Finding a mic/earbud device to fit Kenwood radios.

[Droopy Dick]

After some persuasion I've decided to go for the two-way radio set-up when training for IAM and RoSPA. It's simply more efficient to go over a situation immediately than after 10 mins or so. And it'll be easier to give directions. Mind you, it was an easy way to tell if your 'associate' was paying attention to his mirrors if he was repeated missing your indicators telling hi, to turn.

I already have two Kenwood radios.

Mine is set up to work with my Autocom.

My aim is to give the trainee another radio with a simple over-ear speaker and small boom mike so that we can communicate on the move.

I went into Maplin and found, I thought, just the thing. It has the two-prong attachment ot the radio, and over ear speaker thingy, and a little switch to enable you to use as PTT or Vox. Except that it doesn't work. It has the two-prong connector, but close examination suggests that the bigger of the two connectors (3.5mm plug) is a mono plug. The Autocom plug that fits into these radios is a stereo 3.5mm plug. (ITEM Number N30AQ http://www.maplin.co.uk/search.aspx...MR+ACCESSORIES&worldid=-1&FromMenu=y&doy=20m1)

Is it a simply matter of something being shorted out, or have I ballsed up altogether? Do I need to cut away a sliver of the contact to make the plug stereo-like?

 

[Taff]

I found ROCKET RADIO while looking for earphones earlier. May be worth a call. Tel: 01462 675481.

 

[Kritou]

I found ROCKET RADIO while looking for earphones earlier. May be worth a call. Tel: 01462 675481.

They also offer a throat mic/earpiece. Anybody know if this would work on a bike?

 

[Tommo]

Hi Droopy Dick
Try here Ive found them to be very good

http://wildtalk.com/partsfinder/partstk3201.htm

 

[Droopy Dick]

Many thanks so far.

I'll be doing some phoning/emailing to try to sort out if they can do what I want.

I don't know. I thought things were supposed to get easier as you got older 'cos you knew more things. Sometimes it seems life is just getting plain difficult.

 

[bikermike]

Droopy, when I used two-way radios for bike training I used the Autocom set-up on my bike, but when I did the training on the school's machines I didn't want to have two sets of earpieces / mics squeezed into the helmet. I contacted Intaride as the school was using very similar radios to theirs, and they kindly supplied (at cost of course) a suitable lead which allowed me to use the radios direct through my mic / speakers. They may be worth contacting at least for some advise for your problem. Just a thought.

 

[Droopy Dick]

Droopy, when I used two-way radios for bike training I used the Autocom set-up on my bike, but when I did the training on the school's machines I didn't want to have two sets of earpieces / mics squeezed into the helmet. I contacted Intaride as the school was using very similar radios to theirs, and they kindly supplied (at cost of course) a suitable lead which allowed me to use the radios direct through my mic / speakers. They may be worth contacting at least for some advise for your problem. Just a thought.

hm ..


Thanks. Both Radios are TKs so can do the Vox thing. I can't think of any neat way to fit a temp PTT button on a student's bike that wouldn't take an age to route and cable tie - safety!!!!!!!!!!

Mind you, AN Other instructor I know suggests just giving the student an earpiece and no mic. That way all he has to do is listen to what you tell him (or her).

But, it's worth a call anyway. Thanks.

 

[bikermike]

hm ..


Thanks. Both Radios are TKs so can do the Vox thing. I can't think of any neat way to fit a temp PTT button on a student's bike that wouldn't take an age to route and cable tie - safety!!!!!!!!!!

Mind you, AN Other instructor I know suggests just giving the student an earpiece and no mic. That way all he has to do is listen to what you tell him (or her).

But, it's worth a call anyway. Thanks.

The instructors usually are the only ones with PTT, but I've known them have the PTT button clipped to their clothing OR velcro'd to the l/h grip. As a rule the pupil is sometimes better off with earpieces only as they are ....otherwise engaged (trying to keep the bike upright for one!!)

 

[Droopy Dick]

The instructors usually are the only ones with PTT, but I've known them have the PTT button clipped to their clothing OR velcro'd to the l/h grip. As a rule the pupil is sometimes better off with earpieces only as they are ....otherwise engaged (trying to keep the bike upright for one!!)

Well, yeah.

But we are talking advanced training, so most people who pitch up have got the balance bit pretty well sorted.

I've got some receive-only over-ear thingies, but we still need from time to time to exchange views.

So used to being a QFI/QHI where you're sat next to the student, so you can apply a sharp corrective bang to their bone dome from time to time.