What radio is best for use from a motorcycle?

[j2x]

Folks,

I am very new to the radio scene and barely know enough to even compose this post, so please bear with my naivety.

I am looking to record an audio conversation (podcast) between myself and others while we are all riding motorcycles. I am on a very tight budget, so until circumstances change I'm going to have to make due with inexpensive equipment.

I am imagining the following sort of set up:

Each rider will have a 2-way GMRS radio with VOX (Midland GXT720, for example) and wear a throat mic (XTM820D2) and noise-canceling earbuds. An audio recorder (Tascam DR07) will be connected to either a hand-held scanner or another 2-way radio set to the same frequency as the riders.

My real confusion is what the recorder is connected to. Ideally the recorder would be stashed in a trunk and the radio receiver/scanner it was connected to would have an external antennae, but that's just my preconceived and ignorant notion. I see CB radios like the Midland 1001z are cheap, but their frequency range is no where near that of GMRS and I'm not sure how I could output to a digital recorder.

Range is important, but not as much as clarity. All the riders will likely be less than a mile apart, but the environment will usually have lots of elevation and be densely forested. Is GMRS the ideal radio? I already have a pair of GXT72s, but would like to know what the ideal setup would be.

I'm not sure what forum to post this question under, so moderators please feel free to move it as necessary.

Thank so much for any feedback at all.

-James West

 

[hotrod]

imho for want ya want .and ya being less than 1 mile apart id stay with gmrs
or frs

 

[j2x]

imho for want ya want .and ya being less than 1 mile apart id stay with gmrs
or frs

Thanks! Is there a cheap 12v GMRS base unit that's not necessarily portable, or should I just buy another pair of GXT720?

james

 

[FJR Predator]

I use a J&M radio on my Yamaha FJR. I think they are by far the best cb radio designed for motorcyle applications that's not already setup by the manufacturer.


JMCB-2003 Handlebar-mounted Audio System - J&M Motorcycle Audio

They even have portable radio kits that can be mounted.

 

[W5LZ]

I think you would come closer to having a usable range with the CB radio rather than the GMRS/MURS/FRS radios given. The typical hand-held GMRS/MURS/FRS radios just do not have much range at all, and that depends on terrain etc .
There will be other aspects that can and do put sort of a hamper on things with motorcycles and radios. Probably the one that causes the most problems is the required antenna. VHF radio antennas are shorter than HF radio antennas, can usually be mounted less obtrusively, easier. HF antennas are much more 'picky' about things. They are certainly not impossible, but also not exactly easy.
A recorder requires being able to 'hear' what's being said to be able to record it, right? So, that means it has to be hooked to a radio to hear the transmitted audio. There are several ways that can be done. It could 'piggy-back' the receiver of one of the rider's, stick it in their pocket. (One 'catch' with that is that the recorder typically will not hear the audio being transmitted by the rider it's 'piggy-backing'.) Or, it could be a stand alone system with it's own radio, antenna, etc. Another consideration with that recorder is the time or duration required for it to be recording. There, you have two choices. A recorder that is capable of recording for a sort of long time, or, one that only records with sound input. If it hears something, it turns on the recorder, doesn't hear anything, it stays 'asleep'. Which would be better for your purpose? The one you can't afford, naturally! (Champagne tastes, beer budget!)
And then there's always the systems specifically designed to do this sort of thingy. They are never cheap, or very common, and sort of a 'professional' level of 'doo-dads', so cost is indirectly proportional to knowing exactly how it all works. I would suggest laying on the floor before asking prices, it just saves the typical fainting experience.
Those are the 'basics' of it. Best bet would be to find someone who really does this sort of thing to find out what's possible and practical.
Have fun.
- 'Doc

 

[Moleculo]

For the recording question - I think I would just find a cheap third radio that can hear the frequency you're using (GMRS/FRS/CB/whateve) and stash on one of the bikes in the middle of the pack with the audio output from the radio going to the input of the recorder. Put the recorder on auto record when it hears something (VOX) mode. It should work fine.

If you can find MURS radios, they probably would work the best for what you want because they will ouput a little more power and have a little less problem with the hills within the mile or two radius you're needing.