SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/590058
MANY RACE TEAMS USE AN IN-VEHICLE INTERCOM SO THAT DRIVER AND CO-DRIVER CAN SPEAK DIRECTLY TO EACH OTHER WITHOUT INVOLVING THE REST OF THE TEAM. THIS RUGGED RADIO P6100 IS ONE OF THE NEWEST EXAMPLES OF INTERCOM TECHNOLOGY THAT HAS MANY NEW FEATURES. allow two people to transmit on the same frequency, but the receiver will receive (unlock) the radio transmitting with the same tone. It is much better than transmitting without privacy tones although many promoters are reluctant to allow tones. The reason they are not allowed is that trying to contact a team with a tone code would take a little more time to program the frequency into the official's radio." High Or Low Power? There are good cases for teams using either 50-watt or 110-watt radio systems. High- power systems in trucks and race cars have enough battery and alternator capacity to run the car and communications without sacrificing performance. On the smaller horsepower vehicle, like UTVs, teams have to use different radio setups and tactics. "Output is a key factor to overall range, but it comes at a price," Steinberger said. "That price is current draw. An 110-watt radio can draw up to 25 amps of power where a 50-watt radio draws 8 to 10 amps. On a vehicle with small batteries and stock alternator the 110-watt radio would overtax the charging system and when you were broke down it would kill your battery." "In general, more power means more range," Lundien said. "Two 110-watt radios that have tuned antennas will allow you to talk further than that of two 50-watt radios with tuned antennas. If you have them mixed, say a 50-watt and a 110- watt radio, the maximum range of two-way communication will be that of the 50-watt radio." The takeaway, whether your team uses small or greater wattage radio systems, is to use the high points along the race course whenever possible. "Wattage does help in cases where the terrain is open and there aren't many obstructions," Gerardo said. "The fact is that when there is a mountain between two radios the only thing that will help is a mountain top repeater." Experienced racing teams and crews just getting started in off-road speed sports are wise to rely upon electronic communications experts to choose a race/ chase/pit communications system, rather than cobble together their own. "At PCI Race Radios, our experience can help you choose what is best for your application," says Steinberger. We can help any team understand expectations and what they can do to make sure their equipment is performing the best for their racing program." Items to discuss with radio manufacturers should be the quality of equipment, which components will provide the clearest communication, limitations of VHF systems and how to extend range, and the importance of vehicle and in- helmet installation. "At Racer X, we will talk to them and ask specific questions of what applications that they want," Lundien said, "Where they are mounting them, where they are using them, what type of 076 SCORE JOURNAL