Cell Phone / Intercom Interface - FREE
Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 8:27 am
Very Interesting from an American Blog I subscribe to....
"With over 3500 members on this group, I thought that at least a few of you might be interested in the results of some recent research I did. This pertains to using a cell phone in your airplane. Now before I go any further, please don't flame me with FCC regulations pertaining to NOT using a cell phone while airborne. I think that regulation was meant for airliners at 30,000 ft., and even if it includes little noisy ultralights at 1000 ft., it doesn't matter. . . . because I don't care. It's kind of like buying fireworks on the 3rd of July, and having to sign an affidavit that says you will not set them off in the borders of your state (since they are illegal). Right................
There are many devices that are designed to allow successful operation of a cell phone in an airplane. And of course, most of the advertising for these devices avoid telling you about using it while airborne. . . . they describe every other reason you might make a call while on the GROUND (but inside the airplane). But with a wink and a nod, we all know that their intention is to provide you with a device with which you COULD make an airborne phonecall, whether it be an emergency or not.
The sad fact is. . . . I have tried 3 of these devices, and none of them have proven to be successful. None of the ones I've tried will allow the party on the other end of your conversation to hear you, once you advance the throttle from idle (such as at cruise rpm). I have NOT tried any of them in the air. . . . yet. . . . . as there is no reason to continue when I find out that it won't work while sitting in my plane on the taxiway, simply running my engine up. Now for you guys that are flying spam cans, with overall less cabin noise, you MIGHT have better success, but I would have my doubts.
There IS a happy ending to this story, and if you already have an intercom, it won't cost you a penny. I can't even take credit for the solution, but I'll share it with you. I found the following information in a forum. . .can't remember where. . . talking about cell phones in aircraft. One of the members suggested this. . . as an alternative to a fancy-shmancy cell phone adapter.
First, you plug in your "hands-free" cord to your cell phone. . . . you know. . . the thingy that has an earbud and an inline microphone, separated by about 6" of cord. Plug your earbud into an ear (if you have stereo earbuds, use only one, or you won't be able to be hear your radio). Then, wrap the excess cord around your ear until the microphone will be able to hang in the vicinity of the center of your ear. Then, put your regular headset on, being careful to keep the microphone inside the earcup of your headset. Turn on your intercom. Now, when you make or receive a call, you will be able to hear the caller, since the earbud is in your ear. And the caller can hear YOU, since the cell phone microphone is inside the earcup, next to the headset speaker, which will broadcast your voice as you speak into the headset microphone. You likely will only hear yourself and your aviation traffic in the ear without the earbud. The earbud microphone has the benefit of the noise suppression of your headset. I sat on my tractor with the throttle wide open, and my wife could hear me very clearly, as I did her. My tractor is louder than my Tiger Cub, so I think I'm good to go. Just figured somebody might like this information.
Fly Safe
"With over 3500 members on this group, I thought that at least a few of you might be interested in the results of some recent research I did. This pertains to using a cell phone in your airplane. Now before I go any further, please don't flame me with FCC regulations pertaining to NOT using a cell phone while airborne. I think that regulation was meant for airliners at 30,000 ft., and even if it includes little noisy ultralights at 1000 ft., it doesn't matter. . . . because I don't care. It's kind of like buying fireworks on the 3rd of July, and having to sign an affidavit that says you will not set them off in the borders of your state (since they are illegal). Right................
There are many devices that are designed to allow successful operation of a cell phone in an airplane. And of course, most of the advertising for these devices avoid telling you about using it while airborne. . . . they describe every other reason you might make a call while on the GROUND (but inside the airplane). But with a wink and a nod, we all know that their intention is to provide you with a device with which you COULD make an airborne phonecall, whether it be an emergency or not.
The sad fact is. . . . I have tried 3 of these devices, and none of them have proven to be successful. None of the ones I've tried will allow the party on the other end of your conversation to hear you, once you advance the throttle from idle (such as at cruise rpm). I have NOT tried any of them in the air. . . . yet. . . . . as there is no reason to continue when I find out that it won't work while sitting in my plane on the taxiway, simply running my engine up. Now for you guys that are flying spam cans, with overall less cabin noise, you MIGHT have better success, but I would have my doubts.
There IS a happy ending to this story, and if you already have an intercom, it won't cost you a penny. I can't even take credit for the solution, but I'll share it with you. I found the following information in a forum. . .can't remember where. . . talking about cell phones in aircraft. One of the members suggested this. . . as an alternative to a fancy-shmancy cell phone adapter.
First, you plug in your "hands-free" cord to your cell phone. . . . you know. . . the thingy that has an earbud and an inline microphone, separated by about 6" of cord. Plug your earbud into an ear (if you have stereo earbuds, use only one, or you won't be able to be hear your radio). Then, wrap the excess cord around your ear until the microphone will be able to hang in the vicinity of the center of your ear. Then, put your regular headset on, being careful to keep the microphone inside the earcup of your headset. Turn on your intercom. Now, when you make or receive a call, you will be able to hear the caller, since the earbud is in your ear. And the caller can hear YOU, since the cell phone microphone is inside the earcup, next to the headset speaker, which will broadcast your voice as you speak into the headset microphone. You likely will only hear yourself and your aviation traffic in the ear without the earbud. The earbud microphone has the benefit of the noise suppression of your headset. I sat on my tractor with the throttle wide open, and my wife could hear me very clearly, as I did her. My tractor is louder than my Tiger Cub, so I think I'm good to go. Just figured somebody might like this information.
Fly Safe
I believe there is a PA 86 something on the market but for the life of me I cannot find it locally???