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Headphone jacks

LettersFromFlyoverCountry

LettersFromFlyoverCountry

Well Known Member
Trying to figure out where to put the jacks. Builder/expert Tom Berge suggested sticking them in the brace between the rollbar and baggage bulkhead. Problem is since I have manual trim, running wires down the tunnel is problematic. There's no more room in the bulkhead pass-throughs.

I've been thinking about maybe putting them in the angled portion forward of the side canopy (tip-up) skirts to keep them a little out of the way while minimizing the wire runs.

Where's the BEST spot for headphone/mic jax given the limitations of the runs?
 
I have mine on the bottom outer edges of the sub panel just forward of the instrument panel. They've been there for over 16 years and I like them there. I lay the headsets on the wing while getting in and out. After getting in, the wires lay outboard of my leg. Works great for me.
If you put them in the angled side pieces, I think the plugs will be in the way of your legs getting in an out.
 
Mine is on top of the seat back cross member and between the two seat backs.

I wouldn't put it there again.

Wires are in the way.
Difficult to reach from sitting in the seat.


Armrest?? mabe a good spot.
 
Hey, Bob. I put mine on the arm rest, just ahead of the rear bulkhead (between the seat back cushion and the fuselage wall). Most of the cord lays lays out of the way between the seat and wall. I have a slider tho.

Larry
 
Three builds have them in the lower outboard corners of the panel above the angle brace. Great place. Cords dangle out of the way, obviously very accessible plugs, shorter wire runs. ANR box is right there for battery changes and/or plugging in a cell or entertainment source. Panel corner is also where I located the intercom's auxiliary input.

I've built them into the flap pushrod access cover. Terrible. Can't reach 'em in flight (this is particularly aggravating if you have an ANR box on the cords near the plugs) and cords are much more trip-and-fall..able, and you tend to sit on them or clamp them under your elbow. Anything in the brace won't be much better.

John Siebold
 
Phone jacks in arm rest

lrfrey said:
Hey, Bob. I put mine on the arm rest, just ahead of the rear bulkhead (between the seat back cushion and the fuselage wall). Most of the cord lays lays out of the way between the seat and wall.

Larry
Click to expand...

I did the same thing. I don't like cords and "stuff" between me and the panel.
 
Headset Jack location

Easily accessed in flight, I mounted the jacks on the vertical member just behind the seats. This location keeps the wires behind the occupants. A simple guard fabricated from .025 aluminum was formed around a broomstick handle and protects the back of the jacks from potential damage.

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In Radioshack hobby boxes.

I like having the cable behind and assumed that I would leave them connected - but so far I don't like climbing over the wires as I clamber in and get buckled up so I plug them in after I get seated which can be a bit awkward where they are. Perhaps I need a convenient place to hang the headset that doesn't get in the way when getting in.

headset1ui0.jpg


headset2fa9.jpg


Jim Sharkey
RV6 - Phase 1
 
I put mine in the lower corners of the panel (I don't have a subpanel). I added a small wire hook on the bottom attachment of the canopy strut (kind of like a coat hook), rolled up the wires and secured them in a loop with cable ties to shorten them, and hang the loop on the wire hook. Headphone wires are long enough that I typically set them around the stick when not flying. Easy to pick up and put above the panel when the tipup is up so that I can climb into the cockpit with no tripping on wires.

greg
 
Greg Arehart said:
I put mine in the lower corners of the panel (I don't have a subpanel).
Click to expand...
The "sub-panel" is the bulkhead approximately 9" forward of the instrument panel.
This is where I put my jacks. That way the plugs are out of the way.
 
If I understand your question, part of your problem is that you've got an issue running more wires through the spar to mount the jacks in the main cabin area.

I had a similar problem and I also did not have room in the panel to mount the jacks. My solution was to build a small three sided box that I mounted on the vertical supports a couple of inches below the sub-panel. You can see it just under the panel in this pic.

panelnew007l.jpg
 
jsharkey said:
....Perhaps I need a convenient place to hang the headset that doesn't get in the way when getting in.....Jim Sharkey
Click to expand...
For years I have routinely stowed the headsets over the handheld GPS mounted to the sill/rollover bar. In my experience, the placement does not interfere with entry or exit in the least. You can see for yourself as I enter the airplane and then retrieve the headsets approximately 40 seconds into the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV99wQqyb8g


2repfd3.jpg
 
Bob Collins said:
Trying to figure out where to put the jacks.
Click to expand...

