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Communicating between vehicles while driving.


Mark

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Hi, I know Reo,s did not have them (as far as I know) but it would be nice to have some sort of comms unit with headsets in the truck to speak to the passenger when travelling around as it is noisy in the cab, has anyone got any suggestions as to what I could use and how much I would be expected to pay.

 

Thank you

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Mark there's a number of options on this, you pays your money and takes your choice.

 

The PMR 446 option with either PTT or a Vox headset is probably the best non licenced route.

 

Try contacting the likes of Nevada in Portsmouth. : http://www.Nevada.co.uk/ .

 

There are many manufacturers of PMR 446 sets, go for a branded name like Alinco or similar. They cost a little more but in a difficult environment like moving vehicles they are worth the extra. Vox head sets can be plugged straight into the better models, and of course keeps your hands free. The downside to this is that you cant hold a "private" conversation in the cab without broadcasting to all !

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Ok thanks nice suggestion are these units 24v, and I assume if other people had the same unit they can listen in to your conversations.

 

What about a clansmen or something similar?? keeping in with the military theme

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Ok thanks nice suggestion are these units 24v, and I assume if other people had the same unit they can listen in to your conversations.

 

What about a clansmen or something similar?? keeping in with the military theme

 

 

Go for Clansman.. fairly cheap, plenty of it about, easy to Install & you don't need to install any radios for the intercoms to work, if you want radios then you would have to go for your licence... I'll dig out a copy of the manual for you that shows what all the various boxes do.. I'll bring it to Dover with me..

 

To give you some idea of prices look here http://www.armyradio.com/arsc/customer/home.php?cat=83 but most of it can be picked up on ebay..

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I've put a Clansman intercom in the Militant to make it possible to talk to my passengers while driving.

I should be travelling in convoy to most shows this year with a friend in his Mk1 Militant. He will be fitting a Clansman intercom too for the same reason.

 

Is there an easy way of us being able to talk to eachother while driving ?

The options I have come up with so far are;

 

Clansman radio.

Neither of us holds a licence and I'm not sure if Clansman works at legal frequencies anyway.

Clansman radios are bulky and around £100 - £150 each

 

PMR radio.

Already got them and tried it, but the headset is uncomfortable inside the Clansman headset and the microphone picks up too much background noise.

Would it be possible to connect the PMR to the radio input on the Clansman IB3 box so that we could use it directly through the Clansman headset.?

 

Mobile phone.

With voice dialling and a bluetooth single ear headset this may work, but background noise on the mike and cost of calls puts me off.

 

I know almost nothing about radios, but if a PMR radio has got an output for headphones and an IB3 box has got an input for radio, there must be a potential to connect them somehow.

I would like to hear from someone who knows their stuff before I try it and find that one works on 10 times the voltage of the other and end up with a fried radio.

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Mark,

 

you will need the box in the top left (IB2 or 3) & the two boxes below it to the right (Crew Box CB2)

 

If you want to install a loudspeaker you will need a loudspeaker amplifier, first picture far right & loudspeaker, last photo, right. All the other boxes are to do with the radios..

 

You can even wire your Ipod or what have you through the IB2/3..

 

A handset is useful on a long lead for use outside the vehicle for backing in awkward places or when working on the engine etc.. the one in the last photo is a good one..

 

Clansman 353 Radio/intercom installation Ferret Mk1..

width=640 height=480http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e132/safariswing/radio2.jpg[/img]

width=640 height=480http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e132/safariswing/radio1.jpg[/img]

width=640 height=480http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e132/safariswing/radio3.jpg[/img]

width=480 height=640http://www.armyradio.com/arsc/files/product_pictures/h-4800.jpg[/img]

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Yep, I've been told that you can connect your IB3 to your mobile but not sure what's involved, Chris M. may be able to answer that one, he's a bit more up on the radios & I think he has all his working.. could be wrong though :dunno:

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Sorry Mark, misread you there, I thought you were looking for Vehicle to Vehicle coms. Go with Clansman is its only intercom you want.

