Definition
Unwanted electrical signals that leak from one circuit, wire, or communication channel into another nearby circuit, causing interference or the faint sound of one channel being heard on another.
Plain English
When a signal from one wire or radio channel bleeds into a nearby one and shows up where it shouldn't.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft radio, intercom, audio panel, and electrical troubleshooting discussions.
Derivation
From 'cross' (passing over from one place to another) and 'talk' (in early telephony, the sound of voices). Originally described one phone conversation faintly heard on another line. The aviation use carries the same idea applied to electrical and radio signals.
Why Pilots Care
Crosstalk can mask important ATC instructions or create confusion between crew members, directly affecting situational awareness and safety.
Intuition Check
Cross talk does not just mean two people speaking at the same time. In aircraft systems, it means a signal has leaked into the wrong path.
Example Sentence 1
The pilot reported cross talk between the number one and number two radios after the avionics upgrade.
Example Sentence 2
During the avionics inspection, the technician isolated the source of crosstalk between the two VHF radios.