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 Post subject: Looking for functional alternatives to racal minilite and
PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2017 8:25 pm 

Service Number: A05/TQ2.0.32141E1
Country: United States
I am looking for functional alternatives to racal minilite and byerdynamic hm560 microphones/headsets. I have the video pieces hashed out, but I am not finding anything on market easily that can be made to look close to the item.

Are there any headsets out there that I can make work. If there are connectors as long as the impedance (ohms) are within tolerance I can adapt them to whatever cable connection type.

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 Post subject: Re: Looking for functional alternatives to racal minilite a
PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2017 8:30 pm 

Service Number: A05/TQ2.0.32141E1
Country: United States
VOX = Voice Activated Transmit
PTT = Push To Talk

VOX is always on
PTT only transmits when you hit a button.

The headsets from the move are VOX headsets with a swivel boom microphone.

I think the ear pieces can be hacked to look similar, the key is getting the signature swivel mount on the ear pieces are key.

As far as the beyerdynamic that outfit appears to be a PA and studio production equipment supplier so the commonality in 80s films makes sense.

If they would do a re-release of their parts they could make a killing...

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 Post subject: Re: Looking for functional alternatives to racal minilite a
PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2017 9:19 pm 

Service Number: A05/TQ2.0.32141E1
Country: United States
This looks like the modern version.

Z-Tactical Z041 DEVGRU Comtac 2 Style Headset w/ Noise Cancellation - TAN

https://picclick.com/Z-Tactical-Z041-DE ... 29120.html

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 Post subject: Re: Looking for functional alternatives to racal minilite a
PostPosted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 8:31 pm 

Service Number: A05/TQ2.0.32141E1
Country: United States
knoxvilles_joker wrote:
This looks like the modern version.

Z-Tactical Z041 DEVGRU Comtac 2 Style Headset w/ Noise Cancellation - TAN

https://picclick.com/Z-Tactical-Z041-DE ... 29120.html


OK the above on the one I am looking at has a TRRS output. That is what you call the 4 wire connector used on the Iphones for microphone plus audio.

Most hand held radios use a L-type connector set. Same number of wires just a different configuration and connection type.

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 Post subject: Re: Looking for functional alternatives to racal minilite a
PostPosted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 11:56 am 

Service Number: A05/TQ2.0.32141E1
Country: United States
I'll get a head set to play with. My father has a full on garage, shop, and fabrication facilities so I should be able to find some parts to make it look like the movie prop.

I will advise to help me in fabricating the full on facsimile to the move I will be requesting a lot of prop photos that I can setup as a gallery either here or on one of my sites to sit for everyone's reference.

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 Post subject: Re: Looking for functional alternatives to racal minilite a
PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 11:35 pm 
You tell me man, I only work here.
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Location: Los Angeles
Country: United States
I made my racal functional.

Want the wiring diagram?


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 Post subject: Re: Looking for functional alternatives to racal minilite a
PostPosted: Sat Sep 16, 2017 10:07 pm 

Service Number: A05/TQ2.0.32141E1
Country: United States
Noble wrote:
I made my racal functional.

Want the wiring diagram?


Post it if you want. I ordered the above headset so I can start hardware hacking.

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 Post subject: Re: Looking for functional alternatives to racal minilite a
PostPosted: Sun Sep 17, 2017 2:41 am 
You tell me man, I only work here.
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Location: Los Angeles
Country: United States
Ah... the good old days...
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 17, 2017 3:05 am 
THAT guy
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Location: Virginia
Service Number: A03/TQ2.0.02146E1
Country: United States
Thats really cool Noble. I'm a tech novice here, but I have always wanted to make my Racal into a headset for my phone.

Does the talkabout 250 connector have anything in common with a standard 3.5mm jack that most cell phones use? (Sorry if that is a newb question, but I have not yet sliced any open to check)


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 Post subject: Re:
PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 5:03 pm 

Service Number: A05/TQ2.0.32141E1
Country: United States
bigbisont wrote:
Thats really cool Noble. I'm a tech novice here, but I have always wanted to make my Racal into a headset for my phone.

Does the talkabout 250 connector have anything in common with a standard 3.5mm jack that most cell phones use? (Sorry if that is a newb question, but I have not yet sliced any open to check)


Most cell phones use a TRRS (Tip, Ring, Ring, Shield) connector. yes you can adapt you just have to figure out the wiring of the pins.

I will do a hand drawn sketch once I get my hacking piece done. I am hoping to use some scraps from dad's garage to make a fascimile unit to look fairly close to the movie piece.

Our problem is that once something is about 30 years old, well, good luck finding parts. We kept running into that on our old 873 with a perkins 163 made by isuzu in japan for perkins of england for their order for bobcat in the united states. Same with the Case 850 diesel we had that had a cummins engine in it and no documentation or locatable serial number, ha ha.

In light of that I am more willing to use a mainstream unit still in production and easily sourcable to accomplish the same task.

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PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 8:50 pm 
Prop Churner Outer
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Location: Bath, Maine
Service Number: A03/TQ1.0.12143G1
Country: United States
I can understand the drive to make a vintage piece usable, and I understand taking something new and modding it to look the part. In the end it arrives at the same goal.

At some point I'd like to make my helmet mic usable.

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 Post subject: Re: Looking for functional alternatives to racal minilite a
PostPosted: Wed Oct 04, 2017 1:09 am 

Service Number: A05/TQ2.0.32141E1
Country: United States
The zcomtac II headset z 041 is a very hackable item. I got it working with my iPhone. I will get opinions at the Knoxville fanboy on what I can do to take it further.

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