[Elecraft] A VALUABLE FIELD DAY ACCESSORY

[Mark Petiford]

RE:  "If you find one, let me know"

Walter,

There are portable aircraft intercoms available from aviation suppliers like Sporty's Pilot Shop, and possibly from Amazon, too.  They allow the passengers to talk to each other, and listen to the radio communications if they desire.   The pilot can listen to only radio communications, or he can listen to the passenger chit-chat if he wants, with communications audio from the radio overriding that.  The pilot's mike goes to the radio for communications purposes if he pushes the PTT switch, or to the passengers chit-chat if he doesn't.

The biggest problem with these intercoms is that they are designed for carbon microphones and higher impedance headphones than we normally use.  I have seen circuits for converting stereo headphones and dynamic/electret microphones to work in aircraft, but not so much in the opposite direction.  That won't be a problem for the resourceful hams, but I suspect they won't work right out of the box.

Just a thought.

Mark
KE6BB