Evolution-ary

I've tried searching here with no luck... Can anyone who instructs on track suggest a helmet to helmet audio system? Looking for an easy/cheap way to communicate in car, in the moment with instructors I may hire... My experience has not been great trying to yell and hear each other while driving at speed on the track! Thanks!

JDIllon

The Chatter Box works great. Not the wireless version. JD

brkntrxn

Chatterbox.

Any instructor worth a darn will already have a system.

Evolution-ary

thanks guys... any suggestions on best place to purchase?

Bill Dearborn

The student shouldn't need to provide the headset. If you want to do your own the only one to use is Chatterbox. They just updated their system so you should be looking for the Tandem Pro 2 Communicator.

Prices should run about:
Chatterbox Communicator == $64.99
Full Face Mic & Headset == $29.99
Student Headset == $34.99
Converter for old Chatterbox Headsets == $5.99
Headset Extension Cord == $14.99


Don't just order on line call the Motorsports shop you are ordering from and find out exactly which items you need.

Bill

Evolution-ary

Thanks Bill as always for your detailed insight....

One of my buddies that races in the ALMS series might fly in from the East Coast at some point to coach me, so trying to make it easy on his packing or having to think about carrying this stuff... also one of my instructors out here is old school, former SCCA champ, great driver, and instructs on occasion, but doesn't have this kind of gear... It seems not too many instructors (that I know of) out here on the 'warm' coast use this kind of thing... I'm sure they do in the high profile 'camps' (Fellows, Bondurant, etc) but I am not aware of this being the norm for private instructors out here.. then again, I don't know that many

2MCHPWR

i use chatterbox but with my racecar, its almost impossible to hear (permanent mount in my helmet).

I see some higher end racers using a blutooth system. anyone know about those?

Bill32

What Bill said.

I've instructed using Chatterboxes for 18 years, my current one is 10 years old, works great and still will do a 2 day event without recharge.

I have one headset permanently mounted in my helmet.

socalspringmountain

For the school We use in car mobile radios that we plumb into the auxiliary port in the glovebox. Our cars aren't extremely loud so it's easy to hear. We can plug a in ear transducer style earpiece to them too and that you'll really hear. That's more for communication from car to car or when we coach people from the outside of the car. In car we just talk to you.
Ruggedradios.com and sampsonracing.com are two sources I've used. It's easy to get a two handheld system for around 500+
May also want to go with digital radios instead of VHF or UHF as they are much clearer to understand. If only in car is your concern like some said chatterbox makes a system and the above websites have intercom systems as well. Slight downside is you have to get your helmets wired for it.

harrydirty

Been using Chatterbox for a few years..........student headsets are fairly easy to use for non-permanent situations like op is describing. I use student headset myself when instructing so I don't have to deal with wiring/etc when I am not.

PaConehead

I upgraded to Tandem Pro 2 this past season and was very pleased with the system - good sound quality, maintains charge, and has been durable

Evolution-ary

Thanks .. sounds like the way to go... definitely non permanent for both student and instructor...

would you mind to tell me exactly what you use, and where things go in the car/or on your body? With the data acq. set up, cameras, (and just getting ready to DRIVE), lots to think about... wanna make sure I get what I need and understand how to set up for the infrequent times I use it...

thx in advance... Dave

harrydirty

I use the Chatterbox Tandem Pro (HJC-50), purchased about 3 years ago from I/O Port in Lafayette, CA. I also purchased two student headsets with it. When I instruct, I show the student how to insert the headset between the helmet and his ear (helmet is on, but not strapped) until it is seated into the earhole space in the helmet foam. The student then adjusts the mic boom until the mic is in front, near his lips (works with full face and open helmets). Then student straps helmet and I repeat the process with my headset. I plug both headset wires into Chatterbox unit and turn on to test volume levels. I have an elastic strap from an old jogging radio so I can wear Chatterbox unit on my left upper arm, between student and myself. Setup works best if student wears headset on right side which keeps wire from crossing his chest. Wire is coiled so there is minimal tangle factor. It all works pretty well and I find I can communicate very well in most conditions. Typically I meet my students about ten minutes before their session starts and get strapped into their car, get situated as described with the Chatterbox, then use any remaining time to explain what we are about to do, answer questions, calm student down, etc. Hope that helps.

Bill32

I do the same as Harry said here, I do a volume check with the student and usually just put the unit in my shirt pocket.

Evolution-ary

Great Harry (and Bill above)... really appreciate the detailed reply... I'll go this direction and report back how it worked... intend to use Nov 30th...

Bill Dearborn

You have to make sure the microphones are shielded from the outside noise. One way to do that is to have some sort of sock that fits from the helmet down around the neck to keep outside noise from getting inside the helmet. I believe Stilo helmets may have something already built into them. I know they have ear muffs that shield the ears from outside noise. But of course you get a little more in a product when you are paying $800 to $3000 for it.


I have an Impact 1320 helmet and was having trouble hearing my students through my helmet mounted speakers since they were partially covered by the standard cheek pads. I did some research and found out Impact offers Y shaped cheek pads that are shaped so you can mount the head set speakers in the helmet right next to your ears without anything covering them. Now the speaker volume is so loud I have to reduce it from where I used to set it. This seems to help since I believe the speakers were distorting at the level I was using before. Other helmet makers probably offer similar styled cheek pads.


I mounted my microphone on the inside of the helmet right in front of my lips. I also make sure my students place the student headset microphone directly in front of their mouth. This doesn't always work with students since a lot of them don't have helmets that fit correctly so the microphone slips down after a while. If you look at the student microphone without the foam sock on it you can see the opening at the end of the boom. That opening has to be facing the mouth. If it is facing the other way it will pick up more outside noise.


OP: If you want Chatterbox info online look up Chatterbox USA. Just searching on Chatterbox gets you a lot useless info.


Bill

Evolution-ary

thanks again Bill....

part of my work spills over into the audio industry, and I also work with high end 'in ear' head phones on stage all the time... I wonder if using just ONE side of this 'in ear' type of head phone would work with this chatterbox system/mic? I know everyone would hear better for sure, and that way one ear is still open to hear the surroundings on the track... thoughts?

MySR71

Not specifically but I do have another perspective to add. My car has no interior and the exhaust is basically unmuffled. The Chatterbox system doesn't really work because the background engine noise is too loud. Borrowing some parts from the rally guys, I run a Peltor intercom (FMT 120). It works great in my car. The two downsides to the Peltor system that I am aware of are:

1.) It is quite a bit more expensive than the Chatterbox system.
2.) The headsets aren't compatible with Chatterbox. I haven't looked into adapter cables but the connectors are much different. My system is hardwired into my car but pretty much none of the instructors that I've had can use it. The headsets aren't designed for temporary fitment into a helmet so I can't just give them a headset to use.

That's not say I haven't used the intercom. A friend of mine has equipment that is compatible and I've gotten a lot of great instruction from him. When I think about how much faster I've become due to help from an instructor and being able to communicate with my instructor while out on track, the cost of the intercom was WELL worth it.

harrydirty

Chatterbox normally uses one combined ear/mic setup per person, so the other ear is "open". Trying to use other equipment may work, but you would have to find a way to "splice" into their setup. The Chatterbox earpiece/mic uses a standard S-video connector, so you would need to understand the pinout and use an S-video extender barrel or Y-connector to "splice" into the Chatterbox setup.

Evolution-ary

yeah, I had a feeling it would involve a splice somewhere, but helpful to know mic/earpiece is all in one... no time to try and mod anything this time, but may mess around with it at some point... thx!