Steve Campbell Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Hi all, Just getting ready for a skiing holiday and unpacked the 2 way radios which got me thinking....I'm probably crazy.....but.... Once a year I go on a weekend away track day ...usually 5 cars in convoy. We normally communicate stops / problems by the usual method of flashing lights, tight formation and shouting at the traffic lights 😬. It generally works but there have been times when someone gets left behind at the lights and there is no clear place to pull over for a number of miles so tail end charlie can catch up. Most of us listen to music via ipod / iphone on the move to protect our ears and enjoy some good driving music. Is it possible to have an ipod AND two way radio fed into the headsets so "leader" could buzz "tail end charlie" on the two way radio ? Not sure sound quality would be any good but was just wondering on the techy bit of output from 2way and ipod going into a reversed Y piece into your headsets...I know you can get these so 2 people can listen to one output ? ...any audio techies care to comment on the feasibility or anyone tried it ? PS....I know we would only use these when we are stopped ! Edited by - steve campbell on 19 Feb 2013 19:32:15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mort Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 It's a standard feature on my (old) Autocom system. I would expect that the current Autocom and Starcom systems still support it. You can use it hands free using a talk button or have it voice activated. You don't actually need it though, as it's currently perfectly legal to use a PMR, hand held, in a car. Edited by - Mort on 19 Feb 2013 19:40:51 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 We use PMR extensively through the Autocom system. Very useful when touring or blatting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Plato Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 we use cb radios with an ear piece Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgrigsby Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 We use PMR integrated with an Autocom, loads of people on the se7ens list have these with both Autocom and Starcom integration. It works very well. It's worth getting a half decent PMR radio though, have a look on ebay for a Vertex or Icom(?) I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mav Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Pmr with my autocom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted February 19, 2013 Leadership Team Share Posted February 19, 2013 I'm in the process of installing an Autocom/Radio setup in the 7 the same as the system I use on the motorbike. The radio I use is the Kenwood TK-3310 Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmobbs Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 Highly recommend throat mic with TXL 446 radio. Got the mic from Hong Kong (Radio Banker, medium duty throat mic on eBay at £14.50) really good quality item - works well with Txl 446 from Maplin (£54.00). Built two channel mixer that allows you to turn up/down/off iPod/iPhone. I use Etymotic in ear phones in place of acoustic tube from headset. Almost immune from background noise, vox works well. Autocom sounds great but needed two setups and cost was too high..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 Another se7ens list Autocom user here... As Rob has said, car-to-car comms are used extensively on the tours these days. I still haven't managed to get mine to overcome the mic issues I have at speed with the aeroscreens, but otherwise they are very useful. I'm not sure where the problem lies exactly - we have to have the vox setting at a pretty-high level to avoid the wind opening the mic at unwanted times (it's very annoying generally if you've got it set too low - let alone when hooked up to a transmitter) - but can generally communicate OK inside the car using the headsets. Reportedly, the intelligibility of our transmissions is very poor at speed though - even with 'noise cancelling' mics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted February 20, 2013 Leadership Team Share Posted February 20, 2013 Myles, are you using a full-face helmet or just a headset? With an aeroscreen you're going to struggle to get the voice/vox balance you want with a high level of wind pressure on the back of the mic. It needs to be protected by something such like a helmet chin piece. You might achieve something better by fully encapsulating the back of the mic? Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Campbell Posted February 20, 2013 Author Share Posted February 20, 2013 Hi all, Don't want to go so far as autocom / starcom as this would need set-up on 5 cars (we all take turns in being tail end charlie but we usually have 1 squadron leader ). Back to my original post...is there a simple way to do this that only includes having the 2 way radio, a head set, ipod with some wire 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted February 20, 2013 Leadership Team Share Posted February 20, 2013 .... as mentioned my radio is a Kenwood TK3301. For the most basic setup I'd buy something like this earpiece. Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxdog Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Stu Have you used that MIC in a car I have one here and never thought about using on the move? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxdog Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Steve what model is your pmr radio? Don't think you'll have much luck with a T piece in the output side, but it might be possible to fashion something together..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted February 21, 2013 Leadership Team Share Posted February 21, 2013 Quoting maxdog: Stu Have you used that MIC in a car I have one here and never thought about using on the move? No. My radio came with a very basic earpiece but I haven't used it because I have my helmet fully wired to the Kenwood radio via the Autocom (Motorbike). It's tempting to try one at that price though! I'm really impressed with the clarity of the radio on my bike setup so my intention is to install exactly the same in the 7. Also the ability to have clear communication over any kind of distance is dependent upon the radio and radio-install itself, legally they are power-limited and unless you butcher the radio and start changing the aerial you have to work with what you have. We've found bike to bike is good up to around 500m, beyond that communication tends to break up. I was recommended to get a Kenwood radio and it's been brilliant .... of course each person only needs to buy one not a pair! Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxdog Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 I have a modified similar version of that earhanger. (ie earpiece removed and an inline jack instead for use with moulded earpieces). I use it in pIt lane environment on long days when I don't want to use a Peltor headset, from experience it doesn't cope well with wind noise and high ambients doubt it would work well in a 7 unless you slowed down when using it.... Not used a TK3301 does the aerial unscrew to leave an SMA connector or is it fixed? Big thumbs up for Kenwood been using them for years! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted February 21, 2013 Leadership Team Share Posted February 21, 2013 Quoting maxdog: Not used a TK3301 does the aerial unscrew to leave an SMA connector or is it fixed? Fixed aerial to restrict the transmission power to within legislative limits. However .... a google search will show how to remove it and fit an SMA connector which will enable a much greater transmit distance! Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myothercarsa2cv Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 So who's going to make an app that you can plug your iphone in to a radio, and use the iphone for music, radio for radio, and the music volume is automatically lowered when the radio is in use? 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxdog Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Steve sorry seem to have gone a bit OT Anyhow the problem with using a Y adapter in the scenario you suggest is that it joins the audio Power Amp in the radio with the PA in the iPod so, if your lucky it might be usable or if your unlucky you may blow the PA in the radio, the ipod or both. Thats without going into impedance issues etc........ There are a few options depending if the users are wearing helmets or not. Im on business in Barcelona until next Sunday i've PM'd my contact details give me a call if you want to discuss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Campbell Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 The 2 way radio I have is this one : here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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