Phonak FreeCom 7100 User manual

FreeCom 7100
Ultra-light aviation headset with
professional hearing protection
Manufactured by Phonak Communications AG
Länggasse 17, 3280 Murten, Switzerland
Phone +41 (0) 26 672 96 72
FreeCom 7100
Ultraleichtes Piloten-Headset mit
professionellem Gehörschutz
Hergestellt von Phonak Communications AG
Länggasse 17, 3280 Murten, Schweiz
Telefon +41 (0) 26 672 96 72
FreeCom 7100
Headset d'aviation ultra-léger avec
protection auditive professionelle
Produit par Phonak Communications SA
Länggasse 17, 3280 Morat, Suisse
Tél. +41 (0) 26 672 96 72
User Guide
Gebrauchsanweisung
Mode d'emploi

Thank you for choosing a FreeCom aviation headset by Phonak, the world's leading hearing
healthcare company. All Phonak FreeComs are designed to oer a comfortable in-ear t while
at the same time allowing excellent speech intelligibility and crystal clear voice transmission.
Danke, dass Sie sich für ein FreeCom Aviation Headset von Phonak, dem weltweit führenden
Hörgerätehersteller, entschieden haben. Alle Phonak FreeCom Systeme bieten einen
komfortablen Sitz im Ohr, während sie gleichzeitig eine exzellente Sprachverständlichkeit und
kristallklare Stimmübertragung ermöglichen.
Merci d’avoir choisi le headset d’aviation FreeCom de Phonak, leader mondial de la protection
auditive. Tous les FreeCom de Phonak sont conçus pour s’adapter confortablement aux oreilles,
tout en orant une excellente intelligibilité et une transmission de la voix très claire.
Liberate your ears!

4
Ear mold for right ear with red marking
Ear mold for left ear with blue marking
earJack™ adapter (incl. ambient microphone and in-ear speaker)
Connectors with safety break point.
Allow to put the microphone on the right or on the left side
Ambient sound ON/OFF Switch (short press)
Ambient sound volume control mode (long press)
Battery door and ON/OFF switch
Intercom Volume Control +/-
Ambient sound Volume Control +/-
QD connector
Boom microphone. Microphone sound inlet to be placed
always parallel to the mouth.

5
A EarJackTM adapter 6
9
10
14
BBoom Microphone
CControl Box
DConnectors
E Important informations 16
F Technical Data 17
G Troubleshooting 21
H Miscellaneous 24

6
A EarJackTM adapter (incl. ear molds, ambient microphone and in-ear speaker)
A1 To attach the earJack
uAttach the ear molds to the earJack™ adapters by first hooking the lower hinge of the
earJack™ adapter into the mold (Fig 1), then pushing the upper part firmly into the mold
until it clicks (Fig 2). By correctly connecting these, you will ensure a tight seal and proper
operation of the headset’s hearing protection.
A2 To insert ear molds in the ears
uThe ear mold marked red is for your right ear, the ear mold marked blue is for your left ear.
uPlace the neckloop over your head and insert the ear mold into your outer ear with the
opening pointing into your ear canal (Fig 3).
uTwist the ear mold slightly to insert it fully into your ear (Fig 4). Ensure that the ear molds
are well inserted and locked in the concha (Fig 5). Press softly on the earjack to remove the
remaining air in the ear channel and ensure a good seal.
Fig 1 Fig 2

7
A3 To remove the earjack from the ear
uHold the ear mold by the earjack adapter and withdraw carefully from the ear, using a slight
upward movement to avoid a rapid pressure drop.
A EarJackTM adapter
Fig 3 Fig 4 Fig 5
Regularly adjust the air pressure within the ear by breaking the seal between the
ear-channel and the ear-shells (for example by making jaw movements)

8
A EarJackTM adapter
Fig 7 Fig 8
Fig 6
A4 To attach windscreens to the earJacks
uWhen using FreeCom 7100 outdoors, snap-on foam windscreens significantly reduce the
wind noise generated by turbulence around the microphones located on each earJack™
adapter (Fig 6).
uWhen attaching these windscreens, ensure that the snappers are inserted precisely into both
slots on the adapter (Fig 6).
A5 To maintain the system
uRemove the earJack™ adapter from the ear mold by pressing the snap lock springs together
(Fig 7) and withdrawing the adapter, starting at the top (Fig 8).
uClean and disinfect the ear molds with soap and water. Never use water or other liquids to
clean the earJack™. Let ear molds dry fully before use.

