In-car communicators, bluetooth?

[Candide13]

I need to get an in-car communicator for instructor training and my recollection from all the wired chatterboxes etc. that my instructors used on me was that they pretty much all sucked, and broke down regularly.

So I am thinking of getting a pair of bluetooth communicators designed for motorcycles. Has anyone used one of these for HPDE and could recommend one?

It would be important for it to be relatively easily attached/removed from a helmet, ie no screws etc.

Any pointers welcome !

[Chris_PDX]

I use Sena Bluetooth systems when I instruct. Specifically the SMH-10. Attaches to the outside of the helmet, mic goes underneath and inside and the wires for both speakers I have pushed under the padding.

On my student helmets, I just push the wires under the lip of the helmet around the back. Takes about 2 minutes and works pretty well.

They have a range of half a mile so can be used for Lead/Follow as well. Much better quality than those stupid Chatterboxes.

[ricardofors68]

Sena looks decent, but I don't know about swapping the gear from helmet to helmet when you have more than one student. I have used the racecom stuff, snaps, crackles and pops with the best of them, but is easier to shove the one piece speaker/mic boom.
I've had to jump from car to car, back to back, mine stayed in, student would remove the helmet, give me the boom then I would hand it to the other student and off we go once we stablish comms.

https://store.windingroad.com/raceco...com-p2257.aspx

Once again, probably not the best out there, just another option.

[Chris_PDX]

Originally Posted by ricardofors68

Sena looks decent, but I don't know about swapping the gear from helmet to helmet when you have more than one student. I have used the racecom stuff, snaps, crackles and pops with the best of them, but is easier to shove the one piece speaker/mic boom.
I've had to jump from car to car, back to back, mine stayed in, student would remove the helmet, give me the boom then I would hand it to the other student and off we go once we stablish comms.

https://store.windingroad.com/raceco...com-p2257.aspx

Once again, probably not the best out there, just another option.

The Sena takes about a minute or two to swap. You can leave the clamp loose enough to slide on/off without turning the screws but still snug enough that it won't fall out on it's own. Once you get used to it, not too bad.

Alternative is to get multiple mics/base plates and just swap the receiver, but that can get expensive.

[crzydave17]

This was always a problem for me. The chatterboxes do suck. The main problem though really wasn't the wires per se, but how the students handle their communicator. They'd end up breaking them pulling them out of their helmets. Just been my experience. Also the volume controls sucked because the instructor had stereo and the student has just mono in one ear. I'd have to turn it up so loud my ears bled just so the student could hear me.

Someone posted this up on my local Track Day forum. Dunno if its any good. It really only relieves one problem in giving 2 volume controls. You still have to deal with a student yanking it out in the worst possible ways.

[rymerc]

Originally Posted by Chris_PDX

I use Sena Bluetooth systems when I instruct. Specifically the SMH-10.

Same exact ones I use. Great quality, plenty of volume, kinda annoying to install but not terrible, hold a charge forever. Easily enough range for lead/follow -you'd have to be a turn ahead or lose line of sight for them to break up at all.

I have no idea why people bother with the shitterboxes and other messes of cabling and fuckery?

[ricardofors68]

Originally Posted by crzydave17

This was always a problem for me. The chatterboxes do suck. The main problem though really wasn't the wires per se, but how the students handle their communicator. They'd end up breaking them pulling them out of their helmets. Just been my experience. Also the volume controls sucked because the instructor had stereo and the student has just mono in one ear. I'd have to turn it up so loud my ears bled just so the student could hear me.

Someone posted this up on my local Track Day forum. Dunno if its any good. It really only relieves one problem in giving 2 volume controls. You still have to deal with a student yanking it out in the worst possible ways.

Yep, that's what I have, I have to remind people to not yank it by the wire, volume knobs doesn't seem to bring the volume loud enough, I guess it depends on the student and how they place the earpiece.

[Visceral]

Originally Posted by Chris_PDX

I use Sena Bluetooth systems when I instruct. Specifically the SMH-10. Attaches to the outside of the helmet, mic goes underneath and inside and the wires for both speakers I have pushed under the padding.

On my student helmets, I just push the wires under the lip of the helmet around the back. Takes about 2 minutes and works pretty well.

They have a range of half a mile so can be used for Lead/Follow as well. Much better quality than those stupid Chatterboxes.

Chris's SMH-10 was excellent, and more than loud enough. The earphones are super low profile. I've had so many different coms setups in my helmet, and unless you need really long-range (and in that case, they are radios in the car that wire to your helmet), this is the one to get.

Just buy one of those. Seriously.

[leo95se]

go to stable energies and try the rosso. only downside is its size. sena works well but the wiring efforts are tedious. chatterbox has a BT setup just released, but i LOL at them and their antics.

[RickyBobby]

I just got the SENA 10s based on this thread and am looking forward to tying it out this week.

There is a slight delay in the sound since it is wireless. Does this cause a problem when your student is in the same car and can hear your direct voice along with the delayed sound through the headset?

[Candide13]

Originally Posted by RickyBobby

I just got the SENA 10s based on this thread and am looking forward to tying it out this week.

There is a slight delay in the sound since it is wireless. Does this cause a problem when your student is in the same car and can hear your direct voice along with the delayed sound through the headset?

Good question, I got a couple of Sena 5s and will see how it goes.

[Chris_PDX]

Originally Posted by RickyBobby

I just got the SENA 10s based on this thread and am looking forward to tying it out this week.

There is a slight delay in the sound since it is wireless. Does this cause a problem when your student is in the same car and can hear your direct voice along with the delayed sound through the headset?

I haven't had that issue personally. Any delay (at least on mine) is so minuscule I don't notice it.

[Visceral]

Originally Posted by Chris_PDX

I haven't had that issue personally. Any delay (at least on mine) is so minuscule I don't notice it.

There were times when I could both hear Chris through the helmets and through the BT.

The delay is typical BT processing delay, meaning less than 1/20th of a second. I believe that's irrelevant to the intended purpose.

[RickyBobby]

I'm at the track today and loving the wireless nature of the sena, however the lag is noticeable and annoying. Once you're out on track and moving it's not bad but when in the paddock I'm turning it off.

[M3MPH1S]

I saw it was mentioned above, but only in passing. Now that this has been out for a while, does anyone have experience with the Chatterbox Wireless headset?

https://chatterboxusa.com/collection...reless-headset