Intercom system

Colin Dix · Post by **Colin Dix** » Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:55 am

I have recently bought a share in a Kitfox fitted with a ICOM A200 Radio. I find the intercom has noise and I think adding an additional iintercom system to the Radio will cure this. At present I think it is wired directly to the radio. Can anyone recomend a good intercom, and where do you get a wiring schematic?

Thanks

Colin

Les James · Post by **Les James** » Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:55 pm

The Flightcom 403MC intercom and Icom A200 combination worked fine in my Kitfox.

Colin Dix · Post by **Colin Dix** » Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:00 pm

Thank you Les, I will check it out.

Regards

Colin

john pearce · Post by **john pearce** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 4:30 pm

Colin ,
I also have the Icom with a sigtronics SPA400 ( which is supposed to be v good) The combination is very poor and its one thing I need to get an expert to sort out as I cant see any excuse for it. One thing I have heard , which I would appreciate anyones greater knowledge on , is that the Icom has a built in intercom and this has to be internally dissconected otherwise the " add on" intercom will fight it ??? maybe just amyth - anybody know ?

Rob Swain · Post by **Rob Swain** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:14 pm

john pearce wrote:Colin ,
I also have the Icom with a sigtronics SPA400 ( which is supposed to be v good) The combination is very poor...

Poor in what way? Noise? Too quiet?

I think the Sigtronics is a great bit of kit (works far better then the Flightcom I've ripped out of the RV) I've got it to work with 2 radios (1 King COM and 1 Narco NAV/COM) and a music source, and all without need to have an audio panel.
The Narco requires a 220 ohm resistor between the radio and the intercom, as indicated in the Sigtronics wiring diagram. I suppose this might have fixed the problem with the Flightcom, but I was changing the whole lot anyway...

One thing I have heard, and to some extent experienced, with the SPA400 is it can be rather quiet when used with David Clark headsets. Apparently the ear units in DCs are rather high impedence.

john pearce · Post by **john pearce** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 5:59 pm

Thanks for that Rob , will certainly dig out the original installation instructions and check the need for a resistor. The whole package was sold me by Harry Mendellsohn and their guy , Danny was most helpfull in producing a wiring loom package and I have no reason to suspect it incorrect. yes it is very quiet. Although I do normally use DC headsets , i have tried others to no avail. It may well just need setting up ( the Icom I suspect) . When I first switched it on I could get nothing from the headset mics or the earphones until I fiddled with the " adjusters" on through the sides of the radio unit. But I was unsure what i was really adjusting. Needs an expert I suspect, a day of adjusting and the correct measuring tools