Obsolete weapons

M *@*.* wrote:

Paul J. Adam
Built Up Areas, we aren't necessarily just fighting there) which means
a lot of voice communication: it's hard enough to hear shouted
commands from downstairs or around a corner as is, without ear plugs
in place. So, you risk ringing ears and partial HF deafness later on,
in order to keep control of your fireteam during the action.

Why on Earth aren't active (electronic) ear mufflers used
nowadays? Like many hunters and shooters have done for
quite some time.

[snip]

I assume you're talking about the Bose noise canceling headsets.

They could be good for that purpose, but not in all environments.

The regular headset costs $300. The aviation headset costs $1,000.

Cautions and Advisories:

From the Aviation Headset X Owner's Guide:
http://www.bose.com/controller;jsessionid=BviC3pLtj1xkevlZm7b8o4e9223Y aghwnSATt5v2E22zwc8dgVnj!-373760557!1879924776?event=VIEW_PRODUCT_PAGE_EVENT &product=headsetx_headset_inthebox&linksource=prod uctnav_txt_inthebox&pageName=/home_entertainment/headphones_headsets/headsets/headset_x/features.jsp
(mind the wrap)
Click on 'Owner's Guide'.

For the Quiet Comfort headsets:
http://www.bose.com/controller;jsessionid=BviC3pLtj1xkevlZm7b8o4e9223Y aghwnSATt5v2E22zwc8dgVnj!-373760557!1879924776?event=VIEW_PRODUCT_PAGE_EVENT &product=qc2_headphones_inthebox&linksource=produc tnav_txt_inthebox&pageName=/home_entertainment/headphones_headsets/headphones/qc2/photos.jsp
(mind the wrap)
Click on 'Owner's Guide'.

Both warn that familiar sounds may have an unfamiliar character when using
the headphones. Also, the Quiet Comfort Owner's Guide specifically warns
against using the headphones while driving on a public road or where the
inability to hear outside sounds may present a danger to the user or
others.

That said, I can easily see a use for the aviation headsets in aircraft,
tanks and other armored vehicles. I don't know whether training alone
would be enough for ground troops in all environments.

If you let some outside sound through, the system would have to be designed
to digitally filter the sounds of gun fire. It's possible - I've seen
audio noise reduction systems (dbx, IIRC) that effectively filtered only
the transient noise (clicks, pops, etc.) from vinyl recordings. The
question is would you want to do that if recognizing those sounds and being
able to place them in your field of hearing could be the difference between
life and death in a firefight? In that case, simple attenuation may be the
better solution.

Moreover, shouldn't practically all modern military helmets
be designed to be compatible with low-profile ear cups,
and vice versa? So why not use them?

Good idea for a basic field helmet.

Not only do electronic ear mufflers allow non-damaging
sounds to pass, but the amplification can be adjusted, so
that quiet sounds are enhanced. Coupled to a directonal
microphone (and especially with a parabolic antenna), even
very quiet sounds can be heard over considerable distances,
which could sometimes, in special circumstances, be useful.

Again, useful in some circumstances. Long-range surveillance, for example.

| George Ruch
| "Is there life in Clovis after Clovis Man?"

"George Ruch" wrote in message
...

If you let some outside sound through, the system would have to be
designed
to digitally filter the sounds of gun fire. It's possible - I've seen
audio noise reduction systems (dbx, IIRC) that effectively filtered only
the transient noise (clicks, pops, etc.) from vinyl recordings. The
question is would you want to do that if recognizing those sounds and
being
able to place them in your field of hearing could be the difference
between
life and death in a firefight? In that case, simple attenuation may be
the
better solution.

Yes.
You can't just arbitrarily clip the power of a wave form very much
and leave it a recognizable sound. There has to be a proportional
reduction of each part for it to remain the same sound. And if
you want to be able to judge distances by sounds you have to suppress
the not too loud sounds as well.
Simply blanking out moments of excess volume would leave the
troops walking deafly around corners in to firing muzzles.

Perhaps you could substitute a tone that changed in frequency
based on the noise level to let the user know there's loud noises about.