I put mine just under the subpanel against the side wall. I wouldn't do it there again... EXCEPT, I might do it on the pilot side again because I rarely ever unplug them. HOWEVER, the passenger side is a different story. I wish they were right there on the panel in the bottom right corner... easily seen, easily plugged in and unplugged because it seems that I'm always connecting and disconnecting those.

It isn't fun to have to twist and turn or reach to plug and unplug the headsets.. put them in an easy to see and reach location.
 
Mel said:
I lay the headsets on the wing while getting in and out. After getting in, the wires lay outboard of my leg. Works great for me.
Click to expand...

I do that too. But I bet there is at least five times where I've closed the canopy ( or not closed) and started the engine. Of course the headsets blow off the wing and dangle in the slipstream.............until I wise up to the situation.

They use to hang over my GPS, as in other photos in this thread. But since I got the 696, they don't fit. Just a matter of getting use to pulling them back inside..............I guess.. :)

L.Adamson ---- RV6A
 
jacks on armrest

...rear, next to bulkhead. I agree the the pilots is rarely moved, so not that bad in this spot, wires dangle into baggage area, but I can't reach the anr box switch on my headset cable easily, or change batteries in flight!
The passenger, who may want music or other connections, would be better forward somewhere I think.
 
We put ours here...
after looking at a lot of others and comments about how they liked various locations...
4100324386_4b99dcfbd9.jpg
 
Bob Collins said:
snip...Where's the BEST spot for headphone/mic jax given the limitations of the runs?
Click to expand...

Bob, here's mine. What I've found over the years that I do is roll up the pax headset and stow it in the back when I'm solo (the mic on the set will break squelch occasionally from ambient noise if left plugged in).

So, when you end up giving a person a ride down the road and you realize you haven't plugged in the headset for them, having the ability to point for them where to plug it in is a pretty big plus (don't have to unstrap yourself). I know I've done this very thing over 50 times so far.

My .02, as Stein says <g>.


acz7gi.jpg
 
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Far Lateral Corners of the Panel

I noticed how many of these examples would not work with an interior, here is what we did:
 
In action, you can see the headset wires to the right of the ipod:
RV6AMaxFlying3PanelShot.jpg


A close up on the passenger side:
DSCF57871.jpg



The two vertically oriented holes on the left are where I installed the pilot's connection.
RV6APanelProgress5.jpg


Hans
 
caryr said:
Mine is on top of the seat back cross member and between the two seat backs.

I wouldn't put it there again.

Wires are in the way.
Difficult to reach from sitting in the seat.


Armrest?? mabe a good spot.
Click to expand...

Mine are in the same place and I love it. Wires are behind me, out of the way. It's true the jacks are difficult to reach while sitting but I almost never need to. My tunnel was full, too, with manual trim and autopilot cables, so I routed the headphone wires down the left side of the fuselage in the channel that makes the cockpit rail for the tip-up. Then across the seat brace and into the flap motor cover which encloses the jack wiring. If I'm using an ANR set, the controls dangle in between the seats which can take a bit of organizing while getting belted in. Regular headsets just get the wires tossed into the baggage area where they come up over our shoulders, totally out of the way. My O2 bottle is back there, too, so the tubes are behind us. Nothing in our laps or dangling between us and the panel.
 
Mel said:
I have mine on the bottom outer edges of the sub panel just forward of the instrument panel. They've been there for over 16 years and I like them there. I lay the headsets on the wing while getting in and out. After getting in, the wires lay outboard of my leg. Works great for me.
If you put them in the angled side pieces, I think the plugs will be in the way of your legs getting in an out.
Click to expand...
Ditto for me. Couldn't be happier with the location.

One big advantage to this location is that running the wires is VERY easy and saves weight.
 
Above the fuel valve

I left the piece of aluminum that the fuel valve is attached to long. You usually cut this piece off if you don't have manual trim. I use it for mounting my iPod and for the headphone jacks on either side. I reasoned that this location keeps me from getting tangled in the wires.

