Hello,

This is always a great topic as so many people have a lot of suggestions. Could I have the link to the radioshack microphone that you purchased Julie? I have a Freedom Cochlear Implant and use a Phonak Smartlink FM transmitter. Currently, I have to use the adapter that connects to the bottom of the Phonak transmitter that connects external extensions. I plug in the  audio cable to connect to an amplifier that I had made. The amplifier has an output with a microphone bud. This is where I then put the hearing aid connected to a bulb. The hearing aid sound goes through the amplifier, then through the FM transmitter. However, whenever I put this microphone bud that is plugged into the amplifier, directly into the adapter of the SmartLink it never pick ups the hearing aid. I think it has to do with the level not being loud enough to trigger the SmartLink into "Audio" mode. I really want to find a microphone that I can just directly plug into the SmartLink adapter that will trigger the FM transmitter into "audio" mode. Has anyone found something like this? I would really like to reduce the equipment I have to carry in my pocket by getting rid of this amplifier.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Mark

On Jan 10, 2008 11:42 AM, Julia Fitzer <fitzerjulie@yahoo.com> wrote:

Jessica,

I have a CI, too.
What I did was buy a microphone from radioshack that
can plug into my processor- you can do this with a
microphone from a FM system, too.
Buy two stethosets, they are about $24 online. Cut
the tubing from one so you have a tube with the rubber
on one end. Put the rubber from the other stethoset
on the other end so you wind up with a tube with
rubber tips on both ends. Tape one rubber end on the
microphone, and plug the microphone into your
processor. Put hearing aid into the other end.
You can use this to do quick checks of insert
earphones, too- put a pediatric tip on the insert
earphone and put the tip in the rubber.
It helps if you can have a program with a 0/100 mixing
ratio, meaning your processor only gets the sound from
the auxiliary input. I find that otherwise I can't
separate out what's coming from the aid and what's
coming from the processor.
If you have a FM system, you can also plug the
microphone contraption as described above into the
transmitter.
I find that it's easier to hear the sound level
difference for directionality if I rub my hand or an
index card on a table and turn the aid- I'm not real
confident that I really keep my voice at one level for
that check and can separate out what I'm hearing of my
voice directly and what I am hearing from the aid
being checked. You could also just have some speakers
on a computer and play some sound files to listen for
it.
Julie

--- Jessica Levine <jessica.l.levine@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I am a first year AuD student at Northwestern and I
> am just starting to get
> my "feet wet" in the clinic. How do you use a
> stethoset with your cochlear
> implant during a listening check on a hearing aid?
> Anyone who has a freedom
> or nucleus device would be the most helpful. I have
> bilateral cochlear
> implants (one freedom and one N24) but I am open to
> suggestions from a
> unilateral user or other CI brand users.
>
> I looked up on the AMPHL website of how some
> stethosets are made-- but I was
> wondering if there are any other places online that
> I can buy a stethoset
> that is compatible to my CI? Did you have to make
> your own stethoset by
> being creative?
>
> Thanks,
> Jessica
>

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