Cockpit Audio wiring (hyjacked from "gear warning")

"01-- Zero One" wrote in message
...
"Andy" wrote in message
oups.com:

"and it would be nice to squelch the vario audio
when using the radio. "

Why?? One of the great pleasures of cross country is to key the mic
from a 10k thermal when you know your competitors looking at the dirt.

Andy

Exactly, Andy!!!

How many times have you postponed a radio call a few seconds until you were
in the "hot" side of the thermal so everyone could hear a faster pitched
audio vario? ;-)

Larry


I get really annoyed with endless "vario reports". Everybody in the air
probably already knows the typical thermal strengths and, if they aren't
playing with the radio, they've probably already cored a better thermal.
If you want to play with radios, get a HAM license.

The glider frequencies are so congested that it's often hard to hear really
important messages. If I am going to transmit, I want a clear, quiet
channel so I don't have to repeat the transmission. A pilot shouldn't be
forced to use a cellphone to contact his crew.

Squelching the vario audio is a good thing since a loud vario in the
background can saturate the transmitter and garble the message. Mixing the
vario audio through the radio takes advantage of a much better amplifier and
speaker than the vario has.

Bill Daniels

wrote:
If cutting the vario when the mic is keyed is the objective, could the
PTT be wired to cause a relay to open the vario speaker circuit? Then
the technique could be used with any radio?

Sure! I'd suggest using a small DPDT ("double pole, double throw") relay
(check Radio Shack) behind the panel. One set of contacts would key the
radio; the other set of contacts would open the lead to the vario speaker.

The coil would be driven by the PTT switch. A 12 volt coil would work as
long as it closes with 10 volts or less, because you don't want the
radio to stop working just because you can't key it. If you are
concerned about this, you could mount a PTT switch on the panel that is
in parallel with the contacts to the radio, for use if the relay fails.
You might have to use a relay with a lower voltage coil and use a
resistor in series with it, or carefully adjust the metal tab holding
the contact spring.

A small diode should be placed across the coil to protect the PTT
contacts. Connect the diode so current does not flow through it when the
PTT is keyed; i.e., the band on the diode body should connect to the
positive side of the coil.

Undoubtedly, your club has a member that can assist you, if needed.

--
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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

Eric Greenwell wrote in
:

wrote:
If cutting the vario when the mic is keyed is the objective, could
the PTT be wired to cause a relay to open the vario speaker circuit?
Then the technique could be used with any radio?

Sure! I'd suggest using a small DPDT ("double pole, double throw")
relay (check Radio Shack) behind the panel. One set of contacts would
key the radio; the other set of contacts would open the lead to the
vario speaker.

The coil would be driven by the PTT switch. A 12 volt coil would work
as long as it closes with 10 volts or less, because you don't want the
radio to stop working just because you can't key it. If you are
concerned about this, you could mount a PTT switch on the panel that
is in parallel with the contacts to the radio, for use if the relay
fails. You might have to use a relay with a lower voltage coil and use
a resistor in series with it, or carefully adjust the metal tab
holding the contact spring.

A small diode should be placed across the coil to protect the PTT
contacts. Connect the diode so current does not flow through it when
the PTT is keyed; i.e., the band on the diode body should connect to
the positive side of the coil.

Undoubtedly, your club has a member that can assist you, if needed.


You could also use a DPDT PTT switch on the stick to control both
functions. A SPST PTT switch with both NO and NC contacts would probably
do the job, too. This would eliminate the relay and diode and the extra
complication and current draw, reducing potential failure points at the
expense of routing more wires to the PTT. KISS. :-)
-Bob Korves

Bob Korves wrote:

Undoubtedly, your club has a member that can assist you, if needed.



You could also use a DPDT PTT switch on the stick to control both
functions.

This would work fine. In my glider, changing the switch and running the
extra wire would be more trouble than the relay, but it might be an
easier choice for Mr. Lepp.

A SPST PTT switch with both NO and NC contacts

That would make it a SPDT switch. It probably is one, already, but
another wire might be needed.

would probably
do the job, too. This would eliminate the relay and diode and the extra
complication and current draw, reducing potential failure points at the
expense of routing more wires to the PTT. KISS. :-)

This method would work fine if your vario uses a grounded speaker. Some
require a "floating" speaker, like the Cambridge 302.


--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

Bill Daniels wrote:
..../...

I get really annoyed with endless "vario reports". Everybody in the air
probably already knows the typical thermal strengths and, if they aren't
playing with the radio, they've probably already cored a better thermal.
If you want to play with radios, get a HAM license.

The only disadvantage of this idea that I can see is that you loose the
vario sound if you turn the radio off or down to get rid of annoying
chatter.

For that reason alone I prefer the idea of a separate audio amp with
inputs for the radio and vario (and warning horns?).

--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. |
org | Zappa fan & glider pilot

"Martin Gregorie" wrote in message
...
Bill Daniels wrote:
.../...

I get really annoyed with endless "vario reports". Everybody in the air
probably already knows the typical thermal strengths and, if they aren't
playing with the radio, they've probably already cored a better thermal.
If you want to play with radios, get a HAM license.

The only disadvantage of this idea that I can see is that you loose the
vario sound if you turn the radio off or down to get rid of annoying
chatter.

For that reason alone I prefer the idea of a separate audio amp with
inputs for the radio and vario (and warning horns?).

Any ideas on where to get one?

Bill Daniels

Bill Daniels wrote:
"Martin Gregorie" wrote in message
...
.../..

For that reason alone I prefer the idea of a separate audio amp with
inputs for the radio and vario (and warning horns?).

Any ideas on where to get one?

No, unfortunately. But, maybe, if enough of us say "I want one" in
chorus the people at Tasmin will pick up on it and offer the extra
inputs on their gear up warning box.

--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. |
org | Zappa fan & glider pilot

In article .com,
writes
If cutting the vario when the mic is keyed is the objective, could the
PTT be wired to cause a relay to open the vario speaker circuit? Then
the technique could be used with any radio?

I had to do something like that with my last glider.

If the A/H was running when I used the radio, nobody could hear anything
except hash from the inverter. So I arranged a relay switched by the PTT
to cut off the inverter. That sorted it.
After all, it doesn't take more than a second to announce you are going
into cloud.
--
Mike Lindsay