Portable Push-To-Talk switch help

[Eric Brown]

I'm trying to use a portable push-to-talk switch as a co-pilot PTT w/ my
built-in intercom. The Portable PTT accepts a male mic connector and has
it's own male connector that is inserted into the female mic connecter in
the intercom.

When these connections are made, the PTT function works properly, but the
co-pilots mic isn't transmitted to the other intercom participants for
normal (non-radio) communications.

I have access to all the connections of the female mic jack on the PTT
switch. Does anyone know how to re-wire it so that the mic is still in the
intercom circuit?

Thanks in advance!

Eric B. CP-ASEL-IA

[John]

Most of the plug in PTT switches switch both the mic audio and the PTT
switch with a double pole normally open switch. You need to modify
the switch wiring at either the male or female plug of the plug in
PTTswitch so that you always have a audio path.
The tip is the PTT; the ring is the audio ;and the barrel is the
ground connection.
You will need an ohmmeter to find out where to install the shorting
jumper to short across the audio part of the switch so that the audio
is always active.To do this you want to make a connection from the
ring terminal of the jack to the ring terminal of the plug at all
times.

On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 18:53:56 -0700, "Eric Brown" >
wrote:

>I'm trying to use a portable push-to-talk switch as a co-pilot PTT w/ my
>built-in intercom. The Portable PTT accepts a male mic connector and has
>it's own male connector that is inserted into the female mic connecter in
>the intercom.
>
>When these connections are made, the PTT function works properly, but the
>co-pilots mic isn't transmitted to the other intercom participants for
>normal (non-radio) communications.
>
>I have access to all the connections of the female mic jack on the PTT
>switch. Does anyone know how to re-wire it so that the mic is still in the
>intercom circuit?
>
>Thanks in advance!
>
>Eric B. CP-ASEL-IA
>

[Seagram]

> I'm trying to use a portable push-to-talk switch as a co-pilot PTT w/ my
> built-in intercom. The Portable PTT accepts a male mic connector and has
> it's own male connector that is inserted into the female mic connecter in
> the intercom.
>
> When these connections are made, the PTT function works properly, but the
> co-pilots mic isn't transmitted to the other intercom participants for
> normal (non-radio) communications.
>
> I have access to all the connections of the female mic jack on the PTT
> switch. Does anyone know how to re-wire it so that the mic is still in
the
> intercom circuit?
>
> Thanks in advance!

Portable PTTs come in two flavors: the kind that pass audio through all the
time, and the kind that only pass audio through when the radio key is
pushed. You need the kind where the audio can get through all the time.
Sigtronics has them, part number PTT-HS. Work good, last long time.

You can test yours with an ohmmeter just to be sure. Mic Audio is on the
middle conductor, sometimes called the Ring by the Old Farts.

[Kyler Laird]

"Seagram" > writes:

>Portable PTTs come in two flavors: the kind that pass audio through all the
>time, and the kind that only pass audio through when the radio key is
>pushed. You need the kind where the audio can get through all the time.

It's easy to convert one that doesn't always pass the audio though. It's
just a matter of bridging one side of the switch. I hacked my old DC
switch and it's worked well for years.

(I had a flight instructor swear up and down that it couldn't be done.
I hated flying with him. That didn't last.)

--kyler

[G.R. Patterson III]

Kyler Laird wrote:
>
> I hated flying with him. That didn't last.

What didn't last; the hatred, or the flying?

George Patterson
This marriage is off to a shaky start. The groom just asked the band to
play "Your cheatin' heart", and the bride just requested "Don't come home
a'drinkin' with lovin' on your mind".

[Doug Campbell]

You can use the switch you have, if you put it between the intercom and the
radio, instead of between the intercom and the headset.

"Kyler Laird" > wrote in message
...
> "Seagram" > writes:
>
> >Portable PTTs come in two flavors: the kind that pass audio through all
the
> >time, and the kind that only pass audio through when the radio key is
> >pushed. You need the kind where the audio can get through all the time.
>
> It's easy to convert one that doesn't always pass the audio though. It's
> just a matter of bridging one side of the switch. I hacked my old DC
> switch and it's worked well for years.
>
> (I had a flight instructor swear up and down that it couldn't be done.
> I hated flying with him. That didn't last.)
>
> --kyler

[Kyler Laird]

"G.R. Patterson III" > writes:

>> I hated flying with him. That didn't last.

>What didn't last; the hatred, or the flying?

The flying.

The trainer Aztec we flew had a PTT that didn't allow using the intercom.
I learned this after starting the engines but the instructor wouldn't let
me jump out and grab my (modified) PTT from my Aztec because "it wouldn't
work." Instead, he disconnected the PTT so that I had to do all of the
radio work. Then he railed on me to do the "any traffic in the area,
please advise" crap. That did it. We headed home and I was done.

Especially in a foreign (to me) high-volume environment (Chicago), I did
not want to deal with that kind of person. It delayed my training quite
a bit but I regard it as a good decision.

--kyler

[Kyler Laird]

"Doug Campbell" > writes:

>You can use the switch you have, if you put it between the intercom and the
>radio, instead of between the intercom and the headset.

Yeow! Do people really do this?! All to save the addition of a wire???

I would hate to have my passengers' mikes transmitting everytime.

--kyler

[mikem]

Kyler Laird wrote:

> Then he railed on me to do the "any traffic in the area,
> please advise" crap.

Automatic "DickHead" instructor alert....

[Eric Brown]

"John" > wrote in message
...
> Most of the plug in PTT switches switch both the mic audio and the PTT
> switch with a double pole normally open switch. You need to modify
> the switch wiring at either the male or female plug of the plug in
> PTTswitch so that you always have a audio path.
> The tip is the PTT; the ring is the audio ;and the barrel is the
> ground connection.
> You will need an ohmmeter to find out where to install the shorting
> jumper to short across the audio part of the switch so that the audio
> is always active.To do this you want to make a connection from the
> ring terminal of the jack to the ring terminal of the plug at all
> times.
>
> On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 18:53:56 -0700, "Eric Brown" >
> wrote:
>
> >I'm trying to use a portable push-to-talk switch as a co-pilot PTT w/ my
> >built-in intercom. The Portable PTT accepts a male mic connector and has
> >it's own male connector that is inserted into the female mic connecter in
> >the intercom.
> >
> >When these connections are made, the PTT function works properly, but the
> >co-pilots mic isn't transmitted to the other intercom participants for
> >normal (non-radio) communications.
> >
> >I have access to all the connections of the female mic jack on the PTT
> >switch. Does anyone know how to re-wire it so that the mic is still in
the
> >intercom circuit?
> >
> >Thanks in advance!
> >
> >Eric B. CP-ASEL-IA
> >
>

That did the job! Thanks a mill!