.
Click to expand...


????

Lots of folks using handhelds in aircraft w/o electrical systems. I've tested mine and it's just fine. In other words, what are you typing about?
 
TMetzinger said:
Get a couple of FRS radios, with one of them having an in-ear headset/microphone. put in the earpiece, then put your regular headset over it. Talk to your friend on the FRS, and ATC on the headset and com radio.
Click to expand...

Technically not legal, since the FRS service in FCC regs isn't authorized for aeronautical mobile use.

But no one will care.

The bigger problem near any large city will be co-channel interfence.
 
denverpilot said:
Technically not legal, since the FRS service in FCC regs isn't authorized for aeronautical mobile use.

But no one will care.

The bigger problem near any large city will be co-channel interfence.
Click to expand...


Keep on channels 1-14 and stay away from 15-22 ( if your radios are of that flavor) and those of us who were foolish enough to pay for the the GMRS licenses and have repeaters there wont get all bent . :D
 
Jeanie said:
Well we will have to consider our choices. We are going from here to smiley creek Idaho and yes the coverage will be spotty in areas.
Might decide to use the 152 instead of the decathlon which will be slower :) but the radios and desk availability makes it a good choice.
Decisions decisions
Click to expand...

The two of you and all your gear in a 152 at Smiley Creek (sod, elevation 7160') in the summer.

Recipe for DA disaster!

I think you better rent the 182.
 
It has a radio and intercom.... But it only has one radio.

If we go I'll fly the decathlon. It'll do fine. The DA here today was 7600ft. And she popped up in 600 feet. I won't fly in till morning time
 
kgruber said:
The two of you and all your gear in a 152 at Smiley Creek (sod, elevation 7160') in the summer.

Recipe for DA disaster!

I think you better rent the 182.
Click to expand...

~~~~~NO, not two of us. Only me in the plane I'm flying.....no gear just clothes.

See previous post also.
 
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Clark1961 said:
Lots of folks using handhelds in aircraft w/o electrical systems. I've tested mine and it's just fine. In other words, what are you typing about?
Click to expand...

The impedance mismatches don't mean it automatically won't work, especially if you have enough reserve volume. Problems are reported more often when there's lots of cockpit noise or ignition interference.
 
PW_Plack said:
The impedance mismatches don't mean it automatically won't work, especially if you have enough reserve volume. Problems are reported more often when there's lots of cockpit noise or ignition interference.
Click to expand...
WRT the headphone side and impedance mismatch isn't normally an issue as long as the source impedance is lower than the transducer (headset speaker) and I've never encountered a handheld comm (I've had several) that didn't have sufficient output voltage to drive an aviation headset to near earsplitting volume. As to the microphone level, I've not had a problem with that either although it's a little harder to judge since one doesn't generally get to hear one's own transmissions other than via sidetone.
 
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