Intercoms

[Blanco]

This topic has been moved from the San filipe thread, in attemps to keep our threads on topic.
(I hope everyone understands my attempts to keep the Site Clean & Orginized)

hey retro.. or who ever might read this, do you use an intercom system on your racer? and if so, from who or where did you bought it?, i know pci race radios, but, the total kit end's up about 1k, that's a lot of money right know, been trying to buy this item from this guys without success, http://www.bikeintercom.com/products/ridemate.htm it's cheap and it looks like it might work for us... rigth, we have race without any electronic device of communication, only by our hands , haha. so, want to try that.. ..thks. byes...:D

[Blanco]

Originally posted by Roach

try RLH also, he is reasonable. i think when i got a setup from him about 4 years ago it set me back about $600. this was the comm for 3 people, push-to-talk, all wiring, and it included an MP3 hookup.

www.rlhcomm.com

[Blanco]

Originally posted by retroblazer

RLH or PCI isn't much different if you have to add the cost a of radio and wire harness. The intercom that you found for motorcycles looks pretty good. I was snowmobiling last week and I saw some helmet mounted intercoms.

[Blanco]

Now please continue. :cool:

[Salttoy]

We used an intercom system from RacerX motorsprots in our 5-1600. We already had a Motorola radio, we sent it to them and they set it all up. It was around $600 for everything and has worked great for us.http://www.racerxms.com

[Jeff Knoll]

We used an intercom system from RacerX motorsprots in our 5-1600. We already had a Motorola radio, we sent it to them and they set it all up. It was around $600 for everything and has worked great for us.http://www.racerxms.com

I have the racer X unit in both the 1706 Wrangler and my Rock buggy.

[chupakabras]

the last two races we try to use a bike intercom system, well, both failed, we were unable to hear each other, and also they were a ptt system, not a duplex or voice activated, so, i been doing some research, the easy way it's to spend some 600 to 1000 dlls including the kit for both helmets, right, but, as you know, aircrafts also use intercoms, well, they end up to be cheaper , but do the same, and look the same, i'm going to buy that little box, an avcomm intercom or telex or what ever the brand, haha, you can buy on ebay for 60 to 180 dlls, new, just need the wiring, that i will do it my self, already have the kit for the helmets, so just need to go to radio shack and buy some wires, jacks and plugs, and will see how it works, :D:D
here are some examples..
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=017&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=270146351650&rd=1,1

[Blanco]

Should be interesting to see how that works out for you.

I do believe that the race stuff is more expensive partly because of just that Its race stuff & they can charge more. :rolleyes:

[roach]

i believe also that these aviation ones have different type jacks. i might be wrong, but i have seen them where the headset and the mike are seperate, meaning you have to wire your helmet to match, where most racing helmet setups have one wire coming out. i had been looking at those a while back, but decided to just spend the money and get it done right instead of me trying to re-invent the wheel to save money. let us know how it works out for you

[chupakabras]

yes, they have two jacks, one for the mic and one for the headphones, but, just cut, and install a stereo jack, they use a single common ground wire, one wire for the mic, one wire for the headphones,.., , but, will see once y bought everything and install it, :)

.. and yes, we are trying to save , haha, we are in the process of installing the auto tranny, the c4, so, the tranny was 350, rebuild by a pro, 500, + valve body 300, bigger oil pan 100, flywheel and torque convert $$$, oil cooler 200 a cheap one or 500 a pro one, a shifter 250, ....

all that just to swap from manual to an auto c4, plus, if we want to do the 1000, well, we need at least just to race like 6000 for the WORLD VISION BAJA 1000 TOUR, haha, so, all this number give me chills........

[Brokenbronco]

This topic has been moved from the San filipe thread, in attemps to keep our threads on topic.


What San felipe thread?

[fj40]

What San felipe thread?

Back in the day, when the site was young and the BAJA 250 was call SAN FELIPE 250.....

Ok now, back to the inter...tingy!!!!

[straightaxle]

I would be interested to hear how the aviation intercom works for you, Chupa. It should work about the same, at a whole lot cheaper initial cost, but you do have to deal with the different jacks. The aviation unit does use two seperate jacks, like he said. The prices come down when there are higher quantities sold, even though aviation stuff is typically outrageously higher priced. They may not be reinforced internally as well as the desert built stuff, but for 10 or 20% of the price, its worth a try.

We were fortunate to find a used non-PCI intercom years ago that we have been using, however overall we have probably spent what it would have cost to have just bought one complete system up front. We have struggled to find the correct 4 conductor jacks that everyone else uses, and eventually had to rewire all the helmets to conform to the "PCI" standard, just to make it easier.

One of the things you will have to find out about is if the intercom will work with the radio you have. We use Motorola radios, and had to come up with a special adapter because of the microphone the Motorola uses.

