While i think the cell phone idea is about the worst idea i've heard today. Something about having an open mic all the time sounds horrible to me. Not to mention the countless other limitations of a phone call. Plus when you think about it, at the end of the day you're spending more money to make cell phones work than just buying radios like everyone else.

Anyway, I think what you guys are looking for is:
This is similar to what i use. I also use these at work, for noise cancellation and a little music if i want.

 

Last time I checked just about everyone has a cell phone already and no one chargers for minutes anymore. You're looking at less than 150$ for the best Bluetooth on the market. So I reject your cost argument.

The whole open mic thing........ Yeah that'll suck.

 

Cell phones also have horrific latency, don't expect green flag calls.

 

Based on the Motorola advice above, I'm finding it difficult not to post a snarky response in this thread, in which I picture some of the Motorola 2-way gear we use here at the TV station.


Aw, hell... here we go:



The MSR-2000 is a champion of a radio. We use these to communicate with our news vans out to a range of > 50 miles. Yes, you'll need an FCC license, and yes, they're a trifle on the large side, but they work great.

 

I flew passenger for ~4hrs this weekend in a Cessna 182. Why can't we have radios that work as well as those do?

 

I think, unlike race cars, generally if there's significant terrain between a Cessna and whatever they're transmitting to, something has gone seriously wrong.

 

What mekilljoydammit said, and also price. A cheap aviaton VHF radio is $1,500.

I was wondering if that was a Skylane you'd been posting photos from the cockpit of.

And judging by those photos, the NAV/COM in that panel wasn't cheap.

 

Has anyone tried sticking the antenna up on a pole off their trailer? I'm guessing it would be night and day.

 

A lot of people in the IMSA paddock will do this, have a pole extend up from their pit cart.

We tried it, didn't make that much of a difference if I remember correctly. I'm sure it helps, but I don't remember it being night and day.

 

I like using the Kenwood NX-300G in car and for crew with peltor headsets.

 

Indeed it was. '77 182Q. Flew commercial to Seattle with one of my groomsmen, then my best man flew us both down to Sunriver for my bachelor party. I am spoiled forever, driving long distances sucks. What is normally an 8hr drive can be done in 3hrs by air.

$1500 doesn't necessarily scare me if it means the radios will always work every time.

 

it doesn't even work 100% for F1 and LeMan teams (God knows how much they spent on theirs), I doubt $1,500 box works that good either.

 

If terrain is the big problem, would using a lower frequency help so the waves propagate better? MURS frequencies don't need a license, and are on VHF rather than UHF, but you are legally limited to .5 watt of transmitting power.