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Reviews For: Heil "The Traveler Boomset"

Category: Headphones & Boom-microphone Headsets

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Review Summary For : Heil "The Traveler Boomset"
Reviews: 45MSRP: 89.00
Description:
Heil's headset for the 706
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.heilsound.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00453.2
HB9CPW Rating: 2003-04-27
Keep your money Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought it for my FT-817. Never had a Heil product. First thing i noticed was a BULKY cable from an 8pin-microphone plug to an RJ45 and a 3.5 mm plug. The 8pin-plug does not fit smooth to the 8 pin adapter. The screw on the plug has not the correct size for the adapter. For to go portable the cable is a shame, you can be sure that this will fail. After some tests (5 minutes) the UP-key didn't come out again... This part was much to expensive for it's quality. My dealer would have to send it back from Switzerland to Germany, which is more expensive... i put it down in the basement, so it's out of sight. Maybe i'll change the cable and add a simple PTT button. I allways thought that Heil is world class ? This product is not.
VA3BJD Rating: 2003-02-08
Keep the box you'll need it. Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Well the unit has finally failed to the point I cannot use it. The up down buttons stopped working a couple of months ago. I don't use them so I said, so what. But now the microphone won't key up the radio and the audio no longer comes through the earphones...unless the PTT is pushed!!?? So back it goes for the second time.
M0AWS Rating: 2003-01-26
No good for Portable operations using an FT817 ! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought the Traveler headset at the Picketts Lock rally, London from W&S.

The first one they supplied had faulty Up/Down buttons, they didn't work at all when connected to my trusty FT817.

The replacement headset appeared to work OK at first until I started getting terrible audio reports on some bands. Further investigation proved that the headset suffers from terrible RF Breakthrough especially on 10m SSB regardless of antenna used. (Vertical, Balanced Dipole, beam etc etc)

I emailed Bob Heil direct who replied saying that I needed to use a real antenna, when I asked for a description of a "Real Antenna" I got no reply ... I was hoping for better !

Anyways, needless to say the headset went back and I got a full refund. Since I want to use the FT817 whilst out portable in the caravan with various antennas from verticals held up by kites / balloons, Cushcraft R7000 vertical, G5RV dipoles etc it was obvious that the traveler headset hadn't been tested in a near field environment nor was it really suitable for the FT817 which aparently it had been designed for, after all how many people buy an FT817 only to use it at home with a 200FT mast and 20 element beam !
KD5PEK Rating: 2002-11-08
Works OK Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This headset seems to be a bunch of compromises. The PTT is located where it is to accomodate clipping the switch to something and also as a hand switch. I agree with a previous post that the headset won't stay adjusted, but so what, it's easy to fix with one hand. The ear pad is comfortable and audio reports with my ICOM 706 were very good. Afer a 3000 mile trip I sometimes wore it around my neck with the mike adjusted in from of my mouth. Worked OK. My biggest problem was pressing the up/dn switch when trying to clip on the PTT when I heard a good DX station. Bob Heil told me how to disable the up/dn buttons to fix that problem - just my preference. Overall I'm happy with what I have in the Traveler. No quality problems with my unit.
KD6JLS Rating: 2002-08-28
OK for hiking, but that's about it Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I got this headset to use with my FT-817, because the stock mic from Yeasu is pretty weak. Reports were that Heil mic elements would improve signal readability, a big plus when you only have 5 Watts. And the headset seemed like a good idea for a companion to a backpacking radio.

Well, it does seem to improve SSB contacts, but I get terrible sound reports when checking into local FM nets. Also, as the previous review noted, quality control is lacking. Right out of the box there is some intermittent connection that I have to track down, and the headset itself is flimsy, uncomfortable, and readjusts itself with the slightest movement. Also, I agree that the PTT button is in the wrong place. Should be much closer to the headset. As it stands now, I have to clip the PTT button on to my belt, and still leave tons of cable dangling.

I may continue to use this headset when hiking, but I would VASTLY prefer a simple speaker mic with a Heil element. For any other operating, it's back to the stock mic for me.