SD version is up and most likely by the time you read this and then go there, the HD version will be viewable. so get your view on. Some hiden rzr clips in there as well along with @RZR_Joe Trail Punisher.
DIY Communication systems and inexpensive radio options
SSGPohlman
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I wasn't going to pay PCI or Rugged $1500 for a cheap Chinese VHF radio, so I picked up a VGC VR-N7500 for $150 (I actually got a VR-N7500 base unit and 2 x VR-N75 Handlhelds for $122 off eBay used). It's an awesome radio, has bluetooth, 50w UHF/VHF, its completely controlled from your phone or tablet(meaning you can mount the base unit anywhere, tucked away). Also has APRS so when someone speaks to you , they pop up on a Google Map to show you where they are.
Can even send text / pics over RF to the two handheld VR-N75's I have. I programmed all the PCI and Rugged channels into it, and I'm bluetoothed to my helmet Sena 50R. Have VOX intercom to my wife and kids in the car over bluetooth to all the helmets, then hit the BT PTT button and I can talk to other cars. You can even monitor multiple channels at the same time without having to switch.
Shit, this thing will even use my Tablet's 4G connection and create a web link my wife can listen in on our comms at home hundreds of miles away.
Just wanted to let you guys know you don't have to pay a shit load for comms! And you don't have to have wires all over the place.
Total cost depends on what you do for helmet comms, you can just use the included wired handheld as a speaker/mic. You can plug it into your stereo. You can use your phone/tablet over bluetooth. Or you can get some Sena/Cardo helmet comms.
All in, I think I spent about $500 for Radio, BT Helmet comms, Tablet, and antenna....and its insanely more useful to me than a $1500 Rugged Radio setup. Plus, I hate having a wire to my head while driving/getting in and out of the car.
View attachment 690639
Can even send text / pics over RF to the two handheld VR-N75's I have. I programmed all the PCI and Rugged channels into it, and I'm bluetoothed to my helmet Sena 50R. Have VOX intercom to my wife and kids in the car over bluetooth to all the helmets, then hit the BT PTT button and I can talk to other cars. You can even monitor multiple channels at the same time without having to switch.
Shit, this thing will even use my Tablet's 4G connection and create a web link my wife can listen in on our comms at home hundreds of miles away.
Just wanted to let you guys know you don't have to pay a shit load for comms! And you don't have to have wires all over the place.
Total cost depends on what you do for helmet comms, you can just use the included wired handheld as a speaker/mic. You can plug it into your stereo. You can use your phone/tablet over bluetooth. Or you can get some Sena/Cardo helmet comms.
All in, I think I spent about $500 for Radio, BT Helmet comms, Tablet, and antenna....and its insanely more useful to me than a $1500 Rugged Radio setup. Plus, I hate having a wire to my head while driving/getting in and out of the car.
View attachment 690639
I am interested in this set up, but I am new to any sort of communications and maybe you can clarify. Does the radio not work if you don’t have cell service or range? What kind of antenna would you need? It just seems like a really awesome deal but what are the downsides to using this radio vs pci/rugged?
There is no downside I can see. A little bit of his setup won't work without cell service, but the important stuff will work fine. PCI/Rugged is fine if you want plug&play, but you're stuck with their implementation.
Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk
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369 Posts
You don't need cell service for any communications unless you are doing the remote over the internet stuff with someone at home (or really anywhere in the world). There's really no downside, its cheaper, better tech, more features, etc. Only downside I can think of is that it's more of a "roll your own" solution so you have to piece it altogether and understand how it works. PCI and RR are really dumbed down versions of older, battle tested tech. They work well and are easy to use, but they don't do much and are limited in what they can do. And they are exorbitantly expensive for what they are.
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3,349 Posts
Figured I'd post this in case it helps anyone else out.
I've tried a number of different radio configurations over the years including the RR696 with RR headsets. It was nice but I'm usually alone in my car and none of my riding buddies ever have headsets so we don't talk too much even when they do have radios. I also like to listen to tunes over my speakers and headsets don't really allow for that.
I am using this UV-5R 8W Radio that I got off of Amazon, currently $56.99, and comes with a bunch of accessories. I hooked it up to my computer and created a programming image file for the radio that has all of the Rugged channels programmed. If anyone wants the file, I can send it to you. It is pretty easy to load it onto the radio with the USB cable and software that comes in the radio kit.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TX9FYKJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I then use this Folded Metal mount on the cage:
Folded Metal Baofeng Radio Mount
I combined the above mount with one of these from Assault Industries (other generic cage brackets would probably work just as good or even a hose clamp if you really want to go cheap!):
ASSAULT INDUSTRIES 1/4"-20 ACCESSORY CLAMP
Then I put a loop of velcro around the harness to clip the mic onto. You can see it in the pic below. It's a dirt cheap setup that works great. The best part is that you don't have to fiddle with anything when you get in and out of the car. The radio has enough juice for at least two days of riding. I'd rather buy extra batteries and have it look clean than run power to it but that would be an option.
![Image]()
I've tried a number of different radio configurations over the years including the RR696 with RR headsets. It was nice but I'm usually alone in my car and none of my riding buddies ever have headsets so we don't talk too much even when they do have radios. I also like to listen to tunes over my speakers and headsets don't really allow for that.
