I got my second Oxbow Renegade X Bluetooth Radio this year but added, PTT Button for each radio and a UClear 4Lite on my helmet for testing. I wanted something in helmet so I could hear the radio transmissions while riding my snowbike. Its loud, so you have to stop the bike to hear the radio or at least what anyone is saying on the radio.
I had to return the Uclear after this weekend for many reasons.
1. After full charge, Bricked out of the box. Had to full reset to get it to turn on or off.
2. Two 4 hour Firmware Upgrades to get to the most current firmware.
3. Would garble or make transmissions and receptions sound like a robot. This seemed to happen after about 3-5 minutes of being connected.
4. Each reception cuts into the music. Thats fine but every time is a 30 second delay. I dont listen to music much at all but imagine it would be annoying.
5. Would randomly disconnect while riding. You never knew if it was working or not until a buddy was next to you and you were not getting the calls he was.
6. Randomly Would say connecting over and over until you shut everything down and repaired the headset and bluetooth button.
7. Very finicky bluetooth connections to the Oxbow. Sometimes it connects sometimes it just doesn't.
After all this, I got tired of messing around and never knowing if it was working so I just turned it off.
Side note: the Oxbow Bluetooth Radio by itself (Bluetooth 1) will not connect bluetooth 1 to Iphone or Beats By Dre bluetooth headphones. Thought that was odd. Bluetooth 2 is for the PTT button only I believe. Talked to Oxbow about this and they know it will not connect to Iphone products or Beats by Dre.
I used the Renegade X Radio with the Bluetooth button and it seemed to work but I have more testing to do on that.
Problems with Radio:
I would randomly hear my radio Rodger Beep and thought my helmet was somehow hitting the PTT button on the radio itself. My buddy, who just bought the same radio and button (riding a different day and place 100 miles away) experienced the same thing. He said his was so bad that his riding group had to turn off their radios because it was so annoying. He ended up being the only one who didnt turn off his radio, so the problem was narrowed down to him and the Oxbow. He is bring his Oxbow Renegade X to work tomorrow to test with my two radios. He just purchased his radio Friday.
I am not fully confident this radio is receiving all transmissions, all the time. It seemed like some of the guys with older BCA radios were hearing transmissions I could not. I need to confirm this though as fact.
I love my Oxbow setup but I need to answer some questions and make sure this thing works. I have two Oxbow Renegade X Bluetooth Radios and talked a few buddies into getting them so I will try to do some range tests and other tests to make sure.
Anyone have similar experiences? I used my first Oxbow radio last season about halfway through the season to the end but kept convincing myself that any missed transmission or problem was not the radio but something else. Love the form and idea of the radio and the PTT button is bad ass but now Im starting to wonder.
Testing some things tomorrow!