2-way headset radios???

[SkiprJohn]

I'd be very interested to know how long the batteries last while in use. Please give us an update.
The reason I stopped using my sets is that the Panasonic 9V rechargeable batteries gave out finally after about 3 years and I couldn't find them cheap in Costco anymore. Too many charges. When the batteries were fresh they would last 1 to 1.5 hours in my "toy" units. Range was about 1/8th mile or more. Best yard sale purchases I made for electronic gear.
No buttons to push, could hear each other and interrupt conversations with no problems at all.
Kind Regards,
JohnL

[imagine2frolic]

Gord.....DITTO...hehehehehehehe

[Benny]

I have a wham unit that a headset can be plugged into and then you also have full VHF including MOB and DSC while away from the base VHF in the cockpit.

HOWEVER - I like the ones that Chuck pointed out and since they are only $60.00 and I live about a 15 minute drive away from the seller, I think I'll get a pair.

Now all I have to do is convince my fashion conscious mate to wear it OR I will be the one on the foredeck with the WHAM unit and headset while she stays in the cockpit - probably selectively ignoring my commands

[Maren]

Originally Posted by Reality Check

A bit further and I asked her to waive both hands while standing on left foot and kicking with right foot... she did...

She also noticed the large group of people watching her doing all these strange movement...

She automatically reverted to hand signals for me... as I recall it was the middle finger in an upward motion....

Funny! That had me laughing out loud and made my day.

[Roy M]

I've been using the Ear-Tech for a couple years, both at work and on the boat. It's great for talking to someone at the masthead or in the engine room. The full-duplex mode is really cool, and talking to someone on the bouncing foredeck with 35 knot winds and heavy spray, with a quiet voice, is way cool.

[svquest2]

that allows them to be voice activated or push button activated. They weren't too expensive and worked fine except in higher winds, the wind on the mike on the fore deck would activate the talk mode, and conversation from the foredeck would be constant so that the cockpit couldn't break in . Then we had to switch to button (push to talk) mode.

[Reality Check]

UP DATE

Have been back in the BVI for over a week and have had the opportunity to use the head sets in real time. I love them. With Two power levels you can communicate at varying distances. Using the lower end we have no problem communicating even in very windy conditions. Have had the opportunity to use them about 10 times so far and wonder why I didn't get them earlier. No loud talking that often can't be understood.

As far as battery life... I still don't know. Looks OK so far... I have probably use them about 4 hours of real time use and another 2 just "playing" with them. Range appears to be over 300 feet at low power... probably more. No reduction in strength is noted after 6 to 8 hours of service. Will give updates as we move around and get more time on batts...

So far they are a winner.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by svquest2

that allows them to be voice activated or push button activated. They weren't too expensive and worked fine except in higher winds, the wind on the mike on the fore deck would activate the talk mode, and conversation from the foredeck would be constant so that the cockpit couldn't break in . Then we had to switch to button (push to talk) mode.

Anyone know of a unit c/w a throat mike (eliminates "aspiration" & wind noise)?

[Reality Check]

Update... just returned from a couple of months in the West Indies, often using the headsets. It appears the batteries will last about 18 or so hours of typical use time... That is a lot and only near the end of the 7th week did I need to change out the batteries.... one was still functional but one... (had probably been left in the on position after use) was dead and needed replacement.

I really like these units and it appears several others also did as we "appeared" to be more competent at picking up moorings and anchoring than most of the bareboat charter people who simply shout so loud everyone within in half a mile knows what they are attempting to do and when they miss the mark.... Had several come over to the boat and ask what type and where we got them.

I took several 9V. batteries to make sure we didn't run short and actually brought back most of them. BTW... bring your fresh batteries as local island batteries may be beyond usable life as it takes so long to reach the shelves and typically have been very hot.

[2divers]

We bought ours at a local big box store thought I seem them everywhere. After using them for two weeks last month in the Cheaspeake I only have two minor complaints.
First the ear bud is a little difficult to fit in either of our ears and keep it there. A little messing around and a hat usually took care of that problem, but it was still and issue.
Second. the VOx (voice activation) would wait for a second and then start transmitting so the other person would miss the first word(s) you said. To counter this we changed our speaking pattern slightly to something like, "Karen, little more to the port and about 25 feet forward to the bouy."

This worked great till my daughter (the button pusher) got hold of her radio and set selective calling to "on" and she couldn't hear me anymore. Then it was back to hand signals which worked also.


Time wise, they lasted the whole trip (2 weeks plus) without needing charged even when we used them to keep track of each other around St. Michael's.
2divers

[Reality Check]

Cruising Solutions - Sailing Solutions | Cost effective equipment for life under sail

These are NOT with ear buds... they are a full headset and very easy to use and comfortable.

[hellosailor]

If any of you have wireless telephones at home? Some of them (Uniden) havea quiet little "intercom" feature that allows two handsets to be used directly as an intercom, just like walkie-talkies, without any phone connection. If you have one of the sets (of 2-3-4) that require only one phone cord to the base, and just AC power ot the handsets--those are the ones that often have this feature. Obviously the rechargable battery is not as convenient as real batteries--but if you've got the phones, they also pretty much all take regular inexpensive cellular earbuds or earmikes, too.

Gord, throat mikes seem to have gone way out of fashion, not easy to find at all these days. Evren the helo pilots are using boom mics with noise cancellation. Oddly enough, with a phone earbud I've found that just adding some foam over the mic hole does amazing things for stopping wind noise.