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  #1  
Old 09-01-2020, 01:06 PM
Ed_Wischmeyer's Avatar
Ed_Wischmeyer Ed_Wischmeyer is offline
 
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Location: Savannah, GA
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Default 3.5 mm jacks in the panel

So the big idea was that rather than run that long, clunky Y cable from the headphone jack to the video camera, why not install a 3.5 mm jack parallel to the headphone jack so that I could run a shorter, thinner cable to the video camera? Why not?

So I ordered some 3.5 mm jacks, just what I wanted, and they came in a pack of 10. Two for me, and two for everybody on my Christmas list, or something. Drill the hole. Oops! (not quite what I said) The threaded portion is too short so I can't get the knurled nut on it. In fact, only have a half of a thread protrudes

Okay, measure it. The panel is about 0.085" thick, not precise but close enough. Go back on Amazon and check that detail. Order two more. Oops! (not quite what I said). On these, the hex nut in on the back of the jack, meaning that the wires and everything have to go through the panel and then be attached. Not nearly what you want for an already flying airplane, not to mention that you can't put heat shrink tubing on the final assembly till the nut is tight on the back side of the panel -- if you can reach it. And the threaded portion of the jack is plastic.

So here's where I made my best decision of the process -- it was hot in the hangar, I was frustrated, so I made sure nothing would get damaged and I closed the canopy, got in the car and drove home.

Anybody got any leads on where I can get two good 3.5 mm panel jacks? Why two? Well, that's another story, but I've got two holes in the panel... And you can guess what I said...
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  #2  
Old 09-01-2020, 01:12 PM
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Carl Froehlich Carl Froehlich is offline
 
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Default

Or...

Allied Electronics has what you want.

But, as option you can just put the jacks you have on a pigtail, the jacks tucked up under the panel when not in use.

Or have the pigtail terminate in the plug that fits what you want to use. Again the pigtail and plug tucked under the panel when not in use.

As far as what to do with the holes if you go the pigtail path - just call them a speed mod, good for another five knots.

Carl
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  #3  
Old 09-01-2020, 02:30 PM
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scard scard is offline
 
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Is the purpose for a camera mic input?

It is a little (never?) talked about feature that a CQ1 3.5mm AUX port works as a microphone input into just about every camera I've tried . Many devices require a little bit of inline attenuation, but that is easy.
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  #4  
Old 09-01-2020, 02:46 PM
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Ed_Wischmeyer Ed_Wischmeyer is offline
 
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Default

So I looked up Allied Electronics and they had some PCB mount jacks that looked like they might work, but I was a bit leery...

Brainstorm! I called up Stein to ask him and the word was discouraging. There used to be jacks that would work fine, but now all that's available is the cheap Chinese junk. He said that when they want to install a jack like that, they mill the panel down to 0.020" thick. That's what my avionics shop had said...

So it looks like when I got back to the avionics shop for the 406 MHz ELT signoff, I'll have them thin the panel with a Forstner bit or whatever they use. Meanwhile, I can do things like get the wiring pretty much done, except my wire strippers don't work on wire that small. Oops! (not quite what I said)...
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RV-9A at KSAV (Savannah, GA; dual G3X Touch with autopilot, GTN650, GTX330ES, GDL52 ADSB-In)
Previously RV-4, RV-8, RV-8A, AirCam, Cessna 175
ATP CFII PhD, so I have no excuses when I screw up
2020 dues slightly overpaid
Retired - "They used to pay me to be good, now I'm good for nothing."

Last edited by Ed_Wischmeyer : 09-01-2020 at 04:31 PM.
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  #5  
Old 09-01-2020, 04:04 PM
PilotjohnS PilotjohnS is offline
 
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Default Just me

If it was me, i would just grey bond the jacks into the panel. (Ec2216) Done done.
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WARNING! Information presented in this post is my opinion. All users of info have sole responsibility for determining accuracy or suitability for their use.

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  #6  
Old 09-01-2020, 06:02 PM
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dpansier dpansier is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scard View Post
Is the purpose for a camera mic input?

It is a little (never?) talked about feature that a CQ1 3.5mm AUX port works as a microphone input into just about every camera I've tried . Many devices require a little bit of inline attenuation, but that is easy.
Scott,
Please expand on this feature, I have it on my CQ1 but have not used it.
Thanks
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  #7  
Old 09-02-2020, 05:33 AM
WingsOnWheels WingsOnWheels is offline
 
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Location: Plano, TX
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Default

I have a separate audio input jack on the panel so the passenger can listen to my music or their own (did panel before blutooth was big). I just picked up a jack from fry's electronics (may have even been radio-shack).
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  #8  
Old 09-02-2020, 06:46 AM
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scard scard is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dpansier View Post
Scott,
Please expand on this feature, I have it on my CQ1 but have not used it.
Thanks
Don, for the purpose of recording "what you hear" on another device (DSLR, gopro, iphone...), you can plug a cable into your CQ1 headset 3.5mm jack (TRS) and the other end into the camera mic input, usually through a line attenuator of about -35dB which are broadly available.

As much as I hate cables in the cockpit, sometimes a wire really is best. I use this mechanism with our headsets in flight quite often to record the output from all kinds of audio panels and radios for spectrum analysis. It is an unpublished use-case that the customer service dept wishes I wouldn't talk about .
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Last edited by scard : 09-02-2020 at 06:49 AM.
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  #9  
Old 09-02-2020, 07:03 AM
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dpansier dpansier is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scard View Post
Don, for the purpose of recording "what you hear" on another device (DSLR, gopro, iphone...), you can plug a cable into your CQ1 headset 3.5mm jack (TRS) and the other end into the camera mic input, usually through a line attenuator of about -35dB which are broadly available.

As much as I hate cables in the cockpit, sometimes a wire really is best. I use this mechanism with our headsets in flight quite often to record the output from all kinds of audio panels and radios for spectrum analysis. It is an unpublished use-case that the customer service dept wishes I wouldn't talk about .
Thanks Scott,
I appreciate the info.............I won't call customer service and get you in trouble.
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Green Bay, WI (GRB)
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W9LYX

Antennas for Experimental Aircraft
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  #10  
Old 09-02-2020, 07:28 AM
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Snowflake Snowflake is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed_Wischmeyer View Post
There used to be jacks that would work fine, but now all that's available is the cheap Chinese junk.
Good thing you don't want to plug anything into it that was made in China... Like a phone, camera, tablet, etc.

A 2-minute search found this:
https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/d...5RM3LS/6695850

All metal body, 0.3" threaded which should leave lots for mounting in a .085" panel. I didn't look to see what the country of origin is, but at $13 each it's probably the US.
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