9
B Boom Microphone
Fig 9 Fig 10
Fig 11
B1 To place the boom microphone
uAdjust the boom microphone to sit within 1 cm of your mouth, close to your upper lip.
uEnsure that the microphone sound inlet, marked with a white dot points towards your
mouth (Fig 9) to avoid any twisting of the boom microphone.
uThe boom microphone sound inlet has to be placed always parallel to the mouth (Fig 9).
uThe boom microphone can be placed on the left or on the right side (Fig 10).
B2 To use / mount / remove the windscreen
uTo keep the windscreen in position, the boom microphone is equipped with a Velcro
part (Fig 11).
uTo mount the windscreen to, or remove it from, the boom microphone, lift the windscreen
over the Velcro part and pull it on or remove it from the microphone (Fig 11).

10
C Control Box
C1 To turn the system on
uTo insert the battery, turn the battery door counter-clockwise to the "battery symbol“
(Fig 11) and remove the battery door.
uInsert the battery with its positive (+) pole pointing outwards (Fig 12). Push the battery
door back into the control box and turn it clockwise.
uWith the battery door in position "0“ the system is off (Intercom is active without volume
control).
uWith the battery door in position "I“ (Fig 13), the intercom and the ambient sound
awareness are active and the volume can be adjusted for both of them separately.
uA beep indicates correct operation.
C2 Microphone VOX adaptation
uWhen the VOX system of the audio panel is switched ON, adjust the sensitivity of the voice
activated switch with the dedicated knob on the audio panel. This will ensure that the
microphone is switched ON as soon as any speech is pronounced.
Fig 11 Fig 12 Fig 13

11
C Control Box
C3 Battery end-of-life
uWhen battery power runs low, the system signals this with a beep every 30 secs. Shortly
before powering down, the frequency of the beeps is increased.
uIf the battery is dead, or if the battery is not present, or if the system is off (position "0"),
the FreeCom 7100 behaves as a headset with passive hearing protection and intercom
works without volume control.
C4 To control the Intercom volume
uBy default, the + - buttons (Fig14) allow to change the Intercom audio volume.
uIntercom levels can be adjusted 2 levels up and 7 levels down from the default position.
u3 beeps signal indicates when the maximum or minimum level is reached.
Fig 14
+ - buttons
+6 dB (max)
+3 dB
0 dB (default)
-3 dB
-6 dB
-9 dB
-12 dB
-15 dB
-18 dB
-21 dB (min)
Intercom Volume Scale

12
C5 To control the ambient sound volume
The ambient sound mode can be changed with the change-mode button (Fig 15).
uAmbient sound on "ON" (by default mode) – in this mode, the ambient (surrounding) sound
is introduced in the earjack allowing to hear people not connected to the intercom system,
the engine (e.g. during landing phase) or alarms without removing the earshells from the
ears. Intercom is still working and can be adjusted with + - buttons (Fig 15).
uAmbient sound on "OFF" – in this mode, the ambient sound is completely damped. Intercom
is still working and can be adjusted with + - buttons (Fig 15).
uA short press (<2 sec) on change-mode button (Fig 15) allows to switch ambient sound
on "OFF" and "ON".
C Control Box
+ - buttons
change mode button
Fig 15
12 dB (max)
9 dB
6 dB
3 dB
0 (default)
-3 dB
-6 dB
-9 dB
-12 dB
-15 dB
-18 dB
-21 dB (min)
Ambient sound Volume Scale