"John Keeney" wrote:


"George Ruch" wrote in message
.. .

[...]
The question is would you want to do that if recognizing those sounds and
being able to place them in your field of hearing could be the difference
between life and death in a firefight? In that case, simple attenuation
may be the better solution.

Yes.
You can't just arbitrarily clip the power of a wave form very much
and leave it a recognizable sound. [...]
Simply blanking out moments of excess volume would leave the
troops walking deafly around corners in to firing muzzles.

Perhaps you could substitute a tone that changed in frequency
based on the noise level to let the user know there's loud noises about.

Possible, but with everything else going on (HUDs, data links, etc.) we're
quickly entering the realm of Heinlein's powered suits from _Starship
Troopers_ (the original book, not the movie). There's a description in the
book a system that would make a fighter pilot feel right at home.

I have a copy around here somewhere. I'll dig it out when I can.

| George Ruch
| "Is there life in Clovis after Clovis Man?"

"George Ruch" wrote in message
...
"John Keeney" wrote:


"George Ruch" wrote in message
.. .

[...]
The question is would you want to do that if recognizing those sounds
and
being able to place them in your field of hearing could be the
difference
between life and death in a firefight? In that case, simple
attenuation
may be the better solution.

Yes.
You can't just arbitrarily clip the power of a wave form very much
and leave it a recognizable sound. [...]
Simply blanking out moments of excess volume would leave the
troops walking deafly around corners in to firing muzzles.

Perhaps you could substitute a tone that changed in frequency
based on the noise level to let the user know there's loud noises about.

Possible, but with everything else going on (HUDs, data links, etc.) we're
quickly entering the realm of Heinlein's powered suits from _Starship
Troopers_ (the original book, not the movie). There's a description in
the
book a system that would make a fighter pilot feel right at home.

Power is one of the two or three things that are holding the military
up in adopting exoskeletons: prototypes -or perhaps proof of concept units-
have been demonstrated and they are nothing short of amazing in what
they allow the wearer to do.

I have a copy around here somewhere. I'll dig it out when I can.

I suspect most of us in RAM have a copy lurking about some where.

Directed energy weapons are dang near here and power suits might
not be that far behind.

"John Keeney" wrote:


"George Ruch" wrote in message
.. .
Possible, but with everything else going on (HUDs, data links, etc.) we're
quickly entering the realm of Heinlein's powered suits from _Starship
Troopers_ (the original book, not the movie). There's a description in
the book of a system that would make a fighter pilot feel right at home.

Power is one of the two or three things that are holding the military
up in adopting exoskeletons: prototypes -or perhaps proof of concept units-
have been demonstrated and they are nothing short of amazing in what
they allow the wearer to do.

Interesting. I'll have to look that up.

power demands, there's a discussion upthread concerning a shortage of
field battery packs. Makes me wonder if we should become even more
technology dependent.

Directed energy weapons are dang near here and power suits might
not be that far behind.

Airborne laser systems, some of the Star Wars stuff. Makes me want very
much to know there's a sane person in control of the fire button.

| George Ruch
| "Is there life in Clovis after Clovis Man?"

In message , George Ruch
writes
"John Keeney" wrote:
Perhaps you could substitute a tone that changed in frequency
based on the noise level to let the user know there's loud noises about.

Possible, but with everything else going on (HUDs, data links, etc.) we're
quickly entering the realm of Heinlein's powered suits from _Starship
Troopers_ (the original book, not the movie). There's a description in the
book a system that would make a fighter pilot feel right at home.

Heinlein understood the virtue of simplicity and transparency, when it
came to equipment.

"This leaves you with your whole mind free to handle your weapons and
notice what is going on around you... which is *supremely* important to
an infantryman who wants to die in bed. If you load a mudfoot down with
a lot of gadgets that he has to watch, someone a lot more simply
equipped - say with a stone ax - will sneak up and bash his head in
while he is trying to read a vernier."

--
He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.
Julius Caesar I:2

Paul J. Adam MainBoxatjrwlynch[dot]demon{dot}co(.)uk