Gyro headsets

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ZULU1
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Gyro headsets

Postby ZULU1 » Fri Feb 15, 2013 12:29 pm

A while back i described a system that i considered was an option for gyro intercoms. Anyway after lengthy emails to Jans Fourie from Kuruman, between us we are creating a solution, or should say we think is a practical solution. The main proviso is they must fit a twin jack standard system. As those who know me realise i hate those plugs but we have to live with them. As well of course the 6 pin Binder.

Jans has had a mould taken from his ears of the hass series of ear plugs, see www.hass.co.za and our headsets will feature our standard headset amplifier to drive these devices, the existing audio will remain from the intercom but our lets say remote amplifier will drive these ear pieces via a battery pack in the cable. This will allow a situation if the batteries go flat the audio remains in the headset. Our amplifier module has a audio spectrum noise filter that limits frequencies to speech, music will sound terrible in them. I have coated the cupsmin a miltary material we use for eod fans and expect this to reduce passive noise.

Between us we will keep the forum informed of these developments...

Paul
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Re: Gyro headsets

Postby Yoda » Fri Feb 15, 2013 2:00 pm

Thanx Paul
I have been very frustrated with the so called "high end" headsets up till now. The problem is, they are all build for enclosed cockpit environments. I have used mostly David Clarks and also invested in a set of Noise cancelling headsets combined with the DC helmets.
They do work, but comms are still not very good because the mics are too sensitive for open cockpit flying and you end up with a lot of wind and enjine noise coming through the mic when you talk.
Another problem is that the headset by itself just does not do it for sound dampening. A lot of times there is a "leak" because of sunglasses or caps. The noise levels of that Rotax 914 at 4800 rpm is just too much... I've found that I started suffering from tinitus (singing ears) after a few years of gyro flying and I'm worried that my hearing will suffer in the long run... Thats why I contacted Paul, because it seems he has been working on this problem in trikes for a long time. He has the right mics, intercomms etc and tested them in open cocpit environments for many years....

Long story short, I told him I want to stay with the 2-pin GA setup as my comm system is already set up that way and I dont want to change the whole intercom.
The hass earplugs are custom molded to fit only my earcanal and they have excellent passive noise reduction. They also have a tube to ensure pressure equilization Basically the earplug with speaker will delever the sound straight into the ear and also keep the outside noise out of the earcanal. So you have a four fold system... The headset with speaker and the earplug with a speaker all working together to dampen noise and deliver sound...

So what Paul is doing is build a system where I can plug the hass earplug into the circuit and hopefully have "crystal clear" comms in the ear while also reducing outside noise by at least 100%.
So, I will give some feedback on this system as soon as I have been able to test it. I think this might be a very good sollution for gyro pilots... :)

Thanx Jans
Last edited by Yoda on Sat Feb 16, 2013 11:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Gyro headsets

Postby Rampant Rat » Sat Feb 16, 2013 10:39 am

Why hasn't somebody done this before? I also suffer from tinitus and any background noise makes it difficult to hear what's going on with the comms on my radio. How much do we have to spend on different types of headsets only to find that there's still a lot of mic noise because of the open cockpit?
Great work Paul, my hand is up for the first commercial version when it is ready!
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Re: Gyro headsets

Postby Sukkelaar » Sat Feb 16, 2013 12:00 pm

Get Zulu headsets

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Re: Gyro headsets

Postby saraf » Mon Feb 18, 2013 6:18 am

Ek gebruik Zulus, beste headsets ooit.
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Re: Gyro headsets

Postby mak » Mon Feb 18, 2013 8:32 am

Gents, if you think Zulu or Bose are the best, I suggest you try Paul's headsets. I also use Zulu's and now lately Bose, being in an enclosed cockpit, but tested some of Paul's headsets with Low Level in our open gyro. The only reason I don't use them is because all our gyros come with the standard twin jacks. Hope Paul can get this sorted and then I would love to try it again.
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Re: Gyro headsets

Postby ZULU1 » Mon Feb 18, 2013 8:42 am

Thanks, chaps I agree having used the Lightspeed Zulu, excellent headset, however the units are not designed for open cockpit. Most probably Lightspeed, Bose and others have completed a market analysis and focused on the closed cockpit market. Quite understandable. As my first post i hate twin jacks and as a consequence i have 8 conductors to use! But we live in the real world so we are going to give this a good shot. Our headsets from day 1 have been designed for open trike usage and anything else a bonus. Also we have extensive high noise experience in miltary equipment and have the means to limit specific bandpass frquencies with our chip selction. Doesnt mean we are to get it right first time though..but a start means we can only improve from our trike base..thanks for the support..

