SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1522709
Maximize Your Range: Tips for Optimizing Walkie-Talkie Performance In the high-speed, high-stakes world of off-road racing, clear communication is key to success. Knowing how to get the most out of your walkie-talkie can mean the difference between a win, loss, DNF, or even safety and disaster. When every second and every bit of range counts, use the following tips to make sure your team is leaving nothing on the table when it comes to radio performance. Take charge Like many electronics, a walkie-talkie’s performance is dependent on battery voltage. Your radio’s transmit power is at its highest when the battery is fully charged. As the battery voltage decreases through regular use, transmit power is reduced. In most use-cases, this is not an issue, but when you need the most range out of your radio, charge counts! WHAT TO DO: Start the day with your walkie-talkies fully charged. If you’re able to, charge during a break in the action. Consider using an XL battery. Most Rugged XL batteries have twice the capacity and transmit at full power longer. Get out, stand up, hold up All radios operate on line-of-sight, meaning any obstruction will decrease their range. Buildings, trees, rocks, mountains, vehicles, and other obstructions can block radio signals. WHAT TO DO: If you’re in a stationary vehicle, get out and stand in an open area with the least obstructions possible. Stand up, a few feet of height can determine whether you can make that call or not. Hold the radio up vertically; walkie-talkies are designed to transmit best when held straight up and down. Replace bent antennas Just like their mobile radio counterparts, a bent walkie-talkie antenna will not transmit or receive as accurately as a straight one. WHAT TO DO: Regularly inspect your radios for any damaged components, especially antennas. If an antenna is bent, replace it right away. This is also a good opportunity to upgrade to a long-range antenna for increased transmit and receive range. It’s not a handle! I know it’s tempting, but antennas are not meant to be used as carrying handles for your walkie-talkie. Carrying your walkie-talkie this way risks bending the antenna whip, or damaging the finely-tuned loading coil at the base of the antenna. WHAT TO DO: This one is pretty straightforward… carry your radio by the main body or use the belt clip. Press, Pause, Talk Every group has a guy that always seems to start transmitting halfway through his sentence. This is not a hardware issue. Especially in intense situations, it’s easy to get caught up in the action and for our mouths to start working before our finger has hit the Push-To-Talk. WHAT TO DO: When making a radio call, press the Push-To-Talk button, pause, then start speaking. This will ensure your radio starts transmitting before you start talking. Spares Let’s face it. Desert racers are hard on equipment. This doesn’t stop with the cars. We’re all familiar with the concept of carrying spares, but are you thinking about your radios? WHAT TO DO: An extra, charged radio or two, a couple antennas, and maybe a belt clip or two will keep your team communicating in the event of an equipment mishap. SJ