z06801

NASA has Taken over our local MPRA races and HPDE days at Miller Motorsports Park. Until now I have only instructed for the PCA which had their own we could use, but trying to maximize track time with the new build on the C5Z without costly track fees I'm going to do the NASA HPDE days also. What do you other instructors use and where is the best place to buy?

johninar

I use a chatterbox SA device. It works great for me. the passenger slips the boom mic/earpiece into their helmet and over their ear. a coiled extension cord connects to me.
I got mine from ogracing
http://www.ogracing.com/chatterbox-t...n-car-intercom

travisnd

Chatterbox here.

Maynor29

Chatterbox as well but not thrilled with it either. Especially in loud cars. Haven't found an ideal solution yet so the hunt continues.

GT Racing Tires

Amplifier available at Radio Shack for $15.

Maynor29

Actually, it amplifies the additional noise just fine. What it needs is more background noise suppression/cancellation to be useful.

z06801

well thanks for the input guys, I just ordered the chatterbox from ogracing needed something by the 20th

jaa1992

It will be fine for most HPDE cars. Only time I had a noise issue was instructing in an original shelby gt350 with the exhaust right next to me.

I use a closed face helmet and putting the shield down helps attenuate the noise from my side.

RaleighSS

Chatter box for me as well. By far its the most widely used communicator. It helps if you keep microphone tucked inside helmet as close to mouth as possible.. if open face just keep as close as possible.

Couple of tips.
Zip tie the little foam mike covers on. They always pop off. I just put the smallest zip ties on I had.
Always have student pull it out of his helmet by the microphone not the wire going into the earpiece. I have had mine rip out or develop a short.
One good thing about the Chatterbox is that you can unscrew and re-solder the wires on if it happens. I have done that a couple times and now have added a bit of hot glue inside the earpiece which has helped ... But now I always remind them to pull from the microphone stem.

Chatterbox with 2 student headsets and 1 extension is what I have. I did not want anything mounted to my helmet or have earpiece fixed to helmet.

Canam

I have approx 45 instructors in my group. I just equipped them all with chatterboxes. We got a great deal from a sponsor. You can also get a hybrid cable that will go right into your road race helmet so you don't have to install the second microphone if your also a road racer.

TRACKMAN2

a 14" billy club those helmets are a bit thick!!!!

GettReal

Where do you get the hybrid cable from? I have a mic/ear bud hook up installed in my helmet already so would like to use that with the chatterbox.

I'd also like to order the student chatterbox kit, can you help out a fellow canadian

Joy of 6

Always have student pull it out of his helmet by the microphone not the wire going into the earpiece. I have had mine rip out or develop a short.


Also zip tie the cable to the mike boom.

John Shiels

Fist

Canam

Call up Racing radios in Montreal. He will make you one up and can deliver it to you at the track (Mosport).
Anybody who carries Chatterboxes can get you the student kit. Its only around 20 bucks. We got all our stuff from Speedmerchants in Ottawa. They have them in stock.

z06801

a instructors hand brake

thanks for all the good tips everybody I do have to use my race helmet.

jaa1992

I've only had one student so far where I've needed that teaching tool

The next student that decides they need to keep their hand on the shifter too long is gonna get a smack though!

Bill Dearborn

When you get the Chatterbox take the foam piece off and notice the shape of the end of the mic boom, the open side is the side that should be near the person's mouth, when a student puts the headset on make sure the open end of the mic is right in front of their mouth and close to it (the closer the better to reduce the volume of wind noise). Zip tie the foam piece on the boom and also use a zip tie to add a strain relief to the wire coming out of the ear piece. Just make a little loop and then zip tie the wire to the boom near the ear piece. That way if they grab the wire they are pulling on the zip tie and not the spot where the wire goes into the headset.

Since I don't race I use the in helmet setup with two ear pieces velcroed near the chin strap mounts and the mike velcroed right in front of my mouth. Works great in a tight helmet that keeps the noise from coming up between your ears and the ear pieces. I imagine it would be really good with one of those helmets designed for race communications with the inserts that cup your ears to filter out outside noise. This also cuts down on wiring around your head since all the wiring to your mic and ear pieces is inside the helmet and out of the way. I mount my chatterbox to the left side of my helmet and that gives plenty of slack for the student. If I give rides the wires are a little tighter since they have to go around my body to the front or the rear but I find that is better than distracting the student with the wires when they are driving. Before we go out on track I make sure the wires are free and clear of the students arms and the shifter.

Bill

CodeBlack

I picked up the full face helmet kit from chatterbox. the glue for the velcro pads never stick to the helmet and the ear pieces fall off. Pain in the azz. was thinking of cutting the wires and installing a female jack plug then buying a set of ear buds and plug them in. has anyone tried this.