A PA28 STUDENT PLT LOSES RADIO CONTACT WITH THE TWR IN THE TFC PATTERN AT BDR; CT.

Narrative

WHILE IN THE PATTERN AT BDR; I CALLED THE TWR TO TELL THEM I WAS MIDFIELD R DOWNWIND RWY 6. WHEN I DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY XMISSION FROM THE TWR; I HAD ALREADY COMPLETED 5 STOP-AND-GOES. I CHKED MY HEADSET; PULLED OUT THE JACKS; PUSHED THEM BACK IN -- STILL NO COM. I LOOKED TO THE TWR FOR LIGHT SIGNALS; SAW NONE. THEN I DECIDED TO CLB TO 1700 FT MSL TO TRY TO FIX THE PROB. I TRIED THE MIKE IN THE ACFT -- STILL NO COM. I RE-ENTERED THE PATTERN AFTER LOOKING FOR TFC; THEN I SAW THE GREEN LIGHT SIGNAL FROM THE TWR. I PROCEEDED TO LAND AND EXITED THE RWY AT TXWY B. I SAW THE GREEN LIGHT TO TAXI AND I TAXIED TO MY PARKING SPOT. AS I PULLED INTO MY PARKING SPOT; MY HEADSET STARTED WORKING. I ASKED AN INSTRUCTOR TO CHK OUT THE RADIO WITH THE TWR. HE DID; AND THEY WORKED OK. CONSENSUS IS MY HEADSET MAY BE AT FAULT. I WILL HAVE THE HEADSET CHKED OUT BY AVIONICS SHOP; AND IF NEED BE; SEND IT BACK TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE TWR ASKED ME TO CALL. I DID; AND I EXPLAINED MY SIT. I TOLD ATC I DIDN'T SEE THE GREEN LIGHT ON DOWNWIND THE FIRST TIME; BUT I DID THE SECOND. ATC HAD CLRED TFC FOR ME UNTIL I LANDED. IT'S A GOOD THING TFC WAS VERY LIGHT. 4 HRS LATER: I JUST RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE ARPT FLYING CLUB. IT SEEMS THE NEXT PERSON WHO FLEW THE PLANE LOST HIS RADIOS ON THE GND. THE PLANE HAS BEEN GNDED FOR REPAIR. IT WASN'T MY HEADSET AFTER ALL.