[PeteNaz]

Hey I was just wondering if anyone has any input on making my Terraphone intercom work any better. Right now I need to almost insert the microphone on my helmet into my mouth for it to pick up on anything! I'm going to start rubbing it with BBQ sauce to make it taste better.

But I had a thought last night, If I bought a peltor headset unit and the conversion cable for peltor to terra...would that work better because the peltor is a better quality microphone? Was just thinking of better ways to get more out of my Terraphone without having to buy a a different intercom unit this season.

 

[Morison]

When I've used peltors on adapters to the Terraphone, the sound has typically been a bit worse than using terraphone headsets. That Said... Bryan's adaptors are the best I've used and do the job as well as can be expected. Two adaptors, is a bit more than 1/3 of the way to a peltor intercom.

 

[PeteNaz]

Thanks Keith, Yea it adds up fast, I'll try to deal with it for now and save/find something used.

With your experience what do you prefer, peltor or stilo? also, I've seen these Sparco units that are made for peltor headsets, do you know what those are about?

 

[Morison]

I don't have a lot of experience with Stilo, but know that the people who have them love them. I've only used Peltor helmets on an adaptor with the stilo and seem to recall a couple of Peltor headsets being broken that way... not sure if it was coincidental, but JC Bourgeois had the issue.
I regularly use Peltor helmets and intercoms and am very happy with them. I think results putting headsets into a non-peltor helmet (IE no earmuffs) would be less impressive.
My impression is the sparco stuff is simply Peltor under a license, but wouldn't want to be confused with someone who knows that for sure.

 

[sureshot007]

Hey I was just wondering if anyone has any input on making my Terraphone intercom work any better. Right now I need to almost insert the microphone on my helmet into my mouth for it to pick up on anything! I'm going to start rubbing it with BBQ sauce to make it taste better.

I experience the same issue with my Terraphone. I went so far as to buy a brand new one, and I think it actually works worse than the old one. I'll try that BBQ idea, though, as that may be the best solution for these.

 

[A1337STI]

My crew chief took mine apart and re-sodered some of the connections, cleaned all the dust out, etc.

actually made it work better. and wow do these things look totally radio shack inside ...

 

[John Vanlandingham]

Sell it and get a set of Grey-tronics.

Terrible-phone is a copy of a ancient design Grey-tronics and has a fault in the amplifier circuitry that cannot be fixed.

 

[A1337STI]

never heard of grey-tronics. are they compatible ? seems like they would be if one is a copy of the other

http://www.rallyintercoms.co.uk/ these guys? hmm

 

[Morison]

Graytronics are about as common as Merkurs. (common enough that people recommending them don't spell the name correctly)

In western Canada, they were around a bit a decade ago, but it seems there has been a big shift to Peltor. Compatability within the region is important for a number of reasons, from borrowing co-drivers to borrowing parts. If you're using something common, then the chances of finding a fix or spares is that much higher. As an example, I always have a spare amp with me (use it for recce) and carry spare a spare mike boom as well. While it is a bit hard to be a sheep in a snot green Honda, there are good reasons with choosing commonly used components.

There is a good number of terraphone users as well, but you're trying to get away from that in the first place.

 

[HiTempguy]

There is a good number of terraphone users as well, but you're trying to get away from that in the first place.

The terraphone I had in the Talon worked very well (for point of reference). I forget what the model was. It was indeed built with radioshack quality though.

Pete, what is the exact equipment you are using (driver and co-driver helmets, intercom, and any adapters)?

Like I said, two Peltor's with Bryan's lovely adapters on a beat-to-shit falling apart terraphone worked awesome in the Talon.

 

[John Vanlandingham]

never heard of grey-tronics. are they compatible ? seems like they would be if one is a copy of the other

http://www.rallyintercoms.co.uk/ these guys? hmm

Yeah that's it.. The standard Clubman intercom for decades. Original guy worked for British Telecom as an instructor for years, spoke with him a couple of times after being put in touch with the guy Geoff Cross who made the standard clubbie Tripmeter "Brantz" 9another excellent and easy and reliable product....But as always it was pointed out it's not "popular" where he is therefore its can't be any good...irrefutable logic..

