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By kettle1
#402722
H2 looking for a radio set up to go with icaro 4fight helmet. I have been recommended to get a yaesu 270 with a wireless sena system. Any comments or advice appreciated. Thanks
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By remmoore
#402723
You can't really go wrong with Yaesu. You will likely own it for your entire flying career - they're very reliable. The 270R is perhaps a bit of overkill, with it's water submersion feature, but not a major problem. Personally, I think the wireless PTT systems (like Sena) offer just as many headaches as wired versions - only in different ways. Wireless is certainly more expensive.

I won't get into detail on my thoughts regarding Icaro helmets... :crazy:

RM
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By Toomb
#402726
Not to hijack the op's thread, but can you recomend a complete setup? I know nothing of radios, and i have seen multiple threads about various setups. I basically need someone to say " buy this, do this".
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By DMarley
#402812
Amateur Radio is not as simple as going out and purchasing a grocery-getter or clothing. You should consider doing at least some study on the subject before purchasing and using a radio rig. Also consider studying and getting your HAM license.
I always suggest leaving the chinese junk alone. Yaesu is excellent, as well as Kenwood and Icom, but you will pay a bit more for their durability, reliability, and their high quality of Tx/Rx. Your life could depend upon your rig's reliability, so don't go cheap.
Also consider ease of programming the radio. Yaesu, Kenwood, and Icom are all reasonably easy. The chinese stuff can be ridiculous, along with poor instructions, if any.
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By magicpotato
#402815
I've been using the cheap Baofeng radios, and they're quite intuitive and easy to use, not to mention great battery life and great quality for the price. For me, I just needs something to receive and transmit, I can tune in a frequency by hand so programming is not a big deal for me. I bought the long distance antenna on the Oz report, and a motorcycle headset from Amazon (which broke after a year of use), and I have had clear and crisp communication for many miles without issue. If you are concerned about depending on it with your life, get a SPOT instead. Just my opinion on it.
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By DMarley
#402818
Spot has been known to be unreliable due to the management of the network. Might as well purchase a real PLB/EPIRB.
Whereas, depending on your location, and most US locations have plenty of amateur radio operators and repeaters, there will likely be plenty of listeners hearing your broadcasts in an emergency, as well as plenty HAMs ready to lend a hand.
The beofeng radios are infamously known for their garbled and freq-bleeding Tx. The operator will never know it until someone alerts him to this. These units are not quality tested or checked half as rigorously the Japanese brands, and many don't work after a few minutes of use, if at all.
If you want to be cheap and purchase the beofeng, then you will likely end up spending just as much or more than you would spend with a decent yaesu or other quality japanese-made radio after you replace that broken baofeng with another.
These are facts, not just opinions.
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By TjW
#402845
DMarley wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 5:22 pm Spot has been known to be unreliable due to the management of the network. Might as well purchase a real PLB/EPIRB.
Whereas, depending on your location, and most US locations have plenty of amateur radio operators and repeaters, there will likely be plenty of listeners hearing your broadcasts in an emergency, as well as plenty HAMs ready to lend a hand.
The beofeng radios are infamously known for their garbled and freq-bleeding Tx. The operator will never know it until someone alerts him to this. These units are not quality tested or checked half as rigorously the Japanese brands, and many don't work after a few minutes of use, if at all.
If you want to be cheap and purchase the beofeng, then you will likely end up spending just as much or more than you would spend with a decent yaesu or other quality japanese-made radio after you replace that broken baofeng with another.
These are facts, not just opinions.
I haven't seen these widespread problems with Baofeng radios at Crestline, and a lot of cheap radios get used around Crestline. I'd say their squelch was crap, though there are software fixes that help quite a lot. You probably shouldn't buy one without also getting the computer interface for it.
Most audio problems I've heard have been stupid setup problems -- overdeviation or simply not tuned to the right frequency. And no amount of mfr inspection is going to help with that.

And please, please, please don't buy anything without getting your Amateur license. It's 55 stinkin' questions, all of which are available for study on the Internet. There is no Morse Code requirement to get access to everything above 50 MHz. There is undoubtedly a Volunteer Examining Committee somewhere near you charging $15 to take the test.
By kettle1
#402897
remmoore wrote: Thu Mar 15, 2018 2:48 pm You can't really go wrong with Yaesu. You will likely own it for your entire flying career - they're very reliable. The 270R is perhaps a bit of overkill, with it's water submersion feature, but not a major problem. Personally, I think the wireless PTT systems (like Sena) offer just as many headaches as wired versions - only in different ways. Wireless is certainly more expensive.

