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Aviation Headset to PC Adapter
Now that the new PC is almost fully setup as a Gaming Station, Study Station, Photo Manipulation Studio and Recording Studio, I'm finalising some of the Flight Simulation Spec. I've a mountain of hardware for Flight Sim needs arriving tomorrow, but I wanted to be able to use my Aviation Headset on my PC. Most Aviation Headsets are expensive, and comfortable ... they have two cables to tie them into your Aircraft's Radios, one for the Earpieces, and one for the Electret Microphone. The Earpiece one will go straight into a PC using a 1/4 inch to 3.5mm Adapter available in any HiFi shop, but a quick Google tells me the impedance of the Electret Microphone just won't work with a PC Sound Card Input. So, off to Maplins it was to buy some components, and for about 14 Euro, you too can use your Aviation Headset on your PC. Here comes the science!

Here's a modified version of a schematic I found online. I rewrote it to work with Veroboard, and it's quite easy to follow. All that's needed is an enclosure, a latching SPDT switch, 2 x 22uF Electrolytic Capacitors, 1 x 470Ohm Resistor, a 9V Battery, and a 9V clip, a 1/4 inch Stereo Headphone Socket, and a 3.5mm Headphone Socket, lots of short wire, and a strip of Veroboard. I've used the latching switch in my circuit to enable and disable the battery's power supply in order to conserve energy.

Here's some of the circuitry in the enclosure waiting to be test fitted. The battery and remaining jack sockets should fit in, but it's no harm to test it all anway. Visible on the right hand side is the power switch, and on the left so far is the 1/4 inch jack socket.

And apparently everything fits. Woot!

And here's the finished item. On the right hand side you can see the two jack sockets, one 3.5mm which connects to the PC's sound card, and one 1/4 inch socket which accepts the Headset's Mike Cable.

And from the other side, here's the Power Switch.