Radio / communication equipment Advise please

[kihaku]

first up - i know nothing about paint balling or radio gear but i need some help with a problem that I have been told paintballers are the experts on.

I need a way to communicate with someone in a closed setting - basically like paintball but between two people (think scout/sniper situation)

He would have the ear piece but it needs to have a hand/finger based push to talk option. I would be the one doing the talking. range would be max 50 feet (20 meters)

so based on the crappy amount i have learned from lurking and google, I think i need a two way radio plus at least a 3 wire earpiece. not sure if i should use a 3 wire as well to keep my hands free?

I am looking to keep costs low so looking at £75 top for the whole think - £50 would be better if possible...basically as cheap as possible...

it would be nice if the system would be open to adding a 3rd radio a later date.

any recommendations, links, general advice would be greatly appreciated.

and thank for having patience with the noob

edited to add - its not for anything illegal but as part of a rehabilitation / therapy experiment

 

[Tom]

PMR 446 - Its the licence free frequency
See some of these threads:
http://p8ntballer-forums.com/search/8297793/?q=pmr&o=relevance&c[user][0]=12949

With a PMR walkie talkie you need no licence, and they are all compatible a 446 refers to the frequencies. So you can expand at a later date.

You will often get a good price as a pair, and many kits come with headsets.

To get the features you want make sure they have mic/headphone socket, preferably in a common format. Then get appropriate headsets with PTT.

 

[Reptile Smile]

Lots of people use Baofeng BF-888s. They're cheap as chips (£25 a pair, and another £4 for reprogramming cable, and £8 for PTT button) but you have to (like - HAVE TO) re program them to PMR frequencies. That's easily done, and there are lots of satisfied people using them. Technically they're slightly over the power limit for the PMR frequencies, but that is largely turned a blind eye to - as long as they've been reprogrammed (need to buy the USB cable at the same time).

 

[reaperuk91]

i use binatone action 950s, cost 40 quid for a pair when i got them but seen them cheaper now on ebay. pretty sure they come with a ptt button but if not they are cheap headsets on ebay. plenty of range for paintball events and have a good frequency range. simple to use and straight forward instructions. charge lasts the whole weekend too and will take aaa batteries if you ever ran out of charge

 

[Tom]

Avoid things such as the baofeng.
It's a foreign radio that needs to be imported, it is cheap but will take time.
It's use is illegal in the uk (Unless on licenced frequencies in accordance with a licence) Reprogramming will set it to uk legal frequencies without a licence but will exceed the power limits and still render it illegal.
People do do this and don't get caught, however if caught there is a major fine
Depending on where and how it is used will affect the chances of being caught
For the purposes described in your requirement legal pmr446 will be perfect, you do not need the extra range of these other radios

Depending on the use in the rehab experiment can increase the chance off being caught or at least embarrassed.
If in any official context then you are more likely to be caught, cause embarrassment and get prosecuted, sacked etc
If as an experiment to be documented (otherwise it's no experiment) then details of the radios used should also be documented. You then document the breach for all to see, fail to document a basic fact and bring your skills in documenting an experiment into question

Stick to simple pmrs off the shelf with headset sockets

 

[Reptile Smile]

Theoretically, yes, the baofeng is above the 0.5 power limit. The practical truth though is that on the PMR frequencies, OFCOM effectively leave them unregulated. The PMR frequencies would be all but impossible to regulate anyway.

Outside of those frequencies (hence the importance of reprogramming) - yes, you leave yourself open to big fines, and rightly so. On the PMR frequencies, everyone I know with them have both been thrilled with the build quality of radios, chuffed with the price, and been left alone by OFCOM. You pays your money, etc etc

 

[Tom]

Definatley in this case I would highly advise against something like this.
All that is needed is any PMR with headphone & mic socket with a cable, and idealy a ptt button on the cable.
Could be easily done off the shelf in any electronics shop, also a number of supermarkets
Online easily under £30

 

[Tom]

Ofcom don't run around the country checking frequencies and power. This is not the slams as turning a blind eye
This is why people get away with it and use various illegal systems, including not reprogramming

However - interfere with other frequencies and you attract attention
Get picked up on the off chance and prosecution will happen

 

[Reptile Smile]

Ofcom don't run around the country checking frequencies and power. This is not the slams as turning a blind eye
This is why people get away with it and use various illegal systems, including not reprogramming

However - interfere with other frequencies and you attract attention
Get picked up on the off chance and prosecution will happen

No, I don't disagree with this - certainly OFCOM aren't going to publicly state they leave PMR users to it without regulation. However, the current state of affairs is tantamount to same thing, as they very much do check and enforce other frequencies...

 

[kihaku]

thanks everyone - i went with a set of Binatone MR600 to try out to see if this plan works out. they are legal where i live once we stay away from certain groups of frequency,

I am helping someone with aspengers try and be independent at events this method was suggested by a security person at last years event. fingers crossed.