.so naturally the solution is to spend vastly more so you can be a clubbie with pretentions that you "need' the best there is...and there is no doubt that Peltor is great. It also satisfies the burning need to "look cool" by imitating the Dubya Arsey crew you see on TV, one cannot minimise the importance of that..
So, the solution, as always, is spend 3-4 times because when you did "what everybody else did" and got a Terrible-phone, it worked out so well, so you have to spend more now.


Such a shame that so often the blind leading the blind ends up costing more in the long run.

 

[Morison]

Such a shame that so often the blind leading the blind ends up costing more in the long run.

Agreed.
That's why I tell people to go to Peltor from the start. Yes, more expensive than some of the other options, not as expensive as Stilo, but for drivers who actually listen to their co-drivers a good intercom is someplace that is worth spending some money. (And it ain't about looking cool, I can assure you) Besides, if you actually use Peltor helmets, they are lighter than 'cheap' options and have the built in hearing protection. I was skeptical at first, having started out with a bell helmet with a terraphone, but was a convert part way through my first event with the Peltor helmet.
Compatibility, portability, and shared knowledge are important things in this sport.

 

[A1337STI]

I'm super interested in a gray-tronics model now.. I love the price of my terrible-trip , but i also really really listen to my navigator . so being able to hear them is good.

funny about the amplifier circuit flaw thingy.. sounds like what kept breaking on ours .

so does the terraphone head set plug into the gray tronics model no problem? cause my head set is fine. (i think) it's the intercom part we have issues with

 

[DatsunZguy]

I don't race, so I don't know the specifics (pinouts, specs, etc.) of the intercom systems, but I am sure that I have seen some threads from the past addressing volume, quality and sensitivity issues. Though you don't hear about it as much as in the past, folks still "homebrew" electronics projects. I used to have a couple of Skil Craft Chemistry and Geology kits, plus some Heathcraft and Radio Shack kits and labs. Some current possibilities for signal improvement via either pre-amp, amp, or both might include kits from: http://store.qkits.com/moreinfo.cfm/FA617, Vellemon kits (kind of the Radio Shack kits of today, , Kelvin - a well known educator site, http://www.guitarfuel.com/Electronics.php, Jameco kits (some of the best known). A lot of these kits are small, require little power, are adaptable connector-wise, and are inexpensive. Some are pre-assembled, while others require some soldering effort/experience.

 

[A1337STI]

thanks i'll have to poke around and see if any of those look doable for me.

 

[zerodegreec]

I have done a fair amount of exploratory surgery in Terraphone, Graytronics, Peltor FMT-110 and FMT-120, and the Stilo WRC DES intercoms and headsets. Terraphone and Graytronics are both interchangeable, but the Graytronics was designed by someone that knows what they were doing, unlike the grade 9 science experiment that is known as a Terraphone.

Stilo and Peltor intercoms are not just a bit better and "cool" as the troll goes on about, they are THE intercoms to buy. Buying a Terraphone is a complete waist of money. IMHO the Peltor FMT-120 is the best intercom to buy, next to that I would still choose the 110 over the Stilo. I use a Stilo Helmet but the intercoms seem to have some volume issues when using Mixed company of gear (Peltor Helmet on Stilo Intercom). Reason is that the Stilo is a low impedance unit, and Peltor helmets are a high impedance setup. Stilo intercoms are not built to drive the higher resistance of speakers, and having 2 helmets make it worse.

Stilo helmets are usable on a Peltor intercom, but beware! if you don't use the proper cable (OEM or one of mine) you WILL fuck your earphones. Cheap adapters dont account for the impedance differance and the Peltor intercom will overdrive them, to death.

My setup of choice (and what Wim and I run) is a FMT-120 with Stilo helmets. Allows you options at a later date

Bryan

But that's just an opinion from someone that has spent a hundred hours fiddling with these things.

 

[Paul O]

Michele did some good work with mine after Sandblast last year unfortunately I have since misplaced it but here is the thread.

http://www.specialstage.com/forums/...rse-Engineered-Terraphone-Clubman-(first-Gen)