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Bluetooth aircraft audio out

DCBrown198

Active Member
Patron
There are times when I’m in a quieter cockpit and would enjoy flying with no headsets…but still need to listen to ATC, etc. I don’t want to install a permanent speaker.

I have a portable Bluetooth speaker that I use when cycling etc. that is awesome and throws out great sound. Has anyone come across a system that will output the aircraft audio via Bluetooth to a personal speaker? It would be nice just to carry a personal speaker in my kit bag for those occasions when I don’t want to wear the headset. One universal adaptation may be a simple Bluetooth dongle type device that plugs into your aircraft headset jack and relays that audio via Bluetooth to your speaker. Are there any of you smart guys who have seen anything like this or can conceive how this would work?

Thanks
David
 
Do you have an audio panel? It might have additional outputs. If it has headphone or line-level outputs, there are BT transmitters you can get to send audio to the speaker. Or you could wire up a mini-pin jack to plug the speaker directly in.
 
It would be nice just to carry a personal speaker in my kit bag for those occasions when I don’t want to wear the headset.
If you value your hearing at all, I would not recommend making it a habit of flying without a headset. There are definitely times when i'd like to have a speaker in the cockpit though... Being able to listen to the ATIS while doing a walkaround comes to mind, and maybe as an emergency backup if my headset dies somehow. But to fly around without one on a regular basis? No thanks.
 
As Gasman pointed out, they are out there. I tried a few and settled on the following one in my Husky. It lets me send XM radio out to my Bluetooth headsets. Unlike some of them it can pair to more than one device, which was necessary since I have two headsets in the airplane. My Husky doesn't have an audio panel or native Bluetooth anywhere in the airplane so I plugged this adapter into the audio jack on my GDL 52 ADS-B / SXM "in" device:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LFBPY7M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Something like this could accomplish what you want but heed warnings about unprotected ears in the cockpit.

Jim
 
Also note that these Bluetooth transmitters are designed for line-level out, like a music player uses. You apparently are looking for comm radio coverage.
These adapters aren't designed for aircraft headphone levels so you might need some sort of impendence matcher or resistor. Or not. Just something to look into. And don't even consider using the speaker "out" circuit on the radio. That will fry one of these adapters.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. Yes…the impedance matching issue was on of my concerns.

I see what I can come up with.

David
 
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