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Which Intercom to buy at Oshkosh?

Bob Martin

Bob Martin

Well Known Member
I would like to replace my Flightcom 403D intercom with the best I can.
I don?t use the digital recorder feature and the intercom works,
just not as well as I would like.
Cost is not an issue, but it has to be an intercom, not an audio panel.
I?ve read post where pilots really liked the PS1000II, with the individual squelch controls.
The PS1200 says it is for high noise cockpit. I think mine is high, but I?ve never flown in a P-51 either. The automatic VOX controls make me wonder?
Is the PS 3000 better than the 1000II other than being stereo, I don?t listen to music, but would install it if it was better. Any other brands better?
What is the best intercom for the RV-6 ?
or your experiences and what you are happy with.
BTW I do have SL40 comm and LightSpeed G3-30 headsets.
I plan to purchase the intercom at Oshkosh, where I can talk to the vendors, but nothing is like hearing from like minded flyers like yourselves.
Thanks in advance for your help.
 
PS 3000

Hi,

I had a PS Engineering 3000 in my 6A. I liked it quite a bit. Loud, the squelch worked good and it interfaced with my radios/GPS. I plan on a 8000B in my 7A, but that mostly for marker beacon, and digi recorder. PS will be introducing a brand new system at OSH, but it will be an audio panel.
 
I have the PM3000

I've used the stereo PM3000 for the last couple of years (600+ hrs) and have been very pleased with it. If you don't plan on using stereo than the 1000II is the equivalent in mono and would be simplier to install. On long trips the music is mandatory :D and the stereo plug from the 496 plugs right in (you'll need a stereo/mono adapter if using the 1000II)
 
Just curious -- what's wrong with the Flightcom?

Spent a lot of time in a -7A w/ a 403 in it, and it works great... music sounds great etc.. absolutely no complaints... Just wondering what's wrong with your set up.. and if putting a different one will make it any better...
 
Flightcom

Radomir said:
Just curious -- what's wrong with the Flightcom?

Spent a lot of time in a -7A w/ a 403 in it, and it works great... music sounds great etc.. absolutely no complaints... Just wondering what's wrong with your set up.. and if putting a different one will make it any better...
Click to expand...

There is absolutely nothing is wrong with the Flightcom! Installing a Stereo 403 in the 7A now.
 
It does work, but

Radomir said:
Just curious -- what's wrong with the Flightcom?

Spent a lot of time in a -7A w/ a 403 in it, and it works great... music sounds great etc.. absolutely no complaints... Just wondering what's wrong with your set up.. and if putting a different one will make it any better...
Click to expand...
It does work, but it could be better, I hope.
seems I have to constantly adjust squelch. It used to work better and seems to slowly be getting worse.
It is about 12 yrs old. I was hoping to improve things by buying a better quality unit. I don't use the music input, so have no comments on what music would sould like. You maybe right, replacing it may not solve the problem, but then again, it might! seeing as how I don't even know if there is a problem or just the 403 going bad.
 
403D

Bob Martin said:
I would like to replace my Flightcom 403D intercom with the best I can.
I don?t use the digital recorder feature and the intercom works,
just not as well as I would like.
Cost is not an issue, but it has to be an intercom, not an audio panel.
I?ve read post where pilots really liked the PS1000II, with the individual squelch controls.
The PS1200 says it is for high noise cockpit. I think mine is high, but I?ve never flown in a P-51 either. The automatic VOX controls make me wonder?
Is the PS 3000 better than the 1000II other than being stereo, I don?t listen to music, but would install it if it was better. Any other brands better?
What is the best intercom for the RV-6 ?
or your experiences and what you are happy with.
BTW I do have SL40 comm and LightSpeed G3-30 headsets.
I plan to purchase the intercom at Oshkosh, where I can talk to the vendors, but nothing is like hearing from like minded flyers like yourselves.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Click to expand...

Bob,

Why if you decide to throw the old 403D away, you can sure throw it this way. :D
 
Changed your headsets lately?

Bob Martin said:
It does work, but it could be better, I hope.
seems I have to constantly adjust squelch.
Click to expand...
Bob,

The PS3000 and Flightcom differ in how they squelch the audio. In the Flightcom, the squelch circuit acts on the sum of all the microphone inputs. Consider the microphones all paralleled. If one microphone is more sensitive than the other, it might be difficult to find a squelch level that will work for both inputs.

In the PS3000, each microphone basically has its own squelch level. You can easily mix and match different headsets, with differing microphone sensitivities. I believe it has dynamic/automatic squelch level adjustment which reportedly works very well.

Not sure why your unit is degrading. You may have upgraded one of the headsets, and now you have a wider variance in microphone sensitivity between them?

I'm installing a Sigtronics intercom (price was right), and it also has the same type of squelch circuit as the Flightcom. We'll see how that goes.
 
That makes sense to me.

