Headsets

[dirtytough]

My buddy and I are looking to get headsets. Mainly using them while predator hunting if we split up on a stand. He had a cheap set and I believe we were getting a lot of wind noise from whoever was talking into the mic.

It gets cold sometimes so I don’t know if I want the big ones like ear pro.

Here is what I was leaning towards. It will be easy to wear with a beanie and hood I believe.

Anyone have input on these or something like them?

Ultralight H10 Headset for Rugged Handheld Radios

Lightweight push to talk behind-the-head headset provides comfortable versatility for multiple applications. Works great with half-helmets, baseball caps, and in situations where weight is an important factor.The 2-pin design connects instantly to the Rugged Radios R1, RDH-X, V3, RDH, RH5R...

www.ruggedradios.com

 

[John?]

Wind noise can be cause by improper VOX sensitivity setting on the radio. Adjust that setting to find the sweet spot for your use case.

I prefer the over the head type headset that only covers one ear. We use Heil for our ICOM radios. There are less expensive options, just make sure the connectors and mic type are appropriate for your transceiver.

For reference: https://heilhamradio.com/product/pro-micro/

 

[dirtytough]

I looked on that site and it was greek to me haha. I don't know if the two way radios I've used can change the VOX setting either. Usually it's a midland, motorolla, etc type of two way you can dang near buy anywhere.

I would actually rather have a single ear type like you linked. But it looked like they are more for Ham radios than two way radios if I understood correctly.

Am I wrong to think most two way radios would be fine for my application? I thought it was more a mic issue than a headset/radio issue. 500 yards would be extremely long range use for this application. More like 200 yard range, and being able to hear exactly what someone says if they whisper.

 

[John?]

@dirtytough

The blister pack FRS radios are great for short distance work. We have had a few different ones over the years. They don’t usually have VOX sensitivity adjustment, as you note. They all seem to have different headset input configurations too. Some use the 2 plug Kenwood type that is on the headset you posted. Others use proprietary configuration. Your first step is to determine what plug is needed for your radio. Then find something you like that matches.

BREAK. Unsolicited opinion and advice follows.

We are all licensed amateur operators. Even my 8 year old. The Technician test isn’t difficult. I encourage everyone to study and take the test. Hamtest dot org is free and a very good way to pass the test. End of ham sales pitch.

The BAOFENG UV-5 and it’s variants are cheap and ubiquitous. It is a capable entry level handheld radio. Very easy to adjust the firmware to open up their frequency range to use license free FRS frequencies (not that I would recommend anyone flaunt FCC rules, but people do it without consequence all the time. So long as you operate on low power and don’t cause harmful interference very few people will notice or care.). These radios offer a lot of capability and options for proper headsets. They are much cheaper than Kenwood, Icom, or Yaesu radios, so you won’t feel bad if you lose or break one. They are the 10/22 of radios. There is a good book on how to use them too. The Guerilla’s Guide to the Baofeng Radio by NCScout is wuite good. Matt has shared a lot of techniques we learned in the army when he wrote that book. And we all know that the N in RANGER is for Knowledge haha.

Lots of good radios these days. I bought a 6 pack of UV-5Rs from radiooddity for my kids when they got licensed. It cost around $100 for 6 radios with chargers. I didn’t cry when one was dropped in the creek and another was lost. Entry level kit.

We have other and better radios for serious use. The main advantage of those is waterproofing and digital capabilities. Not everyone wants those things and the higher price that comes with it.

Radio is an adjunct tool for us. Like rifles and tractors. Get the right tool for the job and nothing more.

Hope this helps you