Just introduced is the EQ-Reverse Link wireless communication system, which provides a wireless connection between any conventional, wired aviation headset or helmet and an aircraft’s intercom system.
According to officials at Spokane, Wash.-based EQ-1 Wireless Communications, manufacturer of the EQ-Link wireless aviation headset, the EQ-Reverse Link wireless communications system is comprised of two modules. T
The Reverse Link module is designed to accept input from conventional wired general aviation headset apparatus (either two-plug GA style or single plug helicopter style plugs). The Reverse Link module is worn by the pilot and makes a wireless connection with the EQ-Link module, which is plugged into an aircraft’s intercom system. This allows the user up to 30 feet of wireless communication range between his headset and the aircraft’s audio panel with the standard system or over 100 feet with the EQ-Reverse Link/Long Range system.
The request for wireless aviation headset products has been steady and more common over the past five to eight years, according to Harold Christensen, vice president of sales and marketing for EQ-1 Wireless Communication US office.
“We first addressed this need with the EQ-Link system, which uses the EQ-Link module and is paired with our own EQ-1 Wireless headset,” he said. “This has been well accepted but the EQ-Reverse Link goes a step further and allows users to interface their own headset with our wireless system. If a user is required to wear a helmet for example, or if a user just really likes his high-end ANR headset with all of its bells and whistles, the EQ-Reverse Link system can provide him a wireless solution.
“When we were designing the EQ-Reverse Link system we stayed focused on two main objectives,” he continued. “First it had to be reliable and second it had to be easy to use. For reliability we adopted 2.4Ghz TDMA protocol wireless technology for clear and interference-free communications instead of Bluetooth technology. Yes, it costs a little more but we needed a protocol that we could rely on in the aviation environment and Bluetooth just wasn’t good enough,” said Christensen.
The next challenge was battery management, he noted. EQ-Reverse and EQ-Link are both powered by rechargeable Ni-MH batteries. They will operate more than 20 hours between charge cycles and provide voice prompts to let the user know how much operating time is remaining on each device expressed in hours. Low battery warnings begin and are repeated every few minutes when there are five hours or less remaining on the batteries. Each device can be charged and operated at the same time with an optional cigarette lighter charging adapter with dual USB outputs.
The system comes supplied with a dual USB wall adapter (120 & 240 volt, with various wall plug adapters) for charging when the system is not in use.
For more information: WirelessAviationHeadsets.com or 509-731-3153.