Radio setup

[Lazer]

I am looking at getting a new radio setup, radio + headset in the near future.  Does anyone have any recommendations of good gear?  Or gear that you have used that you would suggest staying away from?  I want something that will last a long time and provide good performance under airsoft conditions.   

[severed]

Are you looking at VHF/Marine band or a FRS/GMRS? What is your headset preference? Do you want an earpiece with boom mic or a separate mic?  Do you like an ear piece that goes in your ear like an ear bud or a larger external type?

For me, I use Midland radios, no real reason. Both my VHF and FRS are both Midland and take the same battery.  Which means I can use the same charger and if in a pinch I can swap batteries between them.  I use VHF for team comms and FRS for field comms/emergency.  There are a lot less newbs that run VHF, therefore less useless, mind numbing chatter.  VHF also works much better in hilly terrain and if you're playing in an urban environment where buildings kill your FRS range. 

Headsets, A large PTT is important to me, I need it to be easily usable with gloves on, in a frantic grasp, etc.  I prefer a boom mic, with a low profile earpiece.  The Bowman swimmer style comes to mind as a great, nearly perfect headset for me.

DO NOT order the headsets from ebaybanned aka ebairsoft, I've had 2 that were worthless, and had 3 team members that didn't work well either.

[Lazer]

Thanks for your input severed.

Radios: I am not sure what I want.  Was looking for suggestions.  I was thinking about a VHF or UHF radio.  Any suggestions on a reasonably priced one? 

Headset: I like the Bowman style as well.  Where did you purchase yours?

[Mack]

I've used Midland and Cobra radios with 10+ mile range. I've had good luck with them. The only issue I've had with the Midlands was that occasionally I have to use the transmit button on the radio instead of the PTT on the headset. That's more due to my abuse than fault of the radio.

I've used the Midland lapel /earbud and headset setups. Everyone I know whose had the lapel setup the mic has gone out on them. I liked the headset except that the PTT button was to small.

The Isasus NT2 Throat Mic is comfrotable to wear but can be hard for others to understand you. It does what it says and transmits whispers and cancels noise but you sound like a robot. The PTT is very small.

The Ebaybanned Swimmer style headset is nice. It's worked great. The PTT button is big and feels solid when you use it. I had an issue with it at the last Wellford game. I'm chalking that up to the cold though. It worked the night before and the day after when I did some testing. Another issue with the Swimmer style is that it seals around your ear. Which is good for being quiet but your ear gets sweaty quick.

I alternate between the Swimmer headset and a LE style mic setup. It has the CB radio style mic and an earbud that runs off of that. It's just a cheap knockoff that I found online.

On any of the headsets I've had with small PTT's, I've moved my radio to a spot on my kit where I just use the transmit button on the radio instead.

Hope this helps.

[Dominum]

If you are on a budget and don't mind earbuds, you can get the 24mi Cobras at Walmart in a pack of two for about $80. They are rechargeable and the charge lasts a long time (never had them die in a game), they work on any airsoft field (even BH), and the earpieces with wire mics work well. I bought them when I was starting out and found that they are plenty good enough for airsoft, and are very durable. You can always buy something more realistic and with more features, but they are really about as good as you need for airsoft.

[stuckmojo]

not to put down anything that dom said, i also bought the cobra set from walmart when i first started out and had alot of trouble with the mics but the radios worked very well.  just before ds4 i went to radio shack and brought a pair of midland radios with the midland large earpiece and lapel mic and have loved the performance.  the whole set was about 95 dollars with tax.  the only draw back i have found is the wire for the lapel mic tends to get in the way so i am considering getting a headset with boon mic or a throat mic.  hope this helps

[Dominum]

Run it up under your jacket and out your collar, sort of tucked back behind your ear.

[stuckmojo]

thanks for the tip

[Isotope]

From a legal perspective....use of FRS/GMRS radios does have some rules.  FRS channels may be freely used by anyone without a license.  Thus channels 8-14 are strictly license-free FRS channels. Transmitting on all channels above channel 14 requires a license. Transmitting on the shared FRS/GMRS channels 1-7 requires a license, if using more than 1/2 watt (Wikipedia).  With that being said, I'm almost positive that the FCC doesn't have enough field agents to arrest everyone using a radio easily obtained from Wal-Mart, Lowes, etc.  FYI, FRS/GMRS fall into the UHF band of frequencies which spans 300mhz-3ghz, however, FRS/GMRS frequencies are in 25mhz splits between 450-470mhz.

VHF Radios...Marine Band Radios are illegal to use inland.  The Coast Guard is charged with enforcing this.  Which may be difficult inland...

VHF Radios...Business Band  there are 5 frequencies in the VHF range (30-300mhz)

The ultimate radio for airsoft in my humble, yet educated opinion, are the Motorola Saber series.  Easily obtained from eBay for ~70-100$, programmable, 5 watt transmittable power compared to the 1/2 watt of the Cobras, Midlands, etc.  Bombproof design, even though they are 20 years old. 

One thing to remember, no matter how they are advertised, 25 mile, 10 mile, etc.  That is line of sight.  Throw in some buildings and hills, your lucky to get a mile out of them.  I have had not problems with my motorola transmitting from one side of Saluda to the other side.