Headsets for two-way communication?

[mikereed100]

Originally Posted by Looking4Neptune

@Mikereed1000 - I'm not sure but many 'walkie-talkies' are 'press to talk' devices. You may not have a free hand to press the talk button.

Just a thought.

Yes, although the walkie talkies I linked to are "VOX" or "voice activated". At $19 a pair they might be worth a try for the occasional trip up the mast. If I were using these daily for anchoring I would probably opt for the expensive ones.

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by mikereed100

Yes, although the walkie talkies I linked to are "VOX" or "voice activated". At $19 a pair they might be worth a try for the occasional trip up the mast. If I were using these daily for anchoring I would probably opt for the expensive ones.

According to a couple of the reviews, they are not VOX.

[marti972]

Does anyone make a full duplex headset. That is where both parities can talk continuously and there is neither a need for a talk button nor any delay. One headset would transmit on one frequency and the other on a different frequency. Each headset would listen on the others transmit frequency. You either leave it on or off. In many situations this could cause feedback, but not with a headset.

[Cheyne]

We use Sena SPH-10 headsets on the boat. Generally for anchoring, docking or raising our asym. Not cheap at $189 each on Amazon, but we can talk without buttons and at a normal level. Not to say we still don't bicker about doing things, but it is between us and not the world.

Cheyne

[ohgary]

eartech has some but they are not cheap, starting around $400

https://eartec.com/marine-headset/

[nmuir]

Another vote for Sena SPH-10.
We tried radios and a PTT was a pain as often you need two hands to do your job. VOX also was not good particularly when windy/noisy, and decreasing sensitivity to deal with that would lead to small delays in triggering the VOX. It made for very choppy communication.
With the Senas the range is good enough for shore-to-boat when one of us is ashore doing stern ties - so perhaps 100'? Top of the mast to deck is great too.

[bcboomer]

We had the Senas for a few years but the batteries started to die and they were built in. At the same time connections became iffy so we couldn't count on them.
We replaced them with the Eartec and they are great. We bought a 2nd pair of batteries so we can leave them on for a full day of sailing if we want.
Not cheap but a lot less than a divorce.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by bcboomer

We had the Senas for a few years but the batteries started to die and they were built in. At the same time connections became iffy so we couldn't count on them.

I've read that the batteries can in fact be replaced... using small drivers as for eyeglass repair and so forth.

Haven't tested that theory yet...

-Chris

[Cheyne]

Eventually I will take apart of our Sena’s, but after 5 years they are still going strong so I’m not going to mess with them. Ours get used a lot since we are full time on the boat and moving quite a bit and almost always on anchor.

Cheyne

[bcboomer]

We used our Senas for 8 years. The last 2 years they would sometimes disconnect and were often difficult to connect. Because they can connect to music, answer your phone yadda yadda they are more prone to errors.
The Eartec are more comfortable and more reliable and well worth the difference in price.
They are designed for the movie industry rather than motor cyclists so maybe that's why they are more robust.

[mikereed100]

Originally Posted by nigel1

According to a couple of the reviews, they are not VOX.

They require connecting to a PC to activate the "VOX" option. Here is another well reviewed unit that also has VOX capabilities for $33:
https://www.amazon.com/Retevis-Walki...17&sr=8-3&th=1

[nmccubbin]

Lots of info below, much of it useful
I am surprised at the cost of the Eartec and Sena headsets, around $200 each

We can buy headsets with earphone and boom mike for talking on the phone (using Skype, Messeger etc) via computer for about $50.
We mostly have PC's or MACs running while anchoring.
Surely two bluetooth headsets with suitable software can converse.
Does anyone have experience with such products?

[MicHughV]

I went online and found a variety of walkie talkie's for $20-40. Some had batteries, others had rechargeable one's, etc, but interestingly enough, they all had the "vox" feature, enabling one to talk without pushing a button.

Simply go to "Amazon" and type in "walkie talkies" and you will be show dozens after dozens of models. They all do pretty much the same thing, but the more expensive one's are typically waterproof to some degree. A realistic range is probably around 0.5 mile, which suits my purposes.

For $20, I thought it was worth a shot.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

I went online and found a variety of walkie talkie's for $20-40. Some had batteries, others had rechargeable one's, etc, but interestingly enough, they all had the "vox" feature, enabling one to talk without pushing a button.

Simply go to "Amazon" and type in "walkie talkies" and you will be show dozens after dozens of models. They all do pretty much the same thing, but the more expensive one's are typically waterproof to some degree. A realistic range is probably around 0.5 mile, which suits my purposes.

For $20, I thought it was worth a shot.

See post #9, my comments about time delay between start of yakking and start of hearing. Don't know if that's universal, or just a symptom of the brand/model we tried.

-Chris