[chupakabras]

One of the things you will have to find out about is if the intercom will work with the radio you have. We use Motorola radios, and had to come up with a special adapter because of the microphone the Motorola uses.

that's something that worries me a little, if you want an adapter that will fit easy, it's gonna be hard , at first, i said that they use a common ground wire for the mic and headphones, but not, for the heaphones yes, but for the mic the use 2 wires plus the ground for the headphones, so, you need a 4 wire jacks, i been looking already for a 4 wire jack without success, at the end, i might end up using two jacks like airplanes use, and to connect to the radio, will use any adaptor, and cut and weld, haha, i already saw the wiring diagram and it's easy how it works, so hope it works for us, ..

...http://www.rlhcomm.com/ they give me an inquiry for an intercom with the kit for two full face helmets plus the adaptor to any brand of radio for about $650, doesn't sound that bad,

[chupakabras]

here is a got kit that you can buy on ebay, just like optimus prime said,, haha
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=015&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=250084342500&rd=1,1

[straightaxle]

At least if you go with the two aircraft style jacks, they use two very common plugs that should be easy to find, even though each is a different diameter. They should be standard stereo store stuff.

The 4 conductor plugs are hard to find, and cost something like $35 each from PCI, if they will sell them to you. You can find them wholesale, but many times you have to buy 100 as a minimum quantity.

[chupakabras]

At least if you go with the two aircraft style jacks, they use two very common plugs that should be easy to find, even though each is a different diameter. They should be standard stereo store stuff.

The 4 conductor plugs are hard to find, and cost something like $35 each from PCI, if they will sell them to you. You can find them wholesale, but many times you have to buy 100 as a minimum quantity.

that's right, i thing we are gonna end up with the two plugs, a 6.3mm a stereo and a mono plug, the kit that we have for the helmets ,they were intended for a bike intercom, a single plug that you hook up to a motorola 2 way radio, i just will cut it and weld to the two plugs to match the intercom, i'm still haven't decided wich intercom to buy, to many offers at ebay, some used and some new, so, the one that i want to buy ends in 3 days, the auction, so, till now sets on 65 dlls, will see how it ends up, ..

i still haven't found the 4 conductor plugs:(
these are 3.5mm, looking for the 6.5mm
http://www.minute-man.com/acatalog/4_Conductor_3_5mm_Plugs_and_Jacks.html

[Moss2]

Here are some connectors but still not cheap, or local.

http://www.flyaas.com/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_PLUGS_JACKS_20.html

Here are some premade adapters for the guys that have single Nexus plug helmets that will want to ride in your 2 plug rig. Looks like military aero helmets use the single TP-120 syle plug

http://www.oregonaero.com/p67_2001.html

[Moss2]

Another plug source.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/plugsnjacks.php

[chupakabras]

thks for the info, it's not easy to try to save some cash :D, right, hope to be worth it, haha, thks again.

[rugged1]

hey guys, Im new to this forum. I wanted to help you with some info on intercoms. I work for one of the companies in the links about, Rugged Race Products. I dont want to turn this into a advertisment so I will stick to the topic.
I don't recommend using the aircraft intercom because they are for use with a amplified electret mic the aircraft industry uses and off road uses a dynamic mic, so your mic output will be all screwed up. also if you have a aircraft set up in your truck then you are limited to your truck, you won't beable to use your helmet/headset in a truck wired offroad. If you still want to go ahead with the project I can get you a 4 conductor plug for a fraction of the listed prices.

If your looking for the best money value I recommend a motorcycle intercom that we modified with a live mic cabablity.

If you guys have any radio or intercom questions feel free to contact me and I can post the anwers up on the forum. (p) 888.541.7223
(e) jerome@ruggedradios.com

[chupakabras]

:)hey guys, Im new to this forum. I wanted to help you with some info on intercoms. I work for one of the companies in the links about, Rugged Race Products. I dont want to turn this into a advertisment so I will stick to the topic.
I don't recommend using the aircraft intercom because they are for use with a amplified electret mic the aircraft industry uses and off road uses a dynamic mic, so your mic output will be all screwed up. also if you have a aircraft set up in your truck then you are limited to your truck, you won't beable to use your helmet/headset in a truck wired offroad. If you still want to go ahead with the project I can get you a 4 conductor plug for a fraction of the listed prices.

If your looking for the best money value I recommend a motorcycle intercom that we modified with a live mic cabablity.

If you guys have any radio or intercom questions feel free to contact me and I can post the anwers up on the forum. (p) 888.541.7223
(e) jerome@ruggedradios.com

i once ask for info about that intercom, because the one that it's shown on ebay it's a push to talk intercom, that was like a month before this year baja 250, and they told me that a duplex bike intercom was going to be available a few months after, i don't know if that's the one that you are saying here, .
we bought before a bike intercom, not from you, a similar one but didn't work, we were not able to here each other, only when the engine was off., haha, so, i don't know how good it's the one that you are selling, thks for the info, and we will contact you when we became ready for it, thks again.