Music over ICS

[Mauldice]

Just spent the past few days (unsuccessfully) scouring the internet looking for ways to connect an iPod to the F-18 ICS. I have heard stories of some gucci setups, but no one in my squadron has one.

Surely there are some salty aviators that are in the know for making this happen.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Transition to the Phrog. We just plug an audio cable from our iPod into the comm panel in the back, select #3 on our ICS panel and voila!

 

[MasterBates]

You need a full set of the two prong fittings that connect the helmet to the mask, and make a "T" connector with that and a spliced in 3.5mm stereo jack plug.

Your ATs or PRs should be able to get you the impedance specs on the helmet and ICS system to make sure it's in a usable range.

 

[Mauldice]

You need a full set of the two prong fittings that connect the helmet to the mask, and make a "T" connector with that and a spliced in 3.5mm stereo jack plug. Your ATs or PRs should be able to get you the impedance specs on the helmet and ICS system to make sure it's in a usable range.

That's essentially what I was thinking of doing. But I had heard of people having setups where the iPod audio is is muted or at least decreased in volume when ATC calls are made.

Also, I assume there are ways of splicing all of these together such that its not just held together with electrical tape.

P.s. can you just get the 2 prong fittings at a radio shack, or the like?

 

[MasterBates]

I think they are orderable from GENTEX. There should be a part number on them. If you want to get fancy with stuff being muted by ATC calls, I'm not sure how in a Hornet.. I could do it in the Hummer pretty easily, and the Prowler guys have a way to do it.. Not sure on the 1/2 seater ways to do it.

 

[Kaman]

Helobubba and I are both old H-2 aircrewman that used a jury-rigged system to plug in a Sony "walkman" into the ICS. He might recall better than I do on the technical aspects of doing it. However, I believe it does involve a certain amount of beer to the appropriate workcenters

 

[RadicalDude]

I've see the iPod hookup with a volume rheostat. No idea how it worked or where it came from. I've also seen ones with switches to simply turn them on off. Ill try and snag a pic.

 

[helolumpy]

I had one for the H-60 wired into an extension pigtail. I had an enterprising (and thirsty) AT rig it up for me.
He also wired in a kill switch, so I could speak on the radio without it going out.

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

Any enterprising AT or AE could rig one up, just a quick trip to the electronics store and about 20 minutes putting it together. I've built a few over the years, I always took booze for payment.

 

[HeloBubba]

Helobubba and I are both old H-2 aircrewman that used a jury-rigged system to plug in a Sony "walkman" into the ICS. He might recall better than I do on the technical aspects of doing it. However, I believe it does involve a certain amount of beer to the appropriate workcenters

My rig was such that I heard the music in my helmet only. I kept the walkman in my SV-2 and could easily shut it off for important evolutions (landing) or if the pilots got chatty. I had even managed to hang on to it for the first 10 or 15 years after separating....

 

[ChunksJR]

I guess maybe I'm the buzz kill here (as a former Safety Center Analyst...), but God help you if you F it away on even a Class C mishap...You'll smoke your wings for a few "tunes." With that being said, just don't fvck it away and you'll be fine.

 

[Jim123]

...

 

[Kaman]

Man, there is always someone that comes along and rains on our parade...

 

[C420sailor]

I guess maybe I'm the buzz kill here (as a former Safety Center Analyst...), but God help you if you F it away on even a Class C mishap...You'll smoke your wings for a few "tunes." With that being said, just don't fvck it away and you'll be fine.

Just commit your rig to Davy Jones' Locker while you're waiting for the helo

 

[ssnspoon]

http://www.pilotsupport.com/index.html I emailed the guy a while back and these work with Navy helo helmets. He said they sell a handfull a year to Navy guys...I wonder where they go?