Audio options for rented planes with no audio input

[Lerk]

Tried my PilotAware for the first time today using an amplified speaker.
Although this setup seemed ear piercingly loud at home, was more or less inaudible in flight.

I’ve seen that people link the output into the speaker wiring with a splitter and cable, but would ideally like to share the audio with a passenger too.
Any ideas if I can connect the output into the microphone circuit without blowing anything up?

I think it will need some impedance matching building in to ensure that my microphone doesn’t end up loud/quiet and possibly something to block the dc voltage from the audio output. 
Then also a mute switch for circuit/ground use.

Any ham/avionics gurus care to shed a little light?

[JCurtis]

You can use something like this into the pi audio jack, cheaper versions also available. This only does the one headset though unless you split the audio from the pi. I'd avoid the microphone circuit, if PAW starts talking at the same time you are on the radio it will be quite confusing to the recipient.  Plus it's a bit of a minefield and very dependant on the intercom / radio fit installed.

If your headset supports Bluetooth there are also audio to BT adapters, although again I think they only support 1 connection.

http://www.transair.co.uk/sp+Aviation-Headset-Adaptors-Cables-Pilot-Avionics-PA-80-Video-Audio-Adapter-Cable-GA-Twin-Plug+2185

Note that something like this will also mean the PAW audio can play over radio RX, as it isn't into any kind of intercom to duck the feed when receiving radio calls etc.  There are smarter boxes that can do that but I haven't any links to hand. Google would be your friend...

[MikeD]

To connect the PilotAware to the headphones you can use the following items from Ebay:

371393836684 6.35mm ¼” Plug to 2x Socket Adapter
370613642151 6.35mm ¼ Mono Plug To 3.5mm Stereo Jack Adapter
132310713345 3.5mm Jack Male to Male Audio Stereo Aux Coil Cable Cord

Works great in my setup and not expensive either.

Very Important Note:
If you are receiving RT on the radio and you get an audio warning, the little lady in PilotAware will talk right over your conversation! (very rude.. no manners at all) and vice-versa. This means if you are getting a warning it will be trashed by any RT that may be broadcasting.

Mike

[Lerk]

No such niceties as bluetooth headset unfortunately.

I probably have the right combination of adaptors to try that method in the short term but would like something more polished - it's not in my nature to leave something that can be 'improved'.
I have in mind a line in and line out which will fit between the microphone plug and socket and go to a mixing board which can sit with the Pilotaware box. 

By breaking the circuit out to the coaming, I can add mute buttons, volume controls and whatever else I like while also allowing me to match the impedance connected to the mic input on the intercom and the mic on my headset.

If my understanding is correct, I should also be able to see the PTT button grounding and use that to mute the input from PilotAware to stop the nice lady from stamping on outgoing RT.

I like a little project!

[Ian Melville]

You talked yourself into that one 😀

[PaulSS]

I'm looking forward to seeing the result. Clearly a person with plenty of skills that I wish I had 

[Lerk]

Just a quick update...

I’m still working on building my mix-down desk, but in the meantime found a few leads and tried them out as per the speaker connection splitter advice.
lo and behold (with a cranky old 25kHz Bendix King unit at least) connecting it through the passenger “output” fed the audio back through to the pilot output, so both headsets can hear it.
Whether this will work on more modern systems will be another question, but it has at least given me another bit of knowledge about the setup of aircraft radio systems!

[PaulSS]

Well, I'm awake at some stupid o'clock in Japan, saw these and thought of you 

This would be for your 'normal' arrangement of GA headset without Bluetooth and a wire leading to your PAW 3.5mm jack:

https://www.crazedpilot.com/music-player-adapter-for-pilot-headset-aircraft/


If you don't have a Bluetooth headset but don't want to have a wire into the PAW 3.5mm with a wire, then pop a BT transmitter into the PAW and use this:

https://www.crazedpilot.com/bluetooth-headset-interface-for-foreflight-garmin-pilot-audio-alerts/