What cheap race radio setup?

Getting down to the last few things we need for our ChumpCar and somehow we've forgotten about race radios. What's a good "cheaper" entry level system?

I just went through this for my Chumpcar. Good and cheap doesn't apply to radios unless you find a sweet deal on a complete used setup (I looked for 2 months and gave up). I wanted a reliable system that would reach around any track I would race at. An external antenna was a must.

Baofeng or similar Chinese radios are popular for their low price but it seemed many people would upgrade later. I viewed them as potential money lost and headache gained but there are many racers that swear by them.

The radios are almost the cheapest part if you are piecing together a set. Its the wiring, antennas and headsets that get you.

I looked at piecing together my own kit, buying a used set and adding headsets/replacing missing parts, or just buying a package deal from Sampson Racing Radios because they offer a Chump discount.

In the end, no matter how I did the math, I was real close to just buying a kit. So that is what I did last week. Buying a kit also means I can call tech support if I have issues or cant figure out how to turn the radio on. If you call Sampson they are real helpful in telling you the pros/cons of their different levels of kits.

Or you might be one of those super lucky guys that finds a never used, top of the line kit on Craigslist for 25% of its cost.

if you can fab up a push-to-talk mic, rather than a hand held mic. then a CB radio works pretty well … plus what logdog said … an external antenna and a tall antenna at the base station

This: http://www.amazon.com/Midland-GXT1000VP4-36-Mile-50-Channel-Two-Way/dp/B001WMFYH4

One of these for each helmet: http://www.amazon.com/WMU-Open-Face-Helmet-Headset/dp/B00CGM0V8G

Strap the key switch to the gear shift. Don't use the VOX setting.

On a driver change, plug up the helmet when you plug up the cool suit and belts. They aren't extremely loud, but they are understandable. The range was good enough to cover CMP.

If you run AA rather than the rechargeable batteries, they will run 14+ hours no problem.

Motorola makes a similar setup that I've seen a lot of teams use as well.

Toyman speaks truth. That setup definitely works well when everything is pretty close to line of sight, we didn't try it anywhere else. Now, if it were Road Atlanta and the base radio was in the pits behind the scoring building it might not work in turns 6 and 7 because of the big hill.

would it work at VIR ? oak tree to the pits ?

Thanks for the input guys. We'll mainly be running at tracks in Florida (rovals and Sebring). So line of sight or range isn't a huge issue with the flat terrain and lack of obstacles.

I'd love to drop a 1000 on a nice motorola set. Budget racing though. I might just try that Midland setup toyman was speaking of and give it a try. CB radios are great ideas too. A nice 110inch whip antenna would look badass on the chump car too.

digging with up from the dead. Has anybody tried the following, found this on another site

Bargain basement: Use a phone with unlimited minutes, buy a mount and earbud, and call someone.

Not too shabby (Budget Burgoon special, rumors that the hills will give it trouble): Loud exhaust Racing radio car kit $200?, 2 helmet kits (move helmet kit between drivers) $?, earbuds for each driver $60x4 Buy 2 power walkie talkies like the Motorola Talkabout MR350R ($60 for 2) Headset for crew with a cord for the walkie talkie. $180 or so

DirtyBird222 wrote: Getting down to the last few things we need for our ChumpCar and somehow we've forgotten about race radios. What's a good "cheaper" entry level system?

Race electronics are inherently unreliable. Cheapo HUY KOFONG radios have sucked for me: bleed over (in both directions) from adjacent EMS channels, constant VOX static in my earpiece, etc. Good Samson radios have worked well, except when egress driver kicks the harness getting out and breaks it, or someone cinches belts and pulls your helmet connector.

Bottom line is that radios are no replacement for a cohesive team race strategy and a pit board. The pit board always works. So does running 2 laps with your headlamps on if your driver is coming in. Set a target lap time and put a predictive lap timer in the car for pace.