Vehicle Intercom Systems

[Artisan]

Are there any SS members whom really know what they
are talking about RE Intercoms?

I landed on a apir of David Clark H3430 headsets AND a pair
of David Clark U3410 Belt stations.

Yes, I know this stuff is designed for ground use, BUT you know
what I own.

I want a 2 person intercom brain to plug this stuff into
and I would like to enjoy my IPHONE and my Bluetooth
Sony Car radio as well.

I am in SO Calif.

I ask for nothing for free.

 

[aleigh]

There are a few limitations of most intercom systems you may want to consider. The first is they are basically all mono - at least I've never seen a stereo system - so the quality of the music will be limited. The other is that they basically all half-duplex and typically push-to-talk. This makes them somewhat difficult to integrate with phones which of course are full duplex. That all said, nothing is impossible.

I am sure you have surmised by now that the D/C system you have is a ground system which expects mains voltage. You can always make that work in a truck (either convert the box to 12/24 or get an inverter and run it at 120) but that system is not ideal for keying radios - not really what it was for.

You can go military, VIC-1 or VIC-3, and I have both systems. They are designed so that you can control the intercom and the radios separately through the crew boxes and therefore the system overall is useful. Your challenge with those DC headsets on a VIC/ROVIS system is that they are ANR and quite possibly need to be powered. The VIC-3 can power ANR headsets, but it is designed for the Bose headsets and I couldn't say if the voltage is going to be compatible with the D/C headsets. Interfacing the military intercoms to civilian hardware (in my case, HAM radios and ipods) requires building relatively simple circuits.

I've also use aviation intercoms in vehicles before. You're going to have the same problem - power for the ANR in the D/C headsets.

If you are really wed to them, you could probably rig up power injectors, but, in practical terms, you are better off getting a different system and the compatible headsets.

 

[swbradley1]

I wonder if anyone has tried these:

http://www.racingelectronics.com/category-s/1848.htm

 

[rhurey]

Look at the Sigtronics Transcom II systems. Hot mics all the time on the intercom for chatting.

You'll need an adapter for the phone, but they exist.