Bose a20 into alpha eagle 900

[Izzy17]

Hello, is it possible to install Bose a20 coms into a alpha eagle 900 helmet?

[Twistgrip]

Yes:). I had a buddy of mine do it last fire season, I was lucky enough to wear his coveted helmet with the conversion and it sounded just like a Bose believe it or not!.

[Ben Slocombe]

Has anyone else done this and converted a 900 with A20 comms? Any advice on how I go about getting this done?
Is it possible to do it yourself?

Cheers,
Ben

[James Hall]

I have done it myself with Zulu lightspeed, but also looked at the A20...even easier! As the cable is external to the head band, very simple to dismantle and install in the helmet. Then just a matter of soldering the existing mic from helmet, probably a gentex electret into the headset ear cup cable/connector. No doubt will void warranty on A20 because of the modification, but will make a far better setup than standard alpha gear. Just be mindful that the Bose cups are slightly thicker than the standard alpha ones, so if your helmet already is quite snug width wise, u may not fit the cups in. I can no longer use my comfort liner after the retro fit as simply not enough room, and the tightening mechanism is nearly redundant also.

[colby]

I did it approx 12 months ago. I was disappointed with the quality of the ANR in my new Alpha helmet and was about to throw it away but I thought I would try fitting the Bose headset guts into the helmet. Works well best move Ive made in a long time.

Colby.

[Jabberwocky]

How has the ANR worked in doors off scenarios in comparison to normal Alpha ANR?

[agrimuster]

I have done this with the Lightspeed, it works just fine doors off. As does my friends Bose/alpha set up. The Bose has thinner ear cups than the Zulu and is easier to pull apart. If I was doing it again I'd go with Bose. We are both using the original mic btw.

[Ben Slocombe]

I have done this with the Lightspeed, it works just fine doors off. As does my friends Bose/alpha set up. The Bose has thinner ear cups than the Zulu and is easier to pull apart. If I was doing it again I'd go with Bose. We are both using the original mic btw.

The reason I want to install the Bose gear is because I'm having a hard time with the mic. Flying doors off and have to turn the squelch up high to get rid of the wind noise but with the squelch high I can't communicate clearly with my crew member. I have more mic trouble with doors on than I do with doors off. And my bose ANR was fine with doors off. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do about this? Is there any adjustment I can make on the helmet?

[Guy Incognito]

Wrap some thicker foam around your mic.

[agrimuster]

I would install the Bose, the avionics are so much better all around.

[Ben Slocombe]

I would install the Bose, the avionics are so much better all around.

Did using the Alpha mic make any difference to using a Bose mic?

[agrimuster]

I haven't seen them with the eagle mic

[hoverthrust]

Anyone got information on how to do the bosea20 into alpha eagle? I'm curious as a friend tried the lite speed and ended up with a bunch of parts it wouldn't fit. Any tips on what parts to dismantle?

[HeliC]

Ben, I've seen both issues. The mic problem you are having I've had new pilots start with their brand new alpha helmet and we had to put a wrap of masking tape around the mic under the foam because they do not have the adjustment like the old mics. This seemed to fix the problem, but one pilot did say he had to take it off when he was out on his own later on.
The bose we put into a eagle in about 30 minute in the lounge room, some velcro tape and a screw driver. The hole for the mic had to be drilled a little bigger is about as hard as it got. Works really well in all situation.

[SIR_SMP]

I have an Alpha 900 fitted with an electrec mic from a gentex (with the foam) and I have no problems with the doors off, maybey try that first as its a pretty cheap and easy changeover

my 900 has the factory ANR which is ok but it chews through batteries (3x 9V) every couple of hours but it does not compare to the Bose that's for sure

Question for you guys doing the conversion, are you stuffing the guts into the alpha cups or transferring the whole cups etc into the helmet?

[agrimuster]

Transfer the ear cups much easier

[OldAviator]

I've asked Bose about installing A20 ear cups in a helmet.
They told me there was no reason it wouldn't work, but they didn't think it would pass a lateral (ear cup) impact test.

According to the US Army, 30% of helmet impacts are on the side of the helmet.
With rigid ear cups, the result is often a basal skull fracture.
That is why the US Army developed energy-absorbing ear cups (25 years ago) that crush when struck in an accident.
They work like the crumple zone in a car.
I think Australian Army helmets have energy absorbing ear cups, too.

I don't know if the Bose ear cup is rigid. It doesn't matter much in a headset but does in a helmet.
Also, the ANR stuff inside the ear cup might prevent the ear cups from crushing.

Be careful before you mess with your helmet.
It's not only the helmet shell that protects you.
It is the crushable stuff inside the shell that absorbs energy and saves you.

[Dahamburglar]

What do you attach the a20 ear cups to in the helmet?

[SIR_SMP]

Anyone can hack a headset into a helmet but to do this properly requires some specialist knowledge and parts which I have spent a long time developing

If anyone wants a bose into an alpha or Gallet PM me