Headphone/microphone hearness for # 19

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Bruce MacMillan

The ear pieces are wired in series so if you can hear sound when radio is applied to each then then headset portion works. The microphone + goes to the white wire, The mic - goes to one of the switch contacts in the handset. The other side of this switch goes to the red wire.

The black is common to the headset and another switch contact. Other side of headset goes to green wire and the other side of the switch goes to blue.

The contacts on the snatch plug corrode quit easily so they should be cleaned. Try not to use anything abrasive like sandpaper or steel wool. If still not working you can pull the rubber boot of the rear of the plug to see if any wires are broken.

Contacts can be cleaned with "Duraglit" or "Brasso" and a soft cloth - the sulphur in the rubber causes an insulating film to form on the brass contact over time, and you need to clean that off. If it still doesn't appear to work, then try checking the individual wires for continuity - they're "tinselflex" (copper foil wound onto stranded cotton for flexibilty) but should be OK - usually it's one of the headset inserts that has failed.

There are (approximately) three varieties of headset assembly around:

No.1 - with a bakelite "lollypop" microphone (Microphone, Hand, No.7).
No.2 - with a grey-painted cast alloy microphone - this is for intercom use only with the Junction Distribution No.1 or No.2 fitted in early AFVs, it's a double-button carbon microphone that requires a 12 volt supply and a transformer.
No.10 - with a "fist" microphone, either brown painted metal (Canadian) or circular Bakelite (British - Microphone, Hand, No.13).

No.1 or No.10 are the types you need for use with the WS19.

You may also need to clean the (microphone and pressel switch) contacts inside the microphone body before that will work properly.

Hope this is some help.

Chris.