I am using this UV-5R 8W Radio that I got off of Amazon, currently $56.99, and comes with a bunch of accessories. I hooked it up to my computer and created a programming image file for the radio that has all of the Rugged channels programmed. If anyone wants the file, I can send it to you. It is pretty easy to load it onto the radio with the USB cable and software that comes in the radio kit.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TX9FYKJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I then use this Folded Metal mount on the cage:
Folded Metal Baofeng Radio Mount
I combined the above mount with one of these from Assault Industries (other generic cage brackets would probably work just as good or even a hose clamp if you really want to go cheap!):
ASSAULT INDUSTRIES 1/4"-20 ACCESSORY CLAMP
Then I put a loop of velcro around the harness to clip the mic onto. You can see it in the pic below. It's a dirt cheap setup that works great. The best part is that you don't have to fiddle with anything when you get in and out of the car. The radio has enough juice for at least two days of riding. I'd rather buy extra batteries and have it look clean than run power to it but that would be an option.
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369 Posts
Great setup and a great radio. I used two of these for years and they were always the loudest and clearest radios of our group. If you don't mind waiting a few extra days, you can get them from China for about 1/2 the cost. Best radio on the market for the money. You can also hook these into intercom systems as well if you'd like.
24.69US $ 17% OFF|Baofeng Uv-5r 8w True High Power 8 Watts Powerful Walkie Talkie Long Range 10km Dual Band Two Way Radio Cb Portable Uv5r Hunting - Walkie Talkie - AliExpress
Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com
www.aliexpress.com
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6,878 Posts
Amazing what Cardo recently came out with lol
Those muffs were similar to ones I first tried.
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730 Posts
Installed a GMRS radio into my Pro R:
![Image]()
![Image]()
Amazon.com: Radioddity DB25-G GMRS Mobile Radio, 25 Watts Two Way Radio Long Range, Quad Watch, GMRS Repeater Capable, with Dual Band Scanning Receiver, for Car Vehicle, Off Road, Overlanding : Electronics
Buy Radioddity DB25-G GMRS Mobile Radio, 25 Watts Two Way Radio Long Range, Quad Watch, GMRS Repeater Capable, with Dual Band Scanning Receiver, for Car Vehicle, Off Road, Overlanding: Two-Way Radios - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
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Amazon.com: Authentic Genuine Nagoya UT-72G Super Loading Coil 20-Inch Magnetic Mount (Heavy Duty) GMRS (462MHz) Antenna PL-259, Includes Additional SMA Male & Female Adaptors for GMRS Handheld Radios : Everything Else
Buy Authentic Genuine Nagoya UT-72G Super Loading Coil 20-Inch Magnetic Mount (Heavy Duty) GMRS (462MHz) Antenna PL-259, Includes Additional SMA Male & Female Adaptors for GMRS Handheld Radios: Everything Else - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com
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473 Posts
Interesting setup. I have a full Rugged setup but love seeing alternative solutions. can you stream music from your cellphone through this setup somehow?
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930 Posts
Couple questions for you.
Do you need to press to talk to others in the rzr? Does it pickup rzr noise and transmit it? Is it easier to hear you wife say slow down or watch out? 🤣
Sent from my iPhone using RZRForums.net
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Sorry, didnt get a notification for this. If you look at the pic I attached, I use a Tablet for my GPS/Spotify/Dashboard/Google Maps/YouTube, etc. The tablet has a sim card and 4G LTE modem in it, so far everywhere I ride (mostly glamis and ocotillo/Johnson Valley) has had great cell service, so yes, I stream spotify on all my rides. If I lose service, I have most of my playlists downloaded anyways so it still plays. Its nice cause I can also call/text from it using my VOIP apps. I can pump Spotify in the helmets or through my stereo I installed.
No, I set it up for VOX through the helmets, so I just talk to everyone in the car as normal, my Sena headsets will attenuate the local vox chatter when something comes in over the radio, and if I want to talk to the other cars in my group I just tap the PTT button and I speak to them, the headset will beep when its no longer transmitting and I know I am just talking to my passengers again. No noise from the cars come through, the headsets have some great noise cancelling algos since they were designed for motos. I've chatted with my buddy cruising at 200mph on my RC8R and we can hear each other loud and clear
@Tricon Thanks so much for posting this information. Seems like an awesome setup. I'm curious how it's set up. Does your Sena only bluetooth connect to your tablet and from that it gets both your music and any radio traffic on the VGC VR-N7500? Or does your Sena bluetooth connect to both your Tablet and the radio? I'm curious if it's your Sena that's muting the music when radio traffic comes in or if that's happening through your tablet? I'm thinking of doing the same thing via the Packtalk Edge. Thanks again!
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369 Posts
My Sena is meshed to the other Senas, then Bluetooth'd to the radio directly. A PTT button is BT'd to the radio as well. You can bluetooth the tablet to the Sena as well, (mine allows a BT connection to a GPS, a Phone, and to a second phone) not sure what yours allows. My radio is the "GPS" so anything playing through the phone or through the mesh will get attenuated when something comes in from the "GPS" aka radio chatter. Hope that helps.
Thanks again @Tricon, helps explaing it a lot! Just confirming, so the Tablet is your "phone" on the Sena and the Radio is the "GPS" on the sena? Besides the mesh - those are the only two things you have connected to the Sena?
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6 Posts
Hi guys, love this idea and I’m ordering the n7500. I already have Cardo headsets and an android tablet for navigation. Only piece I’m missing is an antenna for car to car. I’m going to be figuring out the setup and fairly handy but any advice on a good antenna for this setup in a rzr would be appreciated.
thanks!
thanks!
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369 Posts
Any UHF/VHF antenna will do. This is the one I bought.
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34 Posts
Thanks for all the info. Had a Rugged on my Yamaha and it was ok,but……. Too much for cheap radio!
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Thanks Tricon,
I was really struggling with the cost of the big brands. Especially since I recognized the radios😉
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Thinkings about ordering a set of Sena SPH10 headsets. Does anybody have any experience with these. They look like they will work with or without a half helmet. Some places require a helmet to ride.
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