sbelles

I know the subject of radios has been addressed before but I can't find a dedicated thread.

Do I really need to spend $1,200+ for something I'm going to be happy with? What features are critical? IMSA or NASCAR? Buy a complete setup or piece one together? 5W or do I really need 20? The crew radios are only 5 anyway right? Recommendations for a good source?

Thanks.

Veloce Raptor

IMSA

Buy pre-owned radios...save $$$$$$$$

mnurnbe

I am also looking. Where can I find some pre-owned radios for sale?

NaroEscape

Here's what I did:
I found a Motorola CM200 (the incar CB type radio - 20W) and radio harness from someone here on Rennlist for the car, got an antenna, cable and PTT from Sampson Communications, then I bought a couple CP200 handhelds on ebay and I got them programmed together - Racing Electronics is 20 minutes from my house and they did it for free.

All in, probably $500 total.

Disclosure: I already had a helmet set up from years ago, all IMSA stuff.

Buying a complete kit/set up is much easier, but you can save decent $$ if you take the time to do it. You really don't NEED the incar CB style radio, but it was available so I bought it. (funny, Porsche uses handhelds with a holster, connected to the PTT and antenna in the RSR.)

Der ABT

I've got a motorola p125 handheld with a hardwire kit so I don't need batteries. You can find them on eBay often. I got the thick antenna vhf I think
I've had no issues at any of the big track...Watkins Sebring vir then IMSA connectors push to talk etc

sbelles

Thanks guys. Exactly the kind of info I was looking for. If anybody has some used gear for sale, post it up.

Mostly I just want to know when the hell the green flies since I'm not usually close enough to see it. Last year I experimented using my iphone hooked up through the aux input of my chatterbox. It worked ok for the first two sprints though it only works one way, at least I knew when the green dropped. Then, before the last race, I was playing with race monitor and somehow set an alert for when it saw me on the track. It saw me just before the green dropped so Instead of green green green, I heard beep beep beep as people were driving by me.

hollmatt

I have a bunch of in car equipment I'm looking to move on. A ken wood in car radio with cables and a camera and laptimer and transponder. I was planning on taking some pics and putting them on Rennlist next week but PM me if you're interested - thx

skl

Some guy at apex speed was selling a ton of used radios- may want to check there...

KNK123

Go to Racing Electronics or Racing Radios website and look at the packages they put together. Then buy the radios used off of eBay. As for the rest of the gear you need (harness, antenna, headphones, etc.), Racing Electronics sells their stuff on eBay at a discount. I put together a nice system this way at about half the price of retail.

stujelly

+1 racing radios

If it is not a dedicated track car, then a portable motorola cp200 can go in the cup holder and a cable and ptr button can be velco attached to the wheel

Streak

Scott, what everyone else said

One extra I had to put in is a noise cancellation thingy. With the engine running my radio was getting a lot of interference.

I bought a motorola sm50 off ebay and the rest from Sampson Communications.

Take care to mount that friggin ptt so it will not gutted pulled when turning the steering wheel.

racing916

I would also look into custom molded racing earbuds they are a huge difference from the generic foam inserts.

Charles A. Toupin

+1

Gary R.

Waste, all you had to do was turn the engine off...

sbelles

Thanks folks. I started buying components based on Racing Radios $1,600 system from ebay and Sampson and it looks like I'll get everything for a little over half of that.