[MOguy]

What works for trail communications.

I am a Jeep guy and we use CB and now more and more FRS/GMRS on the trail. We use a and hand mic and usually the an external speaker in the Jeeps but I don't see that working on a four wheeler. Are there hands free voice activated options that will work for 4 wheelers?

 

[mrbb]

there are a bunch of pretty good systems designed to be worn inside a helmet(and we all should be wearing a helmet when riding our atv's ??)
I have never used any, so won't recommend a brand/model
but countless guys I know use them on snowmobile helmets and on street bikes.
to maybe get a better idea on what works best/better, try maybe browsing some of these sites(street bike, sled forums)
to get latest and greatest one's
many I know are blue tooth set ups
I tend to ride atv's lone, so never had a need for them!

 

[bighanded]

yeah I'm a GMRS guy myself...some of the last of the 5 watters ( and yes I have my license)

I'm not home right now so I can't recall the headsets/earpieces I have for mine..still a press-to-talk deal, but you can at least get the call while riding..not fancy, certainly not like an onboard big road bike system.

I'm old enough to still have my original CB license back when you needed them..and I have a couple handheld hams..one is a cheapo Baofeng, the other is an old trusty Yaesu, but really, a better grade /full power GMRS is going to cover about as well as anything especially when line of sight is an issue, and you aren't looking to be all formal across a repeater etc.

I tend to find myself solo riding as well..and when I am trail riding, it's nose to tail with the other guys..so we just don't need the radios..more of a techy geek thing for me to have a couple in the bag...there, I admit it (grin)

 

[mac102004]

frecom 4's mounted to our helmets. cant beat it. 2 way radio chat, fm radio, bluetooth to phone etc.

 

[_Wilson_]

Interesting thread....

 

[Goober]

I use a set of cardo scala rider Q2 multiset on my motorcycle and it should work with quads too. Except mine only has the intercom for 2 people and separately a third.

Their more expensive models add more “buddies.”

 

[bighanded]

you've got me curious Mac with the Frecomms... I know they've been good on road bikes..clean line of sight stuff...
but I'd love to hear your first hand experience when trail riding, hills, thick woods, etc..things that can really mess with Blutooth

 

[MOguy]

Thanks for all the feedback. I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to research any of it but I will. I just got back from the licensing office paying taxes and other fees on the four wheelers I just got. Now I'm broke.

It is something I'm going to look in and have to handle, I'm tired of trying to yell at my kids to go this way or that way come, that is proving to not be very effective.

 

[mrbb]

Thanks for all the feedback. I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to research any of it but I will. I just got back from the licensing office paying taxes and other fees on the four wheelers I just got. Now I'm broke.

It is something I'm going to look in and have to handle, I'm tired of trying to yell at my kids to go this way or that way come, that is proving to not be very effective.

well maybe not a perfect idea, but you can also teach your kids, basic hand signals, can also add some hand held radio's many have 2-5-+ mile ranges, just in case one gets separated, tell em STOP and wait!
a good set of mirrors do wonders keeping track of folks behind you,(helps you NOT get re ended if you use em)
and they do also sell turn signals you ca ad to things.
just some idea's , for those that ride insight of each other, the radio's do work in hills and Mt's pretty good, pending what hand held one's you get!

and don't forget, almost every one seems to have a phone these days that you can call if anyone gets lost too!

 

[_Wilson_]

cheapo Baofeng

what type did you get ? I have 4 ..... Never had a single issue with any of them , i have a helmet setup hands free vox operation (works perfectly) I've reached a distance of five miles with my high power 82 hp i wouldn't pass on a boafeng ... You can adjust about anything from power, sqelch, vox , dcs/ctcss tone, covers frs,gmrs,murs., they'll easily over talk those cheep handy talkies cobra , unidine , and even some motorola units I have also programmed one of mine to local emergency service repeater.... So i wouldn't pass on a boafeng ..... I would how ever do my research 1st.

 

[MOguy]

[

Thanks for all the feedback. I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to research any of it but I will. I just got back from the licensing office paying taxes and other fees on the four wheelers I just got. Now I'm broke.

It is something I'm going to look in and have to handle, I'm tired of trying to yell at my kids to go this way or that way come, that is proving to not be very effective.

well maybe not a perfect idea, but you can also teach your kids, basic hand signals, can also add some hand held radio's many have 2-5-+ mile ranges, just in case one gets separated, tell em STOP and wait!
a good set of mirrors do wonders keeping track of folks behind you,(helps you NOT get re ended if you use em)
and they do also sell turn signals you ca ad to things.
just some idea's , for those that ride insight of each other, the radio's do work in hills and Mt's pretty good, pending what hand held one's you get!

and don't forget, almost every one seems to have a phone these days that you can call if anyone gets lost too!

I don't want to encourage them to take their arms of the handle bars. I was wanting hands free or maybe a talk button on the handle bar.

I already have GMRS and few FRS radios. I was hope for some sort of Mic earpiece setup designed to go under the helmet.

They know to stop when we come to forks in the road. We are getting better at not following to close or get to seperated.

 

[LedFTed]

following too close, is a lesson well learned. with cars the 3 second rule applies. with atvs?, keep your eyes open, stay what, least 40 feet, in the woods. ah aint hit anyone yet. i have run into objects that dont move. that plow was in tall grass, i couldnt see it. probably what bent the front bumper in. i was only going 20 or so. stayed on the atv :grin
it was a sudden stop. the plow didnt move. it was the kind that goes on the front of a tractor.
i cant say andy, wasnt laughing a lot, was his plow.
nice plow.
didnt put a scratch in it, i did.

