Student radios

[coticj 0]

Hello,

we are getting new student radios for our students and I have some questions about the setup.

First which radios would you recommend? I've seen the many threads recommending motorola minitor, but I'm not interested in that.

I was looking something like this or this. Anyone have any experience with these?

And what about mounting options? We've been using headphones until now, but they keep falling out of the students ears or the sound quality is crap. I've seen some mounted on the chest strap and some directly into the helmets. Does anyone have any examples for helmet mounting?

Thank you for your responses,

Jure

http://www.prostipad.si

[tdog 0]

If you want "commercial grade radios" - I like these:

http://www.motorola.com/Business/US-EN/Business+Product+and+Services/Two-Way+Radios+and+Pagers+-+Business/Portable+Radios/On-site+Communications/BPR40_US-EN

We have about 30 in my business and my employees abuse them 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. They just work and work and work. Yet they are cheap enough to throw away when they fail, whereas the next model up is 3X the cost.

At my home DZ, we put the more expensive radio by motorola on the student's cheststrap in a custom sewn case. I know some people that mount radios to helmets, but I wonder, if a GoPro is a snag hazard for a student, would not a radio be the same?

I would love a blue tooth speaker that could be mounted in the helmet that would connect to the radio... But then again, it would be just one more thing to fail.

[riggerrob 558]

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... if a GoPro is a snag hazard for a student, would not a radio be the same? ...

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The challenge is to carve out the foam liner of the (e.g. Pro-Tec) helmet so that the radio is completely internal and the helmet presents a smooth surface to risers, suspension lines, RSL's, static-lines, door handles, etc.

[riggerrob 558]

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... I would love a blue tooth speaker that could be mounted in the helmet that would connect to the radio... But then again, it would be just one more thing to fail.

"

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The challenge of any Blue Tooth, etc. system is to minimize interference from other - similar - nearby radio systems.
For example, when I taught in Nova Scotia, our student radios were on a similar frequency to a local trucking company. It was distracting listening to truck drivers talk to each other. But we all ways feared that some "joker" would tell a student to "cut-away" below a survivable altitude (e.g. too low for the reserve to inflate).

This reminds me of the system that Perris Valley Skydiving School (California) used to use. The radio receiver was hidden (inside the jump-suit) with two wires leading up to separate speakers. The speakers were mounted in the ear holes of Pro-Tec helmets.
Keep in mind that any wire is a "weak point" prone to accidentally disconnect at the worst possible moment.

[Fast 0]

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I was looking something like this or this. Anyone have any experience with these?

We wont use them. Have been involved already in a lawsuit where the radio was blamed and despite resolving that claim successfully it still cost us a bunch of money. That was with using high quality professional grade radios already, which is part of what got us out of the claim.

I own about 8 of the radio you linked in the second link for use as ground coms for staff and they are ok, but the reliability just isn't there when you are considering that someone is listening on the other end of that thing like a hawk to every word you say because they have panicked in freefall and don't remember what to do anymore.

We use the Minotaur radios you mentioned because they simply are very very reliable being that they were designed and tested as EMS/Fire paging units.

Also please keep in mind that a GMRS unit may not be legally used on GMRS channels by a business if you are in the states unless every person has a GMRS license.

I know there are a ton of people out there using radios like that successfully, we just weren't willing to take the risk and deal with the crappy (comparative) quality.

There are lots of options for professional commercial radios that work much better. I would suggest finding someone who sells two-way business equipment and get them to explain the differences. It goes outside the scope of what I can personally explain.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[rmarshall234 13]

>And what about mounting options?

When I was teaching at Elsinore I suggested putting the radios in a pocket sewn to arm of the jumpsuit. Basically, in the bicep / tricep area. So that when the student had their arms up holding onto the toggles, the speaker would be in very close proximity to their ear. The idea never caught on (nor was ever tried) so it's probably not worthwhile. I was never satisfied with the speaker in the ear or the radio on the chest strap solution though.

[coticj 0]

Hey Fast, thank you for your response. So we will have to check out some of the proffesional equipment.

We won't actually be using the radios in the states, so the licensing should not be an issue.

We were thinking of using the protec helmets with the radios mounted on the side.

As for the radios being sewn into the suit, it might pose a problem for the aff students and they might obstruct their movement.

http://www.prostipad.si

[coticj 0]

Quote

If you want "commercial grade radios" - I like these:

http://www.motorola.com/Business/US-EN/Business+Product+and+Services/Two-Way+Radios+and+Pagers+-+Business/Portable+Radios/On-site+Communications/BPR40_US-EN

So do you think that these radios should be loud enough without an additional earpiece either on the cheststrap or inside the helmet? How about the audio quality? Is it clear enough And is the range at least 1.5 miles?

http://www.prostipad.si

[Southern_Man 0]

Quote

When I was teaching at Elsinore I suggested putting the radios in a pocket sewn to arm of the jumpsuit. Basically, in the bicep / tricep area. So that when the student had their arms up holding onto the toggles, the speaker would be in very close proximity to their ear. The idea never caught on (nor was ever tried) so it's probably not worthwhile. I was never satisfied with the speaker in the ear or the radio on the chest strap solution though.

This pocket is the way the radios are done at Skydive Orange, so it is being used at least one place.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[tetra316 0]

Mounting options - duck taped to the top of the protec helmet.

[rmarshall234 13]

>This pocket is the way the radios are done at Skydive Orange

Interesting. Any idea how it is working out for them?

[monkycndo 0]

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>This pocket is the way the radios are done at Skydive Orange

Interesting. Any idea how it is working out for them?

SkyDance in Davis uses the same system of the pocket on the outside of the upper arm.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[NealFitz 0]

our DZ uses radios that go into a pocket which hangs around the neck and is tucked into the jumpsuit. then a pair of headphones are plugged in and placed in the ear with the helmet over it. you wouldnt know it was there

Dudeist Skydiver #170
You do not need a parachute to skydive, you only need one to skydive again

[Southern_Man 0]

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>This pocket is the way the radios are done at Skydive Orange

Interesting. Any idea how it is working out for them?

Well, I'm a fun jumper but not an instructor but it appears to work great. Very easy to hear since it is right next to your ear (from my experience). looks like much less of a snag hazard than the radios on the outside of the helmet I have seen on videos or at a few other drop zones

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[rmarshall234 13]

>SkyDance in Davis uses the same system of the pocket on the outside of the upper arm.

If the oldest dropzone in the nation and a progressive dz like Skydance are using them with success, that's good enough for me.

[Southern_Man 0]

I believe you may be confusing Jumptown in Orange, MA with Skydive Orange in Orange, VA. Skydive Orange has been around a while but not the oldest dropzone in the U.S.

Not the first person who has confuse the two either.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[rmarshall234 13]

Yes, I am. Thanks for the clarification.