In Car And Car To Pit Comms

[Duncan]

Surprised this thread doesn't exist yet.

I am looking to redo the comms in the race/rally car, and can't find a lot of local info like what I am doing.

My current setup is terraphone between driver and nav. had it for a few years and still works ok. but doesn't have the extras i am looking for.

What I want is:

Good quality driver to nav incar comms.

Output from incar comms to video camera via simple AV cable. Preferably with seperate volume control

Output from incar comms (driver) to uhf radio with PTT button. Good power for long hilly tracks like bathurst.

Reliable and simple.

Hardwired rather than battery powered if possible.

Who is using what, and who is hapy or not. I guess mostly rally incar users here which I'm not so worried about, would love to hear from anyone who has car to pit comms working well.

[Risking]

Mocomm have a really good package that we have had working 11km's away, I think they quote 7km's though

It's a rechargeable system though not hard wired. I've got one for the GTiR which obviously hasn't been used yet other than playing around with it.

[Duncan]

interesting you should mention mocomm. apparently that is what most of my competitors are using.

http://www.motorsportcommunication.com/default.html

$2500 for 2 hand held cbs and some wires?

I am genuinely looking for reliable and easily installed....but that seems about twice what it is worth.

Similar setup $700 from ebay US: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...RK%3AMEWAX%3AIT

[Risking]

interesting you should mention mocomm. apparently that is what most of my competitors are using.

http://www.motorsportcommunication.com/default.html

$2500 for 2 hand held cbs and some wires?

I am genuinely looking for reliable and easily installed....but that seems about twice what it is worth.

Similar setup $700 from ebay US: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...RK%3AMEWAX%3AIT

I think they retail them for $2500 but your right they are worth half that

Revolution are keeping stock which is real handy for myself.

I can't comment on how well the incar works as haven't tried it properly, The guys swear by it and reckon the clarity is perfect and reception is faultless around the Circuits they have used it at ( including bathurst )

[Risking]

Hahaha go Gus!!

Looked at your eBay link that deal seems pretty good from the states, Ill pm you what I paid.

[fatz]

seems like a good buy

do yuo get two head sets? add is a tad confusing

[Beer Baron]

i've used the mocomm one before. worked ok. I have NFI why the stuff is so expnesive. it looks like one needs a couple of 4watt radios, with chargers, then a set of cans for the crew and earbuds, adapter and mic for the driver. but they all seem to cost money. I'm pretty sure mick at corse used mocomm on at least one of his cars too.

[tjandriesen]

This what I use:

http://www.sampsonracing.com/sampson_racing_new/home_f.htm

I'd suggest at least upgrading to semi-custom ear buds. 4watts gets me coverage all around Road America which is a 4 mile course (so probably 1.5 away from pit row at the furthest).

[Duncan]

omg it's tj! I bet you aren't missing us with some of the tracks you can play on over there. Or are they really 99% ovals afterall?

Thanks for that link it is excellent.

Couple of things I have learned researching this:

1/ Stilo have lost my business. I spoke to all of the oz based online retailers and none could explain anything more than the blurb I could read from their website. Spoke to Stilo in Italy and they were very slow and didn't seem familiar with wanting both in car and car to pit in 1 system.

2/ All of the serious packages use Vertex radios. Mocomm are. The Sampson kit TJ linked are, and the ones I've decided to buy are.

Which brings me to the way I am going. http://www.pmdraceproducts.com/racecommunications.html

These guys are local and make their own intercom and looms, and resell the vertex radios. Still expensive but no worse than the US guys (unlike MoComm who are 100% more but no in car comms).

I am getting VX2200 hard wired in the car so I don't need to deal with recharging etc.

Their kit also comes with prewired loom and push to talk button. Not sure where to mount that yet because my steering wheel is detachable and the boss only allows for a horn button. Might just convert the horn to use as PTT and put the horn on the dash somewhere.

Also comes with their inhouse "Enduro" intercom. Found a couple of people who have happily used them for years, and no-one who is unhappy with them. Will need an adapter for Stilo helmet.

Then this for the pit side of the comms. vertex handheld + noise cancelling earphones.

[zebra]

All you need now is lights and a siren dunc

Looks good and a good price too

[Beer Baron]

looks nice dunc. so what are we talking for a kit like you described? around $1500?

[Neil]

Interesting Duncan,,,seems you have decided to be the guinea-pig,,,thanks mate,,,I thought I was up for that. I don't see an aerial tiger,,,is that extra,,,I only ask because I remember something about tuning the cb to the aerial(SWRing it in or something). Do you know if the in car cb is a single din fit and you have to assume it actually doesn't come with the handheld mic,,,what the hell would we do with that?. I read somewhere about have a licence to use one and that you get access to more chanels if you do,,,pay-tv all over again tiger.

Cheers

Neil.

[Duncan]

yeah mate, is coming with an aerial "to suit". we have talked about the car, roof type, and tracks it will be used at.

I don't want the mic but suspect it will come in the radio box, and what bloody use is din fit when the are already gauges there..hope you have your mounting thinking cap on.

and yeah a little under 1500 which seems ok considering all the bits.

will post up how it goes next year

[DJRIFT]

i had a bit of a think about ways you could go about this cheap after reading it but in reality UHF radios arent cheap when your chasing any sort of quality or reliablity.

the setup i had thought of would still cost at least $1000 in parts plus making it all work together so $1500 there abouts is good value IMHO.

one hot tip thoe. get a big ass 12volt capacitor. not sub woofer spec and wire it into the power suply for the radio/intercom. this will cut out 90% of the engine noise you normaly get. like in wrc.

[sav man]

I was looking at getting one of those intercoms for my gtst, interested to see how it goes.

[Duncan]

Thanks Damo really appreciate that. Obviously a major part of this problem for me is I don't know how to wire it all up myself, so its good to know it looks reasonable for a commercial package. Pretty much everyone retails the vertex radios (here and OS) for $1000+ for the pair so I figured it was in the ballpark.

Re capacitor....you mean in the main 12v supply to the intercom? Can you link me to the sort of capaciter you mean from jaycar or similar?

[zebra]

Flux Capacitor Dunc, Just like what the Nugget has lol

[BoyWhoCriedWolf]

We did a few with some Motorola portables and a savox ptt with the mic and speaker built into the helmet. Worked well. The portable had an antenna adaptor for a centre mount antenna. The new digital gear is amazing, excellent clarity and outstanding battery life. Great kit.

[Duncan]

Haven't updated for a while....because I haven't done much

I ordered the PMD kit with CB and intercom for the in car, and a handheld with headset.

Haven't used it yet (SAU day will be the first), but first impressions are excellent. The PMD stuff is very much heavy duty, a world away from the plastic and lightweight terraphone. Proper connecters at the helmet with locking clasps. Very heavy duty cases, clamps, mounts and wiring. Installation has been simple, the hardest bit was mounting the cb unit.....Neil did an excellent job

[Beer Baron]

looks good dunc. "breaker breaker, this is lunch box.. over" "lunch box this is pig dog, pit this lap... over." "10-4 pig dog, in this lap. over"