13
uA long press (>2 sec) on change-mode button (Fig 15) allows to enter in the «ambient
sound volume control» mode (a three tone beep indicates the changing mode). In this
mode, the user can adjust the ambient sound level with buttons + - (Fig 15) .
uAmbient sound levels can be adjusted 4 levels up and 7 levels down from the default position.
u3 beeps signal indicates when the maximum or minimum level is reached.
uAfter 3 sec of inactivity (no button touched), the mode returns automatically back to
standard mode (a three tone beep indicates the changing mode).
C Control Box
Fig16
System OFF
Long press
(>2sec)
Long press
(>2sec)
Automatic after 3 sec
of inactivity
Power button
in position ”0”
Intercom without
volume control
Short press
(<2sec)
Short press
(<2sec)
Power button in position ”I”
Ambient sound
volume control
Ambient sound
”ON”
Ambient sound
”OFF”
+/- intercom
volume control
+/- ambient sound
volume control
By default, the ambient sound mode is on "ON"

14
D Connectors
D1 To connect FreeCom 7100
uThe Phonak FreeCom 7100 headset can be combined with a variety of Phonak FreeCom
adapters for connecting to different aircraft audio panels (Fig 17).
uTo connect the FreeCom 7100 to the aircraft audio panel, use the suitable adapter:
UTwin plugs PJ055/PJ068
UXLR-5
UU174/U
FreeCom
PJ055/PJ068e-Box
XLR-5e-Box
U174/Ue-Box
Fig 17

15
D Connectors
The QD-connector is used to connect the Phonak FreeCom headset to the FreeCom Adapter.
It can be easily connected and disconnected, allowing a pilot to leave his/her seat without
needing to remove the headset or disconnect the FreeCom adapter from the aircraft's main
panel (e.g. for getting out of the plane while keeping a hearing protection).
uTo open: pull apart the connector housing (never pull on the cables!)
uTo close: the white markings on both connector housings must be aligned and then pushed
together (Fig 18).
uDo not turn on the cable screw jonts.
uDo not fold the cable (Fig 19).
uNever pull any connector by the cable! This may damage the cable and the connector and
cause communication problems.
Fig 18
Fig 19

16
E Important User Information
uThis headset is providing ambient sound awarness with a volume limited to a level of 82
(+/2) dB(A). Check correct operation before use. If distortion or failure is detected, refer to
the manufacturer’s advice for maintenance and replacement of the battery.
uPerformance may deteriorate with battery usage. While headset communication is
always possible also with low battery or without any battery, the intercom volume
control and the ambient awareness only work with a correctly functioning battery.
The typical period of continuous use that can be expected from the applied battery
type AAA is 150 hours. When the battery is too low (or not present), the system still
provides passive hearing protection and intercom works without volume control.
uIf it is not used for prolonged time (for example during winter), remove the battery from
the control box.
uPut on, adjust, clean and maintain your headset in accordance with these instructions;
otherwise, you may adversely impact the noise protection provided.
uThe ear molds are reusable. They should be inspected regularly for serviceability.
uThe material and design of the ear molds is long-lasting. Nevertheless, the shape of your
ear canal may change over time (e.g. if your body weight changes significantly). This could
adversely affect the sealing of the ear molds and thereby the provided attenuation.
uFor full protection, you must wear the ear molds correctly during all exposure to loud noise.
uFreeCom 7100 is equipped with a built-in ear speakers for reproducing sound. Verify that
this feature is operating correctly before use and ensure that the sound emitted does not
exceed the values known to constitute a risk to hearing.
uThe output of the FreeCom 7100 ear speakers may exceed the daily limit sound level.
uCertain chemical substances may be harmful to this product. Contact the manufacturer
for more information.

17
uHearing protection devices can block out warning sounds, alarms, and other important
signals. Always pay extra attention to your surroundings when wearing hearing protection.
uKeep your clean FreeCom 7100 in the pouch provided before and after use, as well as
during transport. Store in a dry place at temperatures not below -20°C or above +60°C.
uYour headset should not be used when there is a risk that the connecting cords could
become caught up during use.
uNever use the device without the earJack™ adapters correctly inserted into the
custom-made ear molds. Verify that they are mounted according to these instructions
before use.
E Important User Information
F Technical Data
FreeCom 7100 has been tested according to EN352-7:2002 for Hearing Protectors, Part 7:
Ear-plugs with level dependent attenuation. The tables below list test results according to
ear shell type. Tables 1 and 2 list only passive (electronic system switched-o) attenuation
values. When the system is switched on, ambient sounds are reproduced by the ear speakers
up to a maximum level of 84dBA. The criteria levels (H, M, L) listed in Tables 1a and 2a
represent the noise exposure at which in-ear sound pressure rst exceeds 85 dBA with
electronic attenuation switched on.