 

[MOguy]

cheapo Baofeng

what type did you get ? I have 4 ..... Never had a single issue with any of them , i have a helmet setup hands free vox operation (works perfectly) I've reached a distance of five miles with my high power 82 hp i wouldn't pass on a boafeng ... You can adjust about anything from power, sqelch, vox , dcs/ctcss tone, covers frs,gmrs,murs., they'll easily over talk those cheep handy talkies cobra , unidine , and even some motorola units I have also programmed one of mine to local emergency service repeater.... So i wouldn't pass on a boafeng ..... I would how ever do my research 1st.

What head set did you get. I have a cheap O baofang and a couple cobra 2 watts that would work.

 

[mrbb]

[

Thanks for all the feedback. I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to research any of it but I will. I just got back from the licensing office paying taxes and other fees on the four wheelers I just got. Now I'm broke.

It is something I'm going to look in and have to handle, I'm tired of trying to yell at my kids to go this way or that way come, that is proving to not be very effective.

well maybe not a perfect idea, but you can also teach your kids, basic hand signals, can also add some hand held radio's many have 2-5-+ mile ranges, just in case one gets separated, tell em STOP and wait!
a good set of mirrors do wonders keeping track of folks behind you,(helps you NOT get re ended if you use em)
and they do also sell turn signals you ca ad to things.
just some idea's , for those that ride insight of each other, the radio's do work in hills and Mt's pretty good, pending what hand held one's you get!

and don't forget, almost every one seems to have a phone these days that you can call if anyone gets lost too!

I don't want to encourage them to take their arms of the handle bars. I was wanting hands free or maybe a talk button on the handle bar.

I already have GMRS and few FRS radios. I was hope for some sort of Mic earpiece setup designed to go under the helmet.

They know to stop when we come to forks in the road. We are getting better at not following to close or get to seperated.

well in snowmobiles, again,, hand signals are used ONLY when things are safe to do so? it just adds some info to others when you can and helps keep folks knowing some more than NO signals!

safety is always a area of concern, but they can be used still and safely at times< and as kids get better at riding, it is still an option IMO!

I know of NO completely hands free system either, at some point a hand will have to come off the bars to activate a mic or??
so again it comes back to using common sense on when to use things, ONLY when safe to do so> all comes from seat time and experience!
I used t trail ride for hours using only one arm, (held dog with other LOL)
BUT if needed would stop, slow or and use both, as again, some times its again about doing what';s needed when its needed and NOT doing something when its NOT safe!
I was only giving an option that is FREE< if a budget is a issue?

 

[MOguy]

There are hands free setups but I just didn't know how they would work with all the other noise. I was wondering if anybody had success using any of them. We use hand signals like you use in a car but I am usually not in front so they won't see mine. If we had to "key" the mike was hoping for a setup were the bottom could be mounted on the handle bars.

Above people have mentioned a few setup but they are expensive.

 

[_Wilson_]

What head set did you get. I have a cheap O baofang and a couple cobra 2 watts that would work.

Eh..... I'd forget about those cobra handy talkies.

How well do you know the boafeng ? Lol there tricky to manually program correctly, but well worth it! Here's three of mine.... The acoustic tube throat mic gets used the most on rides (right hand pic) ..... And a NOTE- Each one of these will work on vox . (Hands free)

Bluetooth communicates on a frequency of 2.45 gigahertz (actually between 2.402 GHz and 2.480 GHz, to be exact). With an average range of 35 feet (from what little i know) but I WILL be looking into frecom

 

[MOguy]

What head set did you get. I have a cheap O baofang and a couple cobra 2 watts that would work.

Eh..... I'd forget about those cobra handy talkies.

How well do you know the boafeng ? Lol there tricky to manually program correctly, but well worth it! Here's three of mine.... The acoustic tube throat mic gets used the most on rides (right hand pic) ..... And a NOTE- Each one of these will work on vox . (Hands free)

Bluetooth communicates on a frequency of 2.45 gigahertz (actually between 2.402 GHz and 2.480 GHz, to be exact). With an average range of 35 feet (from what little i know) but I WILL be looking into frecom

I really don't know anything about the baofeng radios. I had a friend program it for me. I keep the baofeng and cobras locked on Channel 4(FRS).

We got the cobras because they're great for kayaking, they float and are waterproof. They're only 2 watts and the range isn't that bad, it is more than adequate for our trail riding.

I was hoping for a plug and play head set.

 

[_Wilson_]

You should be able to get a plug and play boom mic set for those cobra radios, whats model ??

# so you stay on 462.6375 mhz ?? You can have your friend add that easily .... I have my smallest radio (uv-5r) loaded with the complete (frs) band., boafeng radios are weather proof, but NOT waterproof and they'll sink like a rock....lol

What I'd do (in you case) ..... Have your friend program that in.... And y'all try um out before you invest in any kind mic setup ... You'll notice the audio output deference between the two.

 

[_Wilson_]

I don't want to encourage them to take their arms of the handle bars. I was wanting hands free or maybe a talk button on the handle bar.

My bad... I forgot to say with the throat mic setup is ether ptt OR vox so... You might be able to mount the switch to the handle bar depending on the reach (never tryed it on mine) ..... from the throat boom to the switch is 32 inches .... I don't think that's enough room for steering and body movement .....

 

[MOguy]

I don't want to encourage them to take their arms of the handle bars. I was wanting hands free or maybe a talk button on the handle bar.

My bad... I forgot to say with the throat mic setup is ether ptt OR vox so... You might be able to mount the switch to the handle bar depending on the reach (never tryed it on mine) ..... from the throat boom to the switch is 32 inches .... I don't think that's enough room for steering and body movement .....

VOX would be ideal. I just didn't know if there would be too much ambient noise from the four wheelers running around and all the noise they're generating for VOX to work effectively.