short range radio

Lonald Casino said:

I have been looking around for small radios that a couple of bikers can
use to keep in contact while biking. Not pro bikers just having fun i
guess distance between bikers is short 300 ft max. and typically 30
feet. I looked at small CB radios ? but they do not allow hands free
use e.g., one I saw you must hold to mouth and no ear phones ??.. Does
anyone know of should a thing.

In the US, you can buy FRS radios that have voice operation features
and work with headsets. The headsets are usually sold separately.
Most sporting goods stores, Lowe's, Home Depot, WalMart and Target all
carry FRS radios, among other places.

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Lonald Casino said:

I have been looking around for small radios that a couple of bikers can
use to keep in contact while biking. Not pro bikers just having fun i
guess distance between bikers is short 300 ft max. and typically 30
feet. I looked at small CB radios ? but they do not allow hands free
use e.g., one I saw you must hold to mouth and no ear phones ??.. Does
anyone know of should a thing.
Thanks in advance.

I think this is probably the best radio for your purpose.

http://www.garmin.com/products/rino120/

It combines a FRS radio with GPS. It can show you exactly where your
friends are without having to ask.

Just purchased a FRS. It should work but I can already see that keeping the
ear/mike on is not going to be easy. Any suggestions. Again thanks

Lonald Casino said:

I have been looking around for small radios that a couple of bikers can
use to keep in contact while biking. Not pro bikers just having fun i
guess distance between bikers is short 300 ft max. and typically 30
feet. I looked at small CB radios ? but they do not allow hands free
use e.g., one I saw you must hold to mouth and no ear phones ??.. Does
anyone know of should a thing.
Thanks in advance.

Lonald Casino <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I have been looking around for small radios that a couple of bikers can
use to keep in contact while biking. Not pro bikers just having fun i
guess distance between bikers is short 300 ft max. and typically 30
feet. I looked at small CB radios ? but they do not allow hands free
use e.g., one I saw you must hold to mouth and no ear phones ??.. Does
anyone know of should a thing.
Thanks in advance.

Forget about CB radio. Portable CB radios are typically large, have
long inefficient antennas, or worse, a grossly inefficient short
antenna (rubber duck). The levels of radio interference on CBs is
intolerable. The frequencies that CB radio use are really geared for
very large antennas and long distance communications. There are times
that a CB radio can't talk 2 miles locally, but can talk several
thousand miles via skip off the ionosphere. Add to that outputs of 4
watts, typically, and they tend to chew through batteries in short
order (up to 8AA batteries). As far as hands free operation, that is
called VOX (Voice operated transmission). I have never seen a portable
CB with VOX.

FRS is probably the best option. They are small, light, and effective
up to 2 miles depending on terrain. I prefer the radios with 3AA
batteries over the 3AAA batteries. The AAA usually cost as much as AA,
but the battery life is much less. I prefer the Motorola radios as
solid performers at a fair price. If you want very high quality, Icom
has some very nice radios that sport longer antennas for better
distance and built to Mil Spec. You can get FRS radios with VOX. I
highly suggest you try this feature out before you buy. On expensive
amateur radio equipment the VOX has high quality circuitry with the
ability to adjust critical parameters (such as sound treshold to
transmit). With these radios in a quiet radio room, VOX works great.
On an FRS radio, with budget circuits, wind noise, breathing, clearing
your throat, traffic noises, etc, any one of these may improperly
activite the VOX. When I first looked into this the radios had no
provision for adusting VOX levels, though this may have changed with
newer models. Also I have heard that some FRS radios with VOX can be
obnoxious to listen to with a earplug. Like I said, fly before you
buy, but probably the best option for your needs. I especially like
the privacy codes to cut down on interference when used in a busy
locale (state fair, ski resorts, etc). FRS also utilizes FM
communications for typically clearer sounding communications compared
to AM type radios (read CB).I think Google Groups has a FRS group that
might be able to help you get a radio with a good VOX option.

The last obvious option is the GRMS radios. This requires a
license,(Fee only, no test). More expensive than FRS radios, but also
with the higher wattage output and typically a larger antenna, will
talk further than a FRS radio (maybe up to 5 miles depending on
terrain). The extra distance comes at the cost of high battery drain
during transmit. I don't know if any of the GRMS radios come with a
VOX option.

Good luck, TR

On a trip this summer, 11 of us used FRS radios with great success. There's
no need to mess around with earphones and mics unless you want to carry on a
running conversation while riding. We used them only to locate others in
the group and to pass info on eating and restroom stops encountered along
the way. Some of the folks had them mounted on the handlebars, while others
just attached them to a handlebar pack. Typical range was a mile or so,
more or less depending upon terrain. Running them with the squelch on, the
batteries will usually last a week of 75 mile days. The radios we used were
of mixed brands and all worked well. Mine were obtained cheaply on eBay.