This is an old picture taken before I installed the jacks but you can see the real estate I have for them:

img2122uu6.jpg


I didn't want the jacks behind me in case they pull out in flight. I would think they would be very difficult to access in this situation.

I have not flown yet by the way.
 
Enterprise head set plug locations...

You can see how I mounted my plugs to line up with holes near the sides of the removable instrument sub-panels. Hanging them on the engine controls or up on the panel near the windshield is the usual place. I was flying solo this day and the second pair of headphones were stashed away.
IMG_2453[1].JPG


Here is a closeup photo of the panel when I was putting the finishing touches to it January 20, 2005. Notice that the hole in the removable panel is large enough to plug into the sockets mounted behind the panel.
DSCK0363.JPG


Here is the way the jacks are attached to the panel frame and not to the sub-panels. White nylon washers prevent them from being grounded except at the GMA-340 intercom for electrical noise immunity.
DSCK0364.JPG
 
ArVeeNiner said:
I left the piece of aluminum that the fuel valve is attached to long. You usually cut this piece off if you don't have manual trim. I use it for mounting my iPod and for the headphone jacks on either side. I reasoned that this location keeps me from getting tangled in the wires.
...
I didn't want the jacks behind me in case they pull out in flight. I would think they would be very difficult to access in this situation.

I have not flown yet by the way.
Click to expand...
Kelly,

This is probably not a good place to put your jacks. It is possible that the wires could get tangled in either the throttle/mixture or on the fuel valve, shutting your fuel off accidently.

BTW, a friend flying a 1927 Travelair 4000 had that happen and didn't know he had turned the fuel off until after they put the fire out and found his headset cord wrapped around it. He was broken and lived but his two passengers in the front seat did not. :(
 
Armrest works good for me. I have RV-6 completed 1998 with 800 hours and it has been good practical arrangement. Built 7A in 2007 with 190 Hours now and put them in same place. They are out of the way but accessable. Think you would like them there.
 
N941WR said:
Kelly,

This is probably not a good place to put your jacks. It is possible that the wires could get tangled in either the throttle/mixture or on the fuel valve, shutting your fuel off accidently.

BTW, a friend flying a 1927 Travelair 4000 had that happen and didn't know he had turned the fuel off until after they put the fire out and found his headset cord wrapped around it. He was broken and lived but his two passengers in the front seat did not. :(
Click to expand...

Wow, what a terrible accident caused by a very simple issue.

Yea, thanks, I thought about that. My thought was to fashion some sort of clips before I flew that will keep the cords out of the way. Basically, the cords would immediatly turn away from the selector valve. I don't have the clips yet but I'm thinking something along the lines of these : http://cableorganizer.com/richco/wire-harness-clips.html or these: http://cableorganizer.com/greenlee/cable-anchor/
 
ArVeeNiner said:
Wow, what a terrible accident caused by a very simple issue.

Yea, thanks, I thought about that. My thought was to fashion some sort of clips before I flew that will keep the cords out of the way. Basically, the cords would immediatly turn away from the selector valve. I don't have the clips yet but I'm thinking something along the lines of these : http://cableorganizer.com/richco/wire-harness-clips.html or these: http://cableorganizer.com/greenlee/cable-anchor/
Click to expand...
Kelly,

The only thing is you are adding complexity to solve a problem created by the location of your jacks. I would seriously think about moving the jacks to the lower corners of the panel. The cables are out of the way; fall down next to your leg, and all the stuff the rest have said. One other thing, you don't have to worry about your passenger kicking them as they climb in.
 
Top roll bar support

I am travelling at the moment and dont have pics handy, but what i did based on some other builders ideas was to mount them in the roll bar support (tip up). This way I can fabricate hangers so both headsets are always hanging at the back, cables are always behind and out of the way and service is easy on plugs. The way I fab'd it. There is a cover that opens over most of the support. The part (most forward, has a permanently mounted plate to protect the wires, then the rest opens with a another permanently mounted plate at the back. Figured it would be a great place to hide my wallet etc if i ever had a need and nobody would know the storage was even there. Very happy with the plan, and functionality, but...not flying yet...so..only sounds good in principal at this time.
 