I won't get into detail on my thoughts regarding Icaro helmets... :crazy:

RM

I would like to hear your thoughts on Icaro. I am gearing up for my first full season (H2 status as of last Oct) and expect to make some mistakes in gear selection. I have an icaro and will use it for now, but open to change.
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By remmoore
#402900
Thanks for being interested in the protection of your most valuable body part - and the most difficult to heal. There are still plenty of pilots who think, "Well, if this helmet was made for HG, it must be a good one."

Instead of radically altering the direction of this thread, take a look at another active thread on the subject, initiated by a good friend of mine who was so severely brain-injured, he wasn't expected to live. He was using a Charly Insider, which actually has a bit more protection than your Icaro, but far less than many other helmet options.

viewtopic.php?f=16&p=402888#p402888

Want to read more? search "helmets" in the topics archive. You can also PM me for discussion.

RM
By kettle1
#402994
remmoore wrote: Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:20 pm Thanks for being interested in the protection of your most valuable body part - and the most difficult to heal. There are still plenty of pilots who think, "Well, if this helmet was made for HG, it must be a good one."

Instead of radically altering the direction of this thread, take a look at another active thread on the subject, initiated by a good friend of mine who was so severely brain-injured, he wasn't expected to live. He was using a Charly Insider, which actually has a bit more protection than your Icaro, but far less than many other helmet options.

viewtopic.php?f=16&p=402888#p402888

Want to read more? search "helmets" in the topics archive. You can also PM me for discussion.

RM
Thanks. Read it. Quite sobering.
By cheesehead
#403183
I have two Alincos that were really cheap purchased through AES. Had them both over 10 years; no problems. Also just got a dirt-cheap Yaesu from a 82 year-old retiring pilot. It seems old but fine. I have yet to understand the need to get license. I don't talk much at all when flying. What harm am I doing?
By blindrodie
#403186
What harm am I doing?
Just breaking the law by using an unathorized radio on unathorized frequency(s) accorrding to the FCC...

8)
By cheesehead
#403187
Thanks, but I was aware of that. But my question is what harm do I do? What are the consequences of my criminal actions on the world of ham radios? And how does anybody ever get caught? I may be ignorant, but this law seems to be right up there with marijuana prohibition and cautious jaywalking.
By blindrodie
#403189
No. They sold you a radio that was capable of being used as intended. FCC nazi's will track you down and hook you up with the FCC folks, but it only seems to happen if "you" are broadcasting on "thier" freq's without a lisence. I'm not one...

I really find it to be an advantage. I'm also a local weather observer and report when there is dangerous local weather. It can also come in handy during times of an emergency. I like the fact that I will be able to communicate with others in times of natioanl emergencies as well as personal. Get a ticket man. It's cheap and easy.

8) KC0KDI
Last edited by blindrodie on Thu Apr 12, 2018 11:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
By TjW
#403190
cheesehead wrote: Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:58 am Thanks, but I was aware of that. But my question is what harm do I do? What are the consequences of my criminal actions on the world of ham radios? And how does anybody ever get caught? I may be ignorant, but this law seems to be right up there with marijuana prohibition and cautious jaywalking.
There is a whole sub-hobby within amateur radio of radio direction finding.

So you know it's cheap and easy, you just want to be a d---. I guess some people are just like that.
By cheesehead
#403194
Ouch. I'll freely admit to laziness and procrastination, but didn't know my lack of a license indicated a desire to be a d___. Life is too complicated for me to make that a high priority. I've done far more than enough good in the world of HG/PG to make up for the calamity of my radio use.
By cheesehead
#403195
TjW wrote: Thu Apr 12, 2018 10:47 am
cheesehead wrote: Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:58 am Thanks, but I was aware of that. But my question is what harm do I do? What are the consequences of my criminal actions on the world of ham radios? And how does anybody ever get caught? I may be ignorant, but this law seems to be right up there with marijuana prohibition and cautious jaywalking.
There is a whole sub-hobby within amateur radio of radio direction finding.

So you know it's cheap and easy, you just want to be a d---. I guess some people are just like that.
1. A whole sub-hobby, huh? So it IS as nerdy a hobby as I always imagined?
2. It's taken a few years, but like everyone else on this forum, I have finally become worthy of vulgar name-calling