Hello, I’m an almost total radio newbie, and I’ve seeking some information I’ve been unable to locate elsewhere online.
I’m an avid Airsoft player, and I need a decent two-way radio for on-field communication with my team mates. Almost every player uses one form of FRS/GMRS radio or another, and that’s all I’m looking for.
Normally, I’d just head down to my local Radio Shack or Wal-Mart and snag the one with the best listed stats, but I have a tactical headset I’d really like to be able to use, and I need to know (before I buy) which radios I need to be looking at!
I have a “Cavalvy Elite II” tactical headset, with a Motorola 2-pin connector.
Thats the exact connector I’ve got. Are there any new (or relatively new) Moto FRS/GMRS radios out there that will take this connector? If not, is there an adapter I pick up that’ll convert it to single pin?
That is a Motorola two-prong plug, also known as the Motorola M1 plug.
It is designed for Motorola business radios and will not work with the single-pin Motorola FRS radios. You may be able to find an adapter but be VERY careful while shopping because there are two versions of the two-prong plug that are sometimes called the M1 and the M2. Other manufacturers refer to the single-pin as an M2S and the multi-pin as an M2, so there is no standardization in nomenclature. The best bet is to visit a Motorola dealer to see if they can find an adapter for you.
But quite frankly, you will pay as much for an adapter as a brand-new headset. The best course-of-action for you right now would be to sell that headset to someone with a Motorola business radio and get a similar headset with the proper single-pin FRS plug. (Just be careful that you only get the Motorola FRS plug. Other makes will not fit, except that some models of the Midland and the TriSquare headsets may be the same plug … but don’t quote me on that.)
Our forum hosts at buytwowayradios.com have a lot of really good quality headsets to choose from.
Another thing to consider is that that headset is essentially designed for airsoft games, which is fine if that’s what you are using it for. But it is NOT built anywhere near industrial-grade mil-spec standards; it is designed to only FAKE the look of the real thing. Why not just get good headsets that will last longer?
The problem with those fake airsoft headsets is that they don’t have the sophisticated electronics to amplify ambient sound and they just block out ALL noise, not just the noise of gunshots. The real tac folks use headsets such as the Peltor Comtac and the MSA Sordin Supreme Pro-X because they not only don’t block out ambient noise but you can hear a whisper from a block away. This is why cheap ear-cup headsets are not always the best choice for airsoft games. You may want to think about one of the surveillance-tube earsets because they leave your ears open to better hear ambient sounds.
When I am not in a high-noise environment, this is what I wear. I also use the moulded earpiece instead of the ear plug so I can hear more from both ears. (When I am in high-noise environments, I use the MSA Sordin and Peltor models almost every day. I actually train the real folks for a living, and I recently wrote a review in a national police magazine on the latest technology in high-tech tactical hearing protection, so understand my perspective is more from the professional-grade end of things.)
Let us know what you decide or if you have any more questions.
I’ve been considering going with a different headset, but the one I have retails for around $90USD, and I got it much cheaper than that, so I was hoping to find an adapter. Unfortunately, I’ve looked and just cannot seem to find an adapter for what I need.
I take it that is the type of headset you were referring to?
I’m also curious about external antennas for GMRS radios. (I know this requires an FCC license in the US, and I’ve already applied for mine.) Basically what I’m looking for is an external antenna I could mount on my person (on my tac vest, for example) that would allow me to get the antenna for my GMRS radio up as high as I can on my person, while keeping the radio itself in a safe location on my person (not in direct line-of-fire, i.e. in an admin or radio pouch). Something like an antenna, connected to a wire/cable etc. that runs down to the radio itself. Again, I’m a bit of a newbie when it comes to radios, so I’m not sure if such a contraption is even really feasible with Motorola Talkabout-quality GMRS radios.
But this is serious gear for serious professionals. It is not for game players (unless you want to really impress everyone else who buys those toy “imitation tac gear” headsets.)
As for the antenna, don’t worry about it. You can’t get external antennas for the GMRS radios and would do zero good if you could anyway. UHF will carry nicely through concrete and steel, so clothing is nothing.
Believe me, I WISH I could justify spending that kind of money on a headset for airsoft. I can barely get away with spending $250 on a new airsoft gun. My better half gives me chaff for even talking about wanting to buy a new “something” for airsoft, and she plays, too!
I think the reason so many Airsoft players purchase the cheaper headsets, is because they are made for consumer-level FRS/GMRS radios. The headsets and radios do not need to be mil-spec, because little plastic BBs moving at ~300 to ~400 FPS won’t cause much, if any, damage to even a cheap headset or radio. Then again, it’s probably only because they’re as cheap as they are. If I could afford $1,000 for a radio and headset, I’d spend it!
One more question though, if you don’t mind. Do you know if there are any easy-to-program (i.e. program at home via the computer) professional-level Motorola radios, that can be easily programmed to operate only on the FRS and GMRS frequencies? I might be willing to pick up a better radio, and use the headset I have (with the option of getting a better headset in the future, since I’ll have a good radio) for now. I’m not looking to spend more than two or three hundred dollars US for a radio. If you know of anything around that price range, I’d appreciate it if you could toss me a link or tell me what model to look for.
I’ve been looking around a bit, but I just can’t seem to find the information I’m looking for. I can find plenty of radios in my price range, but I cannot really determine if they are programmable to the frequency range I’m looking to use.
EDIT: Never mind, I think I found what I’m looking for in the Motorola CP200 16ch UHF.