Lycosaurus said:
Bob,

The PS3000 and Flightcom differ in how they squelch the audio. In the Flightcom, the squelch circuit acts on the sum of all the microphone inputs. Consider the microphones all paralleled. If one microphone is more sensitive than the other, it might be difficult to find a squelch level that will work for both inputs.

In the PS3000, each microphone basically has its own squelch level. You can easily mix and match different headsets, with differing microphone sensitivities. I believe it has dynamic/automatic squelch level adjustment which reportedly works very well.

Not sure why your unit is degrading. You may have upgraded one of the headsets, and now you have a wider variance in microphone sensitivity between them?

.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that information. It makes perfect sense to me.
I have 2 sets of Lightspeed G3-30, same age, etc.

My hangar mate with a RV-6 has the same intercom and has mis-matched headsets and he is having even worse problems. He was going to upgrade his intercom after I did mine. Maybe he should try a matched set of headsets. I'll pass the info along.
Great info, I could have read literature all day long and not picked up on that bit of information.
Regards,
 
Lycosaurus said:
In the PS3000, each microphone basically has its own squelch level. You can easily mix and match different headsets, with differing microphone sensitivities. I believe it has dynamic/automatic squelch level adjustment which reportedly works very well.
Click to expand...
There is only 1 squelch knob on the PM3000. Do you somehow control both headsent mics independently with that one knob? If someone can clarify, that would be helpful. I have a friend looking out for deals on intercoms at Oshkosh. Thanks.
 
alpinelakespilot2000 said:
There is only 1 squelch knob on the PM3000. Do you somehow control both headsent mics independently with that one knob? If someone can clarify, that would be helpful. I have a friend looking out for deals on intercoms at Oshkosh. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Steve,

From PM3000 Pilot guide
http://www.ps-engineering.com/docs/PM3000_PG.pdf

"Although there is just one squelch control, there are actually three separate squelch threshold circuits. One circuit each for the pilot, copilot, and passengers. Only the microphone actually in use is open, reducing noise in the system."

I cannot find any direct info regarding the PSE product to be more tolerant with mis-matched microphones. I remember reading positive anectodal reports on newsgroups.

I don't believe you can physically control the threshold of each mike. I vaguely remember something about dynamic (automatic) thresholds being set, though.

I haven't found a circuit diagram for the M3000. Best bet would be to make a phone call to PSE. They could give you more insight into their squelch circuit operation and performance.
 
intercom update

Update
I purchased 2 PS Engineering PM3000 Stero intercoms at Oshkosh.
390 each from Gulf Coast.
I went there looking for the 1000II which was 295. but was chatting with a PS Engineering person in their booth/sales area and they pointed out one difference between the two that I hadn't picked up on.
The 1000II only has one audio input for the Comm radio.
The 3000 has two extra audio inputs besides the Comm input.
So I sprung for the extra money looking towards future upgrades.
Actually my hangar mate and RV-6 flying buddy, who bought the second 3000
just installed the AOA in his Dynon, I was talking to Dynon about the display on the AOA being so small it was hard to look at it and fly the plane close to the ground. He suggested hooking up the audio input and just let the beeps alert him. Wow....I hadn't even seen that feature....So that sealed the deal on the 3000 purchase.
I also just ordered a wiring harness for PSEngineering, filling out the order form makes you realize haw many wires there really are. They recommend installing jacks in the radio input side to be able to test/use the system without the intercom working, just in case. I have only seem a few others that have done this and always wondered why there was a set of extra jacks, now I know. I also going to take this opportunity to install Bose style jack in parallel so I can stop putting those AA batteries in.
This is turning into a major project.
Hope this info helps others looking to upgrade or decide on an intercom.
 
Here's my problem with the PM3000. I have been flying with it for 4 years in my 9A. While everything said above is true... the problem is everytime I add power (like on takeoff) I have to reach over and turn up the squelch. Then once I level off, I have to reach over and backoff the squelch or it's clipping your normal conversation.

I have always dreamed of the "intellivox" type setup where it would adjust the clip point up and down on it's own. only problem is, I don't know how well that would work and they don't make a basic stereo intercom with the feature.
 
I agree

Andy,
I agree with your opinion and had to do the same with my FlightCom intercom as well.

PSEngineering sells a new PM1200 but I don?t think they do a good job explaining what it does exactly.
From their website:
?Not only does it use our proven patented IntelliVox? automatic squelch circuit, but also includes our latest invention, the "Active Microphone Processor", better known as AMP?. This new system actively reduces noise that is picked up by the microphone, dynamically reducing the background noise heard in the headset when the VOX is opened.?

I asked Mark at PSEngineering about the squelch and he suggested adding Oregon Aero Muff Kit. I told him my LightSpeed G3-30?s had foam muffs but he replied that wasn?t enough. The muff kits block noise with a leather boot and have tiny holes for your speech and the other side for noise to pass thru. The kits are about 12.00 and Marks says..?worth evey penny? I ordered a set to go with my new intercom install.
 
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