H-161 Head Sets not working

Hey Guys,

I've been really beating myself up over these head sets to find
that they don't work. I have tried three head sets to find that only
one of the three works the way it should.........Is this typical
of the H-161 head sets.....??

The one that does work is the only one I took out of a sealed bag. The
other two should be new from what I was told. They look very new
but don't work they way they should or not at all.

I have been trying to use the ' E ' and ' F ' models. The ' E ' model
has the nine volt battery type of connector and the ' F ' model has
the pin connector.

Has anyone else had these problems with the H-161 head sets.....??

Thanks,

C'dub

Aren't there any other head sets to use other then these crapy H-161's.............??

Thanks,

C'dub

Out of the last 12 sets I have used only 1 has worked well most problems are with the mic. or with the 9volt type connection not being just right most of the units I have used have been new in the bag it almost seems the longer they sit in the bag the more they deteriorate.

Steamynachos said:

.................almost seems the longer they sit in the bag the more they deteriorate.

Click to expand...

Well that's not a good thing..........I can't believe that these are that fragile as they are........???!!!!

C'dub

Most of the trouble I have had has been with bad bailout connectors. A good connector and the headset works great.

If wiggling/pushing on/ the bailout does not reveal itmto be a problem, you can check the headset electrically.

I have not had any headset issues. mine are all "E" types. I've never taken one apart.. but you should be able to use an ohm meter to check.

I do not know which connector is which, but..

One connector (#1) will show 0 ohms betwen pins A and C when the switch is in the ICS position, and infinity in the OFF and RAD positions. This is the intercom command loop back to the VIC.

The other connector (#2) will show somewhere between 20 and 200 ohms between pins C and B when the switch is in RAD. Thisis the earphone.

At all times, there should be 20-200 ohms between A on the one connector (#1) and B on the other (#2), as this is a direct connection to the earphones. If you put it on, you should hear the faint or loud clicking caused by the ohm meter's test current when you measure this.

Use care measuring the mike, use a low current range. It should be between 20 and 100 ohms if it is a dynamic mike. The mike is connected between A and D on the other connector (#2), except when the switch is OFF. But you don't have a mike issue?...

As for the bailout connector, it is not clear from the diagram what is where.

OPCOM said:

At all times, there should be 20-200 ohms between A on the one connector (#1) and B on the other (#2), as this is a direct connection to the earphones. If you put it on, you should hear the faint or loud clicking caused by the ohm meter's test current when you measure this.

Click to expand...

Hi PJ,

I set up the pins to be measured and I heard the clicking when I used the test leads and I measured 463 Ohms on the meter.......I used pin A on the long cable and pin B on the short cable.

Is that to far out of range.....??

Thanks,

C'dub

OPCOM said:

One connector (#1) will show 0 ohms betwen pins A and C when the switch is in the ICS position, and infinity in the OFF and RAD positions. This is the intercom command loop back to the VIC.

Click to expand...

The long cable is the intercom cable.........(1)

Between pins A and C measures 4.2 Ohms in the ICS position
Between pins A and C measures OL or infinity in the OFF and RAD positions

OPCOM said:

The other connector (#2) will show somewhere between 20 and 200 ohms between pins C and B when the switch is in RAD. This is the earphone.

Click to expand...

The Short Cable is the Radio Cable.........(2)

Between pins C and B measures 466 Ohms when in the RAD position

OPCOM said:

At all times, there should be 20-200 ohms between A on the one connector (#1) and B on the other (#2), as this is a direct connection to the earphones. If you put it on, you should hear the faint or loud clicking caused by the ohm meter's test current when you measure this.

Click to expand...

between A on the one connector (#1) and B on the other (#2) measures 466 Ohms and a clicking is heard in the headset

OPCOM said:

Use care measuring the mike, use a low current range. It should be between 20 and 100 ohms if it is a dynamic mike. The mike is connected between A and D on the other connector (#2), except when the switch is OFF. But you don't have a mike issue?...

Click to expand...

Between pins A and D on the short #2 radio cable measures measures 149 Ohms in both the ICS and the RAD position.


PJ, I hope these readings will help in finding out why the head set is not working like it should..........So what do you think.....??

Thanks,

C'dub

And now we see why the US Army has organic commo section at the BN level, in every BN....

Hey Cdub, I bought a pair of these headsets at the Gilbert show. They are SetCom brand, they have the correct plugs for the Vic-1 and work fine with mine. I just thought they looked close so I bought them. Anyone else have or use these?

Cdub said:

The long cable is the intercom cable.........(1)

Between pins A and C measures 4.2 Ohms in the ICS position
Between pins A and C measures OL or infinity in the OFF and RAD positions





The Short Cable is the Radio Cable.........(2)

Between pins C and B measures 466 Ohms when in the RAD position




between A on the one connector (#1) and B on the other (#2) measures 466 Ohms and a clicking is heard in the headset




Between pins A and D on the short #2 radio cable measures measures 149 Ohms in both the ICS and the RAD position.


PJ, I hope these readings will help in finding out why the head set is not working like it should..........So what do you think.....??

Thanks,

C'dub

Click to expand...

I think it means the headset should work!! What exactly is wrong with it?

The measurements are not exact, 2x is OK, If you can hear clicking, you should/would hear sound when the thing is in at least one of the positions..

Bjorn, would you give an opinion on this? I don't see why it's not working.

Hi PJ,

My working head set tested the same except for the:

The long cable is the intercom cable.........(1)

Between pins A and C measures 4.2 Ohms in the ICS position
Between pins A and C measures OL or infinity in the OFF and RAD positions

which was giving me some kind of strange reading. The meter was jumping all over the scale and I coun't get the same readng twice.....?? and this is with the working head set.....hahah....go figure.....??

With the non-working head set. I can't hear anything through the ear phone but I do believe the mic is working. Then for some strange reason. I start hearing a loud side tone. Even in the ICS or RAD position. This is all happeninng when it's hooked up to the VIC-1 control box. I can't hear myself speaking in the ear phone like I can with the working head set.

Granted that the radio set and VIC have been tested with the working head set and a PRC-126 to talk back and fourth with.

I will try it all again hooked up to the VIC and see what happens.

Any ideas.......??

Thanks,

C'dub

FWIW, I bought numerous sets of CUs new in the bag. All worked but the foam ear pieces in each one was deteriorated. I had one set that was much newer, maybe an EU? They were black and much better but the bottom line for me is the headsets are not very comfortable. Since going to the Powercoms, I've never looked back. I know this isn't any help with yours CW.

Keep in mind that when used with the VIC-1 system, there are some 30 connections that must be in perfect conditions for it all to function correctly, most if not all contacts are gold plated (including relay contacts). The accessible contacts may be carefully cleaned with a pencil eraser. Check the contacts on the C2298 box for example. BTW, the longer cable from the headset, marked with a yellow marking goes to the left hand connector.
The bail-out connectors are a problem and I ended up having a helper pushing them together while I taped them tightly to make a good connetion.....

I did have a slight problem with the " E " 9 volt battery type of connector. That's why I prefer the " F " model with the Nexus connector.

Well as things truned out. I had a bad bail out cable. The seller sent me a hole nother headset which worked great except that the padding for the ear phones were falling apart. So I was able to use the new bail out cable with the old headset and she worked just fine.

Does anyone have a Bail out cable for the H-161 F model with the Nexus type connector they would be willing to part with.......?? This way I would have two working headset to use with the VIC-1 already set up in the five ton.

Thank You,

Craig