Headset options for start / T&S (booted from lessons)

Chuck Frank · **Posted:** Wed Jun 15, 2005 7:21 pm

officers Responsibility

provide the radio worker in the bus with a muffled headset instead of a handheld radio.
This would eliminate distractions from noises inside/outside and let them hear the calls more clearly as well as free their hands for writing down the calls. I have worked radio at Prosolos where you sit on a chair outside right next to the start line and could still hear penalty calls easily while an unmuffled high powered car was starting off the line because the headsets really do muffle. This should be considered a top priority essential piece of equipment.

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

Chuck Frank wrote:

officers Responsibility

provide the radio worker in the bus with a muffled headset instead of a handheld radio.
This would eliminate distractions from noises inside/outside and let them hear the calls more clearly as well as free their hands for writing down the calls. I have worked radio at Prosolos where you sit on a chair outside right next to the start line and could still hear penalty calls easily while an unmuffled high powered car was starting off the line because the headsets really do muffle. This should be considered a top priority essential piece of equipment.

Hmm, that would be a good idea for the starter too. I witnessed several times that the starter missed a "hold start!" call because the start line noise was too high.

I can't think of a major drawback to this except that it's another piece of equipment to buy, store, and maintain.

Scott Johnson · **Posted:** Thu Jun 16, 2005 6:56 am

MikeWhitney wrote:

Chuck Frank wrote:

officers Responsibility

provide the radio worker in the bus with a muffled headset instead of a handheld radio.
This would eliminate distractions from noises inside/outside and let them hear the calls more clearly as well as free their hands for writing down the calls. I have worked radio at Prosolos where you sit on a chair outside right next to the start line and could still hear penalty calls easily while an unmuffled high powered car was starting off the line because the headsets really do muffle. This should be considered a top priority essential piece of equipment.

Hmm, that would be a good idea for the starter too. I witnessed several times that the starter missed a "hold start!" call because the start line noise was too high.

I can't think of a major drawback to this except that it's another piece of equipment to buy, store, and maintain.

I was actually looking for an FRS headset with more than just ear buds and found none. If anyone can find a Motorolla FRS headset that fits the bill, let me know.

In Sanford we tried giving the starter a different radio on a different frequency, the bus had the matched pair. It lasted about 10 minutes before the bus folks were begging to have everyone on the same page again. We *do* try noew tricks periodically, but most folks only see what works.

Scott

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:47 am

Actually, what seemed to work best was when the starter wasnt calling in the car number, either the raw sheet worker or backup were taking the names of the drivers in the line, after we had them stop so T&S could see the #.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Thu Jun 16, 2005 8:36 am

scottjohnson wrote:

I was actually looking for an FRS headset with more than just ear buds and found none. If anyone can find a Motorola FRS headset that fits the bill, let me know.

I had the same idea. However I couldn't locate one either. You know, I'll bet Mr. Harvey can make us one that will work though. How about it Rob?

Tonya Mauldin · **Posted:** Thu Jun 16, 2005 9:07 am

Vincent Keene wrote:

scottjohnson wrote:

I was actually looking for an FRS headset with more than just ear buds and found none. If anyone can find a Motorola FRS headset that fits the bill, let me know.

I had the same idea. However I couldn't locate one either. You know, I'll bet Mr. Harvey can make us one that will work though. How about it Rob?

Do you mean like this?
http://www.grove-ent.com/HEILHDP.html

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Thu Jun 16, 2005 9:16 am

Tonya Mauldin wrote:

Vincent Keene wrote:

scottjohnson wrote:

I was actually looking for an FRS headset with more than just ear buds and found none. If anyone can find a Motorola FRS headset that fits the bill, let me know.

I had the same idea. However I couldn't locate one either. You know, I'll bet Mr. Harvey can make us one that will work though. How about it Rob?

Do you mean like this?
http://www.grove-ent.com/HEILHDP.html

Well yeah, except for less than almost $100! :shock:

Actually I thought I saw somewhere (maybe I was dreaming) of a headset with a boom mic so the operator could work hands free. Anyone seen one of these for use with an FRS?

Scott Johnson · **Posted:** Thu Jun 16, 2005 9:19 am

My understanding is thhat motorola doesn't use a standard stereo mini-plug for their headphones.

Scott

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Thu Jun 16, 2005 9:24 am

scottjohnson wrote:

My understanding is that motorola doesn't use a standard stereo mini-plug for their headphones.

Standard, smandard! Cue Rob Harvey. I'll bet he can Git 'R Done!

Chuck Frank · **Posted:** Thu Jun 16, 2005 5:04 pm

Racing Radio boom mic headsets are what most use incl SCCA. They aren't cheap but are nearly bulletproof, the same ones the NASCAR teams use. An adapter may be required for the plug(s) which could be taken off a cheap earbud set if not available otherwise. SCR, Blue Ridge and CCR use them for the starter as well, but I wasn't going to push my luck trying to get two of them... :lol:

Keith Quistorff · **Posted:** Fri Jun 17, 2005 4:39 pm

MikeWhitney wrote:

Chuck Frank wrote:

officers Responsibility

provide the radio worker in the bus with a muffled headset instead of a handheld radio.
This would eliminate distractions from noises inside/outside and let them hear the calls more clearly as well as free their hands for writing down the calls. I have worked radio at Prosolos where you sit on a chair outside right next to the start line and could still hear penalty calls easily while an unmuffled high powered car was starting off the line because the headsets really do muffle. This should be considered a top priority essential piece of equipment.

Hmm, that would be a good idea for the starter too. I witnessed several times that the starter missed a "hold start!" call because the start line noise was too high.

I can't think of a major drawback to this except that it's another piece of equipment to buy, store, and maintain.

Sounds like a good idea, but based on personal experience as raw sheets guy, I can think of a couple drawbacks:

1. If the headset is too muffled, any communication between the raw sheets and computer person (inside the bus) becomes more difficult. Not a major issue, but one to consider.

2. The more significant issue, IMO, is if the raw sheets person doesn't hear the announcer at all, then they cannot relay cone penalties to be announced. To me, this is the one and only important piece of information the announcer should consistently call out for every completed lap. (Lap time is displayed big as life at the finish, and the rest of the announcements are for general entertainment.)

Chuck Frank · **Posted:** Fri Jun 17, 2005 7:37 pm

The computer operator hears the radio person's acknowlegement of the penalty call when it's repeated back to the reporting station, The bus is small enough that they can get the radio person's attention by tapping them on the shoulder if needbe. When the announcer was first banished from the bus, penalties were communicated from the radio operator/rawsheet person (or by the standby to give them something to do) by handsignals out the window, finger count for cones, crossed fingers (or thumb down) for DNF, fist for clean. If their hands are free from holding a radio they can signal with one hand while writing the time with the other without any real burden. The radio person doesn't need to hear the announcer.
I have done all the T&S positions using headsets and it works well. The earphones don't hinder conversation much in quiet environments but do heavily attenuate the loud lower frequency noises.
I just saw an ad for a new headset to compete with Racing Radio but at "grassroot racer price". I'll look into it.

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