In car radio preference

[lateracer]

Planning to outfit my car with an in car radio system. Was thinking that I would use a basic two way radio system with headset/boom mic and push to talk button in the car with a 12v power source.

Used a friend's setup in the last race and loved it, but his system is pricey (self-proclaimed radio geek outside of racing).

Any recommendations?

I saw this Midland setup that is clearly designed for other things, could work - camo paint is probably good for at least 8 or 9hp too.

I'm willing to spend a little more if necessary...but is something nicer really necessary? I'm OK with being out of communication for a few seconds on the back side of the track. Just looking for something that can call the car in from the grandstands.

[jlevie]

For what you describe, a GMRS radio is probably going to work okay and will be far cheaper than a pro system. I have Motorola 8 channel UHF radios, which work really well from anywhere on any track in the SE. One advantage that a pro system has, which you might be able to accomplish with a GMRS set, is that the pro raidios invariably use ear buds rather than head phones. The ear buds make it a lot easier to understand what your crew is saying. And the microphones seem to have better noise canceling and clarity.

While powering the radio from the car is a small plus, it isn't essential. The battery should last all day, even if you leave the radio on. You can recharge overnight.

[lateracer]

Ahhh... UHF radios. OK, that's the search phrase I was looking for; still new to that side of the equation. I'm going to borrow a GRMS set for my next track day and see how it works. If it gets the job done I may cheap out for the time being, but if it's not good enough, then it's time to make an investment.

Thanks for the tip about the ear buds. I'll get one for myself and have another one available if people want to use it. I'm currently a lemons racer with spec racing aspirations (that'll be farther down the road when I've got more miles under my belt and time for a new build) so I've got multiple drivers to contend with. Sharing a car is bad enough with some of these guys, I'm not sure if I'm ready to share ear wax just yet :)

[jlevie]

While the ear buds and such of a pro race radio setup are better than the alternatives, they do mean a semi-permanent installation in the driver's helmet. The cheaper solutions (headphones and a mic) are more suitable for multiple drivers (and cheaper). A decent UHF pro radio setup for one crew and one driver is going to run something north of $1000..