RickWoodall said:
I am travelling at the moment and dont have pics handy, but what i did based on some other builders ideas was to mount them in the roll bar support (tip up). This way I can fabricate hangers so both headsets are always hanging at the back, cables are always behind and out of the way and service is easy on plugs. The way I fab'd it. There is a cover that opens over most of the support. The part (most forward, has a permanently mounted plate to protect the wires, then the rest opens with a another permanently mounted plate at the back. Figured it would be a great place to hide my wallet etc if i ever had a need and nobody would know the storage was even there. Very happy with the plan, and functionality, but...not flying yet...so..only sounds good in principal at this time.
Click to expand...
Rick,

Although that looks and sounds cool you've just added more wires that must pass by or through the limited spar openings, weight, and complexity.

Though that is not the big issue with this location. Those wires and headsets will be in the way every time you need to put something in or remove something from the baggage compartment.
 
r86y8WIWYZa3o7S0Ah_MpA
This is where I put mine. Sadly I had to sell the plane but when I build again I will put it in the same place. It's a nice way to keep the cord off your lap.
 
Jacks and the Beanstalk

Got to concur with CARYR and CLAR 9A, I fly a friends 6A with a tilt up and the jacks are in the back in the structure in the top center of the rear window. Even with the reliability of current day head sets (cough), if there is any problem with them you have to land to get to them. Up front with easy access in flight, sit in the cockpit with the canopy closed and try to plug and un plug the head sets. I fly with the simi handsome G.S. (you know who you are) and his are on the right and left and are very easy to deal with. It's not like the stewardess is going to trip on them. ;-))
 
I've had the good fortune to fly in RV's with the headset jacks in almost every conceivable place. Plus, we install an awful lot of them...that being said, I personally prefer to have then outboard somewhere in the side/side RV's and here's why:

1) The preponderance of headsets have the cord coming out of the left side. So, for the pilot having the jacks somewhere on the left is good.

2) Jacks in the center of the plane down low are a bad idea...it's where you step to get in and out, plus putting them near the fuel vale to me just seems frankly a very poor location for a multitude of reasons.

3) Having them behind you is ok, but you'd be surprised over the years of flying how many times I've actually plugged/unplugged jacks in flight. It does come up.

4) This is a personal issue, but I really don't like them in the center of the plane up high at all. If they are close to the seats, I'd break them off with baggage or my head, that I can assure you! If they were farther back, I'd hate trying to reach them in flight and I also don't like 'dangling' cables.

I guess in the end it's a personal choice, but outboard forward always is easy and good. The lower part of the panel or armrests always seems the best. I often wonder why people put them up high on a panel, because dangling wires are something that just get in the way to me. Lastly, if they are in the lower corners of the panel, the wiring is short, easy and the headset cables themselves aren't routed all over behind your head, to the center of the plant, or dangling all over everything.

As DR said I'd say, that's my 2 cents as usual!

Cheers,
Stein
 
LEMO audio jacks

Here is another variation. I recently installed the LEMO jack for the Zulu headset on the RV-6. I agree with Stein, in the end, best is outboard and forward. I had reservations about the LEMO location on the canopy rail, but this was a compromise given the location of the old audio jacks below the rail on the panel. However, it's worked out great and does not interfere at all with entry/egress. Copilot side worked out a little better.

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On my RV-6, I located the headphone jacks on the back of the arm rests. There was only one reason for this. In an emergency, you just get out of the airplane and run. The headset falls away without getting chocked by the cord. I do have a hanger for the headset on the side under the panel. Keeps them out of the SUN when sitting on the ramp at a fly in. Cord lays along the side of the cockpit out of the way.

The headset can be unplugged in flight and changed out. No the easiest thing to do but I have done it twice in the past 12-years.
 
I also though about it a lot, but ended fitting it in a 'traditional' location, in front, but as for outboard and low as possible not to tangle in wires. So I put the jucks them just below the vents.
PS: The headsets rest on the floor upright against the side skins when not used, this way they are out the way when you get in an out, and within easy reach once you are in.
rv_panel_final.jpg

And the headset control box fits into my side map pockets shown below the panel.
rv_final_10.jpg


Regards
Rudi
 
Mel said:
The "sub-panel" is the bulkhead approximately 9" forward of the instrument panel.
This is where I put my jacks. That way the plugs are out of the way.
Click to expand...
Wow, it seems like you would have to be a ventriloquist or something to reach them. But I do like the idea of having them out of the way.
 
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