Modern Vespa

I would like to purchase a sub-$100 radio communicator for bike-to bike and bike-to-passenger. I have done some research and found a GMRS radio might be in the right direction. The best one I have found in my price range is the $60 Midland GTX900PV4 which is a kit that includes earpiece with microphone. Does this seem suitable for using with a scooter and a full face helmet? Are there any alternatives out there in this price range? I do like the idea that with these, I could use them off the scooter as well for camping, hiking and other adventures.

Midland GXT900VP4 5 Watt 42 Channel 30-Mile Waterproof GMRS with NOAA All Hazard /Weather Alert and Direct Call
http://www.buy.com/prod/midland-gxt900vp4-5-watt-42-channel-30-mile-waterproof-gmrs-with-noaa/q/loc/111/207907115.html

the cheapest one i can find.....

+1

Hmm, ah, is that pup asynchronious (passive receive/key to send)?

ummm i had to look up that word cause it went right over my head... and by the definition i am thinking it would apply to how close you are.

Aye. Electric bullhorn, then.

'Course ya still gotta key the mike to speak, tying up the left hand, but 'spose ya could tape the button down...

(ahhh...Wintertime posts already, and it's only October...)

ok this is a very quick and dirty photoshop idea ( could not find any good pix this fast) but have a solution.

and a red electric bullhorn is, of course, louder

Funny but off topic. Any recommendations for radios or communicators?

sorry; quite right.

The problem with inexpensive communcators is that they're mostly one-way-at-a-time. You can hear, but to speak, you must depress a button. That's called 'asynchronious' communication. It requires the use of one hand you might need in operating your scoot.

A telephone chat, otoh, is simultaneous two-way, on-line, realtime: all speaking and listening at once. That's bisynchronious communication.

I'd actually thought about using the microphone/earpiece with my cellphone with its voice-dial feature enabled. I might, for instance, bellow, "Call Wife", and theoretically, it would do so. If she were similarly equipped, and could make the brief movement required to "take" the call, then bingo: bisynch comm enabled.

The catch is that voice-dial doesn't work all that well. Even in a dead-quiet room, I must repeatedly shout the name to be called, and slowly, too.

There ya have it - I'm going with brief Choctaw hand signals...

10-4. rhm Out.

Off topic, and nit picking, but you are actually describing half-duplex (think walkie-talkie) versus full-duplex (telephone) communication. The bisynchronous protocol was developed by IBM in the 60's, is not used much today, and was typically half-duplex.

Hah! Dude, that's about when I learned it, too.

As Doctor Science (remember Dr Science?) used to say, "That's old science..."

Now about the Choctaw signs...

You can use a FRS or GRMS walkie talkie set with a low profile headset (could be earbuds) with mic. some of these do have VOX (voice activated trasnmission). Most VOX setups do not work well on motorcycles since there is such a variation in the noise produced by the wind in the microphone. It seems like the best option there is to click to send, but that means one hand on the handlebars, or only sending when at a stoplight.
Even products for motorcycles (like chatterbox) kinda suck.

I have a BlueAnt interphone and it works really well.
That is only like 28 dollars more than what you said you wanted to spend.

A friend and I tried to use his Blue Ant bluetooth setup for bike-to-bike communications on a recent group ride, but the two of us couldn't get through the complex pairing procedure (more like a ritual).

It was, however, very easy to hook up to my modular helmet and remove it later.

We'll probably give it another shot next time we go out. It has a 500' range with no hardware other than the headsets required.

The weakness in the Midland package you mention is having to use either VOX (voice operated xmit) or a push to talk (PTT)button that is hard to access. You will have to have a hand free for the PTT button for this product.

We've tried using the voice activated feature of a radio transceiver in lieu of a PTT, and found that road noise and wind noise triggered the transmitter, driving us nuts.

Take a look at this package. It can give you bike to bike and rider to passenger commo.

It is not high tech, but it works quite well, and at $139 for a set up for TWO, qualifies as inexpensive. Having a push to talk (PTT) button on your hand grip is a big help toward safety. It has good range.

For inexpensive rider to passenger communication only, this might be of interest. It is full duplex, so you can chatter away.

Of course, if you want to chatter away while riding, simplex operation is bothersome, as only one person can talk at a time. For constant chatter, you would need to pay the higher cost of a full duplex system as well as better protective gear to hedge against the inevitable accident you would be begging for due to distraction.

Al

I've seen wired helmet headsets for FRS/GMRS radios that incorporate a PTT thumb button, specifically for motorcycles.

Take a look on eBay to see what I mean.

Radios like that are really best for bike-to-bike. If you really need rider-to-pillion, I'd say spend the extra $30 for one of those bluetooth sets.

I am looking at the Motocomm ST-1 system. It's a few more bucks than you specify, but it offers many features incl. FM radio, cell phone, GPS, and MP3 capabilities. A friend uses one with his wife on their cruiser and they say it's a great system, esp. for the money. See it here:
Motocomm ST-1