Topic: Cheap Radio Idea

I realize this probably won't work but has anybody ever tried using something like skype during the race? Use data on your phone and an earpiece that fits, connect it to your guys off track, and go. No cross talk over radio channels, no hassle with connecting it to the battery of your car. Will it be annoyingly high for the data charge? Probably, but still infinitely cheaper than buying a radio set.  It's probably just my age showing, but it seemed like a decent idea to me.

Re: Cheap Radio Idea

If the cell service is decent it should work. I know a few teams that just setup a 3-way call and throw a cell phone in the car. It can work, if you want to hear literally everything your driver says.

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Re: Cheap Radio Idea

The problem is if the call drops. Too distracting for the driver to try to reconnect.

Re: Cheap Radio Idea

rlchv70 wrote:

The problem is if the call drops. Too distracting for the driver to try to reconnect.

Unless you have voice activated stuff. Then it'd go something like this...

"Phone, call Bob."

"Calling Mom."

"What!? No! Cancel! Delete! Terminate!"

"Hello?"

*Sighs* "Hi, Mom..."

Re: Cheap Radio Idea

We tried it at our first race and the call dropped and it was just too annoying to figure out.  We did alright with no com's.  At our second race we ran a pit board on the side of the track this way we could give the drivers times and signal to pit of needed.  We are getting a radio setup for the next race it should be much better and worth the money.

Moot Point Racing - 1991 Volvo 240 - #496

Re: Cheap Radio Idea

Zello.

https://zello.com/app

I used this when I was running the Pentastar Dusturd.  It's easily the least-worse cheap solution. The app essentially turns your phone into one of those old annoying Nextel Walkie-Talkies.  The best part of this approach is that anyone with a cell phone can contact the driver at any time. If somebody didn't catch the latest message, they can go through the queue of received messages and replay any that they didn't hear correctly (instead of going back and forward: 'what was that again?!')

A message will only be sent / received when the device has adequate cell service. If service isn't available, it will be stored in a local queue until a signal is obtained so it can transmit the message. In reality, there's no limit to the range. I had guys in Korea following our team in the 24 hour race in Chicago last year. Be warned though, they could have been assholes and started chatting up a bunch of bullshit. It's best to make a private invite-only chatroom to keep the riff-raff out.  The only down side to this, is that you're at the mercy of your phone and when (not if) it decides to reboot itself and / or randomly force close the app.

Also, you need to get creative with making headset adapters from the stock 3.5mm mini headphone jack in the phone.  I eventually bought a splitter and wired a push-to-talk button. Unfortunately, your standard phone push to talk button shorts the micro phone connection to ground meaning you can't talk into the microphone while the button is pressed. What you CAN do, though, is map this button in the app to "toggle" the transmission.  Push and release, start talking, push and release again to stop talking and send the message.   Of course, there's a lot of potential for less intelligent drivers to not press the button a second time and continue to record a 3 - 4 minute (it eventually times out) message.

When everything is working properly, it's a great system. However, shit goes south real fast when one little thing stops working correctly. Using a Rugged Radios setup and IMSA headsets with the latest team (Sheen) and probably won't go back to Zello. The simplicity of a dedicated radio system can't be over appreciated.

The Pentastar whisperer

Re: Cheap Radio Idea

Another issue with using your smart phone is that they will shut down when it gets too hot, like mine did multiple times during the Lemons Hell on Wheels rally.   Think about how hot it gets inside your race car during a summer race.

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