Headsets & communication

[Greg]

I've been checking out the idea of an affordable Headset for Spotter & Driver communication and..... there's NO such thing!

The cheapest & closest alternative is to use a set of $60 Motorolla handheld 2 way radios, buy 2 Headsets and a duplex box (Both can speak & hear at the same time) all for well over $150 thru Radio Shack! Even then, there's about a 1 sec. lag in when you speak & when the microphone turns on. So, it's about useless for competition.

The 'Do it Right' option is a kit put together by Rock Buggy Supply-

$550!!

There's a 2nd alternative from RBS for $880!!!!

RBS Headsets


Anyone have ideas??

I'm looking for: Instant communication, reliability and a decent price.

 

[Todd Adams]

Greg,
At one point we thought of banning the radios just because the yelling the spotter and driver do gets the crowd more involved. I would guess that the teams that use them like to take the crowd out, but having tried them in competition with Linda I prefer not to use them. Just my $.02 worth.
Todd

 

[Greg]

Greg,
At one point we thought of banning the radios just because the yelling the spotter and driver do gets the crowd more involved. I would guess that the teams that use them like to take the crowd out, but having tried them in competition with Linda I prefer not to use them. Just my $.02 worth.
Todd

I definatley see your point... but I'm not much a yeller.

I want to try a quality setup, because I think quick, accurate information is very important during competition. It gives you that much more advantage over the guy who's shouting. These days, any advantage is a very good thing.


NASCAR, Indy & others use radio communication that the Fans can tune in & listen to! How cool would that be during a RockCrawl comp? Listening to John Bundrant's spotter telling him when to hit it & when to turn!

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Carl and I used them down at the Supercrawl... they were essential...

You get a rig hangin sideways with the spotter on the other end of the strap, out of view of the driver, you need em'... The crowd, the engines, the tires squeeling, and the announcers!!! are WAY to loud...

 

[trailrunner]

I Have Been Working With Collett Electronics In Canada.they Make Radios That Velcro To Your Helmets.they Use Them For Motorcycles And Snowmobiles.they Also Have Crewchief Sets Available.i Talked To Them Yesterday, And They Are Suppose To Be Sent Out This Week.they Run About 200.00 Each.they Said They Are Going To Set Up A Rockcrawler Section So We Do Not Get The Same Freq.i Will Let You Know How They Work When I Get Them.

 

[I Lean]

Carl and I used them down at the Supercrawl... they were essential...

You get a rig hangin sideways with the spotter on the other end of the strap, out of view of the driver, you need em'... The crowd, the engines, the tires squeeling, and the announcers!!! are WAY to loud...

Yup, definitely helps a ton. FWIW, I didn't like the price of the "good" radios either--so I've just got a cheap/standard 2-way set. Kurt's was set on VOX, max sensitivity, so it was basically transmitting the whole time. I could hear him talking, but couldn't talk back. When I needed to talk to him, I'd just yell.

 

[skulltoy]

This is the system we use. We are very happy with it. It was built entirely for our sport. These were not an option for us, but a must. Aaron can't hear what I tell him to do if I am sitting shotgun, the exhaust is way too loud.

They are pricey though.

http://www.pciraceradios.com/catalog/default.aspx?ProductID=10348

 

[Ryan]

After 2 or 3 years spotting for Chris without them, I would definitely try to get some if you can swing it. It's not like you can't be successful without them, heck, we ended up 3rd in the series last year, but I honestly think we could have ended up maybe 2nd in the series, or at least a place or two higher at most events. There was at least a cone or 2 at each event that I felt we could have avoided if we had headsets. Most were when Chris was on the throttle on a climb, and couldn't hear me screaming at the top of my lungs when he was heading for a cone. Sure, you can stand in good view of the driver and wave him off, but the driver is rarely looking at much else but the rock in the middle of a big steep climb.

We tried the motorola talkabouts with the hands free headsets, and if you got used to them they could work, but we had no practice using them, and Chris was understandably not to excited about breaking them in during the series final.

We did okay without them, but it KILLED me. Non-stop yelling, in 100+ degree weather, wearing a black uniform(my choice ), packing rocks, pulling ropes, climbing cliffs----it wears on you. I'm far from in shape, and I felt like dying after most obstacles. The one obstacle we did with the headsets, I was fine--ready to hit the next one. Chris didn't think it made much difference, and to him it probably didn't, but it made a HUGE difference for me.

