Need radio help

General Discussion
1

Hey guys, I’m new here and new to the whole radio thing. Let’s just get down to business.

I am a MILSIM Airsofter. I don’t really feel like explaining what Airsoft is, but if you’d really like to know feel free to ask and I’ll give you the low down. Anyway, my role in airsoft requires the use of a radio. Sticking to the Milsim (Military Simulation) aspect of it, I plan on acquiring a functional REPLICA AN/PRC-148 MBTIR. These can be purchased from foreign distributors for great prices and they function quite well, from what I’ve heard anyways.

http://www.toysoldier.com.hk/product_details.php?pid=43

there is a link to the radio I plan on purchasing.

I plan on running a PTT system through the radio and into a headset such as a Comtac II or Sordin.

My question is this, with that particular radio (the one in the link), the PTT connection seems to resemble a 1/4in cable (such as an instrument cable, guitar cable, etc). It’s nearly impossible to find a PTT system (usable in a military style application) that has a 1/4in connector. Therefore I was thinking it may be possible to run a normal 1-pin motorola style PTT through a 3/4in to 1/4in adapter into the radio. But I have NO idea if this would work at all, I’m not savvy when it comes to radios by any means. Can anyone help me out here or point me in the right direction?? I’m really set on purchasing this style of radio (they make one with a 6pin connector that is MUCH more useful but it is currently unavailable everywhere I’ve looked).

Is it possible to run a Motorola Talkabout 1-Pin (3/4in) cable into an adapter (3/4in to 1/4in) and into this radio??

I’d really appreciate some feedback on this, I have not found ANYTHING on the internet at all about this so I don’t know where to start or where to look. Figured posting on a two way radio forum would be a good place to begin!!

Thanks ahead of time,

Austin

P.S. LINKS TO ITEMS I’m REFERRING TO!!

Adapter:
http://www.yourcablestore.com/35mm-To-14-63mm-Stereo-Headphone-Adapter_p_154.html

PTT:
http://www.ebairsoft.com/style-adaptor-p-5158.html

Headset:
http://www.ebairsoft.com/ztactical-comt-headset-z041-military-standard-plug-p-2604.html

Thanks again

2

EDIT: It seems that the Moto Talkabout radios use their own proprietary connector. It seems to be a 2.5mm plug instead of a 3.5mm plug which is what I was talking about. In that case, is it possible to run a 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter into a 3.5mm to 1/4in adapter into the radio?? It’s beginning to seem less probable now… I really hope there’s a way around this!!

EDIT: Just found a PTT that connects to a Yaesu type radio. Seems to be a 3.5mm plug. Would this work?

http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/airsoft/Accessories_Throat_Mics_Headsets_Radios_Z_Tactical_Peltor_PTT_for_Yaesu_Version.htm

3

Hi, thanks for joining our forum! Unfortunately I’m not going to be able to offer much help. I’m not familiar with the replica radio that you’re linking to, but I would suggest that you contact the manufacturer of that radio and ask them if their radio is compatible with a connector type that is used by a more common radio manufacturer.

Accessory connectors are for the most part proprietary to the manufacturer of the radio. Often smaller manufacturers will adopt the connector of a bigger brand of radio so that there are more accessories available. Although it’s hard to tell from the images, the connector on your radio seems to me to be a 3.5mm (1/8") with a screw down connector.

I don’t believe the Yaesu plug would work. If you look closely at the Yaesu, you’ll see it has 3 black bands in the plug separating it into 4 parts. The picture of your radio shows its connector with 2 bands, so I think it isn’t likely to work.

Looking at our Impact Connector Chart, Impact’s M6 style connector (made for the Motorola VISAR series) seems to be the closest fit, but again, I can’t say for sure if it will work.

4

Basically a Milsim airsofter is a person that plays paintball type games - where instead of paintballs - they use military type equipment.

The transceiver you are talking about - is not legal for use for you because the bands it operates on requires a license and or it produces more power then legally allowed without a license.

That is probably the reason why you got the radio but not the microphone.

I’m not real familiar with that style of radio, but it would require some type of antenna to operate on the chosen band / and or it would have to include some type of sophisticated auto tuner to tune one antenna to all of those frequencies.

http://www.thalescomminc.com/datasheets/Thales%20MBITR.pdf

I guess you would need the headset to go along with it.
Maybe you could contact the manufacturer.

5

Actually, those are FRS/GMRS frequencies listed on the site in his first link. He didn’t say that he doesn’t have a GMRS license, so unless he indicates in some way that he doesn’t, it wouldn’t be fair to always assume so.

As I understood it, the radio in question is a GMRS replica of the AN/PRC-148 MBITR, not the actual radio itself. I may be wrong, but that is how I understood the post.

Also, he never said that he got the radio without a mic. He was interested in purchasing it and wanted to know if he could use it with a tactical headset instead of the mic.

Folks, please don’t be so quick to judge someone who is just asking questions or looking for guidance. Keeping it legal is important, to be sure, but we don’t want to assume the worst in everyone who joins the forum and posts an inquiry.