Only one Piper yoke is wired for the comms

[CherokeeGirl]

My apologies if this has already been answered, but I'm new to this forum and the aviation world, so I may not be searching effectively at this point.

I have acquired a 1979 Cherokee Six 300, but only the left yoke has a mic switch. The right yoke has a cavity in the left side with a metal plate screwed atop which seems like it's ready for a switch to be installed, but I'm not sure where which part I need to complete that part of the installation.

Outside of that, I'm not sure what wiring setup will be needed to allow two pilots to listen and talk to tower, and each other with ease.

The only speaker and mic setup are located on the left side of the cockpit on the fuselage under the switch for the mains and some lights. There is an externally connected Telex PC2 portal plane intercom but that only seems to allow the pilot on the right to hear what is being said. (I can't post a pic of it or a link since this is my first post)

Is there a simple and inexpensive solution for the time being so I can complete my IFR in my plane? I do plan to upgrade the avionics when I upgrade to a modern, glass cockpit next year, but I'd like to get my IFR using the old steam gauges now and without having to spend a lot to do a modern upgrade of all the avionics right now.

Thank you in advance for any advice or help.

Jessica

#Piper #Cherokee #PA-32-300

 

[CherokeeGirl]

If I bought now of those mic switches that Velcro to the yoke and plug it into the PPT on the Telex PC2 (below), I'm hoping that it will resolve all my communication issues until I can upgrade and modernize the cockpit.

 

[Doug Reid]

It sounds to me the push to talk switch on the left yoke is wired directly to the audio panel. Your external switch will work until you can get the one on your right yoke wired up.

 

[CherokeeGirl]

The yoke on the left has the coiled cable coming out of the bottom of the left side of the yoke and there's a bypass so that it's plugged into the port under the main/light panel on the left side of the cockpit with the Telex PC2 mic cable plugged into the cable bypass from the yoke cable.

It's the same as this with the cabling, except the switch is built into the left yoke.

 

[CherokeeGirl]

Here's a mockup of what I hope will work for the time being…

 

[DGlaeser]

If the Telex is already wired, that will work great.
What kind of audio panel do you have?

 

[CherokeeGirl]

If the Telex is already wired, that will work great.
What kind of audio panel do you have?

I don't think it has one. There's a TKM MX11 for comms, but I don't see any option to listen to two frequencies at once via a button on the panel.

 

[Tarheelpilot]

Welcome aboard. The portable intercom should do just fine until you upgrade. From what you are saying it does sound like the airplane does not have an intercom.

 

[kshaw]

I have a new PS Engineering PM2000 intercom system with a manufacturer wiring harness for sale, if interested.

 

[MuseChaser]

Fwiw, the PTT switch simply grounds the tip terminal of the mic plug... It can be grounded to the barrel of the plug or to the aircraft ground. That's all the portable/external ptt switch you added is actually doing, for the most part. If there is an existing copilot mic jack, wiring a ptt switch is a very simple affair.

 

[CherokeeGirl]

Fwiw, the PTT switch simply grounds the tip terminal of the mic plug... It can be grounded to the barrel of the plug or to the aircraft ground. That's all the portable/external ptt switch you added is actually doing, for the most part. If there is an existing copilot mic jack, wiring a ptt switch is a very simple affair.

Thanks for the reply. I didn't add the Telex, it came with the plane. There is no "jack," as I understand it, for the co-pilot, just a yoke that can take a mic switch (assuming I can find one that is for that yoke).

I think I still would need to use the setup I mocked up so that both pilots can hear and talk to each other and over the radios, until I'm able to upgrade the audio panel so that it can have multiple direct inputs into the plane's intercom system (which I'd include for all 6 seats. I'm looking at the PS Engineering PAR200B and PMS450B.