Peter R. wrote:
Scott Moore wrote:


The problem is not just
having or not having the controller blanked out by music, but having *anyone*
in the friggin' cockpit turn it off by coughing.


Scott, turning off the auto-mute *can* be done for intercom activity, no
matter the input. This is what moving the switch in the back of the audio
panel does, as this is what Lancaster Avionics did for me when I asked them
to disable the auto-mute all around (as part of a bigger avionics job I
needed done).

When I picked up the aircraft and flew it home, the auto-mute for intercom
activity was disabled (what you are looking for), but the music input still
cut out when the radio picked up a transmission. I called the avionics
techs when I got back home and asked about this. They then told me it
couldn't be done for the reception of radio transmissions. Disappointed
but still holding out hope, I called Garmin and asked about this. Again, I
was told no.

The issue I have is that I fly a lot in center airspace in the Northeast
US. Unless it is later at night, the radio is so active that listening to
music is difficult with this auto-mute feature. Having trained and flown
many hours in a C172SP with a Bendix-King/PS Engineering audio panel that
had a button on the face of the panel to disable auto-mute, I guess I had
grown spoiled.

BTW, I like to listen to Jazz en route, a habit I picked up in college as
it helps me concentrate. I once tried to listen to stand-up comedy while
flying, but it was way too distracting.


Did you attach the auto-mute from the back to a switch, or hardwire it ?