The yelling seems to take a lot more out of you than you might think. At least it did for a big, fat, lazy guy like me, LOL.

BTW, good luck next season. Amy and I hope to make it out to a few events. I don't know how I'll handle actually WATCHING an event, LOL.

 

[Greg]

Carl & Kurt- What brand of radios & headsets were you using? Did you buy the stuff locally?

$1400!! I wish I had the cash, it looks like a great system.

Ryan, you're awsome. I have some big shoes to fill... (Don't you wear a size 13.5?) I'm way convinced about using radios, but like you said, you need to practice with them. If you get sick of watching, I'll 'twist my ankle' and you can jump in.

 

[I Lean]

Carl & Kurt- What brand of radios & headsets were you using? Did you buy the stuff locally?

Bought 'em locally, they're just Motorola. Definitely not the ideal system, but for approximately 1/14 the cost of the "good" stuff, they're worth it.

 

[Craig S]

What is the system that most people are using? I have tried the talkabouts with vox and was disapointed. I would like a system that operates like a cell phone that is open for comunication both ways all the time. Maybe cell phones would work with the right head gear. The only problem with cell phones is the signal ,is typically week in areas where competitions are held.

Craig

 

[Caleb]

What is the system that most people are using? I have tried the talkabouts with vox and was disapointed. I would like a system that operates like a cell phone that is open for comunication both ways all the time. Maybe cell phones would work with the right head gear. The only problem with cell phones is the signal ,is typically week in areas where competitions are held.

Craig

from what the guys on POR have said they are either using the set RBS is selling or the set skulltoy posted...I'm not positive but I think both those sets are like a cell phone...

 

[Craig S]

from what the guys on POR have said they are either using the set RBS is selling or the set skulltoy posted...I'm not positive but I think both those sets are like a cell phone...

WHere can RBS be viewed or info gotten?

 

[Caleb]

WHere can RBS be viewed or info gotten?

the very first post

www.rockbuggysupply.com

 

[grinch]

Allright im seeing a major need for an affordable set up... There has to be an electrical guru on this board that can magiver a system togeather for cheap....
Im thinking this person could make some cash in the prosess...

 

[skulltoy]

With our setup I can talk handsfree no buttons to push. Aaron in the rig has a button mounted in the rig that he pushes to talk. This setup works very well for us, as I do all the talking, if he needs to say something he just hits the button.

We are sending ours in to be reworked, mine is currently a headset, and no that spotters are required to wear helmets it won't work. I'm gonna send them the headset and a helmet and they will midify it all to work together.

Anyways keep it in mind that whatever the spotter uses it now has to fit in a helmet.

 

[Bart]

We used radios for the first time last year, and only had it to where I could hear Troy. It made a huge difference and will make more when I can talk back.
Bart

 

[Joel]

regarding the std 2 way radios:
VOX is voice actuated right?
How do you know if you can talk over each other? Are their cheaper radios that allow this feature?

 

[Bart]

regarding the std 2 way radios:
VOX is voice actuated right?
How do you know if you can talk over each other? Are their cheaper radios that allow this feature?

VOX is voice activated, but the cheap ones will trigger with heavy breathing, the spotter kind, not the women. The expensive ones can be adjusted for sensitivity.
Bart

 

[Rick B]

I used to work in 2-way radio. Like most things you get what you pay for. Having duplex capability (talk & listen at the same time like your phone) is essentially having 2 radios in one unit on different frequencies. $1400 for a comercial set is probably about average. Plus there is probably a licensing requirement with the FCC.

Vox capability (voice operated transmit) will always have some delay in the tx. To successfully use it you must learn to loudly vocalize something meaningless before you actually start talking. It will also tx when a loud enough sound is picked up by the microphone. Most people find it somewhat annoying & stop using it.

My sugestion would be to check into the system that NASCAR teams are using. The driver has a tx switch on the steering wheel, and I believe the crew chief has a tx button on his unit clipped to his belt. The microphone and speaker is built into the helmet for the driver. But I'm guessing all but the most financially well off teams will actually be able to afford them.