Crawdaddy 96 Posted July 19, 2007 While at the bike shop (bicycle shop) the other day I picked up two camel back cell pouches that clip onto the shoulder harness of our camelbaks…… Camelbak Cell Phone Pouch I figure Jarrett and I can wear these for now and clip'em onto our camelbaks when bicycling or motorcycling.....sort of a beta set-up to get a feel for using walkie talkies…..we could've used a set at Bass Lake a couple of weeks ago when we got split up due to crashes, etc. (we stopped at every significant intersection to wait for the rider behind and leap frog down the line but the lead rider would know why it was taking so long for the rider(s) behind him to catch up if we had the walkie talkies......in the absence of walkie talkies we had to simply send one rider ahead to the next guy in line to communicate the message) ........anyway, I figure we'll try it this way for a while and then decide if we want to get helmet headsets…..my friend Gil has the Motocomm.Com set-up for his helmet.....he keeps the Push to Talk (PIT) switch on his left camelbak shoulder strap so he can communicate off the bike rather than putting the PIT switch on the handlebars... I’ll probably swing out and buy a couple of Midland radios sometime this week….might as well get the latest and greatest ~26 mile range units (waterproof)……Midland also sells headsets/mics/pit switch set-ups through FRY’s online for ~$40/set rather than paying ~$60 for the Motocomm.com set up....can't imagine that they're much different....if different at all.... Midland Radios from FRY's Midland Headsets Other suggestions? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sandiegoland 0 Posted July 19, 2007 I would give them a go without any headsets at first. One reason is you can "ring" the other party when you really need them to stop and talk. If someone has a headset on it is painful to be "rung" (it's loud!!). Typically you can talk around a motocross helmet. The headsets are cool for street riding, but the volume, wires, and distractions of riding offroad don't make them much of an advantage. Plus it's usually easy enough to just stop on a trail ride and talk (also keeps unnecessary chatter to a minimum) Good idea on the pouches. I should get a few of those... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
carguy 1 Posted July 20, 2007 That is a good price for the 26 mile range 2 way, is it something that will communicate with most others already in use if on the same frequency? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crawdaddy 96 Posted July 20, 2007 That is a good price for the 26 mile range 2 way, is it something that will communicate with most others already in use if on the same frequency? I don't know the answer to that but I hope so......bought the Midland units noted above on the way home......along with a laptop computer .....I've been wanting to get a laptop to take with me on trips to download photo's/mess with GPS software..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sandiegoland 0 Posted July 20, 2007 That is a good price for the 26 mile range 2 way, is it something that will communicate with most others already in use if on the same frequency? They should work with any of the walkie-talkies using the standard 22 FRS and GMRS channels, but most of the radios people have only have 38 CTCSS (Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System) codes (inaccurately marketed as privacy codes) and not the additional 83 DCS (Digitally Coded Squelch) codes the new radios have. Not really in an issue because you should decide on the channel and code before heading out. The squelch codes are really only needed where there are a lot of radios in use (malls, fairs, etc). As for the 26 mile range... these frequencies pretty much require line of site. Unless you are talking from mountain top to mountain top then they'll cut out pretty quick just like any of the older ones. Even the old ones work pretty far when nothing is between them! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yeti 0 Posted July 20, 2007 For mountain biking I understand why, but why not use Chatterboxes when on the motorcycles? My friends and I use them every time we ride togther. Never had a problem and it's always nice to know that the first rider can let the rest of us know that there are riders ahead and comforting for the last guy to know that if he has a mechanical issue or boffs it he can just call ahead to the others. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chickenheart 0 Posted July 20, 2007 correct me if i'm wrong but in order to take full advantage of the radios range you must be on the gmrs signal which requires an fcc license otherwise it only allows like 8 miles which is still good for us off road. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crawdaddy 96 Posted July 20, 2007 For mountain biking I understand why, but why not use Chatterboxes when on the motorcycles? My friends and I use them every time we ride togther. Never had a problem and it's always nice to know that the first rider can let the rest of us know that there are riders ahead and comforting for the last guy to know that if he has a mechanical issue or boffs it he can just call ahead to the others. I have a Chatterbox MultiSport set up for my road bike......but I only have one chatterbox (my ex gal-pal has the other one for her road bike)......the cost of the 2 Midland radios, inclusive of AC & DC chargers and rechargable battery packs was ~$80..........the cost of another chatterbox Multisport (the basic 2 channel one with 2-5 mile range) is ~$150.....and I can buy helmet headsets/PIT switches for these radios if we choose to go that route........not sure we will since we'll be able to clip the walkie talkies on our Camelbak shoulder straps......not too interested in talking on the fly on my dirtbike........roadbike yes, dirtbike uncertain ..........also, and perhaps more importantly, the range is much better on these walkie talkies than the chatterbox (at least my Chatterbox, it's pretty old)........then again, I think the "range" numbers are derived by some guy in a dark cubicle somewhere .......who knows what the real world range will be.....as SanDiegoLand said, they're probably only truly 26 miles if you're in a line of site scenario like Death Valley or out on a boat or (?).... I did read that you're supposed to have a license to operate the GMRS channels......I don't know anymore about it than that... May test'em out tomorrow..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sandiegoland 0 Posted July 20, 2007 I'm not advising you to not get the license, I have one... ...but it's just a fee. There's no qualification, training, test, or expertise gained in getting one. You're supposed to broadcast your call sign after every conversation (or 5 minutes of use, etc.). How many call signs have you heard listening to GMRS? Test out the radios for awhile. If you find yourself hooked to a GMRS channel (or use GMRS commercially), then look into the license later. Because of the effective range and how far away from the general population you'll be using these, I'm not sure you'll find the GMRS channels that compelling to use. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