18
F Technical Data
SNR | Single Number
Rating attenuation value
L | Low-frequency
attenuation value
M | Medium-frequency
attenuation value
H | High-frequency
attenuation value
APV | Assumed
Protection Value
Table 1: Passive attenuation values for the FreeCom 7100 headset with the CUSTOM ear molds.
Frequency (Hz) Mean
attenuation (dB)
Standard
deviation (dB)
APV (dB)
125 21.8 5.2 16.7
250 21.9 5.2 16.7
500 21.1 5.8 15.3
1000 26.7 4.0 22.8
2000 32.7 3.5 29.2
4000 29.8 3.4 26.5
8000 31.7 4.7 27.0
SNR=24 L=18 M=20 H=27
Table 1a: Criteria levels for FreeCom 7100 with CUSTOM ear shells.
H108 dB .
M105 dB .
L98 dB .

19
F Technical Data
SNR | Single Number
Rating attenuation value
L | Low-frequency
attenuation value
M | Medium-frequency
attenuation value
H | High-frequency
attenuation value
APV | Assumed
Protection Value
Table 2: Passive attenuation values for the FreeCom 7100 with GENERIC ear shells with silicone eartips
Frequency (Hz) Mean
attenuation (dB)
Standard
deviation (dB)
APV (dB)
125 23.4 3.6 19.8
250 21.4 4.2 17.2
500 20.5 2.5 18.0
1000 22.7 3.5 19.2
2000 27.0 3.0 24.0
4000 23.1 4.2 18.9
8000 26.4 4.8 21.6
SNR=22 L=19 M=19 H=21
Table 2a: Criteria levels for FreeCom 7100 with GENERIC ear shells with silicone eartips.
H102 dB .
M104.5 dB .
L101.5 dB .

20
uHeadphone: according to regulation RTCA/DO-214
uMicrophone
UDirectivity: noise-canceling
UMax. sound pressure (@ 10% THD): 120dBA
uLoudspeaker systems
UType of loudspeaker: Balanced Armature
UDC bias voltage: decoupled
UMax sound pressure (ambient): 84dBA
UMax sound pressure (communication): 98dBA
UFrequency range: 500Hz – 4.4kHz
USpeaker impedance DCR: 48Ω
uPower source
UCommunication: Aircraft audio panel (no batteries)
UDynamic hearing protection & ambient awareness:
Battery powered, 1 battery type AAA
uVoltage
UAircraft audio panel: 4-20 V (MIC biasing)
UBattery powered: 1-1.5V (alkaline or rechargeable)
uHeadset weight: 75g
uStorage temperature: -20°C - +60°C
uOperations temperature: -20°C - +60°C
F Technical Data

21
G Troubleshooting
G1 Communication
Problem: No communication possible
uCheck that the headset's QD-connectors are connected correctly.
uCheck that the headset's connector is inserted correctly in aircraft panel.
uCheck that the aircraft panel volume controls are not set too low.
uCheck the aircraft fuse of circuit breaker.
uTry using the headset in a different headset socket.
uDisconnect the QD-connectors and check for damage of connector or pins.
uCheck if the connectors from the earJack adapters are correctly attached to the
cables of the control box (connectors with safety break points).
uDisconnect the headset connector from aircraft panel and check for connector
or pin damage.
uTry to use another headset. If the problem persists then it is probably aircraft
panel related. If you conclude it is a headset problem, contact an authorized
Phonak dealer.
Problem : Beginning of sentence are cut (boom microphone switching on too late)
uIf VOX system is activated on the audio pannel (in which the intercom becomes
active automatically when a crew member begins to speak), adjust the VOX
sensitivity by turning the dedicated knob.
Problem: Beep every 30 seconds in headset
uBattery is on low level 1 replace battery (section C3)
Problem: Beep every 5 seconds in headset
uBattery is on low level 2 replace battery (section C3)
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