FS in Angier, NC

"Lonald Casino" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have been looking around for small radios that a couple of bikers can
use to keep in contact while biking. Not pro bikers just having fun i
guess distance between bikers is short 300 ft max. and typically 30
feet. I looked at small CB radios ? but they do not allow hands free
use e.g., one I saw you must hold to mouth and no ear phones ??.. Does
anyone know of should a thing.
Thanks in advance.

Lonald Casino said:

I have been looking around for small radios that a couple of bikers can
use to keep in contact while biking. Not pro bikers just having fun i
guess distance between bikers is short 300 ft max. and typically 30
feet. I looked at small CB radios ? but they do not allow hands free
use e.g., one I saw you must hold to mouth and no ear phones ??.. Does
anyone know of should a thing.
Thanks in advance.

The feature you are looking for is called VOX (Voice Operated Switch) which allows for hands free switching to transmit. However, breathing and other sounds can trigger the automatic switching. You will need to get a "headset" that has appropriate senstivity and suitability to the task. Some FRS radios have VOX and some don't.

You can also try a Maxon 49-FX Communicator; 49 MHz 5 Channel FM Two-Way Radio with sophisticated ear mic. The ear mic allows hands free voice activated (VOX) transmission and reception. Variable volume and VOX sensitivity controls. It is less expensive and covers a shorter range... and may be suitable to your needs.

[email hidden] (Pizza Man) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Lonald Casino <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I have been looking around for small radios that a couple of bikers can
use to keep in contact while biking. Not pro bikers just having fun i
guess distance between bikers is short 300 ft max. and typically 30
feet. I looked at small CB radios ? but they do not allow hands free
use e.g., one I saw you must hold to mouth and no ear phones ??.. Does
anyone know of should a thing.
Thanks in advance.

....
FRS is probably the best option. They are small, light, and effective
up to 2 miles depending on terrain. I prefer the radios with 3AA
....
distance and built to Mil Spec. You can get FRS radios with VOX. I
....

I agree with all the comments about FRS. Let me add a couple based on
my experience. I often use a small radio to talk with my wife when
she is crewing for me on endurance events or training rides. My radio
(an amateur unit, not FRS) has adjustable VOX but I don't bother with
it. I have a small earpiece with a tiny boom mic that works well. I
carry the the radio in the back pocket of my jersey. The earpiece
cord has a push-to-talk button in line which I clip to my jersey
collar. You may expect it to be inconvenient to remove your hand from
the handlebar to press the PTT button but it is really not. (If you
don't believe me, watch the pros). The radio plus earpiece/PTT/mic is
very small and light. If you shop around a bit you should be able to
find something like this.

Hope this helps.

Tom

Lonald Casino said:

Just purchased a FRS. It should work but I can already see that keeping the
ear/mike on is not going to be easy. Any suggestions. Again thanks

An artfully arranged clip to your sunglasses or helmet strap (if
either is available) may help.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (Pizza Man) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Lonald Casino <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I have been looking around for small radios that a couple of bikers can
use to keep in contact while biking. Not pro bikers just having fun i
guess distance between bikers is short 300 ft max. and typically 30
feet. I looked at small CB radios ? but they do not allow hands free
use e.g., one I saw you must hold to mouth and no ear phones ??.. Does
anyone know of should a thing.
Thanks in advance.

....
FRS is probably the best option. They are small, light, and effective
up to 2 miles depending on terrain. I prefer the radios with 3AA
....
distance and built to Mil Spec. You can get FRS radios with VOX. I
....

I agree with all the comments about FRS. Let me add a couple based on
my experience. I often use a small radio to talk with my wife when
she is crewing for me on endurance events or training rides. My radio
(an amateur unit, not FRS) has adjustable VOX but I don't bother with
it. I have a small earpiece with a tiny boom mic that works well. I
carry the the radio in the back pocket of my jersey. The earpiece
cord has a push-to-talk button in line which I clip to my jersey
collar. You may expect it to be inconvenient to remove your hand from
the handlebar to press the PTT button but it is really not. (If you
don't believe me, watch the pros). The radio plus earpiece/PTT/mic is
very small and light. If you shop around a bit you should be able to
find something like this.

Hope this helps.

Tom

On tour we use small UHF CB radios (like FRS) with simple press to talk.
I would hate to wear an earpiece all day and I don't want to listen to
coughs, exclamations etc. from my touring partner that I would get from a
VOX. It is easy to pick up a small radio, press the button and talk.
Easier than taking a drink!

BTW, the radios are stowed either in a pocket at the end of the handlebar
bag or on the stem. I have two radios for different trips. A tiny 300mW
Uniden for normal use up to about 1 km and a much bigger 5W ICOM for
outback trips. UHF CB lets me talk to the truckers and RV's (I try to be
nice!) but your radio rules/bands may be different from Australia.

Bruce