Known Headset Compatibility Questions

[kontiki]

I use a Telex Echelon /20 headset. Today I went up with another safety pilot in BKN to practice approaches. Immediately after takeoff I had very loud background noise, like open mic. When I talked to ATC, I could not hear my voice. If safety talked, I couldn't hear it either, she had no noise. We heard it on ground after landing, but not after engine was stopped.

It's not the first time this has happened. If I fly alone, comm with my headset is usually good. I'm wondering:

1 - Are there known headset incompatibility issues.

2 - Could it be just an air inlet blowing across a voice activated mic messing up the intercom?

3 - Is there a standard procedure I should be using in a G1000 (Diamond 40) to set radio, intercom-headset volumes as part of pre-flight.

All help is appreciated. It's funny because up until now, most of my thoughts on IFR comm problems involves tune XPDR to 7600 and MEA-AVEF.

This experience tells me I need to train better for the case when you can barely hear ATC because of very loud radio noise. I had a very hard time focusing on the details of the approach. Alone and in solid IFR, you'd have to focus well while the radios abuse you for prolonged periods of time.

 

[Shawn]

I have had two similar radio issues back to back over the past two days. Yesterday was sudden "open mic" sound like you described on a turn to base of all times. Could barely hear ATC or Px on headset over the noise...as well as my own voice...turns out the ANR failed (battery went dead and panel does not supply power). Once I figured it out I just had to crank up the volume to get the voices over the engine rumble. Threw me off for a while.

Second today was on a return leg of a cross country...sitting on the ramp I go to call ground for taxi...hit the PTT button and all goes dead. No mic, all goes silent. I could hear ground and they could hear the "clicks" and I could hear myself without pushing the PTT...well, after about 10 min of troubleshooting and about to call for clearance with the cabin speaker and hand mic...I looked down to see the mic plug into the panel not all the way seated in! DOH!...didn't even think about that as I had just landed and didn't unplug headset. Must have caught it pulling out the checklist in the side pocket.

Also had static on another tower frequency...but a bunch of pilots were hearing that and ATC was clueless.

I am also in a G1000 and actually surprised at the lack of audio options for adjustments for a system that is that advanced.

 

[madtrader]

Interesting, BT, because on my checkout flight in that same DA40, I had a volume issue as well. I fly with a Bose A20. I sorted it out fairly quickly, but for a couple of minutes I could barely hear ATC while the instructor could hear them fine.

I'm with Shawn on this -- I really dislike the G1000 audio as well. In the 3 aircraft that I've flown with the G1000 (maybe 40 hours with them) I've just not liked the audio controls. They work, but they feel like more work than with "normal" radios.

 

[denverpilot]

The answer lies in what happens when you flip the pilot isolate switch.

 

[pbramlett]

The answer lies in what happens when you flip the pilot isolate switch.

Indeed. Could be additional headset in the back causing the issue. My kids headset had air from the vent blowing over it causing activation.

 

[kontiki]

I think that the lesson learned from that flight is that it's time to review VFR and IFR radio troubleshooting procedures.

We should have requested a vector from ATC and reviewed the Cockpit guide. I think I'm going to cobble together a list of radio troubleshooting things to try for my iPad too.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Shawn]

Keep in mind on the G1000 that each the PIC and Px both have independent intercom AND independent radio volume controls. Each seat can dial in their own volume on the PFD and MFD respectively for radio volume on the top right knob separate from the intercom volume with the dual dial.

 

[madtrader]

In my case, it was something like radio 2 having a really low volume to my headset, but radio 1 was "normal". I used radio 1 for ground and tower and when we switched to departure on radio 2, I could barely hear the radio, but the instructor could. Now I pull up ATIS/AWOS on both to verify.

 

[Archammer]

Ya'll are really good at troubleshooting!
I know of no compatibility issues between 2 different types of headsets. Almost all of the responses have it right. Check those connections, check your isolate controls, do you have the stereo/mono switch in the right position, is the squelch in the panel set properly for your environment so that ambient air isn't activating your mic, battery good in your ANR, does your headset work w/o the ANR system, etc?

Everyone here has great solutions and tests.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

1 - Are there known headset incompatibility issues.

Yes - But it's not like you can say "A Bose and a David Clark won't work together." I think it can probably vary by the individual headset as well.

FWIW, my most recent "incompatibility" was Bose vs. Bose - One of them being the panel-powered Bose X that I'm flying with right now, the other being a Bose QuietComfort with the UFlyMike on it. The owner of the other one said that there's an adjustment that can be made on the UFlyMike, but it's not something that can be easily done in the air - I think there's maybe a cover that needs to be removed and potentially a screwdriver may be involved.

2 - Could it be just an air inlet blowing across a voice activated mic messing up the intercom?

Could be.

3 - Is there a standard procedure I should be using in a G1000 (Diamond 40) to set radio, intercom-headset volumes as part of pre-flight.

It doesn't work too well to set them pre-flight because after takeoff the noise levels are increased and you'll probably have to readjust things anyway.

 

[kontiki]

All,

I just learned that the pilot ferrying the plane to home field after us, not only had same headset radio noise problem, but alternator also failed on the flight. I suspect whatever was going on with the ALT was the source of the noise.

So, as I go forward and start building my short compendium of radio com problems and troubleshooting tips, under noise isolation, shutting the ALT off will have it's place.

 

[Shawn]

do you have the stereo/mono switch in the right position...

Your "compatability" issue could be the settings on the headsets themselves. I have the Lightspeed Zulu 2 with a bunch of dipsticks in the battery box and the manual said that there could be issues if it is not set up properly for the panel that it is plugged into.