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Last Saturday when went to shoot some approaches I put on my Lightspeed 30 3G headset. It’s old, but it works (other than annoying me more than once when the batteries failed without warning inside the FAF, resulting in a huge increase in noise just when a distraction is particularly unwelcome). When I checked the sidetone, there was none. Wiggling the wires resulted in intermittent sidetone. Checking with my safety pilot confirmed that the mic was intermittent. I switched to my Peltor 7004 backup set and completed the flight uneventfully. Lightspeed has an excellent reputation for customer service, but they can’t support products forever. A quick check online confirmed they no longer support the 30 3G. So I may be in the market for a replacement, depending on one possible repair establishment (still waiting to hear). And now for the rest of the story…. The Lightspeed is my backup headset, which I was using because my Quiet Technologies Halo headset was in the shop. I bought the Halo headset at least ten years ago at OSH. The wires at both plugs had separated from the insulation, despite the strain relief fittings. When I stopped at the QT booth at OSH last July and told the proprietor, Phil McQuillen, what had occurred, he immediately told me to send them to him. QT has a refurbishment plan, explained on their website ($135 for a complete OH, other repairs billed when the headset is returned). Being in the slow season for flying here in the northwoods, I popped the headset in a USPS Flat Rate Box and mailed it, and an explanatory letter, on 2/6. It arrived at QT on 2/8 (nice work, USPS). I received the repaired headset on Monday, 2/12 (a mere six days after I shipped it off), along with a note indicating there was no charge for repair – not even for return shipping! Talk about one-upping Lightspeed for customer service. The moral of the story: Stop at the QT booth at Oshkosh next July and check out the Halo headset. It’s price is amazingly reasonable, the service is outstanding, and everyone I know who’s bought a set loves it. In fact, they often buy a second set after their SO swipes the first one. Dave