 

 

No probs Karoshi nice link you gave though it gives me an alternative to think about, with a clansman I can get the headsets as with a Reo you need ear defenders or eventually you wont.

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Hi Graham, What about some old style CB radios with a headset from a clansman converted to use with them and maybe you might be able to use a clansman aerial with it to keep in with the military theme. I believe there is still a legal frequency and all you had to do many years ago was purchase your licence from the post office but that was some 25 years ago . They are still around on ebay and don't cost the earth and you get a good range with them.

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Hi Mark,

Just answed this question on another topic.

What about some old style CB radios with a headset from a clansman converted to use with them and maybe you might be able to use a clansman aerial with it to keep in with the military theme. I believe there is still a legal frequency and all you had to do many years ago was purchase your licence from the post office but that was some 25 years ago . They are still around on ebay and don't cost the earth and you get a good range with them.

 

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Ian have just merged the topics as they are about the same so all in one place is logical, yes had thought about a CB but then have to go the route of a convertor to 24v etc and dont know about headsets to fit them, will have to do some digging

 

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If you go for PMR's they have internal batteries, and the better models have the ability to accept a 12v power lead. A 24v to 12v dropper is not a problem. Try Maplins.

 

But dont skimp on quality for V to V comms. You'll regret it. Range , noise, interferance the list goes on.

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CB radios are mainly 12 volt and all you would need to do if running a 24 volt system is connect the CB to just one battery but make sure you check the voltage first to make sure it is the right one you are connecting to. CB radios are proberly the cheapest option and its easy if friends get them then they can keep in touch with the convey. But for all those rich people out there then clansman sounds ok depending on frequency/licensing and staying within the law.

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Yep, I've been told that you can connect your IB3 to your mobile but not sure what's involved, Chris M. may be able to answer that one, he's a bit more up on the radios & I think he has all his working.. could be wrong though :dunno:

 

 

Lee, other than installing radios in vehicles and connecting them up I've not really played about with anything else. Connecting an ipod is easy, I believe some of the Americans on Ferret-Heaven have managed to get the mobile phone to work through the harness too. It can't be that difficult!

 

Chris

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Most cb's are available in 24v as it's lorry drivers who use them the most..

 

 

When i was a kid lorry drivers never got a lookin there was so many kids on them. How times have progressed now its text messages/emails/instant messaging amd not forgetting forums.

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CB radios are mainly 12 volt and all you would need to do if running a 24 volt system is connect the CB to just one battery but make sure you check the voltage first to make sure it is the right one you are connecting to. CB radios are proberly the cheapest option and its easy if friends get them then they can keep in touch with the convey. But for all those rich people out there then clansman sounds ok depending on frequency/licensing and staying within the law.

 

 

I would advise against getting your 12v supply by tapping into the "lower" battery. That battery will end up flatter than the other one. The vehicle charging system delivers its charge to the two 12v batteries which are connected in series which are assumed to be identical in capacity, age, performance etc. The charging system has no way of being able to send a higher charger to the 12v battery nearest the earthy end of the two. What you suggest will work ok but at the expensive of shortening the life of one of your batteries. Then when you have to buy a new one there will be an imbalance of batteries with different properties.

 

I always buy two identical batteries & treat them as a pair. If I want 12 volts I use a 24-12v regulator. At its simplest it is a power transistor held down by a zener diode or regulator IC. I have found chopped power units which are more efficient very prone to radiate radio interference. For FM broadcast/CD play I use a 24v player which makes life easier. But if you use a 24-12v regulator many of the have quite high standing currents of 100ma which can after a few days leave you with flat batteries.

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But with CB's you cannot talk to your passeger via intercom or probably hear the broadcast from another due to the noise level, which then negates getting one in the first place?

 

 

Yes but you should be able to wire a CB in to the IB2/3 that way you will have cheap legal comms V to V & an intercom

 

You can get Cb's for about £50 http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/midland_38_cb_radio/

 

& finf voltage droppers here if anyone needs one

 

http://cbequipment.co.uk/product_catalog.php?m=Miscellaneous&g=24V_Droppers

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