Inflight Recording

xolo_flight · June 19, 2006

Anyone been able to hook up a recorder to your comm? I'd be interested in recording air traffic and my inflight comments. I have David Clarks H10-56 HXL headset and when flying solo I would have the left seat headset plug open. But just looking at my headphone plug it looks like nothing I have in my audio stock. Any recommendations would be appretiated, thnx

EAGLE1 · June 19, 2006

Don't know if you can still get these but, they used to make a little mic that suctioned onto the back of telephones to record conversations. I hooked one on the side of the headset and plugged it into the recorder. It worked great for me. Or you might try pugging in a remote mic and stick it in the earcup of the spare headset. Wrap it in a towel or something and let it set on the seat.

Good luck.

Eric Hunt · June 19, 2006

We used a Panasonic cassette recorder which had a vox setting. Had a tiny mic on a long lead, just slipped it into my earcup, and with a bit of fiddling, it was comfortable enough for a couple of hours. Being on vox setting, it only switched on when the intercom button was pushed or a radio xmsn came in - saves on a lot of blank tape.

It made a very effective way to debrief the student, and he could play it to himself later to refresh the mind of its failures.

xolo_flight · June 20, 2006

For some reason I totally over looked just placing a lapel mic into the ear cup. I heard the same ideas you two mentioned, thnx for helping me out as well

Gomer Pylot · June 20, 2006

U174 plugs are available, and can be wired onto existing recorders if you want. Mikes in earcups are easier, although they won't produce the same quality recording. For what you're wanting to do, the U174 is probably overkill.

These days a tape recorder is becoming obsolete. Voice recorders using flash media and/or hard drives are readily available. You could use your iPod or other recorder much easier than a tape unit.