Jump to content

Radio comms - concealment?


AshOnSnow
This thread is over three months old. Please be sure that your post is appropriate as it will revive this otherwise old (and possibly forgotten) topic.

Recommended Posts

Having wanted some radio comms that were decent, rugged, splashproof and would last a long time, I've bought a pair of Motorola TLKR T80 Extremes.

 

The only problem is they're bright hi vis yellow (not exactly what one wants when they're camoed up).

 

Any ideas or tricks to concealing them better?

 

motorola-tlkr-t80-extreme-%5B2%5D-838-p.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes ago, Dechande said:

Put them in a pouch...

 

Are there pouches that still give access to controls while concealing them?

 

12 minutes ago, Andyraven said:

Tape up and spray paint.

 

Probably don't want to start blasting 80 quids worth of electronics in paint as soon as they arrive ,just a thought :P

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Probably, although, I've never had to do anything with my radio so urgent that I couldn't take it out of my pouch and do it.

 

I always take a radio to games, it's set to the same sub channel as the other people I play with. I set the volume, plug in my headset, quick check to make sure we can hear eachother, then that's it, I don't touch it again until I turn it off to go home.

 

The other reason I like to use a pouch, to prevent it getting shot to bits.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

56 minutes ago, AshOnSnow said:

 

Are there pouches that still give access to controls while concealing them?

 

 

Probably don't want to start blasting 80 quids worth of electronics in paint as soon as they arrive ,just a thought :P

 

 

 

if you do a decent job in painting them then you have no need to worry about breaking them.

just buy a pouch then get a headset with a talk button. leave them bright so you can see them just in case you drop it somewhere.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, Andyraven said:

 

if you do a decent job in painting them then you have no need to worry about breaking them.

just buy a pouch then get a headset with a talk button. leave them bright so you can see them just in case you drop it somewhere.

 

They came with earpiece mics and it has VOX (apparently just negates the need for pushing a button, on the other hand if I swear or shout "hit" everyone on channel will hear)

 

good point about dropping them!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, AshOnSnow said:

 

They came with earpiece mics and it has VOX (apparently just negates the need for pushing a button, on the other hand if I swear or shout "hit" everyone on channel will hear)

 

good point about dropping them!

VOX is evil

At first (paintball) event I ran, we had a portable compressor system in the game field as well as the main site system and were also swapping cylinders to keep people in game for some vast set piece battles across a valley 

The Marshall operating the compressor switched on vox.  Every time he kicked in the compressor the entire game co-ordination comms were wiped out with his transmission

He needed vox to operate the radio after we inserted it where the sun doesn't shine

 

Vox does it's own thing and is often set off by heavy breathing, ambient noise, chatting etc

When you do want to transmit vox needs good radio discipline.  At best you lose the first word of a transmission, but you are just as likely to lose the first word of every sentance. 

Imaging hearing "Ord sword alling any boy, ord sword alling any boy...." you might be able to work out what it's meant to say, but what about your mission assignment, or how long you need to hold an objective to score maximum points?

 

If you don't want your radio to shout out at an innapropriate time then the headphone will sort that out, and most decent radios can pick up your voice if you have it on a pouch and press the button to transmit, or don't mind taking it out on occasion.

But most will also support a PTT button and microphone on the cable.  Press the button, pause for a moment to allow it to start transmitting then talk and release to listen

There are good cables around including ones with extra long lengths allowing you to stow the radio away, feed the microphone and headset around your clothing or vest etc, and if you like a seperate ptt cable that can go down your sleeve and a loop to slip the button on your finger

be very careful in selecting an after market headset & microphone, as even though some of them have identical looking and fitting plugs the actual configuration may differ.  I have had times where a team mate was carrying our radio with headset cable and was also given the commanders radio set.  These were

to allow him to relay messages between networks

But after radio testing he decided to swap the headset over.  It plugged in but left him in silence 

He's now banned from headsets and surprisingly never gets command relays 

 

Vox has its use for roofers when they fall off and are hanging off the roof, but otherwise it's evil

 

 

There are plenty of radio pouches around with holes in place for button controls, but it's easy to make or cut a pouch customized for a specific radio

One way is to take some plastic laminate, score and fold it to a box shape approximately the dimensions of the radio, cut out squares around the buttons and either insert into a general pouch or cover it with some material sewn to fit or dabbed in PVA glue

if you have a molle system then consider installing MALICE clips or Blackhawk speed clips to fit it

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, Tommikka said:

VOX is evil

At first (paintball) event I ran, we had a portable compressor system in the game field as well as the main site system and were also swapping cylinders to keep people in game for some vast set piece battles across a valley 

The Marshall operating the compressor switched on vox.  Every time he kicked in the compressor the entire game co-ordination comms were wiped out with his transmission

He needed vox to operate the radio after we inserted it where the sun doesn't shine

 

Vox does it's own thing and is often set off by heavy breathing, ambient noise, chatting etc

When you do want to transmit vox needs good radio discipline.  At best you lose the first word of a transmission, but you are just as likely to lose the first word of every sentance. 

Imaging hearing "Ord sword alling any boy, ord sword alling any boy...." you might be able to work out what it's meant to say, but what about your mission assignment, or how long you need to hold an objective to score maximum points?

 

If you don't want your radio to shout out at an innapropriate time then the headphone will sort that out, and most decent radios can pick up your voice if you have it on a pouch and press the button to transmit, or don't mind taking it out on occasion.

But most will also support a PTT button and microphone on the cable.  Press the button, pause for a moment to allow it to start transmitting then talk and release to listen

There are good cables around including ones with extra long lengths allowing you to stow the radio away, feed the microphone and headset around your clothing or vest etc, and if you like a seperate ptt cable that can go down your sleeve and a loop to slip the button on your finger

be very careful in selecting an after market headset & microphone, as even though some of them have identical looking and fitting plugs the actual configuration may differ.  I have had times where a team mate was carrying our radio with headset cable and was also given the commanders radio set.  These were

to allow him to relay messages between networks

But after radio testing he decided to swap the headset over.  It plugged in but left him in silence 

He's now banned from headsets and surprisingly never gets command relays 

 

Vox has its use for roofers when they fall off and are hanging off the roof, but otherwise it's evil

 

 

There are plenty of radio pouches around with holes in place for button controls, but it's easy to make or cut a pouch customized for a specific radio

One way is to take some plastic laminate, score and fold it to a box shape approximately the dimensions of the radio, cut out squares around the buttons and either insert into a general pouch or cover it with some material sewn to fit or dabbed in PVA glue

if you have a molle system then consider installing MALICE clips or Blackhawk speed clips to fit it

 

These radios have 5 levels of sensitivity, might try them out to see if there's something in the middle, or use vox with a throat mic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, proffrink said:

If you can still return them then the T81 is a dark green and not a lot more money.

 

Vox is poop on these by the way (and generally is). Get a PTT if at all possible.

?? T81 is twice the price, and I can't see any difference in specs at all. I just seem to be paying double the amount for a spare battery with the T81.

 

And the T80 is PTT too by the way, just has a vox option. Borrowed one from a team mate who'd brought a 4-pack last game, and it worked just fine. Just need to find a decent pouch.

 

1 hour ago, Tommikka said:

Both? Auto asphyxiation

 

Ha! Quickie behind the respawn to "boost morale"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, proffrink said:

Not sure where you're buying them from that's twice the price. They're identical other than colour and additional weatherproofing.

 

I mean an inline* PTT. I too have a T81 :)

 

I paid £78 for a pair of T80s, and a single T81 is about £75 depending on where you buy it.

 

and the weatherproofing is the same IPX4 rating between them

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...