NOTES: Radio setups other PG pilots use

[HenrikBengtsson]

From parawaiting telegram group:

2023-04-16:

Radios: people seem to like the AnyTone 878+ (which has bluetooth) and the Yeasu FT-60R, FT-65, and FT-4

Headset: no real specific discussions / recommendations BUT ... some VERY STRONG OPINIONS ... AGAINST headsets ... from folks who are worried about too much chatter ...

2023-04-16:

I am using this for >2years now. No complaints.
https://www.parasupply.com/revamp/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/20/products_id/87/
There is also "finger PTT" version
https://www.parasupply.com/revamp/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/20/products_id/88/

2023-04-16:

Anytone 878 and a Sena helmet/headset. PPT button on control handle. Can transmit without releasing controls. Has worked well for last 2 years.

2023-04-16:

Anytone 878 , headset with ptt. Without ptt, was unable to stop microphone actuation from flight/other noise.

I have one of NAC's kits (stereo with helmet-mounted PTT) and have some more info compiled at https://tris.net/pg/bluetooth.html, but I too think that a (large) handheld speaker mic is better for the vast majority of use cases. it's really unfun when there's interference and you can't hear anything outside your helmet.

that said, the parasupply kit is mono, so at least you'd be able to hear out of one ear, I guess

the Sena helmets have volume controls on the side so I'll admit that Sena+Anytone is probably great too.
Sena SR/SX are fairly heavy helmets. the Sena Pi is a great add-on for any helmet but I have strong doubts that its microphone would work well in wind. now there's the Sena Expand Boom but I have doubts about comfort and helmet compatibility ...

[HenrikBengtsson]

More notes (not mine):

Has anyone had much luck with the Anytone 878 bluetooth PTT? Mine seems to rarely connect and stay connected. Wondering if theres a better bluetooth PTT option than the one that comes with it.

Kinda flaky so far. I seem to have to re-pair it every single time, and the last few flights it did seem to stay connected and working fine. But I've had it disconnect also...it doesn't seem to document if it has an idle shutdown timeout or something similar.

I wrote to them to try and coax them into implementing a firmware that will try and reconnect on disconnect events.

Mine worked fine. But it works best when the PTT button is the last thing paired

The other thing about that radio I found -- I'm pretty sure if you pair a bluetooth helmet (speaker/mic), and then turn the helmet off but leave the radio on, the radio is not smart enough to use its own speaker again on that disconnect. You just get no sound (and maybe mic) until you reboot it.

I have not had that experience and have been using a Sena/Anytone combo for 2 years.