Bone Conduction Microphones

This is a new concept to me - in fact, I just found out about it! There is some talk on the HFPack group about light weight headsets. John G8OZH inquired about the application of bone conduction earpieces for use in portable Ham radio operations requiring the lightest of components. They are most certainly more compact than traditional headsets - such as the Heil Traveler, for example. Think of the earphones you get with Ipods and some cell phones these days - the ones that fit right inside your ear. Now imagine one of those, not both (such as for stereo use) that functioned as a microphone as well. I don't think you can possibly beat that for size/weight of an earphone/microphone combination!

Here is one example I found while searching the 'net from Helmetaudio.com. The price seems to be reasonable also, I figured they would be a lot more than that.

The big question is how well do they work with a ham radio?

FT-857D - Super Compact and Low Profile Mobile

What do you do when you just have to take a radio with you on a car trip but you either can't use or don't want to bother with mobile antennas?



Use HT antennas! The FT-857D is ideal for this. In my situation, I don't like going on road trips where I don't have VHF/UHF and CB capabilities. The FT-857D solves that - I can access repeaters and I can still monitor reports on CB Channel 19 - 27.185mHz AM (such as accident information, detours, and other traffic tie-ups).

My antennas are a Commet BNC-24 for VHF/UHF (though the SWR on 445 is bad) and a rubber duck off a Cobra HH-28 hand held CB.

The configuration with the HT antennas works in a pinch - it is better than nothing, but don't expect it to work as good as antennas outside the car. What I do (hence the remote face plate) is toss the radio up behind the back seat, by the rear window, with the antennas attached. It works out pretty well, considering the circumstances. Bring headphones and you can plug them in right to the control panel (left side).

Then when you get to where you are going bring some kind of portable antenna - a jumper dipole, buddistick, what have you, and play on the HF bands!

I just made a quick over-nigh trek to Chicago the past couple days and brought this with me. It did what I wanted it to do, but again - don't expect it to work "great". I took a buddistick with me, though I didn't get a chance to use it. I was too busy and the hotel we stayed in didn't have a balcony to set up the antenna on.