We can legally call these "Zulu1s" product of origin Kingdom of the Zulu...

Cheers Paul
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Re: Gyro headsets

Postby ZULU1 » Wed Feb 27, 2013 4:01 pm

An update, the small Hass units have arrived, I am building these this week, a small issue that i have to overcome is the wind created by turbulence caused by parasitic drag around the plug that powers the small Hass units. Tested on the bike at 120kmh (no helmet)and its noticeable..Trike sets we make have all the plugs grommets etc at the back to reduce wind noise around them. This is a tricky unit as i need a cable entry, a Hass socket and also a volume control knob. I am intending a angle 3,5 mm plug. Any other ideas will be welcome ? It has to be mounted at the back of the cup to reduce this..

Looking at the Hass units, they are absolutely brilliant. I am totally confident this is going to work. I have brought in mic shields from Belgium for these sets (Belgian products are the best in this game). Maybe we get Gyronaut to make some ear plugs from Hass as well as these are specially made per customer. But i do believe an acceptable alternative is a very good earpiece from a headset, i have a Samsung ear plug which looks the ticket.

see this plug for ideas http://www.mantech.co.za/ProductInfo.aspx?Item=14M6733

Any ideas will help me out ?

Zulu1 or maybe ZU-LUT ?
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Re: Gyro headsets

Postby Yoda » Wed Feb 27, 2013 5:51 pm

Paul, some pics will be nice if possible... :) Maybe show your progress... Rgs
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Re: Gyro headsets

Postby ZULU1 » Thu Feb 28, 2013 6:42 am

No problem i have made a pcb for the batteries and am sorting the plugs this morning. I need some input from the Gyro community and wish to establish which side the cable must come in the headsets. If i remember correctly, the headset sockets are on the right of the panel? I intend to make these units commercially so have spent considerable time and money on tooling them now. To be called GZone headsets or Gyro Zulu ones..

How much did the Hass project cost including courier, taking a mould from your ear etc..

Will post pics later today..probably be good for noisy open cockpit Tiger Moth type machines as well..
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Re: Gyro headsets

Postby THI » Thu Feb 28, 2013 6:48 am

ZULU1 wrote:If i remember correctly, the headset sockets are on the right of the panel?
It depends on the gyro. Mine it on the left.
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Re: Gyro headsets

Postby Rampant Rat » Thu Feb 28, 2013 8:10 am

Mine too, on the left that is....
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Re: Gyro headsets

Postby Yoda » Thu Feb 28, 2013 10:30 am

Paul, I think they need to able to fit left or right. It all depends on the individuel panel setup of each machine. You will get left and right. My latest Magni had them on the right.
The parasite wind noise wich you refer to should not really be such a big issue as would be the case in a microlight.
The gyro windscreen keeps away most of the wind coming from the front. I did however find that I get quite a bit of wind hitting me in the back of the head.
Also, the pax get quite a bit of "wind turbulance" in the face since the back window in the tandem setup is usually not very high, but then, the pax wont wear the earphones in most cases...

The custom hass unit costs around R1400 for the plugs with the speaker and around R800 for just the plugs.
Thanx Jans
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Re: Gyro headsets

Postby ZULU1 » Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:52 pm

Thanks they will have to be made to order. See the battery box that goes in the cable, no choice as it has to power the small amplifier board that fits in the headsets on picture. It will take 2 x 1/2 aa Li Ion batteries and last forever as the chip draws 4 milliamps and batteries are 1200mah at 7,2 volts. Chip runs down to 2,4 volts. See the Hass ear piece units and also the angle plug sourced this morning. Also see our microphone housing that is used with trikes. In future we specify these plugs to Hass. As to be honest I dont think anybody has done this before..
Attachments
kit gzone.jpg
Amplifier board and battery pc board
mic housing.jpg
see gap around the microphone, element held by the cables attached preventing noise via the boom
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Re: Gyro headsets

Postby t-bird » Thu Feb 28, 2013 3:45 pm

I have modified my Hazz earplugs by removing the noise filter and replacing them with Seinheizer Anr headphones. A plug similar to the Cep system was then fitted to my David clarkes. Volume control is through David clarkes.

It works perfectly, i have the hazz in my ears with David clarkes over it. You can still use the Dc's microphone and the headset and this will give you extra noice reduction and redundancy.

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