So I am the first to fully admit that I'm new to sleds... My background is on ATVs, but several things I do there seem to translate well to the sled world.
In the ATV world, we've been using Midland GTX1000VP4 FRS / GMRS radios. They are a full 5-watts on GMRS, they are completely waterproof, and most importantly, you can pull out the rechargeable battery and swap it with AA batteries on the fly. Link to the Midland radios is here. I can tell you with 100% certainty these are the best basic FRS/GMRS radios on the market, hands down.
Attached to the Midland radios, I use a kit that installs right inside the helmets (earphones and microphone are embedded right inside). Out of the helmet a cable runs and connects to a "push to talk" button that's mounted right on the handlebars, and then connected to the radio. The point is that riders can talk to each other and hear each other from right inside their helmet... And the transmit-button can be pushed without taking their hands off the machine. Link to the helmet-kit I use is here.
The radios are easily attached to the handlebars with zip-ties. I find they hold better than any of the mounts I've attempted.
In other words... For around $120, you can get two radios and two helmet kits and two riders can talk easily to one another.
NOW... I'm looking at replacing my entire setup with the Rino 530hcx radios for the SOLE reason that I want the ability to see where the other riders are in the group at any given time. However, I've been hesitant to do so because I have such a significant investment in my helmet-radio kits (8 helmets across 6 different machines, which obviously comes with a pile of radios too).
I just learned, however, that the speaker / mic pinout on the Rino is -IDENTICAL- to the speaker/mic pinout on the Midland radios that I use... Which is good for several reasons...
1) For guests, I can continue to use my Midland radios and don't need to ask everyone in the group to buy a Rino.
2) All of my existing helmet kits are compatible with BOTH radios (in other words, someone can sit down on a machine, and regardless of whether it's my new Rino or the Midland radio, their helmet can plug right in).
3) The helmet kid for the Midland is significantly cheaper ($30) than the helmet kit designed for the Rino ($50).
THE POINT IS SIMPLE: You can safely and CHEAPLY use a combination of the Rino and the Midland radios I've mentioned above, since the helmet-kits are completely interchangeable, and both radios are very capable, high-power, and durable.
The only remaining question is how well the quick-disconnect works if you become dismounted from your sled. The quick-connect literally "pulls apart". The question is, will it safely separate, or will it damage the wire as it pulls apart?
I'm going to test the heck out of it this weekend. I will return and report.
In the ATV world, we've been using Midland GTX1000VP4 FRS / GMRS radios. They are a full 5-watts on GMRS, they are completely waterproof, and most importantly, you can pull out the rechargeable battery and swap it with AA batteries on the fly. Link to the Midland radios is here. I can tell you with 100% certainty these are the best basic FRS/GMRS radios on the market, hands down.
Attached to the Midland radios, I use a kit that installs right inside the helmets (earphones and microphone are embedded right inside). Out of the helmet a cable runs and connects to a "push to talk" button that's mounted right on the handlebars, and then connected to the radio. The point is that riders can talk to each other and hear each other from right inside their helmet... And the transmit-button can be pushed without taking their hands off the machine. Link to the helmet-kit I use is here.
The radios are easily attached to the handlebars with zip-ties. I find they hold better than any of the mounts I've attempted.
In other words... For around $120, you can get two radios and two helmet kits and two riders can talk easily to one another.
NOW... I'm looking at replacing my entire setup with the Rino 530hcx radios for the SOLE reason that I want the ability to see where the other riders are in the group at any given time. However, I've been hesitant to do so because I have such a significant investment in my helmet-radio kits (8 helmets across 6 different machines, which obviously comes with a pile of radios too).
I just learned, however, that the speaker / mic pinout on the Rino is -IDENTICAL- to the speaker/mic pinout on the Midland radios that I use... Which is good for several reasons...
1) For guests, I can continue to use my Midland radios and don't need to ask everyone in the group to buy a Rino.
2) All of my existing helmet kits are compatible with BOTH radios (in other words, someone can sit down on a machine, and regardless of whether it's my new Rino or the Midland radio, their helmet can plug right in).
3) The helmet kid for the Midland is significantly cheaper ($30) than the helmet kit designed for the Rino ($50).
THE POINT IS SIMPLE: You can safely and CHEAPLY use a combination of the Rino and the Midland radios I've mentioned above, since the helmet-kits are completely interchangeable, and both radios are very capable, high-power, and durable.
The only remaining question is how well the quick-disconnect works if you become dismounted from your sled. The quick-connect literally "pulls apart". The question is, will it safely separate, or will it damage the wire as it pulls apart?
I'm going to test the heck out of it this weekend. I will return and report.
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